Free Team Play by Bonnie Bryant Page B

be a part of this,” Stevie assured her. “Animportant part. Well, I know you’ve had a tiring day, with all the work you’ve done on Garnet. I think you should relax. Tomorrow will take a lot out of you.”
    “I don’t mind,” Veronica told her. She was sounding very noble. Stevie tried to hide her own smile.
    “Be here at eleven tomorrow,” Stevie said. “And wear, you know, old clothes, something comfortable. It’ll be a long day.”
    “Something like this old thing?” Veronica asked, pointing to the stylish brand-new outfit she was wearing.
    “Exactly,” Stevie said. “And remember—Booth Thirteen is all yours!”
    “Oh, thanks, Stevie!” Veronica said. Stevie thought she sounded genuinely excited. “See you tomorrow!” She waved and left, no doubt heading for a veranda and a cold soda.
    Lisa picked up a clipboard with the complete layout of the fairground. A puzzled look crossed her face.
    “Stevie,” she said. Stevie turned. “I don’t get it. There
is
no Booth Thirteen.”
    Stevie’s eyes danced. “There is now!” she said. “And, like I promised Veronica, it’s going to be our main attraction and our biggest money-maker. Veronica has no idea of the wonderful sacrifice she’s about to make for the glory of Fenton Hall!”

T HE BIG DAY was bright, warm and beautiful. Stevie had known it would be. It was a perfect spring day, full of promise, only hinting of the muggy, hot summer to come.
    Stevie donned her jeans and riding boots and a plaid shirt. Even if she wasn’t planning to ride, these were the most comfortable clothes she owned. Besides, she thought there were probably people who wouldn’t recognize her if she weren’t wearing jeans!
    Stevie extracted promises from all her brothers that they would come to the fair.
    “Your father and I will be there, too,” Mrs. Lake said.
    “Of course you will be. You’re my parents,” she said,remembering that Bobby Effingwell’s grandmother would be in attendance as well.
    Her mother hugged her and shooed her out the door.
    By the time she arrived at the hospital grounds, she saw Lisa already there, with a clipboard in her hands, giving orders.
    “Are you Stevie?” a boy asked Lisa, challenging her authority.
    Ignoring the question, Lisa gave the boy an assignment. The boy snapped a quick salute and went to work.
    “Nice job,” Stevie said.
    Lisa handed her the clipboard. “Everything is under control,” she said. “Everything, that is, except this mysterious Booth Thirteen.”
    “That can wait for a few minutes,” Stevie said. “We need Carole, Kate, and Christine to help with the final touches on that one. Here.” She handed the clipboard back to Lisa. “I need to talk to somebody at the hospital. You keep this, and when the next person asks if you’re me, just say yes, okay?”
    “Sure thing,” Lisa said.
    Stevie walked into the entrance of the hospital. She’d talked to Miss Bellanger, the head nurse, quite a lot over the last few weeks to coordinate the project. Now it was time to make sure everything was on schedule.
    Miss Bellanger was in her office when Stevie knocked on the door. “Hi,” Stevie said. “Got a minute?”
    “For anyone who can arrange to bring an entire school fair to my patients, with enough going on to entertain even the ones who can only watch from the window, I’ve got plenty of time,” Miss Bellanger replied warmly.
    “Not to mention the weather to go with it all,” Stevie added.
    “You’re claiming credit for that, too?”
    Stevie grinned. “Why not? Anyway, just to let you know, the ponies should be arriving about ten-thirty. Your kids are all welcome to come to our fair and they’ll each get ten free tickets. At four o’clock, we’ve got school candidates’ debates. That’ll be boring for everybody, but by then your patients should be ready to return to their rooms. The way we’ve set this up, even the kids who can’t participate can watch. I thought they’d rather watch