asked.
“Beats me,” said Phil. “When I talked to her last night, I told her I’d pick her up for the dance on Saturday, but she said she couldn’t go. Alex might come home the next day, and she feels she has to stay home and do things in preparation for his arrival.”
“Like what?” Lisa asked. “Make his bed fresh? All night?”
“I couldn’t think of what she meant, either,” Phil said. “But she seemed determined not to come to the dance—like it’s against the law to have fun if your brother’s sick.”
“She needs our help,” said Carole. “But I have no idea what we can do.”
“Me neither,” agreed Phil. “Based on my conversation with her last night, I’d say that Alex is the only thing on her mind. Our doing something for him might make Stevie feel better.”
“Carole? What do you think?” Lisa asked.
Carole found herself having a jumble of emotions. She felt as though she could understand the way Stevie was feeling, because Carole’s own mother had been ill for a long time before she’d died. The thing Carole had found the most comforting of all was riding and spending time at the stable. That didn’t seem to be what Stevie wanted now, however. All of her attention wasfocused on Alex. Maybe they could just support that idea.
“I’m not sure,” Carole began. “I would have thought horses would help her. They helped
me
when Mom was sick.”
“In Stevie’s case I would have thought finding ways to get into trouble would be a helpful distraction!” Phil joked. “At the very least a fun dance.”
“Maybe the dance is the problem,” Lisa suggested. “It seems sort of frivolous to be thinking about a barn dance when Alex is so sick. Maybe we should just cancel it. Max would understand.”
“I wouldn’t,” said Carole. “Life has to go on. It’s not fair to Alex or anyone else to use their illness as an excuse to stop living. Canceling the dance isn’t the right answer. Not at all.”
Lisa was a little surprised at how strongly Carole reacted to her mild suggestion, but she realized that the idea of life continuing was something Carole had learned the hard way and truly believed. It made sense. She could agree with it.
“So, what, then?”
“Maybe we can just focus the dance on Alex a little,” suggested Phil.
“You mean like dedicate it to him?”
“Sounds kind of corny, but maybe we could have—oh, I don’t know—like a dance contest, and whoever wins it could win the right to take some of the decorations from the dance over to Alex when he gets home from the hospital.”
There was a moment of quiet. Carole spoke first.
“Phil, you’ve been spending too much time around Stevie.”
“I have?”
“Yes,” Lisa agreed. “You’re beginning to think like her.”
“I am?”
“Yes, and we
love
it,” Carole said.
“It’s perfect,” Lisa agreed. “Now, do you have enough time in the next four days to become an expert dancer so you can win the contest?”
“Me? I don’t think so,” he said. “Actually, if Stevie’s not going, I’m not sure
I
should go.”
“Of course you should,” said Carole. “Cam will be there, and he’ll be very disappointed if you don’t show up.”
“Alone? It doesn’t seem right.”
“Not necessarily alone,” said Lisa. “I was going to ask Bob Harris, but it turns out his family is going away for the weekend. Why don’t we go together? You’ve helpedus with the decorations; you’ve come up with an ingenious idea to honor Alex. You certainly ought to be there.”
“What if I step on your toes?” Phil asked.
“It’s a barn dance,” Lisa reminded him. “I’m wearing my cowboy boots. I’ll just be sure the toes are steel reinforced.”
“It’s a deal,” said Phil. “And thanks for suggesting it. I’ve missed Stevie this last week or so while she’s been so involved with Alex. Talking with you two makes me feel closer to her.”
“That’s what friends are supposed to do,” said
“Beats me,” said Phil. “When I talked to her last night, I told her I’d pick her up for the dance on Saturday, but she said she couldn’t go. Alex might come home the next day, and she feels she has to stay home and do things in preparation for his arrival.”
“Like what?” Lisa asked. “Make his bed fresh? All night?”
“I couldn’t think of what she meant, either,” Phil said. “But she seemed determined not to come to the dance—like it’s against the law to have fun if your brother’s sick.”
“She needs our help,” said Carole. “But I have no idea what we can do.”
“Me neither,” agreed Phil. “Based on my conversation with her last night, I’d say that Alex is the only thing on her mind. Our doing something for him might make Stevie feel better.”
“Carole? What do you think?” Lisa asked.
Carole found herself having a jumble of emotions. She felt as though she could understand the way Stevie was feeling, because Carole’s own mother had been ill for a long time before she’d died. The thing Carole had found the most comforting of all was riding and spending time at the stable. That didn’t seem to be what Stevie wanted now, however. All of her attention wasfocused on Alex. Maybe they could just support that idea.
“I’m not sure,” Carole began. “I would have thought horses would help her. They helped
me
when Mom was sick.”
“In Stevie’s case I would have thought finding ways to get into trouble would be a helpful distraction!” Phil joked. “At the very least a fun dance.”
“Maybe the dance is the problem,” Lisa suggested. “It seems sort of frivolous to be thinking about a barn dance when Alex is so sick. Maybe we should just cancel it. Max would understand.”
“I wouldn’t,” said Carole. “Life has to go on. It’s not fair to Alex or anyone else to use their illness as an excuse to stop living. Canceling the dance isn’t the right answer. Not at all.”
Lisa was a little surprised at how strongly Carole reacted to her mild suggestion, but she realized that the idea of life continuing was something Carole had learned the hard way and truly believed. It made sense. She could agree with it.
“So, what, then?”
“Maybe we can just focus the dance on Alex a little,” suggested Phil.
“You mean like dedicate it to him?”
“Sounds kind of corny, but maybe we could have—oh, I don’t know—like a dance contest, and whoever wins it could win the right to take some of the decorations from the dance over to Alex when he gets home from the hospital.”
There was a moment of quiet. Carole spoke first.
“Phil, you’ve been spending too much time around Stevie.”
“I have?”
“Yes,” Lisa agreed. “You’re beginning to think like her.”
“I am?”
“Yes, and we
love
it,” Carole said.
“It’s perfect,” Lisa agreed. “Now, do you have enough time in the next four days to become an expert dancer so you can win the contest?”
“Me? I don’t think so,” he said. “Actually, if Stevie’s not going, I’m not sure
I
should go.”
“Of course you should,” said Carole. “Cam will be there, and he’ll be very disappointed if you don’t show up.”
“Alone? It doesn’t seem right.”
“Not necessarily alone,” said Lisa. “I was going to ask Bob Harris, but it turns out his family is going away for the weekend. Why don’t we go together? You’ve helpedus with the decorations; you’ve come up with an ingenious idea to honor Alex. You certainly ought to be there.”
“What if I step on your toes?” Phil asked.
“It’s a barn dance,” Lisa reminded him. “I’m wearing my cowboy boots. I’ll just be sure the toes are steel reinforced.”
“It’s a deal,” said Phil. “And thanks for suggesting it. I’ve missed Stevie this last week or so while she’s been so involved with Alex. Talking with you two makes me feel closer to her.”
“That’s what friends are supposed to do,” said
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