Kristy and the Mother's Day Surprise by Ann M. Martin

Author:Ann M. Martin [M. Martin, Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2012-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

“Aughh!”

“I don’t believe it!”

“Oh, my gosh. She’s here!”

“IT’S STACEY, YOU GUYS!”

It was 5:25 on the day before the Mother’s Day surprise. Mary Anne, Dawn, and I had just entered Claudia’s room for a club meeting — and found Claudia and Stacey there. Stacey was sitting on Claud’s bed, as if she’d never left Stoneybrook. Claud was the one who’d shouted, “IT’S STACEY, YOU GUYS!”

Stacey leaped up, and she and I and Mary Anne and Dawn began hugging and jumping up and down — a group hug. And then we all began talking at once.

“You’re here in time for the meeting!” I exclaimed.

“When did you get here?” Mary Anne wanted to know.

“Just a little while ago,” replied Stace. “I caught an early train.”

“You cut your hair!” Dawn cried.

“Yeah, a little. Do you like it? I went to this really punk place and told the guy not to make it too punk.”

“We love it!” said Mary Anne, speaking for all of us.

We were finding places and settling down. I sat in the director’s chair, of course. Dawn and Mary Anne squeezed onto the bed with Claudia and Stacey. We left room on the floor for Mal and Jessi.

“This is just so incredible,” said Stacey. “Here I am, sitting in on a meeting of the Baby-sitters Club. A real meeting, not like the ones we had when you guys came to visit in New York. I feel like I never left here.”

“I wish you never had,” said Claud wistfully.

Stacey leaned over suddenly and put her arms around Claudia. Claud is not a big crier, but that hug was all it took for the tears to start to fall.

“I miss you so much,” she said to Stace. And I knew what she wasn’t saying: that Stacey was Claud’s first and only best friend. And that she hadn’t made a new best friend since Stacey had left.

It was while this was going on that I glanced up and saw Jessi and Mallory hovering uncertainly in the doorway to club headquarters. Jessi looked confused, and Mallory looked bewildered.

“Come on in, you guys,” I said loudly to our two junior officers. “This isn’t going to be a cry-fest … is it, Claud?”

Claudia pulled herself together. She wiped her tears with a tissue and sat up as straight as she could.

And Stacey slid off the bed. “Mal!” she exclaimed. “I am so glad to see you! Congratulations on becoming a club member.”

“Thanks, Stacey. Baby-sitting sure is more fun this way. It’s nice to be official.”

Stacey turned to Jessi. “I guess you’re Jessi Ramsey,” she said.

This comment was a little unnecessary. For one thing, Stacey knows that Jessi is black. I’m sorry to be so blunt, but that’s the truth, and anyway I’m always blunt. Besides, who else would Jessi be? We don’t bring guests to meetings.

“Yes,” said Jessi. “Hi. I moved into your bedroom.”

We laughed at that.

“Jessi is a terrific sitter,” I said, as Stacey returned to the bed, and Jessi and Mal dropped to the floor. “She even learned sign language so she could communicate with a deaf boy.

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