"Kristy?" Mrs. Prezzioso said, with a tone that was at once shocked and disapproving.
"Oh, um, hi, Mrs. Prezzioso."
I was so stupid. I had clients, like the Prezziosos, and friends, like Mary Anne, who lived on Burnt Hill Road, right near Miller's Park. It was so easy for me to get caught here.
And I did. I knew now that this would spread all over town; it would spread to the whole client base of the BSC. If the BSC reformed, it would have to be without me because we'd never get any jobs.
I remember way back when the BSC was battling the Baby-sitters Agency and our clients were hiring them because of us because they were older. Some of the BSA sitters smoked (among other things); and we had the kids tell on them. The BSA soon folded.
And here I was. In the same position. Some of my new-found friends looked at my strangely, but the moment soon passed and everyone forgot about the incident.
My family, my friends--everyone would find out. I knew immediately that I was *so* grounded.
"Hey," Dori said. "Anyone want to go to convenience store on the corner of Kimball and Edgalstone?"
"Sure," I said. Anything to postpone going home.
About half of us, including Carly, Greer, Barbara, and Lauren, went to the store. There really wasn't anything I wanted to buy.
"Hey, Kristy," Dave Griffin (whom Dawn once had a crush on) said. "Who was that woman who said your name at the park?"
"Oh, the BSC used to sit for her kids," I replied.
"Guess she won't be calling you now," he smirked.
I felt kind of sick. "Um, well, the BSC isn't around anymore; so it doesn't matter." Then I looked at my watch. It was 5:30. "Oh, hey, I have to get going. Bye, guys!"
I felt so horrible. I was either going to throw up or cry. Not only was the BSC gone; it was going to remembered with a bad reputation. All the good things we did were going to be erased by the one time I got caught.
I drudgingly started for home. I wished that the convenience store was farther away from my house so I wouldn't haven't face my parents quite so soon.
When I walked in the door, nothing seemed to have changed. Mom greeted me with a cheery, "Good, you're home. Set the table for dinner, please."
I did as I was told, jumping every time the phone rang.
Once I finished, we all sat down to dinner. Everyone shared their first day of school stories. It was Emily Michelle's first day of preschool, so Mom and Watson were beaming with pride.
When it wwas my turn, I mumbled something quickly about new friends and having Ted as an English teacher.
I shoved the rest of the pot roast into my mouth and asked to be excused.
"Yes," my mother answered. "But when dinner is over, Watson, Nannie, and I would like to speak to you."
"Kristy's in trouble, Kristy's in trouble," David Michael sang. Karen stared at me with her blue eyes growing rounder by the second.
I went to my room and closed the door and tried to start my homework. I attempted English first.
"Write about how others see you," it began. "Not as you see yourself."
"I used to be seen as someone who was responsible," I wrote. "But today I took a wrong step."
I wrote some more, trying to be honest. I liked Ted a lot; and had to much respect for him to write something half-assed.
By the time I was finished, dinner was over and it was time to face my fate.
When we were settled in the den and my siblings were shooed away, Mom cleared her throat.
"Kristy," she said. "This afternoon I received a phone call from Mrs. Prezzioso."
I sank low in my seat.
"She said that she saw you in the park with a cigarette in had."
"We are all disappointed in you," Nannie filled in. "I never thought a granddaughter of mine would ever even think of smoking,"
"We have all discussed this," That was Watson. "And we think that it would be appropriate for you to be grounded for the rest of September. You may not leave the house once you come home from school; you are not allowed to be late coming home. If you disobey this rule, the period will be extended. Is that clear?"
"Yes," I said softly. I was dumbfounded. I didn't have a chance to say anything.
"Oh, um, hi, Mrs. Prezzioso."
I was so stupid. I had clients, like the Prezziosos, and friends, like Mary Anne, who lived on Burnt Hill Road, right near Miller's Park. It was so easy for me to get caught here.
And I did. I knew now that this would spread all over town; it would spread to the whole client base of the BSC. If the BSC reformed, it would have to be without me because we'd never get any jobs.
I remember way back when the BSC was battling the Baby-sitters Agency and our clients were hiring them because of us because they were older. Some of the BSA sitters smoked (among other things); and we had the kids tell on them. The BSA soon folded.
And here I was. In the same position. Some of my new-found friends looked at my strangely, but the moment soon passed and everyone forgot about the incident.
My family, my friends--everyone would find out. I knew immediately that I was *so* grounded.
"Hey," Dori said. "Anyone want to go to convenience store on the corner of Kimball and Edgalstone?"
"Sure," I said. Anything to postpone going home.
About half of us, including Carly, Greer, Barbara, and Lauren, went to the store. There really wasn't anything I wanted to buy.
"Hey, Kristy," Dave Griffin (whom Dawn once had a crush on) said. "Who was that woman who said your name at the park?"
"Oh, the BSC used to sit for her kids," I replied.
"Guess she won't be calling you now," he smirked.
I felt kind of sick. "Um, well, the BSC isn't around anymore; so it doesn't matter." Then I looked at my watch. It was 5:30. "Oh, hey, I have to get going. Bye, guys!"
I felt so horrible. I was either going to throw up or cry. Not only was the BSC gone; it was going to remembered with a bad reputation. All the good things we did were going to be erased by the one time I got caught.
I drudgingly started for home. I wished that the convenience store was farther away from my house so I wouldn't haven't face my parents quite so soon.
When I walked in the door, nothing seemed to have changed. Mom greeted me with a cheery, "Good, you're home. Set the table for dinner, please."
I did as I was told, jumping every time the phone rang.
Once I finished, we all sat down to dinner. Everyone shared their first day of school stories. It was Emily Michelle's first day of preschool, so Mom and Watson were beaming with pride.
When it wwas my turn, I mumbled something quickly about new friends and having Ted as an English teacher.
I shoved the rest of the pot roast into my mouth and asked to be excused.
"Yes," my mother answered. "But when dinner is over, Watson, Nannie, and I would like to speak to you."
"Kristy's in trouble, Kristy's in trouble," David Michael sang. Karen stared at me with her blue eyes growing rounder by the second.
I went to my room and closed the door and tried to start my homework. I attempted English first.
"Write about how others see you," it began. "Not as you see yourself."
"I used to be seen as someone who was responsible," I wrote. "But today I took a wrong step."
I wrote some more, trying to be honest. I liked Ted a lot; and had to much respect for him to write something half-assed.
By the time I was finished, dinner was over and it was time to face my fate.
When we were settled in the den and my siblings were shooed away, Mom cleared her throat.
"Kristy," she said. "This afternoon I received a phone call from Mrs. Prezzioso."
I sank low in my seat.
"She said that she saw you in the park with a cigarette in had."
"We are all disappointed in you," Nannie filled in. "I never thought a granddaughter of mine would ever even think of smoking,"
"We have all discussed this," That was Watson. "And we think that it would be appropriate for you to be grounded for the rest of September. You may not leave the house once you come home from school; you are not allowed to be late coming home. If you disobey this rule, the period will be extended. Is that clear?"
"Yes," I said softly. I was dumbfounded. I didn't have a chance to say anything.