{ table of contents }
chapter 1
On My Own
chapter 2
Stuck With Nick
chapter 3
In Case of Emergencies
chapter 4
Texting While Babysitting
chapter 5
Questions About Boys
chapter 6
Grocery Problems
chapter 7
What No-Boys Rule?
chapter 8
Downhill From There
chapter 9
Big Breaks
chapter 10
Simple Solutions
chapter 11
Priorities
chapter 12
The Right Thing to Do
Chapter One
On My
Own
I had some freedom.
I could go to the mall and the movies with my friends, and I usually rode my bike to the barn where I took riding lessons. I walked to school by myself or with my friends every day. I could stay out until eleven, except for school nights. I was thirteen, not four years old.
But my mom didn’t think I was old enough to stay home alone — during the day — for two days!
I wasn’t supposed to know that. I found out when I overheard heard Mom talking to Grandpa in the kitchen one day.
“Logan and I made reservations at Lost Lagoon three months ago,” Mom said. “You promised you’d be around to take care of Angela and Monica. I need you here for the girls this weekend, Dad.”
“My friend George Fenton needs me more,” Grandpa said. “He’s really sick.”
“Wait a second. George Fenton’s daughter is a nurse, isn’t she?” Mom said. “Why can’t she take care of her dad?”
“Doreen is working double shifts at the hospital all week. Staffing problems,” Grandpa explained. “I’ll be home by 9:30, Traci. Monica and Angela won’t be alone at night.”
“I can’t leave them alone during the day either,” Mom said.
That’s when I rushed through the kitchen door. “I’m home alone after school all the time,” I said. “I can handle things for two days.”
Angela came stomping in from the backyard. “No way. What if you burn the pizza again?” she said. “And there’s smoke everywhere and the alarm goes off. Brrrrrt. Brrrrrt! And Buttons starts howling ’cause she doesn’t like the noise.”
“That’s not going to happen,” I said, glaring at Angela.
“Monica. When did that happen?” Mom asked, narrowing her eyes.
“The last time Monica watched me,” Angela said.
“I opened a window and turned on the fan and the alarm shut off,” I said. “There wasn’t a fire or anything.”
“The pizza burned,” Angela said.
“It wasn’t burned,” I said. “It was just a little black on the bottom.”
“I want an adult to be here,” Mom said.
“Mom, seriously, I can handle it!” I protested.
“I’m calling Mrs. Addison,” Mom said.
“No!” Angela whined. “I don’t want the stinky lady!”
Mrs. Addison watched Angela when everyone else was busy. She was a very nice old lady, but she wore super strong, super stinky perfume. She also had peppermint breath.
Mom flipped open her phone and started dialing. I threw my hands up and went into my own room.
“Monica!” Mom called. She knocked on my door and then came in before I answered. “Mrs. Addison is busy this weekend.”
I sat up.
“And I can’t find anyone else on such short notice,” Mom went on.
“So does that mean you’re staying home?” I asked.
“No,” Mom said. “Reservations at Lost Lagoon are too hard to get. Besides, we already paid for the first night.”
“Then what’s going to happen?” I asked.
Mom sighed. “You’ll be in charge while Grandpa is with Mr. Fenton,” she said.
I almost shrieked for joy. But I wanted to act like an adult, so instead, I just nodded. “Don’t worry, Mom. We’ll be fine,” I said.
“I know,” Mom said. “But if something goes wrong and you can’t get Grandpa, you can call Becca’s mom and dad.”
The McDougals lived next door. Becca was my next best friend after Claudia.
“I will,” I said.
Chapter Two
Stuck
With Nick
Mom and Logan left early Friday afternoon. After school, Claudia and Becca went with me to pick up Angela at the elementary school. We waited near the front door so she couldn’t miss us.
Claudia’s neighbor, Mrs. Wright, couldn’t miss us either.
“Claudia!” Mrs. Wright yelled as she walked toward us. Her bratty son, Nick, was digging in his heels. She had to drag him behind her. I cringed as soon as I saw Nick.
