So I bundled up the kids and walked down the hill and over to Logan's house, which is on Burnt Hill Road. When we rang the bell, Kerry was thrilled to see me. "Excellent!" she cried, pulling me in the door. "We desperately need someone who can cook." The kitchen reminded me of Santa's workshop on Christmas Eve. Except that the elves were our baby-sitting charges and instead of making toys, they were preparing food.
At the kitchen table, Vanessa and Becca were cutting out Jell-O hearts with cookie cutters. Nicky Pike decorated them with swirls of canned whipped cream. Margo was creating a fruit punch from many jars and cans of juice. Haley was using a plastic knife to slice bananas and toss them into the punch. Matt Braddock was assembling dishes to set the table.
Kerry presented me with an opened pack of chopped meat, which already had hunks gouged out of it. "I tried to make hamburgers in the microwave but they came out gross," she said, wrinkling her nose.
"Super gross," Jenny confirmed as she took bread from the breadbox on the counter.
I thought a moment and remembered that meat didn't brown in a microwave. "You need to use the stove top," I told her. "I can do it for you." I found some onions and chopped them quickly. I let them fry while I made the hamburger patties, seasoning them with salt, pepper, and some dried garlic.
At four o'clock the doorbell rang. A buzz of excitement swept through the group. "Mary Anne is here," Kerry told me. "We invited her to come at four." Everyone scurried to put the last touches on their projects. Vanessa slipped into a tuxedo jacket she'd found in the family costume box. She draped a white towel over her bent arm. "I'm going out," she announced. "This is it. Everybody get ready." We gathered at the open kitchen doorway as Vanessa strutted out to the living room where Mary Anne and Logan stood talking. "Where's Kerry?" Logan asked Vanessa. "Do you know why she told Mary Anne to come over here right away?" He sounded angry. He probably thought this was another scheme the kids had concocted. (He was right about that, only this was a good scheme.) "As a matter of fact, I do," said Vanessa. "Follow me, if you please." "Now what?" Logan sighed as he and Mary Anne followed Vanessa toward the dining room. The rest of us jumped back out of the kitchen doorway as they approached so we wouldn't spoil the surprise.
Vanessa stopped just outside the doorway. "Your table is ready," she said with a low bow.
"Oh, wow!" Mary Anne cried when she spied the beautifully set table with red construction paper placements and paper doily napkins. A big red tissue paper flower sat in a glass in the middle of the table.
Vanessa pulled out a chair and Mary Anne sat down.
With a nudge, Haley pushed her brother Matt out of the kitchen. He was holding a water pitcher. He filled Logan's and Mary Anne's glasses, splashing some over the side. "No problem," Logan said, mopping up the spill with his doily napkin.
I dashed back to the stove and put a hamburger and some onions on two plates. Becca took one and Margo took the other out to the table. Haley trailed behind them, struggling to keep hold of the pitcher of fruit punch with floating bananas.
As soon as Logan and Mary Anne picked up their forks to eat, the kids ran out to sing the romantic serenade they'd practiced. First they sang a song from Lady and the Tramp.
Peeking out of the kitchen, I could see that Logan was working hard not to laugh. Mary Anne was trying equally hard not to cry. I noticed a delicate ring on her finger.
The kids then went into a pretty awful rendition of "Can You Feel the Love (Tonight)?" Then they backed out of the room.
As Adam and Dana returned to the kitchen, I grabbed their coats. "We've got to go," I told them. "I have so much to do before your mother gets home." "Please can we stay?" Dana pleaded. "We haven't served dessert yet." Just then, Mary Anne stuck her head in the kitchen door. "Could we have two more napkins, please?" she requested.
"Coming up!" Kerry said, scrambling to grab some paper napkins.
"Please, can't we stay?" Dana begged.
"Homework," I reminded her.
"I only have fifteen minutes of homework and I'll read with Adam. I promise." "I could walk them home," Mary Anne offered.
I considered this. I'd get more done without the kids. And Mary Anne didn't live far away. "They have to be home by five," I told her. "Five-fifteen at the latest." "All right," Mary Anne agreed.
"Thanks," I said, grabbing my parka. I dashed out of the house and began hurrying back to the Cheplins' house. Why was I so desperate to complete Mrs. Cheplin's stupid list? I wondered as I chugged up the hill as fast as I could go.
