Chapter Two: Mary-Anne

Waving good-bye to my boyfriend, I scurried out the door. In all honesty, I had been shocked when Claudia suggested this. Most of us had spun off in separate directions over the course of the past four years. It occurred to me the BSC had not congregated since handing the club to Jessie's younger sister Rebecka and a few other former charges the previous month.

Thinking about this caused my eyes to instantly fill with tears. Despite maturing a great deal, I'd never stopped being emotional. However, I have finally learned to except this was an apparent flaw that had been embedded in me. This was not the time to mull over character flaws, however.

Before I knew it, my car was in the parking lot of one of my favorite middle school haunts. Smiling shyly, I noticed Kristy, Claudia, and the rest of the group had already congregated. I was delighted to see everyone laughing and talking on top of each other. For a few moments, I remained in my car observing my old friends.

My mind flashed back to seventh grade. I was thirteen again squealing as my best friend described her idea with extreme enthusiasm. Suddenly, a wave of memories washed over me. I recalled Claudia introducing Stacey, the hip new girl from New York City. The huge fight during which one of our charges got sick while I was sitting for them, and my new friend Dawn coming to my aid.

The wave of nostalgia would have probably continued, but Kristy's voice sudden broke through the haze. "Mary-Anne?" she asked. I noticed many of my friends hovering by the drivers' side door, many of them looking pale with fright.

"I guess my mind wandered off," I said. My face was quickly becoming flushed with embarrassment.

Smiling, my childhood best friend patted the crook of my left arm. "Don't worry about it. Let's head inside, though. Mal's holding our usual booth for us."

Inside, we found the others chatting easily. Kristy had to half-shout before they would quiet down and listen to her. "I should have brought my old whistle," Kristy declared.

Stacey rolled her blue eyes. "I don't care if you dress stylishly now. As far as I can tell, you're the same old Kristy." Everyone laughed at that comment.

Finally, Kristy held up a hand, signaling for silence. "As you know, I suggested a trip to Sea City as sort of a last childhood outing. You all seemed interested, but the trip can't happen if we don't plan it. We can drive there, if we take two cars. What about Dawn?" Kristy was looking straight at me when she asked this question. As if I should know how my step sister got anywhere. She was so heavy into the whole "Save The Earth" shit. For all I knew, she would not even except the offer!

Finally, I grudgingly agreed to call her. I have to admit, though, I was no more interested in making this call than I was in having my teeth drilled into. Kristy was my childhood best friend, though. During our prepubescent lives, she had always been there for me. This as good a way to repay her as any.

"Excellent!" Mallory chimed in.

"I guess that's it then," proclaimed Kristy," let's meet in front of Claude's old house Saturday morning. Meeting adjourned."