Quick disclaimer: Liza Barry is the creation of Betsy Haynes, not the current author. Linda is Liza's daughter and IS this author's creation. Also Harry Potter, who is strictly R.K. Rowling's creation, makes a surprise appearance here as well. Enjoy!


MICHELLE:

Annie and I watched Linda and two of her other bandmates rehearse for the upcoming holiday production. Linda can play any musical instrument she can get her hands on. Right now, she's playing the violin for her part in the production. Annie and I had just gotten out of a yearbook meeting. Once her band was done, we clapped and whooped from the back. Linda saw us, waved and bowed. Linda's a freshman like us here at Huron High. Once rehearsal was over, Linda met us by the auditorium door and we started home.

"Heyyy, it's starting to snow!" I crowed. It sure was. Being early December, it wasn't surprising. Sometimes we get snow as early as mid-November here in Two Skies, Minnesota. There was a powdering on the ground and if it kept up, we'd have the ground covered within an hour.

"Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" Linda sang. Laughing, we skidded and kicked up snow all the way home. Linda and Annie came to my house and we had cocoa and oreos. No one else was home, so we had the house to ourselves for a while. Neither Mom or Shane would be home until around six. Sometimes, they come in together, other times, it's separately if one of them is working late.

"Your stepdad's a vet, right?" Linda asked.

"Yep," I nodded. Hard to believe the holidays were three weeks away. We talked some about what our families planned for the holidays.

"We're heading to Aunt Brittany's in Rhode Island," Linda told us. "Our cousin Marla's going to be there." Brittany is Liza Barry's older sister and she has a grown daughter, Marla.

"Annie and I are going to Aunt Mary Anne's in New York," I told her. It was going to be all of Mom and Claudia's friends from the original first Baby-Sitters Club getting together in New York City. Sometimes, I think the Spisers and the Vaughns are lucky living in the Big Apple. Tamara is my age and Alma and Mona's daughter, Zara are eight. I think it's going to be a fun holiday. Once in a while we do this...on a holiday or special occasion, all of them and us kids get together for a huge re-union. Linda's mom sometimes has a re-union with her four other friends and their kids who live in different parts of the country too.

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TAMARA:

I was the first one home that afternoon in early December. It was cold and drizzly out and I wondered if we'd get snow for the holidays this year. Sometimes we do and sometimes we don't. I smiled softly as I started my homework. It had been a productive day and this afternoon's rehearsal for our school's play went well. I figured Alma was at Zara's for the afternoon. Later, after I'd finished my homework, I checked my e-mail. Nothing new, except an ee from my friend Rhoda, so I ee'ed back and told her a little about the huge re-union bash we were having here for the holidays. Christmas was three weeks away and Hanukkah was two and a half weeks off. I'd started my holiday shopping and I know Mom's already almost finished hers. I then logged out and headed downstairs and put a few rice mixes into the microwave and set the table since it was four-thirty and Mom would be home at around five. Sure enough, half an hour later she came home. Mona was with her and they were talking in low voices. I was back upstairs by this time. I guess Mom invited Mona in because they headed to the kitchen. I heard Mom cough as she got out cups for them and I guess made tea. A while later, Mona started home and I heard Mom coughing even more. Cold and flu season, I thought. A few kids in my class were out with that and I hoped Mom wasn't coming down with a cold. I think Mona did too because I heard her ask Mom if she was all right when Mom started to cough again.

"I think I'm getting a cold," Mom told her. "My throat feels a bit gritty, but I'll be all right, don't worry."

"Take it easy and rest," Mona told Mom as she left. Once the door closed, Mom was attacked by another coughing spell. She really didn't sound very good, I realized.

"Hii, Mom," I called as Mom came up.

"Hello, dear," she called. She headed to the bathroom and blew her nose. "Thanks for starting dinner, sweetie. Want to eat when your sister gets in?"

"Sure..." I nodded. Alma came in a few minutes later.

"Hii, Tam," she called. She headed to her room, then came back and headed to mine. "Hey, Tam...think Mom would mind if I used Hair-Foll on my lip?" It's the latest craze in today's world to use this new hair growth stimulus to grow hair on the face, especially the lips and chin. Some people object to it, saying what about possible side effects and all. It's funny because years ago, it was the fad here in the States to REMOVE all facial hair, especially for girls and women.

"I'm not sure," I told her. Mom is liberal about almost everything, but about Hair-Foll, she might worry about side effects too.

"Well, I guess I can ask her."

"Hey, Alma, better wait on that because I think Mom is getting a cold."

"Oh, God," Alma plumped down in the bed. "Is she going to be okay?" We heard more coughing from downstairs just then, a rather dry *Hhhikhhiiiikhiiik* sound.

"I'm sure she will," I told her. Mom is rarely sick and if she ever is, she recovers quickly. Come to think of it, my sister and I don't get sick too often either. I remembered Mom telling us that all of us are lucky to have the Spiser constitution, which means we're very healthy and come from a strong, durable stock. "So just hold off a week or two until she's better. Let's head down to eat." We did.