“Hi, Mrs. Wright,” Claudia said.
“I need a huge favor,” Mrs. Wright said.
Watching Nick was the only favor Mrs. Wright ever wanted. Claudia was stuck babysitting her terror-tot neighbor more often than I had to watch my sister.
“Nick hates grocery shopping,” Mrs. Wright explained. “He always misbehaves when I take him.”
Nick acted up no matter where he was or what he was doing. He threw temper tantrums constantly. But he could be bribed.
“Buy him donuts or ice cream,” Becca said.
“Or promise to take him to the park,” I said.
“He never turns down money,” Claudia added.
“Except in the grocery store,” Mrs. Wright said. “He hates grocery shopping. I don’t get it.”
“The store smells funny, and it’s too cold,” Nick whined. His whole body went limp. His mother let go and he plopped on the ground.
Angela ran over. “Why are you sitting in the dirt, Nick?” she yelled.
“I like dirt,” Nick said.
“Please, Claudia?” Mrs. Wright asked. She held out $20.
Claudia sighed. But she took the money. As soon as she did, Nick’s mom hurried toward her car. I knew she wanted to get away before Claudia could change her mind.
Nick stood up. “Can we go to the park?” he asked.
“I want to go to the park, too! Can we go, Monica?” Angela squealed.
“I didn’t ask you,” Nick said.
Angela put her hands on her hips. “I can go to the park if I want to,” she growled.
“Stop it!” Claudia snapped. “Nobody’s going to the park. We’re all going home.”
“Okay,” Angela said. She edged closer to Nick and added, “We can walk together.”
“I’m not walking with a stupid girl!” Nick screamed. He marched ahead. Angela ran to catch up. That just made Nick walk faster.
I didn’t feel like breaking up fights or chasing two elementary school kids down the street.
“I bet you guys can’t be totally silent for five minutes,” I said, winking at my friends.
“I don’t want to,” Nick said.
“Because you can’t,” A
ngela said.
Nick glared at her. “I can too,” he said.
“Prove it!” Angela dared him.
I looked at my phone to check the time. “Starting in three, two, one — now!” I yelled.
Both kids pressed their lips together and started walking.
“That was brilliant,” Claudia whispered.
“Or lucky,” I said. “The weekend just started. I’ve got two days and five hours to go.”
“It’s so cool that your parents left you in charge,” Becca said.
“Yeah,” Claudia said. “My brother is always home when my parents go away. I take care of myself, but I never get credit for it.”
“Neither do I!” Becca exclaimed.
“You’re an only child,” Claudia said.
“I stay alone after school,” Becca said, “but my parents always take me on their weekend getaways.”
“I wish Daddy would take me!” Angela shouted.
“I win!” Nick said. He laughed. “You talked and the five minutes aren’t up!”
“So?” Angela asked. She gave him the hands-on-hips stare again. “I don’t care.”
Nick grinned and said, “You’re just mad because you lost.”
Angela narrowed her eyes. “No,” she said. “I’m mad because I have to spend two whole days with Monica.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Becca asked.
“She’s boring,” Angela replied, “and she’s bossy.” She stuck out her lip and scowled.
My sister is a nightmare when she’s mad or bored. I had to keep her happy or the weekend would be a disaster!
“I was going to make cookies and watch Princess Patsy and go to the park, but if you think that’s boring, we can just sit in the living room and wait for Mom and Logan to get back,” I said.
“Princess Patsy!” Nick yelled. “Gross.” He stuck his finger in his mouth and pretended to gag.
“I’m getting cookies and going to the park and you’re not!” Angela yelled, sticking out her tongue.
Claudia rolled her eyes. “I’m getting Music Mania in the mail today,” she said. “Maybe we can all watch it this weekend. But not at my house. Mom is cleaning the carpets or something.”
“We could watch it at my house,” Becca said. “But my mom will want to watch it with us.”
