Ann Martin - Dawn's Big Move

Carolyn Arnold shot a glance at her father. "We will?"

"Uh, come on. It's almost lunchtime," Mrs. Arnold said to her daughters.

"Well, see you folks later!" Mr. Arnold called. "Have fun!"

"Oh, we will! Ha, ha!" Richard replied, with a very forced laugh.

Mary Anne was giving her dad a sympathetic look. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Richard raised one eyebrow. "I have an idea for an event. A family wrestling match — boys against girlsl"

"Aaaaaagh!" we screamed, giggling like crazy as he tore after us. For a few minutes we all dodged him. I could tell he was loosening up and having a good time.

Before long we all collapsed on the ground, panting. Mom nuzzled up against Richard, who gave her a kiss on the forehead. Then he looked at Mary Anne with a fond smile and put his arm around her shoulders. "I expect the Arnolds will be trying to move to another neighborhood soon," he remarked. "To get away from their weird neighbors."

Mom and Mary Anne laughed. They both

looked happy. Richard looked happy, too.

Me? I was staring at the grass. I wasn't feeling happy. I should have been. It was a gorgeous day, warm and summery. We were having a great time. But something was wrong.

At first I couldn't figure out what. Then a weird memory popped into my head. It was a TV show I'd seen, about how computers could completely change photographs by replacing images. You could, like, put yourself in a photo from the Civil War.

Well, when I looked at Richard I imagined putting my dad in his place. And me in Mary Anne's.

And maybe throw in a beach and some smog in the background.

My California homesickness was getting worse by the day. And it made me feel sooo guilty. I mean, 1 love my life in Stoneybrook, with my mom and my friends. Richard was always sweet to me. Mary Anne was the best sister I could imagine having.

So I didn't want to say anything. Everyone was having a fabulous time that day, and it wouldn't be right to burst the bubble.

"Dawn?" Mary Anne said gently. "What's wrong?"

"I want to go home!" The words just tum-

bled out of my mouth. I couldn't hold them back.

Fsssssht! The bubble was burst. Richard's smile faded, and he glanced at Mom. Mary Anne shifted herself so she could sit next to me.

I hung my head lower and played with a few strands of grass.

"You've been thinking about your dad and Jeff a lot lately," Mary Anne said.

I nodded. I could barely force the word "Yes" out.

Mom sighed. "Well, I suppose I should call Dad and figure out a good weekend for a visit. It'll be hard to get tickets, you know — "

"I don't mean go back, like, go back for a weekend," I interrupted. "I mean really go back. To stay. For six months or so."

"A few months?" Mom looked shocked.

Even I was surprised at what I'd said. But it was true. I just hadn't wanted to admit it. Not even to myself.

My stomach was flopping all around. Not to mention my brain. I had no idea what was going to come out of my mouth now. "I — I just miss my old life, Mom. I can't help it. I miss my friends, the weather . . . but mostly I miss Dad and Jeff. I mean, I've been living away from them for so long."

"I thought you liked it here," Mom protested.

"I do! I love it. But I have two families. I love my Stoneybrook family. Really. But I love my California family, too."

"And you want equal time," Mom said.

"Well, I don't know about equal — "

"Then what do you mean?"

"I don't know what I mean! I just want to be with them, that's all."

I couldn't believe it. Mom looked hurt, almost angry.

Richard spoke up. "I can understand your feelings, Dawn," he said. "It must be hard to be split between your parents."

"But what about school?" Mom barged on. "You'll have to register in a new place, and start in the middle of the year — "

"Yes, very difficult to do," Richard said in a soft voice. "Obviously this is something we need to think carefully about."

"That's okay,"

[ said. "I don't want to upset

everybody." Mom exhaled aW shook her head. "I don't

mean to sound just that — well, back. And now

"Oh, Mom, it' "Of course it's Mom a hug.

o negative, sweetheart. It's it was so hard to see Jeff go you ... I — I've tried my

best. Is something bothering you here, something we might be able to work out?"

not you," I replied.

not," Richard said, giving

"Okay." Mom was trying very hard to smile.

Boy, did I feel bad. I didn't think Mom would take it so personally. "Well, I know the arrangements would be a lot of work," I said, "and if it's too much, I'll understand." (You don't know how hard it was for me to say those words.)

"Let me think about it, sweetheart," Mom replied. "I can tell how much you want to go."

Mary Anne hadn't said a word through all of this. I looked over at her and realized why. She'd been trying not to cry.

"Oh, Mary Anne," I said. "I'm not going forever."

"I ..." Sniff, sniff. "I know. I'm sorry. I — I want you to be happy, Dawn. Really. It's just that if you go I'll miss you so m — " Sniff, sniff. "Much!"

"Well, dears, it's still a big if," Mom said.

Richard rose to his feet. "What do you say we try that tug-of-war again, then go get some pizza for lunch?"

"Great idea," I said.

Mary Anne wiped her eyes. "Sure."

Mom walked to the rope and picked it up. She was smiling at me. I think it was the saddest smile I've ever seen.

Chapter 4.

"Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba," said Lucy Newton, looking up at Claudia.

"Oops, here's your baba," Claudia replied, gently reinserting a bottle that had fallen from Lucy's mouth.

"Seven!" Jamie Newton called out. "Did you see me, Claudia? Seven!"

"Mm-hm," Claudia said, smiling. "Great, Jamie."

Jamie was perched on his bike with training wheels. He had just completed his seventh round trip on the Newtons' driveway — his seventh very sloooow round trip.

It was early Saturday afternoon. Several blocks away, the Drama of Homesick Dawn was going strong. But at the Newtons' house, Claudia was having a peaceful time, sitting for two of our oldest charges.

Maybe oldest isn't the right word. Jamie's four and Lucy's not even one. What I mean is, the Newton kids were among our first charges. In fact, Kristy, Claudia, and Mary Anne sat for Jamie before Lucy was born (and before the BSC was invented).

"Eight!" Jamie shouted.

"Great," Claudia said.

"I didn't fall!"

"I know."

"Are you watching?"

"Yes."

Claudia is patient, kind, and cheerful. But even Claudia has limits.

She was going crazy.

She unfolded a copy of the Stoneybrook News, which was full of articles about Run for Your Money. She tried to read it, but Jamie screamed out a new number in the middle of each sentence.

At "Thirteen!" Claudia had her big idea.

She remembered that Stacey was sitting for Charlotte Johanssen nearby, and that Jessi and Mal were at the Pikes' house. Run for Your Money would be a perfect excuse to get them together (and get Jamie off the bike). She figured a lot of families would be entering, so everyone could use some practice.

"I'll be right back!" Claudia called out, rushing inside with Lucy. "Stay away from the street!" As she made her phone calls, Jamie charged ahead to Round Trip Eighteen.

Well, Jessi, Mal, and Stacey both loved the idea. Claudia felt so relieved, she decided to reward herself. So she took a Milky Way bar from her shoulder bag and tossed it into the Newtons' freezer. She planned to enjoy the FMW (frozen Milky Way) that night.

By the time Stacey, Charlotte, and Becca came charging up the driveway, Jamie was on his thirty-ninth round trip, and Claud was on

a lounge chair, busily reading about the rules and events in Run for Your Money. (Lucy had had enough. She was sleeping in an outdoor crib.)