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MARY ANNE:

In a way, it was good that it was the weekend because by that night, I had a cold and quite a cough. My girls peered at me in worry, but I reassured them I'd be all right. I haven't been sick in a long, long time. As I tried to sleep that night, I smiled ruefully as I thought of the fact that we often don't think about what we have until we lose it. Well, tonight I sure didn't have a clear nose or throat. I blew my nose, but the congestion got worse. The grittiness in my throat worsened to a sensation that mucus was clogging my throat and causing painful spasms that made me cough. I took cough syrup and lay on my stomach, which helped some. I slept on and off and by the morning, I still felt drowsy. The drizzle had stopped and the sun had come out, but I could see that it was cold out there. I was hoping to get some holiday shopping done and maybe finish this weekend, but I found it hard to even sit up. I tried to sigh, but was ambushed with another long coughing spell. Covering my mouth, I doubled over and just willed this spell to end soon. It did, but it left me feeling weak and my throat sore and raw. I rubbed my eyes, which were feeling tender and dry and blew my nose and tried to gather the strength to sit up again. Was I even going to be able to get up today? I wondered fearfully, fighting back another wave of coughing.

"Mom, are you all right?" Tam came in. Her eyes widened in alarm. "Oh, God, you're sick..." she came over and pulled the covers over me.

"I guess..." I tried to smile at her.

"Stay in bed and I'll call Mona," she told me. "I made breakfast for us, are you hungry?" I shook my head and let myself fall back into my pillows. "I'll look out for Alma, make sure she's all right. I'll see if Mona can bring you more cough syrup. I have a feeling you're going to need it this weekend."

"Thanks..." I whispered weakly. I turned my head away as I went into another coughing spell.

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I guess Tam did call Mona because she came over a little later. By then, I was in a dazed half-sleep. The weekend passed in a blur. Mona and the girls checked on me periodically. I myself drifted between sleep and waking up and being seized by the awful coughing spells. I ate only a few spoonfuls of chicken noodle soup on Saturday night and drank a little apple juice on Sunday, but I couldn't taste any of it since my nose was clogged. I was glad to slide back into sleep and not be so miserable. It was Mona who had someone sub for me at work that Monday and Tuesday. By Monday, I was starting to clear up some, but still had the dreadful cough. I managed to eat a little more on Monday night and Mona and the girls, including Zara sat in my room and we all ate dinner together.

"About ten kids at school are sick," Alma told us.

"There's a few kids and a couple of teachers out too," Tam added, spearing a meatball with her fork.

"I think it's the same thing at your school," Mona told me. "When I called there, Alexa mentioned something about another teacher calling in sick and several students being out." I nodded, not surprised. Slowly, I was beginning to regain my taste, but still didn't have much of an appetite.

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MONA:
Mary Anne was better Tuesday and went back to work Wednesday. Her nose wasn't so stopped up, but she still had a bit of a cough and her voice was a bit huskier than usual. My vet's office was close to home, so fortunately, I'd been able to stop at Mary Anne's place during the past two days. I myself was getting ready for the holidays. I along with my staff decorated the veterinary clinic with bright decorations and set up a menorah by the front window. On Thursday, late that afternoon, Mary Anne stopped by. She'd been taking it easier at work this week, leaving by four instead of the usual five. She'd been weakened by this illness and still had a cough, but bit by bit, was regaining her usual endurance. I invited her in my office for tea and we talked a while.

"Thanks for coming by when I was sick," she told me, sipping her tea.

"You're welcome," I stirred my tea and added a bit more nutra-sweet. "As the old saying goes, that's what friends are for." We gazed outside, sipping our tea. It was cold and gray and looked like it might snow. Maybe we'd have snow for the holidays this year. New York City is very iffy with snow at Christmas and Hanukkah.

"It feels good to be able to taste things again," Mary Anne took a long sip. "I'm slowly beginning to breathe normally again."

"How does your throat feel?" I asked. Her voice still sound a little different than before.

"Better." She coughed twice. "I still cough as you can see, but my throat's not so sore now." It was good to see her up and around again. I smiled softly as I remembered how back in college, when we were freshman, she'd had a really bad cold and I'd nursed her through it. She'd also been there for me when I'd had a stomach virus two years ago and helped take care of Zara.

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CLAUDIA:

...so we'll meet you at your place on the eighteenth?" I asked Mary Anne over my cell as I wedged my way through a thick bulk of holiday shoppers at the Two Skies mall nearly two weeks later.

"Yep," Mary Anne confirmed. "Mona and I figured it out, so half of you can stay here and another half at her place."

"Sounds good," I edged my way toward the cashier counter at Borders' which of course had a huge line nearly a mile long. Just two more gifts and I'm done with my shopping. "Hey, Mary Anne, your voice sounds a bit strange; did you sing in an opera or something this afternoon?"

"Not exactly," Mary Anne laughed a little. At least her laugh didn't sound strange. "I had a bad cold a week and a half ago and I guess my voice was affected."

"Oh, God, are you all right now?"

"Yeah, I am," Mary Anne told me. "Mona was great; she looked out for me. Hey, are you at Borders'?"

"Yep," I confirmed. "We can always tell the bookstore crowds, can't we?"

