Bailey’s Peoria Problem
Page 12
Bailey felt a hand on her elbow. “Come on, it’s almost your turn.” Uncle Nathan helped her stand. Her legs suddenly felt like jelly. What if I can’t handle the sheep? Maybe I’ll embarrass myself and Uncle Nathan, too.
Alex grabbed Bailey’s hand. “I’ll be here cheering and praying for you like mad. Your last practice time of twelve minutes, twenty seconds beats everyone we’ve seen so far!”
Bailey gave a weak smile. How would she ever be a famous actress if she let her nerves get to her like this? Inhaling deeply, she let out her breath slowly. “With God’s help I’m going to beat all those times!”
“That’s the spirit!” Aunt Darcy hugged Bailey. “Remember, we’re proud of you no matter what!”
Bailey nodded and followed Uncle Nathan to the competitors’ waiting area. By the time they reached it, only one girl was ahead of her. She had the fastest time yet at twelve minutes, five seconds.
“That’s fifteen seconds faster than last year’s winning time!” Bailey wailed.
Uncle Nathan squatted, took Bailey by the shoulders, and looked directly into her black-brown eyes. “Don’t you worry about anybody’s time but your own, you hear? Just do your best.”
Bailey nodded and swallowed a lump in her throat. Her mouth turned to cotton. She put on another coat of lip balm.
“Bailey Chang!” the announcer called.
Uncle Nathan nudged Bailey toward the arena. Bailey had never felt so small. The crowd cheered, and a woolly sheep was brought to her. A timekeeper stood close by.
Bailey whispered a quick prayer then flipped on the shears. The timekeeper started the stopwatch. Bailey ran the shears up and down the lamb’s body, and fleece fell like a soft blanket. She imagined a message appearing beneath the fallen wool and pretended Gonzo’s life depended on her uncovering it quickly. Minutes later, she switched off the shears, and the timekeeper punched the stopwatch.
“Eleven minutes, seventeen seconds!” Raising Bailey’s hand in the air, he announced, “A new record!”
Uncle Nathan ran to Bailey and scooped her into his arms. “Way to go, Bailey! You were awesome!”
“I didn’t win yet, Uncle Nathan,” Bailey cautioned. “There’s still one more contestant.”
“I know.” Uncle Nathan let her slide back to the ground. “But I’m so proud of you.”
Aunt Darcy raced toward them. “Bailey! I can’t believe how fast you were!” She wrapped her in a bear hug and kissed her cheek.
“You were amazing!” Alex said.
“Hey, kid!” Brian sauntered up, cool as ever. “You were almost as good as me!”
“If you’d had the nerve to enter the competition!” Bailey teased.
“I didn’t want to compete against you! Maybe I’ll give it a try next year.” Brian messed up Bailey’s hair.
The group turned their attention to the last competitor as the announcer’s voice echoed through the loudspeaker. “Last year’s champion in the nine-to twelve-year-old group, Jackson Pruitt!”
The arena exploded with applause, and the crowd rose to their feet.
The announcer continued. “Jackson set a new record at twelve minutes, twenty seconds last year. Bailey Chang already broke that record today! Will Jackson be able to beat her time and keep his title?”
Jackson and his sheep took their places. The race was on! His arm flew, the shears buzzed, the fleece fell as silently as the crowd had become. Moments later, he turned off the shears.
“Eleven minutes, forty seconds! Bailey Chang is our new champion with her time of eleven minutes, seventeen seconds! Bailey Chang, come on out here!”
Uncle Nathan, Aunt Darcy, Brian, and Alex all walked into the arena with Bailey. The judge draped a “Shearing Master” sash across her shoulder and presented her with a huge trophy. Thunderous applause shook the stands.
Bailey looked around her. All this was for her? She quietly bowed her head. Thank You, God. You did this for me. When she raised her head, tears filled her eyes as Marshall Gonzalez came from the crowd and placed an enormous bouquet of yellow roses in her arms.
Gonzo was free and safe, she’d won the shearing competition, and she’d enjoyed a whole week with Alex. This spring break was more than she’d dreamed it would be!