For the Ministry Christmas Party on the Ministry of Magic Discord.
Kristy and Tardy Mary Anne
Kristy's eyes are narrowed as the clock's hand ticks over to five-thirty. Claudia, sitting cross-legged on her bed, winces. It's official. The ever-reliable and usually punctual secretary of the Baby-Sitters Club, Mary Anne, is late. And Kristy, whose face has been reddening as each minute has passed, sharply calls the meeting to start.
"Dawn, as alternate officer, you will be in charge of secretary duties today," she says stiffly. It's a tone that the other members have come to know well and long since learnt to dread. "Sorry about that."
"No worries," Dawn says, smiling. Although there is no doubt that she can hear the frost in Kristy's voice, she doesn't acknowledge it. Instead, she quickly opens her laptop and navigates to the schedule. "Mary Anne taught me how to use it. Honestly, it's pretty easy."
But if anything, Mary Anne's forethought only incenses Kristy further. All of a sudden, Mary Anne's lateness is no longer a one-off mistake, but rather a premeditated crime. The girls watch silently as Kristy's expression morphs from annoyance to anger.
"How convenient," she says flatly. "All right. Does anyone have any news?"
"Maybe she's sick," Claudia offers. "Or maybe she got caught up talking to her dad."
"What? You mean she suddenly got sick since we last saw her at school?" Kristy scoffs. "Look, we all know it's because of Logan. Mary Anne has decided that a boy is more important than the Club. That's why she's late."
As if on cue, Mary Anne suddenly bursts through the door, rosy-cheeked. Her mouth opens, ready to flood the room with apologies, when the phone rings. Kristy puts her hand up, silencing her. With her other hand, she picks up the phone. Her voice is sugary sweet when, ignoring Mary Anne, she asks Dawn to tell her who's available to sit for the Pikes on Saturday afternoon.
"It's me or Mary Anne."
"Your sitter will be Dawn Schaffer," Kristy says. "Thank you."
She has barely placed the phone down when Mary Anne begins to profusely apologise. Firstly, to Kristy for being late. Secondly, to Dawn for the inconvenience. Thirdly, to Claudia for barging in without knocking. And then to Stacey, Jessi and Mallory for being so inconsiderate. It's a heartfelt apology that satisfies all the girls. All the girls except one.
"You should be sorry," Kristy snaps. "You're late."
"Kristy..." Claudia immediately leaps to Mary Anne's defence, frowning. "She's only five minutes late. It's no big deal."
"And what if she's late to a job? Then we lose our reputation and our clients. Is it a big deal then?" Her voice rises with each word. "I'm just saying, we need to maintain some standards. If you're going to be late, you should be dying, not hanging out with some boy."
"I mean, dying sounds a bit extreme..."
"It's fine, Claud." Mary Anne's ears turn pick. "Kristy's right. It's not professional. Won't happen again, promise."
Kristy nods her approval, and Mary Anne takes a seat on the floor next to Dawn. But even though the meeting continues smoothly (although Kristy does refuse to look Mary Anne's way for the rest of the evening), there's a frostiness in the air that the Club members can't ignore. And not for the first time, Claudia wonders if the shininess of the Club's great leader is beginning to dull.