I sat down, unwrapping my turkey and avocado sandwich. "Becca,
Check out the new girl," whispered Haley, leaning over quietly. I turned
my head. "Where?" I whispered back. Suddenly, I noticed her. She had to
be new, because I'd never seen her before. She had curly blonde hair and
high cheekbones. She wore expensive designer jeans and a cashmere sweater.
She was sitting all alone at a nearby table. Something was familiar about
her. "Wait," I began. "Isn't that one of the Kilbourne kids, didn't the
old BSC used to baby-sit her?" Vanessa nodded. "Yeah, I think so." I
stood up to go talk to her, but the lunch bell rang. "Oh well," I
murmured. "Another time."
Right after school, I was baby-sitting one of our regulars, four year old Robin Thomas. Mrs. Thomas and her husband, Charlie had to go to the doctor a lot, because Mrs. Thomas was pregnant. They had to go once a week at least and I was Robin's regular baby-sitter.
"Hi Robin," I smiled. Robin waved. "Hi Becca," he said, grinning back. I fixed him a snack of peanut butter and raisins on an English muffin and we played Checkers afterward. I thought everything was going well but Robin seemed unhappy. I tousled his dark brown hair. "What's the matter Robby?" I asked. He sighed. "It's so boring everyday. There's nothing to do after school, it's too cold to go swimming and too hot to play in the snow. I never see any kids because I don't go to school. It's not fair." He pouted. That's when I got a great, and I mean fantastic idea. School was winding down and we had almost no work. It seemed like most kids were bored. Why didn't we start an after-school camp? It would be for a couple of hours after-school, our regular clients could come to camp too, for a couple of dollars extra. Eureka!
We had a meeting that day so I brought up my idea. Everyone pretty much loved the idea. Haley said she'd ask her mom if we could have it in their backyard. The Braddocks live on two acres of property, near hills so there would be plenty of space. We were busy discussing when the phone rang. Vanessa answered it, "Hello Baby-Sitters Club," she said. It was apparently a new client. Vanessa sighed. "It's a big job. There are nine kids. They're all related in some way or another but most of them aren't immediate family. A lot of the kids have deceased parents or some kind of family problem. Some of them have been abused." Charlotte was getting teary, I could tell. I hugged her. "So," finished Vanessa. "It's a two person job. It'll be overnight for a weekend. The couple who has them now, is about to adopt them, but they have to go to Hartford to get it all arranged. And they've decided to make it a short vacation. The parents will leave after everyone goes to school on Friday and come back Monday night. It's Memorial Day weekend so we have school off on Monday. Is anyone ready for the job? It's something big but it's literally," Vanessa checked the address she'd written down. "Around the corner from Charlotte and two streets down from Becca. Our parents are close." She put down her notepad. "I'd like the job," I said. Haley smiled. "The kids seem cool, I want the job too." Charlotte marked it in the record book. "Alright then, guys, this is great."
Vanessa lifted up an envelope. "Dues!" she called. We all groaned, handing over five dollars each. "We currently have 180 dollars in the treasury. I'll be collecting double dues next week in order to buy stuff for the camp." I high-fived Charlotte on my way out. The Baby-Sitters' Club was in business.
Right after school, I was baby-sitting one of our regulars, four year old Robin Thomas. Mrs. Thomas and her husband, Charlie had to go to the doctor a lot, because Mrs. Thomas was pregnant. They had to go once a week at least and I was Robin's regular baby-sitter.
"Hi Robin," I smiled. Robin waved. "Hi Becca," he said, grinning back. I fixed him a snack of peanut butter and raisins on an English muffin and we played Checkers afterward. I thought everything was going well but Robin seemed unhappy. I tousled his dark brown hair. "What's the matter Robby?" I asked. He sighed. "It's so boring everyday. There's nothing to do after school, it's too cold to go swimming and too hot to play in the snow. I never see any kids because I don't go to school. It's not fair." He pouted. That's when I got a great, and I mean fantastic idea. School was winding down and we had almost no work. It seemed like most kids were bored. Why didn't we start an after-school camp? It would be for a couple of hours after-school, our regular clients could come to camp too, for a couple of dollars extra. Eureka!
We had a meeting that day so I brought up my idea. Everyone pretty much loved the idea. Haley said she'd ask her mom if we could have it in their backyard. The Braddocks live on two acres of property, near hills so there would be plenty of space. We were busy discussing when the phone rang. Vanessa answered it, "Hello Baby-Sitters Club," she said. It was apparently a new client. Vanessa sighed. "It's a big job. There are nine kids. They're all related in some way or another but most of them aren't immediate family. A lot of the kids have deceased parents or some kind of family problem. Some of them have been abused." Charlotte was getting teary, I could tell. I hugged her. "So," finished Vanessa. "It's a two person job. It'll be overnight for a weekend. The couple who has them now, is about to adopt them, but they have to go to Hartford to get it all arranged. And they've decided to make it a short vacation. The parents will leave after everyone goes to school on Friday and come back Monday night. It's Memorial Day weekend so we have school off on Monday. Is anyone ready for the job? It's something big but it's literally," Vanessa checked the address she'd written down. "Around the corner from Charlotte and two streets down from Becca. Our parents are close." She put down her notepad. "I'd like the job," I said. Haley smiled. "The kids seem cool, I want the job too." Charlotte marked it in the record book. "Alright then, guys, this is great."
Vanessa lifted up an envelope. "Dues!" she called. We all groaned, handing over five dollars each. "We currently have 180 dollars in the treasury. I'll be collecting double dues next week in order to buy stuff for the camp." I high-fived Charlotte on my way out. The Baby-Sitters' Club was in business.