The girls were surprised to see both Dawn and Jessi show up after five - thirty, thanks to Alan for stopping a lot.
"What are you doing here, Alan?" Kristy asked.
"We brought him over here so he could explain why we weren't at school today," Dawn answered.
"Alan, why would you want to keep Dawn and Jessi out of school even when they aren't sick?" Stacey asked.
He shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't know. A friend dared me to do this, and I fell for it and now here I am."
"Alan, who is this friend of yours?" Kristy asked.
The other girls were quiet so they could hear what he was going to share.
"Did you already call the meeting to order?" Jessi asked.
"Yes," Kristy answered.
"I thought we were going to be here on time," Dawn said.
"So did I."
Alan didn't say anything.
"Who is this friend of yours that dared you to do this for Jessi and Dawn?"
"You don't need to know. I hear you have a guy in the club."
"This is why we brought Alan."
"Yes, we do have a guy in the club. Why are you asking?"
"Because I told Dawn and Jessi I would be interested in joining your club with the other guy."
"I don't think you need to join, Alan. You're better off where you are."
"That's what I thought you would say, Dawn."
The other girls had to agree with what Dawn said.
"Having two boys in the club is too much trouble, Alan Gray. One is enough."
Kristy had an idea pop up.
"I have an idea, but I know it wouldn't work for you, Alan."
"Tell me, Kristy. What's your idea?"
"Why not start a baby - sitting club with boys only? You would bring nobody in anyway."
The other girls laughed.
"Very funny, but you have a good point, Kristy," Stacey said.
Alan didn't bother asking the history of the club, so there was no need to.
"Kristy, who would be interested in doing this with Alan?" Claudia asked.
"I have no idea, but if he does it with his friends, they wouldn't get very far."
The girls again nodded.
"She's right, Alan. It wouldn't work because we've been in this business since the beginning," Claudia told Alan.
No need to argue.
"Where did your friend get the idea to take us away from school for one day in a basement? You need to explain there, Alan."
"I thought I just did that."
"Not the whole story, you haven't."
"All right, I'll tell you."
Flashback:
Last week, a friend was eating with Alan at school and had a weird idea coming in, and Alan saw it.
"What are you thinking?" he asked his friend.
"Nothing much, Alan. I was thinking of something."
"What's that?"
"Why not take a couple of girls from class and keep them out of school for a day? They're not sick," the friend said.
"All right. Tell me who I should take in. Why would they need to disappear when they're not even sick?"
"Just to see how they would feel being in someone's basement for one day without going to class."
"Would this work?"
"Try it and find out for yourself, Alan. It could work."
"I don't know. How do you know it would work or not?"
"I'd just do it without asking questions, Alan."
"Tell me who I should put in my basement at home."
"Dawn Schafer and a friend of hers."
"Why would I want Dawn Schafer in my house for? You know she's not even interested in me," Alan reminded him.
"I don't care if she's interested in you or not, but just do it and see what happens."
"I don't know. I just feel weird about having Dawn Schafer being in my house for no reason like that. We don't need to be in a relationship."
"You have a point, Alan, but just do what I said. Please don't argue with me."
"You're right. I won't argue with you anymore. If the girls ask, what do I tell them who you are?"
"Just say a friend told you to," was the answer.
"I hope I don't get into trouble for it."
"You won't. Let me know how it turns out, Alan."
"Whatever."
End Flashback
"So that's the story and why I'm here."
"Thank you for sharing, Alan. You still won't get permission to get a job from us."
"I'm not asking that. Who is the guy who's a member of this club if you don't mind me asking?"
"None of your business on who he is. He won't tell you much of anything if we mentioned his name," Mary Anne said.
"Somebody I know, right?"
"Yes," Mallory answered.
"But no name."
"Okay. I guess I'll go find my friend and tell him what happened. No way are you going to meet my parents, Dawn Schafer."
"I'm not interested," Dawn said as the first phone call came in.
"Hello, Baby - sitters Club," Mary Anne said.
Alan decided now was the perfect time to leave. Before he did, Mary Anne put the phone back.
"Don't you get any ideas, Alan."
"Who says I was?" Alan asked.
There was no need to answer his question. Mary Anne looked at the calendar to see who would have the job from the caller she spoke with.
"Just go away, Alan."
"I'm leaving anyway. I shouldn't have listened to my friend about keeping you and Jessi in my basement for the day."
"Now scram, Alan."
That's when he finally left.
"So he got the story right then, huh?" Stacey asked.
"Yes, he did. Jessi and I just felt weird the entire day because we couldn't be with you."
"I understand, Dawn. Let's hope he will never do it again."
"You got that right," Dawn agreed.