Chapter 5

It was Monday evening, two days after that Saturday my father had told me the news. Kristy, Stacey, Claudia, Mallory, Jessi and I were all sitting in Claudia's room. The club meeting had just ended.

We had got a lot of babysitting jobs, as we always do. The parents in Stoneybrook just can't manage without us anymore. Once we went on strike to double our hourly wages (Kristy's order, we others didn't like the idea, but we didn't want to go through the Disloyalty-towards-the-leader-punishment again).

The strike lasted a week and caused incredible chaos all over our town. The parents couldn't hold on their daily routines; feeding and clothing their children seemed overwhelming when they knew there was no one to relieve them of their duties for an hour or two. They were helpless and almost crushed by the sudden responsibility. The children too were unhappy and cried all the time. Even the weather was gloomy and rainy.

In the end of the week a local state of emergency was declared. Adults didn't go to work, school was cancelled, most of the shops didn't open up, the streets got littered, the churches were burning down and the prices were rising. The then Secretary of the Interior contacted us and begged us to stop the strike. According to him rioting was about to start on any day, and the Federal Government wouldn't be able to deal with the loss of international reputation.

After a long negotiation the BSC was finally back in action. The parents were relieved and gladly agreed to pay us $18 per hour. In addition we got our own national day and started receiving monthly support straight from the government's budget. Because of that we have done away with our membership fee!

Some rumours claim that every proposition the government makes should get Kristy's approval before implementation. Although she gets these long phone calls to the principal's office sometimes twice during a school day and is allowed to receive them, I'm sure it isn't true. After all she is only 13 years old.

But back to Claudia's room now.

"As I told you before the meeting, I have an announcement to make", I said seriously.

"Oh Mary Anne, I'm so sorry!" Stacey cried pityingly. "Logan has left you, right? I told him that night meant nothing for me, that it was just pure fun, but he must have somehow imagined that I really was interested in him."

I ignored Stacey's words completely. Mallory and Jessi were sitting on the floor, whispering and giggling together. Jessi had brought a little princess doll with her, claiming it was Becca's (who is her little sister), and that she had accidentally forgotten it into her pocket. Mallory was braiding its hair.

Usually Mallory and Jessi act very maturely, but then there are moments when you would think they still haven't finished playschool. For example at the time when they found out that unicorns don't exist. It was a couple of months ago. Oh, they really made a scene about that. Maybe it was a blow, but the ritual murder of a horse was just exaggeration. And I don't even want to know where they had got all those horns.

But as I said, Mallory and Jessi often behave like grownups. Like when they decided to revenge on Benny Ott and made an anonymous phone call to the police, saying that he was running an assassination business. Benny's still in custody. You never know what you get if you tease 11-year-old girls.

"Would you please listen to me, I have important news", I requested.

"It must wait", Kristy told me. "Because I have an idea."

"Please share your idea with us, Kristy", Stacey said sarcastically. "I'm sure it's great."

"Yesterday I realized that you are treating me too disrespectfully", Kristy stated. "From now on I want to be called as Miss Thomas, ma'am, or alternatively president."

"Oh sure", Stacey commented. "Or what if we just conversationally called you Dear Leader?"

"That is OK too", Kristy responded. "But now, Mary Anne, it is your turn."

"My mother is alive", I said simply. They all gave a start.

Claudia gasped. "That's amazing", she whispered. "How did she do it?"

"How did she do what?" I asked, confused.

"How did she survive twelve years buried under the ground?"

I explained it all very slowly, so that Claudia would also be able to understand. I told them that my mother had been a drug addict. My father had known this when they got married, but had believed her when she had promised never to use drugs again.

After two years, when I was about one year old, she had given in and continued using cocaine. My father had thrown her out every time she had been under the influence, because he had feared that she might hurt me. Then she, without even leaving a farewell note, had left Stoneybrook for good.

My father had assumed she had overdosed and died because he hadn't heard of her ever since. He had told me cancer had killed my mother, because he thought I was too young to hear the truth. But then, last Saturday, he had seen this short article in the Stoneybrook Times:

"Alma Spier running for mayor of Stoneybrook

Alma Spier, 38, has taken part in the rivalry to become the mayor of Stoneybrook. She has, unlike her rival candidate Tom Flint, 45, a lot of experience in politics. "Six years ago I received Christ and joined the Republican Party. I have organized many successful election campaigns, but when I heard that this position was vacant, I decided it was my turn now. After all Stoneybrook is my hometown, and has always had a place in my heart, although I have lived the last twelve years in Washington D.C. I can't wait to get back", Spier says. She names one of her priorities the work against drugs. The Election Day is the 23rd of May."

When I had finished we all just sat there still and avoided looking at each other. Then finally Claudia broke the silence and said what we all had probably been thinking of:

"This is a perfect time to have a little snack. Who wants chocolate candies?"