"Did Josh have a good time Saturday night?" Mary Anne asked.
"He said he was too nervous to enjoy it," I admitted.
Mary Anne nodded. "Logan said the same thing." "Ethan thought everything went pretty well, considering. He said meeting new people isn't his favorite thing," said Stacey.
So I'd been right. All the guys had felt as awkward as Josh had. "But sometimes it's good to mix with different people," I said.
"When?" asked Mary Anne.
"When you've just beaten the pants off them at softball," Kristy said.
"When you're trying out for a part in a ballet," Jessi offered.
"When you're running past them on the street," mumbled Abby, her head touching the floor between her outstretched legs. I stared in wonder. I knew I couldn't do that.
"I don't know which is worse: meeting new people who don't know anything about you, or having to see the same old faces and hear the same old comments every single day," Mallory said.
Her response was the only one that was serious.
"What I mean is that I had to meet new people and make new friends when I went back to seventh grade, and those people are still my friends," I said.
"Yeah?" said Stacey.
'And I wish there was some way they could get to know you guys and you guys could get to know them." "What if we went out for pizza together?" Abby suggested.
I figured Josh wouldn't be very anxious to go out to eat with a new group of people anytime soon.
"We could go to the mall together," Stacey said.
"Josh may have had one too many shopping trips with 'the girls' already," I answered.
"Well, you'll come up with something," Stacey assured me.
I wished I could feel as confident about that as Stacey sounded. I wondered how hard taffy had to be pulled before it broke apart.
Chapter 7.
What a day to be late, I thought as I ran the last block home on Thursday afternoon. Mom and Dad had a plane to catch and I'd left school only after promising to call Joanna, then Stacey, and finally Josh. With Mom and Dad gone, I might be able to do it.
The front door hit a suitcase when I opened it. "I'm here!" I called out as soon as I'd caught my breath enough to speak.
'About time!" Mom said as she and Dad joined me in the hall. "We were worried the car would arrive before you did. Janine, we're almost ready. Come on down." Mom opened the door and looked outside. "Oh, the car is here now. We did almost miss you." She hugged me.
"I left the phone number of the hotel along with that of the Simpsons posted beside the phone in the kitchen," Dad said as he slipped on his overcoat.
"If anyone calls, take a message and tell them we'll call back. For heaven's sake, don't tell them we're gone for the weekend," Mom reminded us. This was something I'd known to do since kindergarten.
"Check to make sure the doors are locked before you go to bed," Dad added.
"Mom. Dad. I'm perfectly capable of remembering the basic rules of safety at home," Janine said. I nodded.
"Don't hesitate to call Russ and Peaches if you need anything, anything at all," Mom said. "Claudia, your face is flushed. You don't feel feverish, do you?" "I was hurrying home to tell you good-bye. I feel fine." I took her hand and placed it on my forehead so she could feel for herself.
"If you do feel ill..." "I'll call the pediatrician, Russ and Peaches, the Simpsons, the neighbors, and put an ad in the paper," Janine said. Then she picked up Mom's suitcase and handed it to her.
"You go and have a good time. We'll be fine," I said. I kissed Dad, then Mom.
"There are casseroles in the freezer. The instructions for heating them are on the containers." Mom had stopped halfway down the walk to turn around and tell us about the food.
"I know," Janine said, "and there's cash available for any additional groceries we might need." "Quiet about the cash," Mom said, placing her finger over her lips.
I hoped that pizza qualified as a grocery we might need.
"I have everything under control," Janine called out as Mom and Dad climbed into the car.
We waved until the car pulled away from the curb, then went inside. Janine closed the door and locked it.
"No parents for three days," she said, her eyes shining. "It's you and me, Claudia. Shall we consult our list of activities? There's a great special on the Discovery Channel tonight about the Titanic." I was looking forward to the weekend too, but I wasn't planning to spend all my time with my sister. "You know, even though they're gone, I know Mom and Dad would want me to keep up with my homework. I think I'll go upstairs and start - " "Of course. I wouldn't dream of interfering with your study time," Janine said quickly. "I promised I would stand in for Mom and Dad as your homework mentor." "Thanks, Janine. When I'm finished, I'll let you check it." I started up the steps to my room.
"We could rent a movie. Have you seen Sense and Sensibility? It's a superb adaptation of the Jane Austen novel. It is on the sentimental side, but the literary quality of the story and the language - " "I don't know, Janine." "This is the perfect opportunity for us to spend time together. I know! I was exploring the Internet recently and I came upon a wonderful presentation of an art exhibit. You'd love it." Janine looked so eager for me to agree to do something with her.
I figured I could scan the pictures pretty quickly and be on the phone in no time. "Maybe when I'm finished with my homework we can look at it," I said.
"Excellent. There are links to other exhibits of interest that we could explore together." Another person who wanted a piece of me. The taffy was being pulled thinner and thinner.
"I'll take on the evening meal. I have something in mind already." Janine turned toward the kitchen as I trudged up the stairs.
When I reached my room, I dumped my books on the bed, found a Hershey bar I'd hidden in an old purse in my closet, took a big bite, then made myself sit down at my desk and open my science book. I needed to write up a report of an experiment we'd done in class this week. I'd taken notes and planned to draw a diagram to go along with the answers to the questions assigned. Maybe I'd receive extra credit for the drawing, to make up for what I might lose for misspellings.
Before I could sit down at the desk, the phone rang. It was Peaches.
'Are your parents gone?" she asked.
"They're gone. It's me and Janine." I knew my favorite aunt would understand what I meant.
"What about dinner? Do you know what you're going to have for dinner?" she asked.
"Janine has it under control." "Maybe I should talk to Janine." "She's in the kitchen. Maybe you could call her on the other phone," I suggested. "I'm doing homework." "Homework. Absolutely. Your mother mentioned that you were to keep up with your homework. I'll let you go. Call me if you need anything." " 'Bye, Peaches." I hung up.