"Sure can." We both laughed. "Hey, I gotta run and get ready for Tam's play tonight, so I'll talk later?"

"Talk soon." We clicked our cells shut and bit by bit, the line inched forward. Boy, I didn't envy those clerks ringing up the sales. I noticed some scurrying back and forth and one was out of breath as she raced back with a customer's credit card and told them something about the card. Hard to believe the holidays were almost here. Hanukkah was just two days away.

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KRISTY:

It was sooo good seeing all of my friends again! By Sunday afternoon, all of us from the original BSC were in New York and had arranged ourselves in Mary Anne and Mona's houses. We spent most of Monday catching up and a few of us did some last minute shopping. At first, it was a zoo before we finally got organized. Then on Tuesday, we went to see the ballet, *Nutcracker.* It was neat being back in the Big Apple, where I'd gone for college with Mary Anne and Mona.

"Heyy, look who's in this ballet!" Jessi told us as she pointed to the stage bill once we sat in our seats. Jessi was a dancer herself until she retired into teaching last year. "Harry Potter!" Sure enough, Harry, who's a famous British dancer, was dancing the part of the Cavalier in this ballet. There were rumors that he had supernatural powers, but it was unconfirmed.

"Did you ever meet him?" Stacey asked.

"Once I did very briefly," Jessi told us. "He has really beautiful black hair and a porcelain white china kind of complexion and these huge greenish-hazel eyes that look into you. He's also really quiet and kind of shy. He also wears contacts; without them he said he's as blind as a bat." I'd read that somewhere that offstage, he wears thick glasses. The ballet started and the ballet was still magical after all these years. Sure enough, Harry was so graceful and majestic, it took my breath away.

"That guy with the black hair is Harry?" Liz whispered.

"Yes, dear." All of the dancers were sooo beautiful! Mary Anne covered her mouth several times and her face flushed in pleasure. Being the holidays, a lot of people, especially the kids were dressed in bright red or green. A few babies got antsy and squalled some and some kids squirmed. As the play went into the second part, I also noticed in amusement that a lot of adults coughed. Mary Anne coughed a few times. Thank the stars that she's over that awful cold she had a few weeks ago, I thought. Syrie dropped her empty cup of cocoa and stooped under the seat to get it, then stood briefly and sat again. One baby behind us started squalling loudly, so her mom took her outside to calm her down. All in all, I was glad we all came. I hadn't seen *The Nutcracker* in several years. Once the play was over, the applause was huge and the dancers all came out and bowed several times. The curtain started to lower and then raised again. I laughed a little as I noticed Harry and a couple of others had started off the stage. They scampered back and Harry tripped and almost fell over the Sugar Plum Fairy. I thought I noticed his snowy skin looked a bit flushed as he bowed. Finally the curtain lowered for good.

"That was fantastic!" Abby crowed and whistled through two of her fingers, something she'd been able to do since eighth grade. We waited for the crowd to thin out before edge out ourselves.

"Heyyy, look it's snowing!" Anna's daughter, Raisa, crowed. Sure enough, it was! Wow, if this kept up, New York City would have snow for Christmas this year after all!

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MARY ANNE:

"Leah Silverbein sent us these Hanukkah cards," Stacey passed the cards around to all of us on the last night of Hanukkah a few nights later, which happened to fall on Christmas eve. We'd picked that day to do gift exchanges, so all of us...my friends, Sharon and Grandma Baker were all gathered in my living room. I'd started a fire in the fireplace. Tomorrow, we'd have a special dinner.

"Wowww..." "How nice..." some of us commented as we looked them over. Leah Silverbein was the principal of Stoneybrook High back when we were in high school. Stacey's been in touch with her these past few months.

"Mary Anne, heard anything about the position you applied for?" Mallory asked me.

"No, I haven't," I sipped my tea and moved aside some of the remains of the wrapping paper from our opened gifts. "They'll probably do two more interviews and won't make the final decision until May."

"It'll come," Sharon leaned forward and put an arm around me. "You'll be an asset to Lazarus High and they'll see that in the interview unless the interviewer is unfortunate enough to be out of it upstairs." We all chuckled.

"My classes are slowly growing," Jessi told us. "Four new students this month."

"Hey, great," Mal nodded.

"Picked up several new contracts for next month," Claudia put in. Claudia is a CEO of an advertising firm, Kisyam Advertising and Photo Studios.

"Hard to believe it's almost 2028," Anna commented.

"Stoneybrook becoming a city after all these years," Mona put in. "Hey, is anyone here going to the ceremony they're having in the spring?"

"I will," Grandma put in.

"Me too..." "Yeah..." "I'll be there..."

"I'm coming," I added.

"Can we come too?" Alma asked me.

"Yep, kids invited too," I told her. We were off and talking about what it would be like, the old town being now a city.

"Just think, Newark used to be a small town back in the eighteen-sixties, then it evolved into a large town by the late eighteen-eighties, then by the nineteen-hundreds, it evolved into a small city," Jessi put in.

"I think things there'll be run more smoothly and efficiently," Stacey added.

"Welcome to cityhood, Stoneybrook!" Dawn whooped. We all laughed, then toasted with our teacups. "To the city of Stoneybrook."



More later!