Team Play (9 page)

“Hey, great!” Bobby said. He dashed off to give the news to his parents. For a second, it crossed Stevie’s mind that Bobby might have some political scheme in mind which made it more desirable for him to deliver his speech later in the day. But as she watched his receding figure wave gaily to his parents, she dismissed the thought. She had the feeling she was looking at a boy
whose grandmother was going to see him lose badly in the school election. She was almost sorry she’d agreed to change the time of the speeches.

“And what’s going on in your busy mind now?” Marco asked. Stevie had nearly forgotten he was there.

“I was just thinking about Bobby,” she replied. “He’s a nice boy, you know. He’s so nice, he probably won’t even resent me when I beat him in the election. Heck, he’s so nice, he’ll probably even vote for me.” Marco laughed. “Come on. Let’s get to work.” Stevie returned her attention to the fair. “Do you know how to set up a ring-toss game?”

“Why don’t you just show me what you want me to do and it will get done,” Marco said.

“
Andiamo!
” Stevie said, leading the way.

“Oh, Stevie!” a voice called, interrupting them yet again. It was Veronica diAngelo, who had apparently gotten her voice back. “I’ve been looking all over for you!” she said sweetly. She spoke to Stevie, but her eyes were glued on Marco. Stevie wasn’t surprised in the least.

“Well, here I am,” Stevie said. “What can I do for you?”

“Oh, it’s not what you can do for me. It’s what
I
can do for
you
,” Veronica cooed.

“Yes?” Stevie said.

“Well, I know you’re working hard with all this fair business. I thought maybe the Italian boys would enjoy a little peace and quiet, perhaps over at my house?”

“Oh, but there’s work to do,” Marco said.

Veronica looked around her. For the first time she saw something other than Stevie and four good-looking boys. She saw that the four good-looking boys were working very hard on her school’s Fair and her school’s Hospital Festival.

“Work?” Veronica said, as if the word were unfamiliar to her. “You mean to tell me that Stevie has put you boys to
work
?” Her voice rose.

“I am going to make a ring-toss,” Marco said proudly.

“I’m doing decorations,” Enrico called down from a perilously high ladder. The red and white crepe paper he’d put up looked wonderfully festive.

“And Andre is in that booth over there,” Marco said, pointing. “I think they are bolting it together. He’s very good with such things, you know.”

“But you’re championship riders!” Veronica almost shrieked. “You shouldn’t be doing these menial tasks! You should be—” She searched for words.

“What?” Marco asked. “We should be sitting on a veranda, sipping sodas and looking at a field of horses?”

That was obviously exactly what Veronica had in mind, particularly if the veranda overlooked her back yard.

“Pah! We can do that anywhere,” Marco said, speaking for his friends. “We’d rather do something useful. And Stevie certainly needs us. Besides, it’s fun to help with such worthwhile activities. Don’t you agree?”

Veronica was cornered, and Stevie knew she couldn’t
have done a better job of it herself. Veronica saw that she had only one route. She took it.

“Oh, yes,” Veronica said. “I, myself, enjoy sipping soda on a veranda as much as the next person, and I would have been willing to do that with you boys if you’d wanted it. But since you don’t, I can do something that is really much more important. I can help. After all, Fenton Hall is my school and I’m always willing to pitch in and do anything to help the school—or the poor little crippled children.”

Stevie thought gleefully that she had never heard such insincere garbage in her life. It was music to her ears. All of the workers at the fair began to gather around Stevie and Veronica. This was a conversation they didn’t want to miss.

“Why, how lovely of you, Veronica,” Stevie responded, sweet as sugar. “We all know what your loyalty has meant to the school in the past.” She paused for the insult to register on Veronica’s face, but it was apparently too subtle for the girl to understand. Stevie went on. “We’re almost finished here and I think I have all the volunteers I can use for this afternoon, but I do have one special job that you can do for me tomorrow at the fair.”

“Me?” Veronica touched her chest to indicate herself, as if she wasn’t sure who Stevie was talking to.

“It’s a really important job, Veronica,” Stevie said.
“Until now, I haven’t found just the right person for it, but now I know who that is. It’s you.”

“Me?” she said again. Stevie thought Veronica ought to work a little more on her conversational techniques. She was getting really boring.

