(a/n: A pair of *asterisks* means that this is my original character, not Ann M. Martin's)
It was Saturday morning, and the slumber party guests had just abandoned their sleeping bags to join the Pike family for a late breakfast. They all looked pretty tired compared to the raving lunatics they had been the night before. Some of them were still wearing the makeup they had experimented with last night.
"Is that my silver eyeshadow, Claire Pike?" Mallory said, making that face like she's in extreme pain and trying to sound like a parent. Claire tried to wipe it off, but it was too late. "I hope you didn't use it all. If you did, you're buying-- "
"Mal," was all Mom had to say for Mallory to pipe down. Rolling her eyes, Mal put a big bite of pancakes in her mouth and didn't say anything else about the makeup, most of which was hers. Mal has an obsession with makeup. I honestly don't care much about it. Mom was the one who told me I should wear powder to even out my complexion and blush to brighten my face. I usually wear the powder and blush, but nothing more. Jessi says that if I make the drill team prep class, I will have to wear lots of makeup for performances. Blue eyeshadow, ruby-red lipstick... yuck!
Today I was dressed sort of nice. I was wearing chunky heeled boots, my khaki pants and a pale pink shirt buttoned halfway up with a matching camisole underneath. I had even added clear mascara and lip gloss to my usual makeup. I usually don't dress up for babysitting jobs, but this morning I received a call from Mrs. Benedict (Claud's aunt) saying that plans had changed a little.
Mrs. Benedict needed me to babysit her kids at Claudia's house (where the baby shower would also be held) instead of at the Benedict's house. This was good for me because it meant not having to get Mal to drive me across town. I could just walk to Claud's house.
She also asked if I would not only sit for Lynn, Russ, and Kira, but also for the kids that some other relatives were bringing. It came out to a total of seven kids. Now, I should stop and explain that no person can watch over that many kids at once. My family has eight kids, and back when we were all young enough to need a babysitter, my mom always requested that the BSC send two sitters.
I was about to ask her if I should call another babysitter. Would Haley or Becca do it? They were free. I didn't get a chance to ask though, because Mrs. Benedict had it covered.
"I won't ask you to watch them all yourself. (That was a relief because I couldn't have done that!) Janine's husband's brother, *Zach*, agreed to help. And all of the adults will be there if you need anything. Is that okay with you? Do you remember Zach? He was one of the ushers at the wedding a couple of years ago. He's about your age."
I thought that maybe I remembered Zach. I told her it was fine with me, but I felt a little worried about all of the changes that had come to play. I was told that the rest of the kids were older than the Benedict kids, and three out of the four of them were boys. I hoped Zach would be responsible so that the kids wouldn't go wild, especially with so many adults around.
At 12:15, I walked over to Claudia's house. I managed to arrive ten minutes early, which was a good thing. I beat Mrs. Benedict there. Janine was the one who answered the door.
"Hi!" I exclaimed.
"Vanessa! It's good to see you. Mother mentioned you would be sitting today." Janine gave me a side-hug and let me in. Claudia had mentioned that Janine was in her eighth month of pregnancy, but nothing could have prepared me for how much she had changed. Besides being pregnant , there were many other obvious changes that made me wonder how this could possibly be the same person. Janine had stopped wearing her glasses in favor of contacts. And gone were the days of her boring button down shirts, kilts, and knee socks. True, she was stuck in maternity clothes, but she still looked nice. I remember she had the same boring haircut for years, but now she had let it get a little longer with soft layers starting at her chin and ending right past her shoulders.
"Vanessa, hey, Peaches will be here with the rest of the kids soon. She's running late," Claudia appeared at the top of the stairs and greeted me as she descended.
"As always," added Janine as Claudia joined her. Standing side by side, they looked more like sisters than ever. They were both wearing shades of blue and the same pleasant expression. Funny, Claudia and Janine didn't even look related a few years ago. Plenty had changed, that was for sure.
