Kristy's Great Idea Read Free Page A

asked me at least three times to sit for his kids, but I won’t do it. I don’t want to have anything to do with him or his family. I either make up an excuse or else I flatly refuse.
    â€œOkay,” said Mom. “It’s your choice.” She sounded as if she meant, It’s your funeral.
    But she came over to me and kissed the top of my head, so I knew she wasn’t angry.
    â€œGoing to bed soon?” she asked.
    â€œYeah. You can leave the door open,” I told her as she left my room.
    I said good-night to my brothers, and a halfhour later I crawled into bed. Louie sacked out next to me. I lay there, stroking him and thinking about Mom and Watson and Andrew and Karen. Then I remembered the Baby-sitters Club and cheered up.
    Tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough!

Mr. Redmont accepted my composition on decorum. I handed it to him before school, so he wouldn’t have to read it while the entire class was hanging around. He didn’t count the words, just skimmed it, looked up at me, and said, “This is fine, Kristy. Fine work. You express yourself very nicely on paper.”
    And that was it. No words of wisdom, no scolding.
    I heaved a sigh of relief and walked to my desk with decorum.
    After school, Mary Anne and I ran home together again. It wasn’t quite as hot as it had been the day before, so we weren’t as uncomfortable.
    â€œYou’re sitting for the Pikes today?” I asked Mary Anne as we jogged along.
    Mary Anne nodded.
    â€œHow many of them?” There are eight Pike children.
    â€œTwo. Claire and Margo.”
    â€œOh, not bad,” I said. Claire and Margo are four and six. They’re fun. More important, they like baby-sitters.
    â€œWhere are you sitting today?” asked Mary Anne.
    â€œThe Newtons’. David Michael is coming with me. He can play with Jamie.”
    â€œOh, hey, great! Maybe I’ll bring Claire and Margo over for a while. They can all play together. And then you can tell me about the baby-sitting club.”
    â€œOkay!” I agreed.
    We parted when we reached my house, and I was glad to see that I’d gotten home before David Michael. I let Louie out and made a pitcher of lemonade.
    At 3:30 sharp, David Michael and I were standing on the Newtons’ front steps. Punctuality is an important part of baby-sitting. I have never once been late for a job. My customers appreciate that.
    I let David Michael ring the bell. In a few seconds, the front door was flung wide open.
    â€œHi-hi!” exclaimed Jamie. Jamie is three.
    David Michael gave me a look that said, I have to play with a three-year-old who goes
hi-hi
?
    I patted David Michael on the back.
    â€œHi, Jamie,” I replied.
    â€œLook!” he exclaimed as we stepped into the Newtons’ front hall. “Look what I got!” He held out a little doll in an army uniform. “It’s a G.I. Joe.”
    â€œReally?” said David Michael, suddenly interested.
    â€œYup,” said Jamie proudly.
    â€œGot any others?” asked my little brother.
    â€œSure,” replied Jamie. “Come on.”
    The boys ran off. Mrs. Newton greeted me from the kitchen. “Thank goodness for G.I. Joe,” she said.
    I smiled. “Sorry about David Michael, but it looks like it’ll work out okay.” I never like to impose on my clients.
    â€œI’m sure it will be fine.” Mrs. Newton patted her bulging stomach. “Jamie better get used to other children.”
    â€œHow long until the baby’s due?” I asked.
    â€œAbout eight weeks.”
    I sighed. “Oh, I wish it would hurry up!”
    â€œYou
wish!”
    Mrs. Newton gave me the instructions for the afternoon. “Just the doctor’s appointment and a few errands,” she reminded me. “I should be back by five-thirty.”
    â€œOkay. Five-thirty,” I repeated.
    As soon as she was gone, I called Mary Anne at the Pikes’. “Come