“Yes, you,” Stevie said patiently. “You know, each one of these booths has an activity—ring-toss, bowling alley, all those things we do every year. Each booth needs at least one person to run that activity. Well, I want you to be in charge of Booth Number Thirteen tomorrow.”

“Me?” Veronica repeated for the third time.

“No. Ghengis Khan,” Stevie said, unable to hide her irritation any longer. “Of course, you. Anyway, I think Booth Thirteen is going to be our biggest attraction. You’re just the person to run it.”

“Well, I don’t know, Stevie,” Veronica began.

Stevie was afraid Veronica was going to back out of the project. “You
are
,” Stevie insisted. “After all, who cares more about Fenton Hall than you? Who has shown, year after year, that deep concern for the kids in the hospital? And, don’t forget, this year, we’ve got horses involved. Is there anybody in town more involved in riding programs? Oh, yes, Veronica, this is an honor which you deserve.”

“Well, I think you’re flattering me a bit, Stevie,” Veronica said. “But, of course, I do like to be a part—”

“Oh, you’ll be a part of this,” Stevie assured her. “An
important 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 than not. Is that right?”

“You’ve thought of everything, Stevie,” Miss Bellanger said.

“Yes, I think I have,” Stevie said, knowing full well that Miss Bellanger didn’t understand the half of it. “Okay, see you later, then.” In a minute, Stevie was back at the fairgrounds, ready for action.

“There you are, Stevie. What do you want us to do?” Carole asked. She, Kate, and Christine had just arrived.

A wicked gleam appeared in Stevie’s eyes. “I want you to help me set up Booth Thirteen.”

Lisa joined the group and Stevie began unfolding her plan.

“Christine, since you did such a great job on the Tshirts we wore at the rodeo, you’re in charge of the sign for the booth. Here’s what it’s supposed to say.” She handed Christine a piece of paper. Christine read it and her eyes lit up with amusement. “Lisa, you’re artistic, so you can help Christine,” Stevie added.

“Me, artistic?” Lisa sounded surprised.

“Well, you know where the paint is, don’t you?” Stevie asked.

“I guess I’m
that
artistic. Let’s go, Christine!” Lisa said, leading the way.

“Kate, here’s a shopping list and some money,” Stevie went on. “Did you see the little shopping center down the street? You can find everything we’ll need in the housewares section of the supermarket.”

“Outrageous!” Katie said, looking at her own list as Carole read over her shoulder. “Does Veronica know what’s going on?”

“Veronica, as we all know, is devoted to the school and will do anything she can to help it and to entertain the—how did she put it?—‘poor little crippled children,’ ” Stevie said innocently.

“Oh, yes. What a wonderful generosity of spirit that girl has,” Kate said.

“What about me?” Carole asked.

“Well, you get the fun job of collecting the money. As soon as the sign goes up for Booth Thirteen, students from Fenton Hall are going to be lined up all the way back to the highway to get tickets. Sell them as fast as you can, okay? One of the Fenton Hall students will take over in a few minutes, but I’d like you to cover for now.”

“Deal,” Carole said. Stevie gave her a roll of tickets and a cash box. “I’ll be fine,” Carole said.

“It’s going to be really busy,” Stevie warned her.

“Oh, but it’s all for such a good cause!” Carole said brightly.

Then Stevie and Carole heard a wonderful sound. It was the gentle clip-clop of ponies arriving.

“
Buon giorno!
” Enrico and Andre greeted Stevie and her friends cheerfully.

The carts, which were borrowed from Pine Hollow, were large enough to seat four or five children at once. There were two of them, and two ponies, also borrowed from Pine Hollow, named Nickel and Dime.

Stevie looked at her watch. It was ten-thirty exactly. Everything was going right on schedule.

•    •    •

C
AROLE COULD HARDLY
believe how smoothly everything was running. She wouldn’t have thought a superwoman—let alone Stevie—would find a way to balance a hospital festival, a school fair, a political speech and six out-of-town visitors all in the same weekend. She was truly impressed with everything Stevie had accomplished.

“Hi, I’m Bobby Effingwell,” a boy introduced himself, offering his hand. “I can take over at the cash box now,” he said politely.

“Oh, sure,” Carole told him. The name rang a bell, but she couldn’t place it. Then she remembered who he was. He was Stevie’s opponent for the Middle School Presidency. Carole studied his manner as he opened the cash box, pasted on a hopeful smile, and waited for his first customer.