"But Zachary is already here," Janine went on. "And the other kids are upstairs with him playing a board game. Unlike Peaches, Aunt Keiko likes to be early. Perhaps sometimes a little too early. Anyhow, I think he's got those four under control. Meanwhile, would you mind helping Claudia and I finish preparing?"
"Sure." I said eagerly following them to the kitchen, although I was curious about meeting Zach.
"Oh, no you don't, Janine," Claudia suddenly sounding more like the older sister. "Peaches and I told you that you weren't to do anything but enjoying yourself and your party today. Vanessa will help me until Peaches arrives. Meanwhile, I want you to sit down." With that, Claudia gave Janine's belly a little pat and pulled out a chair for her. For a second, I pictured Claudia and Janine as me and Mallory in several years. It would be so exciting to be an aunt myself someday. I wondered if I'd be making a fuss over my older sister like Claud was doing.
"Claudia, I may be pregnant, but I assure you I'm not an invalid." Janine said, but even so she was smiling and sat down as she had been told to do. "There, satisfied?"
"Very," Claudia answered. Then she put me to work mixing Hawaiian punch and pineapple juice together and pouring it in a bowl. She herself went off to entertain Aunt Keiko (whom I think was Mr. Kishi's sister) and her uncle. Later, Mrs. Kishi arrived with a cake just about the time that I finished making the punch. Finally, Mrs. Benedict (Peaches) arrived with her kids. I still hadn't met Zach or the other kids.
"Vanessa, sorry I'm late. Janine, how are you?" Janine, still the center of attention stood up and received a warm hug from her aunt and Lynn hugged Janine's belly becasue it was as high as the little girl could reach. Mrs. Benedict handed a sleepy-looking Kira over to Claudia and apologized to Mrs. Kishi for being late.
"Whew! Getting three kids ready by yourself is very tricky. I'll certainly be glad when Russ comes home from his business trip," She then addressed me again while the kids chattered to Janine and Claudia, who obviously adored them. "Lynn had a rowdy morning, so she may talk and talk and talk the entire time. Russ is usually pretty quiet around people he's just met, but his cousins will entertain him for the most part. He'll probably be ready for his nap in about an hour. It's already time for Kira's nap, as you can tell. There's now a crib in Janine's old room that she uses when she visits."
I introduced myself to the Benedict kids and then Claudia took us upstairs. The rest of Janine's guests were beginning to arrive so it was time to get the little ones out of the way.
"I'll go ahead and put Kira down for her nap since she's just about to doze off," Claud suggested. "Plus I think if the other kids see her, they'll make a fuss over her and she'll get cranky. The other kids are all in my room. Listen, Vanessa, I told Peaches I'd handle Kira today. I can just take the baby monitor downstairs and check on her from time to time. You and Zach are going to have your hands full with the other kids, believe me."
"With these kids? Nahhh!" I smiled down at Lynn and Russ, who were being perfect angels.
"No, not them," Claudia just laughed lightly and disappeared into the other room with Kira, leaving me wondering what kind of trouble the rest of her cousins would be.
"SORRY!" A loud voice carried from Claudia's room. The four kids and an older boy were laughing hysterically as I let myself and the little ones into the room.
"I got you back! I got you back!" The owner of the loud voice, a boy who appeared to be about eight or nine years old, chanted. The little girl sitting next to him scowled and crossed her arms.
The older boy stood up when we came in and said, "Lynn, Russ, hey!"
"Zach!" They both charged towards him, full of energy, and he tickled them both with just as much energy as only a boy can do. I stood back and for a moment, I was suddenly mesmerized by Zach Yamakawa. I sure didn't remember him being this gorgeous! He had spiky jet-black hair, almond shaped brown eyes, and an athletic build. He was Japanese, just like the Kishi family, and... WOW! For a second, I forgot about the six kids going crazy in the room, and it was just the two of us. But just for a second.
I had to snap back into reality because the room had become utter chaos! Both Lynn and Russ were now the ones tickling poor Zach, who was laughing helplessly. The four older kids were playing the 'Sorry!' game, but an argument had started between the boy who had just 'sorried' his little sister.
