Chapter 17

Suspicious Minds

Nannie and Emily Michelle were the ones who ended up picking me up from school. Nannie did not look too thrilled to be there but stupid Emily was excited to see me. While I had been waiting, Bobby Gianelli had brought my things from the classroom to me so I was all ready to go.

"Kaywen!" Emily Michelle shrieked. She ran to me with her arms outstretched. My goodness, she is such an undisciplined little brat!

I was about to pick her up for a hug anyway when Nannie snatched her up. "No, Emily. No! No! Karen is in big trouble."

"Tubble?" Emily looked sad.

"Come on, Karen. I do not have all day to waste waiting for you." Nannie snapped.

I grabbed my things and followed Nannie and Emily Michelle outside to Nannie's piece of junk car, which she calls the Pink Clinker. It smells like old people but a ride is a ride.

Nannie took a quick look at me as I buckled up my seatbelt. "Karen, I do not recognize your outfit. It has the logo from the Club G place you are obsessed with all over it. How did you get anything from Club G?"

I shifted nervously in my seat and did my best to avoid Nannie's nosiness. She sure is an old busy body, "Nannie, step on the gas please. I really need to go potty."

Emily smiled. Probably because she is learning to use the potty, "Potty! Yay! Me too?"

I rolled my eyes at Emily but at least she was a distraction from Nannie questioning me. Nannie seemed to temporarily forget about me as she paid attention to Emily. I felt annoyed while Nannie told Emily what a big girl she is. Who cares if Emily Michelle went to the bathroom? I shoplifted from a store. I think that makes me a much more sophisticated 'big girl' than Emily.

We got home and I rushed off to my bedroom before Nannie could ask me any more questions about my Club G outfit. I quickly changed into other clothes and shoved the Club G outfit into my closet.

I took Hannalie out of my backpack and curled up on my bed. All of a sudden, I felt really sad and tired. My friends hated me, my family hated me and now Nannie had spotted my Club G clothes. If Daddy and Mommy found out what I had done, I would be in a gigundo heap of trouble. I stuck my thumb in my mouth like a baby and went to sleep with Hannalie cuddled in the crook of my other arm.

I must have slept for a very long time because the next thing I saw when I opened my eyes was Kristy standing beside my bed. She was frowning as she looked at me.

"Karen, Nannie said something about you wearing what looked like a Club G outfit. I do not see that on your body right now but I do not think Nannie would lie about something that serious." Kristy looked around the room with a suspicious glint in her eye.

I squinted and grabbed my glasses. They had fallen off while I was sleeping. "Kristy, you know I do not have any clothes from Club G. Nannie's eyesight is starting to go bad and she is old so maybe she is going insane."

Kristy glared at me, "You never insult my Nannie like that. Maybe Nannie did see you in Club G clothes and you are just a malicious, evil liar."

"I am not a liar. Nannie is!" I yelled at Kristy. I could not have her find out the truth about what I had done.

Kristy went to the doorway of my room, "We will just see about that. Sam! Charlie!"

My stepbrothers came running into my room. Charlie looked from Kristy to me with interest. "Yes Kristy?"

Kristy is used to being big meanie mo bossy pants as the president of the Babysitter's Club. "Hold Karen down, boys. I am going to search her room for the Club G clothing she was wearing earlier when Nannie picked her up from school."

Charlie and Sam each grabbed one of my arms and held me firmly between them. I looked frantically about for Hannalie and realized with relief that the bear had to have fallen underneath my bed while sleeping. I began to kick and scream while Kristy tore my room apart.

"No! You keep your hands off my stuff, Kristin Amanda Thomas! You big ugly meanie mo!" I practically roared at Kristy in the biggest outdoor voice I could possible manage.

It was no use. Kristy smiled with triumph as she pulled my Club G outfit out of the closet. "Aha! What do we have here?"

"None of your beeswax!" I grumbled at her.

"Let's go, boys. We will let Watson deal with her." Kristy said.

Charlie and Sam let me go and the three of them marched out without another word to me. I fell backwards on my bed and resumed throwing a tantrum.

Soon Daddy came into my room, "Come down to the den, Karen. We are having a family meeting to discuss what Kristy found in your room. If you have anything else from Club G, bring it with you."

The look on Daddy's face told me I had better not deceive him any further. I scrambled to find the tote bag and Hannalie. Daddy saw the bear and bag. He looked even angrier if that was possible but he said nothing else.

I clutched on to Hannalie and followed Daddy down to the den. My tummy felt sick. I was very scared. I had done so well at getting to Club G and getting the items that I had thought nothing could stop me. Now it seemed like everything was coming apart at once. I cried silently so Daddy would not hear me. Why did bad things always have to happen to good people like me? Meanie mos like Kristy or Hannie never have people mad at them or get in trouble but I always do.

Daddy and I entered the den. My entire big house family was there from Nannie all the way down to Emily Michelle. There was an empty chair sitting in the middle of the room. On the chair was taped a sign which said 'Karen'.

"Sit down, Karen." Daddy pointed to the chair.

I did not need to be told twice. I sat down and got ready to face the music.