Ann Martin - Kristy's Big Day

wouldbe good for reading stories andcoloring and stuff. And the kids can play ball, run after Louie, play games, anything - all in one place where we can easily keep an eye on them."

"Okay," I agreed. "We'll see how it goes. If it gets crazy, we can start splitting the groups up. Oh, Mary Anne, Mom got out our old playpen. You might need it."

"Thanks. That's perfect. I'll set it up outside so Tony and Beth can be with the big kids."

We set to work in the backyard.

Just beforenine o'clock , the Millers arrived. While Mom talked to Aunt Colleen and Uncle Wallace, the members of the Baby-sitters Club showed Ashley, Berk, Grace, and Peter to the yard. We gave them their nametags, and I tried to introduce the kids to my friends and explain about the groups and leaders. But before I had gotten very far, Aunt Colleen called me from the back porch.

"Just a few instructions," she said, as I ran to her. "I know you and your friends will have your hands full today, but I need to tell you a couple of things. Peter goes down for a nap sometime after lunch - around two. Grace generally doesn't take a nap, but if she's cranky, she'll sometimes go down with Peter."

"Wait, I better write this down," I said.

I got a pencil and a pad of paper from the kitchen. "Okay, Peter - nap at two," I said to Aunt Colleen, trying to sound professional."Grace - maybe a nap at two."

"Right," said my aunt.

Then she handed me two bottles of pills. "These are prescriptions," she told me. "Put them somewhere safe, out of reach of Peter and Beth and all the small children. I hope you won't need them, but you might. This bottle, the one with the pink cap, isBerk's . It's for his allergies. He's been in good shape lately, but if you're outdoors a lot and he starts wheezing, give him one of these and make sure he lies down inside for a while. He's used to this and knows what to do."

I scribbled away frantically. I was beginning to panic. What if Berk (or any of the children) got sick? One of us would have to care for the sick child, and the others would have to take over the rest of the kids from that group. Another thing: We hadn't thought to "childproof" my house. We were inviting little kids into a home where electric sockets, medicine, and poisonous cleaning supplies were all over the place. We didn't have to keep those things out of the way anymore. David Michael was

sevenyears old and knew better. But when Aunt Colleen said to put the pills away in a safe place - where the little kids couldn't reach them - I began to worry.

However, my aunt didn't know what I was thinking. She was still talking. "These other pills," she was saying, "are painkillers. They're for Ashley. The doctor at the hospital gave them to us after he set her leg. Ashley hasn't taken one in a week, but every now and then her leg will swell under her cast, and it's quite painful. Give her half a pill with food if she complains of pain."

"Ashley - one half pill with food for pain," I repeated.

"I guess that's everything," said Aunt Colleen. "I don't think you'll have any problems."

"Great," I said. I took my notes outdoors so I could share them with the other members of the Baby-sitters Club.

So far, things in the backyard looked peaceful. Everyone was wearing a nametag (although Ashley was complaining that hers looked babyish), and the kids were exploring the yard and the toys in the Kid-Kit.

"Yoo-hoo! Kristy! We're he-ere!" It was Aunt Theo. (Who else would say, "Yoo-hoo"?)

"Hi!" I shouted.

Emma burst outside, followed, at a much slower pace, by Luke. Aunt Theo came last with Beth - and a lot of equipment.

"Hi, girls," said my aunt.

"Aunt Theo, this is Mary Anne, Stacey- "

"Fine, fine," my aunt interrupted. "Now I've brought Beth's Walk-a-Tot chair so she can scoot around safely. She loves the chair. And here's her stroller in case you want to take a walk. If she cries when we leave - and she probably will - just put her in the stroller and walk her around. She'll calm down after a while."

I looked at Mary Anne, who was taking notes this time. My head was swimming. Naptime, pills, strollers, Walk-a-Tots. . . . What had we gotten ourselves into?

Aunt Theo wasn't finished yet. "Beth usually takes two naps, one around eleven and another around two."

Well, that was something, I thought. At least the afternoonnappers would be asleep at the same time.

"And she usually takes a bottle to bed with her. Make sure you only give her the prepared bottles I brought. She's allergic to cow's milk, so the bottles are filled with a soy formula."

"Beth - allergic to milk," Mary Anne murmured.

I nudged Stacey. "Where are all these kids going to sleep?" I whispered.

Stacey widened her eyes. I guess she hadn't thought about naps and bottles and pills, either.

Aunt Theo finally stopped talking.

And just in time. Mary Anne, Stacey, Dawn, Claudia and I were about to get our first glimpse of the Fielding kids. Mom was leading a wholepassel of people into the backyard - all sixFieldings , plus Watson, Andrew, and Karen.

Courage, I told myself. Make like you're the Cowardly Lion. If you think you're courageous, then you'll be courageous.

"Honey," Mom said to me, "I want you to meet Mr. and Mrs. Fielding."

I shook their hands. Then I said, "And these are the other members of the Baby-sitters Club - Stacey, Dawn, Mary Anne, and Claudia."

Everyone exchanged hellos.

Karen took Andrew's hand and led him to the table where Claudia's art stuff was set out. "I'm going to draw a big, ugly picture ofMorbidda Destiny," I could hear her say.

But theFieldings hadn't moved an inch. A baby was huddled in his mother's arms with his face buried in her neck. A girl about Grace's age was holding Mr.Fielding's hand solemnly.

And a little boy and girl were clutching their father around his legs, their faces also buried.

Watson leaned over and whispered to me, ''They're all very shy."

Now this is the sort of thing that kills me about Watson.Duh. Of course they were shy. Any fool could see that.

Mrs. Fielding spoke quietly to her children. "This is where you're going to play today. Andrew and Karen are here. See?" She pointed to the table where Andrew and Karen werecoloring and giggling.

I knelt down to child level. "I'm Kristy. We're going to have lots of fun," I said. "There are swings and games and friends to play with."

The oldest child (Katherine?) bit her lip and gripped her mother's hand more tightly.

"Do you like dogs?" I tried. "We've got old Louie- "

"A dog, Daddy?" whimpered the little boy.

Oops, bad idea, I thought.

Mrs. Fielding tried to untwine the baby from around her neck. "This is Tony," she said. "I think I'll just put him in the playpen."

She did so, with Katherine trailing behind, holding onto her mother's jeans skirt.

Tony's face slowly crumbled. He sat on his bottom with his arms in the air and his lower

liptrembling. His eyes filled with tears. Then, very slowly, he opened his mouth and let out a shrill, "Wahh!!"

Mary Anne turned pale.

Mrs. Fielding looked flustered. "I think - well, we'll just leave him there. He'll stop crying after a while. Now, this is Catherine."

"And this," said Mr. Fielding, indicating the little boy attached to his left leg, "is Patrick. And this is Maura."(Little girl attached to right leg.)

Katherine, Patrick, and Maura made no moves to leave their parents.

I glanced at Mom. Mom glanced at Watson. They talked to each other with their eyes. Finally Watson clapped his hands together and said heartily, "Are the adults ready to go?"

"We have a lot to do today," added my mother.

Mr. Fielding pulled Patrick and Maura off his legs.

Mrs. Fielding got herself out of Katherine's grip. "We'll see you this afternoon," she said to her children. I could tell that Mr. and Mrs. Fielding were having as much trouble leaving as their children were having letting them go.