"No fair! No fair!" (She was throwing a Claire Pike tantrum over this.)
"Cut it out, kids!" That was Zach, now pinned down by the two other boys while the little ones attacked him screaming "Tickle monster! Tickle monster!"
FWEET! I put two fingers in my mouth and whistled loudly. That stopped everything as I knew it would. (When you have seven brothers and sister, you know how to handle crazy situations.) The kids turned to look at this strange girl who had just walked in and whistled at them. Zach sat up, looking sheepish... but still cute.
"Hi, guys," I said calmly. "My name's Vanessa Pike. I'm here to help Zach watch you guys today. I live nearby and I like kids a lot. I know lots of fun things we can do while the grown-ups have their party, okay? But we can't go crazy. Got it?"
A few of the kids nodded, but the oldest boy who had started the fight with his sister frowned. "What fun stuff can we do in here? I don't wanna play in a girl's room all day."
The room was much too small to hold us, anyway. Playing a board game might have been okay earlier, but now we would make too much noise. As it was, I was certain that everyone downstairs had heard the shouting and my screeching whistle.
"What's your name?" I asked him.
"*Darren.*"
"How old are you, eleven?" I had guessed too high, but on purpose. I knew that would please him. Sure enough, his little sister and brothers giggled and he smiled.
"No, I'm nine and a half."
"Well, Darren, I'd like it very much if you would help us keep the younger kids quiet while we go downstairs. It's a nice day today, so we'll all go and play in the backyard. Can you tell me everyone's names, first?"
"Okay," he agreed shyly. "This is *Gary* and he's seven. And this is *Ken* and he's seven."
"I'm almost eight, though, and Gary just turned seven," Ken corrected indignantly. I would have guessed that they were twins, but apparently not. They almost looked like the same child born twice.
"I'm six and my name is *Michelle*," the little girl announced automatically. The older cousins reminded me very much of my family on a smaller scale, the similarities being that all of the kids were close in age and very rowdy as well.
Now that we all knew each other, it was time to get the kids downstairs and outside before they started getting wild again. Zach and I were able to usher the kids out the door quickly. He still hadn't said a word to me, although I had seen him watching me ever since I had blown the whistle. Was he impressed with the way I took charge? Or maybe just a teensy bit annoyed?
The shower guests hardly noticed us. They were caught up in admiring the new rocking chair that Mrs. Kishi had just given to Janine. Claudia, however, caught my eye and gave me a nod of approval. I gestured that we were out the door and winked at her as I followed Zach and the kids. She gave me the thumbs-up. On the way out, I grabbed the backpack that I had brought with me.
I was prepared for something like this, believe it or not. I'd had a hunch that the kids would need to be outside which is why instead of bring my Kid-Kit, I had filled my backpack with various balls, a frisbee, and six tubes of bubbles that had been leftover from Claire's party favors.
Instant entertainment. I presented the toys and the kids were happily playing in the backyard before we knew it. The three older boys started tossing around the frisbee, and Michelle and Lynn started blowing bubbles for Russ to pop.
Zach grabbed two chairs off the back porch and set them side by side under a tree in the yard. "So, I guess we haven't really met yet, Vanessa Pike. But I think I've seen you around school," he said conversationally.
"You... you go to Stoneybrook High? I mean, I didn't even know you lived around here."
"Well, I didn't until this summer. My family just moved here from Ashfield, New York," he explained. "I don't really know too many people, though."
"Wow," I said. "Do you miss your old town?"
"I miss my friends," Zach admitted. "I miss my older brother, Will. Even though our family had to move, he got to stay behind. Since this is his senior year, he gets to live with his best friend for a year and go to our old school." (He sounded envious of his brother, and my heart went out to him.)
"I guess that's not easy for you."
"It's not so bad." Zach flashed me his stunning grin. "I'm liking Stoneybrook better every day."
I only smiled back, but inside I was absolutely melting.
"Me too."
