Ann Martin - Hello, Mallory

It's a girl and her name is Laura Elizabeth!"

With that, we all started shrieking and squealing and jumping around. The test was forgotten. I felt as if we were friends, instead of little me versus the four big baby-sitters. We were equal, and we were happy about an exciting event we'd been waiting for forever.

The Perkinses live right across the street from Claudia, in what was Kristy's house before she moved in with her stepfather. So we've only known the Perkinses for a few months, but they are the greatest family. They have two little girls — Myriah, who's six, and Gabbie Ann, who's almost three — and a dog named Chewbacca. Oh, also a cat named R.C. I've never sat for Myriah and Gabbie, but I see them around, and sometimes Claire or Margo plays with Myriah. Everyone likes the Perkinses, and for as long as we've known them, Mrs. Perkins has been pregnant. And now she had had another little girl.

All the club members began talking excitedly.

"Just think. Three girls," said Claudia.

"I helped Mrs. Perkins decorate the room," said Mary Anne.

"I wonder how much the baby weighs," said Claudia.

"I love the name Laura," said Kristy.

"Well," added Claudia, "Mr. Perkins is prob-

ably going to be needing extra sitters for Myriah and Gabbie during the next couple of weeks. First, while Mrs. Perkins is in the hospital, and then when she first gets home, because she'll be tired. Mallory and I are already signed up for Thursday afternoon, but, well, he said he'd call us at our meeting tomorrow to figure out some other times."

"Great," said Kristy. She sighed. "Another baby. I just love new babies. Remember when Lucy Newton was born?"

"Yeah," said Claudia and Mary Anne fondly. (Dawn didn't say anything. She hadn't known the Newtons then. But she did now. The Babysitters Club sits for Lucy and her big brother Jamie all the time.)

"Oh, well," said Kristy, snapping to attention. "Back to business."

Darn.

"We'll move on to the medical portion of the exam. Mallory, explain how and when to use a tourniquet."

"A tourniquet?"

"Yes."

I stared down at my hands. "Well, we've never had to use one at my house —"

"No excuse," said Kristy. "You might have to someday."

"But I was going to say," I went on, my

voice shaking, "that I think we learned about them in health class last year. They're — they're special bandages."

"Is that your complete answer?" Dawn wanted to know.

I nodded.

"I'll give her partial credit/' said Mary Anne.

I was about to ask what the rest of the answer was, when Kristy said, "And when do you remove a tourniquet?"

"When, um, the bleeding has stopped?"

"Wrong again! You never take one off. You always let a doctor do it."

"No fair!" I exclaimed, surprising everyone in the room, including myself. "That was a trick question."

"Well," said Kristy huffily, "I hope you never put a tourniquet on me."

"Me, too," I muttered.

"Let's go on to the drawing part," Claudia urged Kristy nervously.

"All right," she agreed. "Turn around and sit at the desk, Mallory," said Kristy. "We want you to draw a picture of the human digestive system."

"Why?" I cried.

"Because it's an important thing to understand. You might have to sit for a kid with colic one day."

"If I do, I'll give him soy formula," I said. I was dangerously close to crying. "Just draw." My picture looked like this:

"Half credit," said Dawn, when I was finished. "She left out the liver, the gall bladder, the pancreas —"

"And about a hundred other things. No credit," said Kristy. "The test is over."

"But I didn't get to tell you guys what I do know," I protested.

"Come to the Friday club meeting and we'll discuss the results," Kristy said firmly. "Of even/thing — since you and Claudia will be

baby-sitting at the Perkinses' on Thursday. We'll have to see how you do there." She pulled her visor down over her eyes.

I could tell it was time for me to leave. I was really disappointed. The girls hadn't been fair to me at all.

I could also tell I had disappointed the girls.

Chapter 6.

I didn't read Claudia's poorly spelled notebook entry until a long time after she'd written it. When I did read it, I was mad. But I was mad at myself because Claudia was right. I was a terrible sitter that afternoon. Only I don't think it was all my fault. Claudia made me nervous.

I met Claudia in front of her house at 3:25 and we walked across the street to the Perkinses'. The door was answered by Mr. Perkins, Myriah, Gabbie, and Chewy. Everyone seemed excited, even Chewy. (Well, Chewy always does, so I don't know if this counts.)

Mr. Perkins, who was grinning widely, handed Claudia and me each a pink balloon. "In honor of Laura," he said.

"We have a baby! We have a baby sister!" cried Myriah, who was dancing around the front hall.

"Her name is Laura Elizabeth," added Gab-bie.

"I know. I think that's wonderful."

"I am so glad the baby is a girl," Gabbie went on. "Now she can wear all my old clothes."

I smiled at Gabbie and she smiled back.

"We visited the baby last night," Myriah

informed me. She was still jumping up and down. "We went to the hospital and we saw Mommy and Laura Beth. It was so, so fun."

"I've got to get going," said Mr. Perkins hurriedly. "I just came home to get Myriah at school and pick up Gabbie. She's been with friends of ours today. Now I'm going back to the hospital. Emergency numbers are in the kitchen near the phone. I guess you know everything else by now, Claudia. I'll put Chewy in the backyard on my way out. He can stay there." Mr. Perkins kissed Myriah and Gabbie. "I'll see you at dinnertime, girls. Tonight you can visit Mommy and your sister again. Maybe we'll go to Dunkin' Donuts on the way home."

"Dunkin' Donuts!" exclaimed Gabbie. "Oh, boy," she said as her father rushed off. "I love donuts! And the little donut holes, too. I want a chocolate donut. What are you going to get, Myriah?"

"Oh, I'm not sure," said Myriah. "I just want to see Laura Beth again. And Mommy. Hey, Claudia, don't you think Laura Beth is a good nickname for our baby?"

"It's great," agreed Claudia.

I decided I better show Claudia that I could take charge. "Are you guys hungry?" I asked Myriah and Gabbie.

"Starved," Myriah replied.

"Well, let's go have a snack. What do you want?"

"Cookies," said Gabbie.

"A Popsicle," said Myriah.

"Mallory," Claudia spoke up, sounding very superior, "It's usually better not to ask kids what they want. Just give them something — something healthy. That way, there won't be any arguments, and the parents will be happy, too. The girls are going to have donuts tonight. That's enough sweet stuff for one day."

"Oh, right," I said, my face reddening.

But I was annoyed. There was Ms. Junk-Food Junkie talking away about health food. And practically scolding me in front of Myriah and Gabbie.

I pretended I didn't care. And that I'd known what I was doing all along.

"Apples for everybody!" I called, trying to smile, as I led the girls into the kitchen.

"But we don't have any," Myriah said.

I looked in the fruit bowl and the refrigerator. She was right. There were no apples.

Claudia shook her head. Then she said, "Hey, you guys. Guess what you do have — bananas and raisins. You know what we can do with bananas and raisins?"

"What?" asked Myriah and Gabbie.

"We can make banana-men." Claudia peeled a banana and stuck raisins into it to give it eyes, a nose, and a mouth.

"Hey!" cried Myriah. "Cool! Can I eat it?"

"1 want it!" said Gabbie.

"You can both have one," Claudia said. "We'll make another."

I felt completely left out. I might as well not have been there.