Kristy's Great Idea Read Free

because none of my brothers ever bothers to knock. They just barge in.
    â€œCome in,” I called.
    â€œHi, sweetie,” said Mom. She closed the door behind her and sat on the edge of my bed. “How was school?”
    Mom tries to spend a little time alone with each of us kids every day. She feels guilty that she and my father are divorced and that she has to work full-time to support us. She’s told us so. I wish she wouldn’t feel guilty. It’s not her fault that Dad ran off to California and got married again and doesn’t send Mom much child-support money. Mom says she doesn’t want more money, though. She has a terrific job at this big company in Stamford, and she likes the fact that she can support us so well. It makes her feel proud and independent. But she still feels guilty.
    My father can be sort of a jerk sometimes. He hasn’t called us in over a year. And he even forgot my twelfth birthday last month.
    I paused, trying to think of a way to answer Mom’s question without telling her about the composition I’d had to write.
    â€œKristy?” Mom asked.
    â€œIt was fine.”
    â€œOkay, what happened?”
    There is absolutely no fooling Mom.
    â€œWell,” I said, “you know how hot it was today?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œAnd you know how sometimes a hot day can seem really long?”
    â€œKristy, get to the point.”
    So I did. And Mom laughed. Then she read my composition and said she thought it was fine. I asked her if she thought
The End
could count as the ninety-ninth and one-hundredth words, and she smiled and said she hoped so.
    My mom is really great.
    When she left to go talk to Sam, it was nine o’clock.
    I got out my flashlight, turned off the lamp by my desk, and stood at the window that faced Mary Anne’s room.
    I flashed the light once to let her know I was there.
    She flashed back. Good—she was ready.
    Then I flashed out this message (it took forever):
    HAVE GREAT IDEA FOR BABY-SITTERS CLUB. MUST TALK. IMPORTANT. CAN’T WAIT. WE CAN GET LOTS OF JOBS.
    There was a pause. Then Mary Anne flashed: WHAT? and I had to start all over again. I shortened the message. At last, Mary Anne flashed: TERRIFIC. SEE YOU TOMORROW. And we put the flashlights away. Mary Anne hasn’t been caught once, and we plan to keep it that way.
    I was just closing the drawer where I hide my flashlight when Mom knocked again.
    â€œCome in,” I said curiously, turning the light on. Mom doesn’t usually come back for a second chat. On the other hand, I don’t usually keep my door closed for so long.
    This time, Mom sat at my desk and I sat on the bed.
    â€œI just wanted to let you know,” she said, “that I’m going out with Watson on Saturday night. I forgot to tell you before.”
    I groaned. Mom has been seeing this guy, Watson, off and on for about four months. She likes him a lot, but I don’t like him much at all. He’s divorced from his wife and has two little kids. Plus, he’s getting bald.
    â€œI’m not asking for your permission, Kristy,” Mom said. “I just want you to be able to plan on my being out Saturday. Charlie’s got a date, but Sam will be home.”
    I nodded.
    â€œI wish you could be a little more open-minded about Watson,” said Mom. “I can’t make you like him, but you haven’t given him much of a chance.”
    The truth is, I haven’t given any of the men Mom has dated a chance. I’m afraid that if I break down and treat them nicely, one of them might marry Mom. Think what could happen then. We’re happy the way we are.
    â€œOne more thing,” said Mom. “This is Watson’s weekend to have the children and he has to work on Saturday morning. He doesn’t like it, but that’s the way it is. He wondered if you’d baby-sit for Andrew and Karen while he’s at the office.”
    I shook my head. Watson has