The Christmas Pony Read Free Page B

room, Mama was nearly finished setting the table. To Lucy’s surprise, she’d putout the good china dishes—the ones with the gold and black design around the edges. “The table looks real pretty,” Lucy told her. “George and Veronica should like it a lot.”
    â€œThat’s all?” Mama frowned as she adjusted a teacup. “Just George and Veronica ?”
    â€œYes.” Lucy nodded. “George and Veronica.”
    Mama looked doubtful. “Didn’t they tell you their last name, Lucy?”
    â€œI guess I forgot to ask,” Lucy admitted, “but you heard them tell me to call them by their first names. Is that all right, Mama?”
    â€œWell, I suppose so. If that’s what they want. However, I don’t generally care for you calling adults by their first names.”
    â€œI know.” Lucy was about to tell Mama how George and Veronica were using two rooms upstairs, but Grandma stuck her head in the swinging door that led to the kitchen. “Miriam,” she said, “I need your help in here, please.”
    â€œYou go wash up,” Mama told Lucy. “Then you can fill the water glasses for me.”
    Before long, the new boarders had returned downstairs and everyone was seated around the dining room table where Mama bowed her head to say grace. They made small talk about the weather and traveling as the food was passed around, but the conversation grew quiet as they ate. Lucy was seated across from George and Veronica so she had a good view of their exciting new guests. Veronica had removed her fur-trimmed coat and now wore a shiny dress that was almost the same color as purple irises in the springtime. She also had on a necklace and earrings that looked like real diamonds, but Lucy couldn’t be sure about that since she’d never seenreal diamonds before. No matter, Veronica was still the most glamorous person Lucy had ever seen in real life. Lucy wished that Clara still lived down the road so she could see her too.
    Lucy glanced over to where Mama was sitting in her usual spot at the end of the table closest to the kitchen. She liked to sit there so that she could fetch things more easily. Lucy knew it was probably wrong to compare Mama to Veronica, but she just couldn’t help herself. Mama looked kind of washed out today. Sort of like when Lucy’s favorite red gingham blouse got left in the sun too long and the color got drained right out of it. Even Mama’s dress looked more faded and worn than usual. Plus Mama’s light brown hair, pulled back in its usual bun, seemed sadly drab too. Still, Mama’s eyes were pretty—and even bluer than Veronica’s—although Veronica’s eyelashes were much blacker, more fancy somehow. But, Lucy reminded herself, mothers weren’t supposed to look like Veronica—and Mama was simply Mama. And really, she was a lot prettier than all the other mothers in Maple Grove.
    â€œThis is about the best chicken and dumplings I’ve ever had,” George proclaimed. “My compliments to the chef.”
    â€œGrandma does most of the cooking,” Lucy told him. “But Mama can cook too,” she added quickly.
    George told them about his car and how he felt like a fool to have let the radiator boil dry like he did. “My father used to warn me about that very thing. I really should’ve known better. That’s what comes of driving too many hours, but I’d really hoped to make it to Los Angeles before nightfall.”
    â€œWhat takes you to Los Angeles?” Grandma asked.
    â€œI hope to find work there,” he told her.
    â€œWhat sort of work?” she asked.
    â€œThat’s a good question.” George’s mouth twisted to one side as they waited for him to answer. “You see, I’d been in college back east . . . back before Black Friday. I’d been in law school, but like a lot of other students, my family’s