The Great Pony Hassle Read Online Free Page B

red-speckled legs.
    â€œShe needs help,” Toni said. “She can’t do it all by herself.”
    â€œGood,” Staci snapped.

    â€œI wasn’t talking to you.”
    â€œWho to, then?”
    Toni didn’t answer. She swung down off her bunk and left to find Stirling. Paisley was Stirling’s twin. Toni felt she ought to point out Paisley’s problem to Stirling.
    The other McPherson girl, Toni found somewhat to her surprise, was helping Grandmother Dill pack. Stirling was smoothing a cotton skirt with both her small, fawn-colored hands.
    â€œHey,” Toni told her, “Paisley needs some help with her fence.”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œSo you should help her!” Toni said.
    â€œWhy?” Stirling seemed much more interested in the clothing.
    Toni could not believe how stupid Stirling acted. “Because you’re her twin!”
    â€œJust because she’s my twin doesn’t mean we’re joined at the hips.” Stirling turned to another skirt. “I sure don’t want Guinness Book of World Records chigger bites.”
    â€œBut …” Toni couldn’t find words. The way Stirling was acting was so far from the way she had always thought twins should be that she felt fuses popping in her brain. She looked at her grandmother for help. But Grandmother Dill was folding blouses without the faintest sign of interest.
    â€œAnyway, it’s going to be Paisley’s pony, not mine,” Stirling added. “I’m not the outdoors type.”
    â€œDon’t you like ponies?” Toni asked.
    â€œWhy should I? Do I have to like everything Paisley likes?”
    Giving up on Stirling, Toni turned to her grandmother. “Nana,” she pleaded, using the pet name she had not called her grandmother since she was much younger, “would you help Paisley? She’s out there in the heat getting all bitten up, and the dumb wire won’t go straight for her, and—”
    Her grandmother’s glance stopped her. But the stare was calm, and her grandmother’s voice kind. “Antoinette, you can see I am busy. If you think about it, I believe you will know who is the best person to help Paisley.”
    Toni wandered back out to the hallway, scowling. What could Grandmother be talking about? There were only four people in the house, and she had already asked two of them. And Grandmother couldn’t mean Staci. Grandmother didn’t say much, but she was not stupid. She had to know how Staci felt about Paisley. And with Staci feeling the way she did, there was no way Toni herself could help Paisley. She couldn’t go against her twin.
    Could she?
    Slowly Toni walked into her bedroom. Through the window she could see that Paisley had sat down in the chigger-infested grass, staring at a tangle of wire.
    â€œStace,” said Toni, “c’mon. We’re going to go help her.”
    Staci sat up to stare her down. “Get real!”
    â€œI am real. You’re weirded out. C’mon, get human. We’ve got to help.”
    â€œWho says?”
    â€œI says.”
    â€œWell, you go help her if you’re so choked up about her. I’m not going near her or her pony fence.”
    Staci flopped back on her bunk, knowing that Toni would not do any such thing without her. Toni was her twin, and Staci could count on Toni to side with her through thick and thin.… When Staci looked up again, Toni had put on her yellow crew socks and high-topped turquoise sneakers and was heading out the door.
    â€œHey!” Staci jumped up. “Where you going?”
    â€œOut to help Paisley.”
    â€œWhat—I can’t believe this! Are you siding with her against me?” Staci’s voice went up so high it cracked.
    â€œI’m not siding with anybody. I’m just helping a girl put up a pony fence,” said Toni.
    â€œYou can’t! You do that and I’ll—”
    â€œYou can do what you