Baby-Sitters Club belongs to Ann M. Martin

I was doing my homework on a Friday afternoon. Normally, I'm with my all-time favorite movie star, Cam Geary; whom I've been recording with for a year; but he came down with the flu and was canceled for today since I don't like recording stuff or anything else on my own.

That's because I'm a shy 15-year-old ninth grader at Stoneybrook High School, Mary Anne Spier. Plus, without him, I might be very nervous. And that's the truth. All I had was Math and Science. Math was based on ratios. I read examples to help me out since I don't know them too well and you know what, it turned out to be a simple thing to do. Science was just report for any health issues. I'm doing mine on pneumonia since I had it myself and I ended up having breathing problems.

The last time I did a report on medical conditions, I was still at Stoneybrook Middle School in Health class during short takes. I did it on cancer since that's how my mother, grandfather, and most importantly, my best friend, Kayla Willis, died.

First off is Mom since she died when I was too little to remember her and Dad, who raised me on his own, was too upset to keep me for a while, so I was sent to Iowa to be with my grandparents until I was 18 months old. And Grandpa Bill Baker-Mom's maiden name-had just passed on of colon cancer a week before I got reunited with Grandma Verna and I don't even remember him at all.

And, Kayla's been dead for almost a year. I miss her terribly. And, she & her identical twin sister, Kaylee; who is my other best friend; happened to live just three houses down from me. They're African-American and they grew up in New York with their parents and six other siblings. They were the two eldest of eight kids. Kaylee's the oldest now. In fact, she's a minute younger than Kayla. Her death was just hard on me and Kaylee since we were very, very close.

Oh, besides breathing problems, I also have diabetes. We're only allowed to choose one medical condition, which I don't mind. I didn't care which one I pick based on my life. Diabetes isn't too hard to handle at all. I know how that is because my friend, Stacey McGill, has the same thing. Only, she's brittle and I'm not. But I follow her footsteps in case I get stuck.

I finished my two-page report when I noticed the time: five-twenty. Yikes! I put my homework away in my backpack, grabbed my bike, and started pedaling all the way to Claudia's-where we do meetings. My stepsister, Dawn, is usually with me, but she's in California for the weekend. I was half-way to Claudia's when my bike tire apparently ran over a nail and it ended up with a flat tire. I groaned. So, I got off and walked the rest of the way. After I parked in her parkway, I raced inside and made it! It was only five-twenty-eight. Whew! That was close. I collapsed on Claudia's bed.

"Tired?" asked Claudia who was giggling.

"Thank god I made it. I had just finished my Science report when I noticed it was five-twenty. And, when I was riding my bike here, it ran over a nail and it ended up with a flat tire," I said. "I was supposed to be with Cam, but he had to cancel because he has the flu."

"That doesn't sound too good," said Kristy.

"I know," I agreed. "It's just me and Dad for supper tonight since Sharon's working late, Carlos has a basketball practice, and Meredith is going to watch him."

Sharon is my stepmom and she's the mother of Dawn. Carlos and Meredith are my adopted siblings.

"I thought you're hanging-out with me tonight," said Kristy.

Opps.

"I'm glad you're telling me that. Honestly, I forgot all about tonight since I remembered it's a father-daughter night," I said. "Why don't you come with us? You've done it before."

"Not a bad idea," said Claudia. "I'm sure Mr. Spier wouldn't mind that at all."

"But she promised it would be just the two of us," Kristy pointed out.

"I didn't want to tell Dad at the last minute to let him down. I don't work like that," I said. "We can always do it tomorrow. It's not a big deal."

"Are you going to remember that?" asked Kristy.

"I will. You can call me to remind me. I don't have a sitting job until tomorrow night, so I'll be free in the afternoon," I replied.

"Perfect. Calling you is a good idea," said Kristy.

After the meeting, at home, I put my bike in the backyard so I can tell Dad about that flat tire. Dad wasn't home yet. When I got in, something was telling me that I got plans tomorrow. Uh-oh. Cam and I supposed to have a concert in the afternoon. How could I be at two places at once? Unless… I could invite Kristy, but she might be angry since it's supposed the two of us. Except for one tiny thing: would the concert still go on if Cam is still sick with that flu? And, there would be no way I'd do it by myself. I might get stage freight. He is supposed to call me tomorrow. That's also on Sunday afternoon as well anyway. They're both taking place in New Jersey. And, if it's changed to next weekend, I'd have no problems to be with Kristy.

Maybe I shouldn't worry until then. I cannot wait for Dad to swing by to get me. We always eat out when there's just the two of us. We both love that. I already had my purse with my inhaler in case I need it when I was waiting at the door when his car showed up. I made sure the door was locked and went to the car.

He knew I wasn't with Cam because I told him earlier. Who would want to eat alone anyway?

"Hi, honey," said Dad.

"Hi," I said as I told him about the flat tire.

"I can take it to the store Monday since the shop is closed for a weekend vacation," said Dad as we took off.

"Okay. Sounds good," I agreed.

We were planning to eat dinner at Friendly's. We go there every now and then.

"Is the concert still on?" asked Dad.

"I have no idea. I won't know it until tomorrow. If not, Kristy and I are planning to hang-out. And, I'm not going to blew her off, so I might try to invite her if the concert goes on," I replied.

"That's a good idea," said Dad.

"I agree," I said. "And, if it's postponed until next weekend, it would still work out fine. But I forgot all about the concert."

Sometimes, Dad is no help because the next thing I knew he was laughing as usual! He thinks everything is funny.

"I'll put those worries aside until tomorrow. Both Kristy and Cam are going to call me tomorrow," I said.

Later, Cam texted me saying the concert is canceled until next weekend because he's in the hospital with stomach pains and it was his appendix. Okay, good. So, I can still hang-out with Kristy and baby-sit for Jenny. That's what I told Dad. I was reading when the phone rang and I came down to answer it.

"Hello. Hey, Kristy, what's up?" I asked.

"I just found out you have a concert tomorrow. It's on TV," said Kristy.

Sure enough, when I turned it on, she was correct.

"You don't need to worry about that now. We're supposed to, but it's canceled until next weekend because Cam's in the hospital because he had some stomach pains and found out it was his appendix. I was going to wait and see just in case. Another thing, you know I'd invite you to watch me if it was still on," I told her.

"That's true you would. Did you forget again?" asked Kristy.

"I did. Don't ask why. I am never like that," I said. "I remembered that when I got home."

Kristy just laughed at that.

"Very funny. Dad laughed, too," I said.

"Men are troublemakers," said Kristy.

We both cracked up at the joke.