The family phone rang about half a dozen times as I finished my science homework and started my math, but Janine never said anything, so I supposed the calls were for her.
I was working on my last math problem when Janine called me to dinner.
After I washed my hands, I headed to the kitchen. But Janine was in the dining room.
The table was set with Mom's good china and silver and there were candles burning - along with the overhead light.
"Everything looks awfully nice," I said.
"I thought our first night on our own was cause for celebration," Janine explained. "Spaghetti?" "I love spaghetti!" "The sauce is something new - garlic, olive oil, fresh tomatoes, and a variety of spices. I hope you enjoy it." "It's good," I said in between bites.
"You should eat some of the salad also." Janine pushed a bowl toward me.
"Thanks. Great meal." I meant it. Spaghetti is one of my absolute favorite foods in the whole world. "Who called so many times?" "Peaches, then Russ, then Russ again, then Peaches again. I was almost glad when the last call was someone trying to sell us a long-distance service." "What did Russ and Peaches want?" I asked.
"To know if we knew the number at the hotel, what I was fixing for dinner, and whether we needed anything from the store." She shrugged, then said, "I almost forgot the garlic bread." Janine handed me a basket.
"With all the work you did on the meal, you must have a ton of homework to do after dinner," I said hopefully.
"I finished most of it in study hall, then completed the remainder while the food was cooking," Janine said. "It won't interfere with our time." She was determined that we spend the evening together. "Save room for dessert," she added as I reached for more spaghetti. "Vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce served with blondies." 'Are you sure there isn't someone else in the kitchen?" I turned around and pretended to search.
Janine had finished her meal, so I ate a few more bites of salad, then pushed my chair back. "I'll do the dishes since you fixed the meal." I stacked the plates, then the bowls.
"Finish your homework. I'll load the dishwasher, then navigate to the virtual art exhibit I was telling you about. By then you should be ready." Janine nodded her head in the direction of the steps.
"That sounds great," I said with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.
I only had a little bit of English left once I'd finished my math. I still had hopes that I'd find time to call Josh and Stacey, after Janine and I bonded a little.
My phone rang. I reached for the receiver, expecting Peaches. It was Joanna. She had a question about her social studies homework for me, Claudia Kishi. I like being the source of information for a change rather than the one who needs help.
"Who's on the phone?" Janine was at the door to my room.
I covered the mouth of the receiver. "Joanna." "Tell her hi. And I called up that Web site." Janine backed away.
"I have to go. My sister wants to show me something on the computer. Talk to you tomorrow." "This is a partial showing of works collected by Catherine the Great, the Russian empress." Janine pointed to the oil painting reproduced on her computer screen, when I joined her a few minutes later.
"How do you get to the next screen?" I asked. In spite of myself, I wanted to see what else Catherine had owned.
Janine clicked the mouse and the picture changed to a hunt scene. The colors showed up very well on the computer screen. I reached for the mouse and clicked. The screen went blank. "What happened?" "Let me see." Janine took control of the mouse again. While she was absorbed in finding the way back to the artwork, I decided to call Stacey.
"My parents will be back on Sunday afternoon," I was saying when Janine appeared at the door again.
"Who is it this time?" she asked.
"Stacey." "Hi, Stacey! Tell her that I found a wonderful fashion Web site." "Janine found something about fashion on the Internet she thinks you'd like." I relayed Stacey's response to Janine. "She said maybe she can look at it when she comes to the next BSC meeting." "I found it rather by accident," Janine confessed, "but I thought of Stacey immediately." I smiled and nodded, trying to listen to Janine and Stacey at the same time.
"I recovered the display," Janine went on.
"I'll be there in a minute. Stacey, I have to go. Maybe I can call you back a little later. I want to know what was in the letter from Ethan. See you!" "Now the screen is frozen," Janine said when I finally rejoined her in her room.
"I'm going to call Josh while you're working on it." I hurried back to my room and punched in his number. He answered so quickly that I thought he must have been waiting by the phone.
"How's your first night without parents going?" he asked.
"The without-parents part is good, but the with-sister bit is a little odd. Janine wants us to do stuff together. You should see the look in her eyes when she talks about it. I feel as if I'm some new math problem she's determined to solve." "Did you have much homework? Joanna called to ask me about the social studies assignment." "Too simple," Josh said.
"Is that Josh?" Janine was back.
I nodded.
"Give him my regards." I repeated the message.
"Regards back to her," Josh said.
I repeated that. There I was in the middle again. Maybe I could act as a central switchboard. All my friends could call in, and I'd pass messages back and forth between them. That would let them know one another better. It wouldn't be as good as a party, but...
"Josh, I have to go. Janine and I have something to discuss. Talk to you tomorrow." I hung up.
"What do we have to talk about?" Janine asked.
Something incredible had just occurred to me. And this weekend would be the perfect time for it. Mom and Dad hadn't said anything about not having friends over. Now if I could just convince Janine.
"Now that I've moved back to eighth grade, I don't have much time to spend with Joanna, Jeannie, Shira, and Josh," I began.
"I'm sure that's a problem," said Janine.
"And my BSC friends haven't had a real chance to mix with my seventh-grade friends," I continued.
Janine nodded.
"Mom and Dad didn't say anything about not having friends over, so I was thinking about inviting everybody here for awhile on Saturday night?" I made it sound like a question and crossed my fingers that Janine would say it was okay.
"Mom and Dad are certainly well acquainted with all of the BSC members. They don't know the seventh-grade contingent quite as well, although they've seemed pleased with your new friends," Janine said, staring at a spot above my head. "I don't see any harm in a simple gathering." Yes! I was going to have my party.
