Maggie's Wish - Marilyn D. Anderson

Tim slowed down. "Okay," he agreed. "Maggie, it's a long ways to your pasture. Do you do this every night?"

"Sure," said Maggie. "And it will be a fun job when I get my pony."

Tim stopped dead in his tracks, and Jodi hung back to stare at Maggie. "A pony?" he gasped. "Did your dad say you could get one?"

Maggie had stopped, too. "Well ... not exactly," she admitted. "But he's been saying 'when you're older' for a long time. Now I'm older."

Tim snorted and moved on. "Big deal," he said. "My dad says that too when I'm never going to get something."

Now they could see the herd of black and white Holsteins ahead. "I am going to get a pony," Maggie almost shouted. "You'll see."

Several mornings later Maggie heard her parents talking in the kitchen. Dad said, "Well, you know she wants a pony."

"Yes," said Mom. "But I didn't think you'd spend so much money without discussing it."

"You buy what you want," he shot back. "And this was what I want."