Was it just greed? Maybe. But somehow I felt something more was involved. I think I wanted to prove to Mrs. Cheplin that I could do the job simply because she thought I couldn't.
Besides, she was paying me to do a job, so I wanted to do it as well as I possibly could. But was Mrs. Cheplin being unreasonable? I decided she was. She might even have been taking advantage of me because I'm young. Or maybe she somehow sensed I was someone who would try to do my best no matter what she asked.
As I unlocked the door, I realized I was angry. Why should I knock myself out for this woman who didn't appreciate anything any- way?
After that, I didn't have time to think about my anger. I was too busy flying around the house trying to finish everything.
Chapter 14.
Instead of feeling like Stacey McGill, Super Sitter, I felt as if my new nickname should be Barely-Made-It-McGill.
That Thursday - which was Valentine's Day - I barely made it through Mrs. Cheplin's chores. Mary Anne returned the kids about three seconds before Mrs. Cheplin arrived. I had to admit that the kids hadn't done their homework, which didn't make Mrs. Cheplin too happy.
From there, I pedaled home like a maniac so I could rework my paper on F. Scott Fitzgerald. (My teacher said it felt "a little rushed." Ha! If only she knew! She very kindly gave me a chance to do it over.) Believe me, it's hard to make a paper seem not rushed when you're rushing through it. Which is exactly what I was doing when the doorbell rang.
"Stacey!" Mom called up the stairs. "It's Robert." I jumped up from my desk. "Robert!" I gasped. I'd completely forgotten to make him a Valentine's Day card! How could I have forgetten?
"Maybe he forgot, too," I said aloud as I leaped up from my bed. He hadn't given me anything in school that day.
I considered claiming to feel sick and not going downstairs. No, that was a bit too infantile. (I'd been hanging around with Dana Cheplin too long.) I really had no choice but to pray that Robert hadn't brought me anything for Valentine's Day.
I walked down the stairs, trying to look calm and happy to see Robert.
Robert stood at the bottom of the stairs. As I've said, each time I see him I swear he's cuter than he was before. "Hi," I said, smiling. "I didn't know you were coming over." "It's Valentine's Day," he said. That's when I realized he was holding one hand behind his back. That could mean only one thing.
"Here," he said when I reached the bottom of the stairs. "This is for you." In his hand he held one long-stemmed red rose and a small box wrapped in red wrapping tissue. "Thank you," I said as I took the rose and smelled it. Laying the rose down on a side table, I unwrapped the box. "Wow!" I gasped when I opened it. Inside was a gorgeous gold necklace with a delicate prism looped onto it. "It's gorgeous," I said sincerely, putting it on. "I love it!" "Do you really?" Robert asked.
"Yes, really!" Slowly, my smile faded. It was the moment of truth. "I don't have anything for you," I said apologetically.
I studied Robert, but it was hard to read his expression. He blinked as if he were absorbing this news and trying to figure out how he felt about it. "That's okay," he said.
"No, it's not." I took his hand. "I'm so sorry. Really. I am. I meant to at least make you a card, but then everything got so crazy today at the Cheplins'." "It sounds like things are always crazy over there." "I know, but today I had to take the kids to Logan's. You know, I told you how the kids canceled Logan's reservation so they tried to make it up to them by making them a valentine's dinner and - " Robert held up his hand to stop me. "I want to hear about it, but later. It's nice that they had a valentine's dinner, but what about us? You seemed so touched that Logan was buying Mary Anne a ring. That made me think Valentine's Day must be important to you. Is it?" "It is, Robert," I wailed. How had I let things get so out of hand? "It's really important. And so are you. I know it must not look that way right now. This job at the Cheplins' is making me nuts. My whole life is falling apart!" "Stacey, I think Mrs. Cheplin is taking advantage of you." "You do?" I said. "You know, I've been feeling the same way." I sighed. "I might as well tell you why I took the job to begin with." "Why?" "I wanted money for your birthday present," I admitted. "I took the job because of you, but because of the job I've hurt your feelings." "My feelings aren't hurt," Robert said. "What's my present?" "I'm not telling. But it's something I hope will make you like New York City better." "Oh, Stacey," he said, taking my other hand in his. "Do you mean you've been doing all this just because I said I didn't like the city?" I nodded.
"I'll give the city a try if it's that important to you," Robert said softly.
"You will?" I asked, looking up.
"Sure." Gently he pulled me closer and we kissed. I was so lucky to have Robert.
I stepped back and stood a moment, staring into Robert's eyes.
I jumped when my mother walked into the hall. She jumped, too. "Oh, sorry," she said, embarrassed.
"I have to go," Robert said awkwardly. "I'll see you in school tomorrow, Stace." " 'Bye, Robert," I said dreamily. "Thanks for the necklace and the rose." "You're welcome. 'Bye." Robert left and Mom picked up the rose from the sidetable. "How sweet," she said wistfully. "Let me see the necklace." I showed it to her and she sighed. "I remember when I used to get gifts on Valentine's Day." I put my hand on her shoulder, seeing for the first time how lonely she must be feeling. I'd been so absorbed in my hectic schedule I hadn't thought about her much. But I saw now how she missed me, and how she missed having someone special to spend Valentine's Day with.
"An Affair to Remember is on," Mom said.
"What's that?" I asked.
"It's a great old movie. It stars Gary Grant. It's wonderfully sad." "You nuke the popcorn, I'll get the tissues," I suggested.
"Really?" Mom said with a surprised smile.
"Sure. I wouldn't mind a good cry either." I picked up the remote control and snapped on the TV. F. Scott Fitzgerald would just have to wait.
Chapter 15.
I handed in old F. Scott first thing Friday morning, although I don't think this paper was any less rushed than the one before it. I'd gotten up at five-thirty in the morning to finish typing it. (After An Affair to Remember I'd wiped my eyes and barely had enough energy left to stumble up the stairs to bed.) As I sat in English class that morning my eyes felt dry and sandy, my throat was scratchy, and my brain was definitely foggy. Face it - I was a mess.
I hated feeling this way. At least it was the last day of the week. I just had to pray that Kristy didn't guilt me into taking any job that came up at the meeting that afternoon. I wanted to be free to sleep all weekend.
Wait a minute! I thought, my eyes opening wide for the first time all morning. I couldn't sleep all weekend. I was supposed to go to my father's.
Usually I look forward to seeing Dad, but I was so exhausted that I didn't even want to go. Maybe I could cancel. But, no. Dad was looking forward to seeing me. If I canceled, especially this late, it would ruin his weekend. I'd be letting him down, just like I'd let down Robert.
So I had to go, although I wouldn't be very good company. I hoped Dad hadn't bought the tickets to that show. I'd probably fall asleep in the middle of the play.
Tired as I was, I somehow made it through the day. The bus was waiting when I reached Dana's and Adam's stop. Thankfully the bus driver waited a moment for me to arrive.
"You look terrible," said Dana as she got off the bus.
I could imagine. At lunchtime I had circles under my eyes and red splotches on my cheeks. I probably looked even worse now.
When I saw Mrs. Cheplin's list I nearly burst into tears. It was two pages long again.
"Could we play a game today?" Adam asked.
"Sorry, Adam," I said. "I have too much to do." "You always have too much to do." "I know, I know," I muttered as I headed for the kitchen.
That day the chores were torture. Not only was I exhausted, but midway through the chores I realized I was angry. I resented having to do so much housework. I didn't think it was fair to Adam and Dana, either. I couldn't spend any time with them at all.
I finished the last chore just as Mrs. Cheplin walked in the door. The kids had been great. They'd done their homework without any help from me. (I had no idea whether they needed help or not.) Barely-Made-It McGill slides through once again, I thought, blowing a stray piece of hair from my face.
"You've done very well this week, Stacey," said Mrs. Cheplin, looking around as she always did.
"Thanks," I said without enthusiasm. To tell you the truth, I wanted to tell her off. Or maybe just to step on her toe very hard. I took my money and got ready to leave.
"Stacey, I'm so pleased with your work. I'd like to offer you another two-week job." "Another two weeks?" I repeated dully. Suddenly I saw what was going on. Mrs. Cheplin was going to keep me on probation forever. I'd have to prove myself endlessly.