Becca’s mother was nice, but she hovered.
“Let’s watch it at my house,” I said.
“Fantastic!” Claudia said. She grinned.
“I’ll be there,” Becca said.
“What about Princess Patsy?” Angela asked.
“We’ll watch cartoons in the morning and the movie in the afternoon,” I said. “It’s a funny movie. You’ll like it.”
“Can Nick come?” Angela asked.
At the same time, Becca, Claudia, and I said, “No!”
Chapter Three
In Case of
Emergencies
Angela bugged me all the way home. “Why can’t Nick come?” she kept saying. “This isn’t Claudia’s house. She can’t make the rules.”
As soon as we walked in the house, she stomped into the kitchen and dropped her backpack on the floor. “It’s not fair,” she yelled.
My stepsister was like monster glue. Once she got stuck on something, she stayed stuck. She would keep asking, pouting, and stomping until I gave in — or outsmarted her.
“Nick can’t come because he’s a boy,” I said.
“So?” Angela asked, looking puzzled.
“So we have a no-boys rule,” I said. “No boys allowed when Logan and Mom aren’t home. Seriously. Mom said.”
Angela frowned. “Are you sure?” she asked suspiciously.
“Positive,” I said.
That wasn’t exactly a lie. But it wasn’t the truth, either.
Mom and Logan never actually said that I couldn’t have boys over when they weren’t home. I wasn’t sure why, since it was a rule for most of my friends.
Maybe my mom thought I wasn’t old enough to like boys so I didn’t need a no-boys rule — yet. The more I thought about it, I started to get kind of annoyed. Why didn’t I have a no-boys rule?
But it didn’t matter as long as Angela thought we had a rule.
“Rats!” Angela yelled. She kicked a chair.
Angela looked nervous. “What if something awful happens while Traci and Daddy are gone?” she asked me.
“Nothing’s going to happen,” I said.
“It might,” Angela said.
“Then I’ll call Becca’s dad,” I told her.
“What if he isn’t home?” Angela asked.
“Then I’ll call 911,” I said.
“What if they don’t answer?” Angela asked. She started to look really panicked.
I rolled my eyes. “Angela. It’s 911,” I said. “They always answer.”
“Okay,” she said. But she still looked pretty nervous.
Just then, I heard whining. Buttons was standing by the back door. I gave Angela some cookies and sent her outside to play with the dog. I wanted to get my homework done. Then I could enjoy the rest of the weekend.
After I’d been working for a while, I started to get hungry. There wasn’t much to eat in the fridge, though. And Mom had said there would be mac and cheese, but I couldn’t find any.
Angela came back inside at 6:12.
“Are you hungry?” I asked.
“I’m starving,” she said. “I want mac and cheese.”
Ugh. This wasn’t going to be good. “Grandpa go to the going store,” I said. “We can have mac and cheese tomorrow.”
“Why didn’t he go?” Angela asked.
“I don’t know,” I said. “I guess he was too tired after helping Mr. Fenton all day.”
Angela stomped her foot. “He should help US!” she screeched. “Not some old guy.”
I laughed. “That old guy is one of Grandpa’s best friends,” I told her. “Anyway, Grandpa does help us. Every day. But today we can’t have mac and cheese, because we don’t have any.”
“The stinky lady doesn’t make it from a box,” Angela said. “She scratches it.”
“You mean she makes it from scratch,” I said. “Well, sorry, but I don’t know how to do that.”
“We’re gonna starve to death!” Angela wailed. “I knew my dad shouldn’t go away and leave me with you!”
“We won’t starve,” I said. “We’ve got lots of stuff to eat.”
Angela sniffled. “Like what?” she asked.
I looked through the cupboard and pulled out a can of soup. “You love chicken noodle soup with crackers!” I said.
“I had that yesterday,” Angela said.
There was a loaf of bread on the counter. “Peanut butter and jelly?” I asked.
“I hate peanut butter and jelly,” Angela said. She made a face.
I spotted a box of cereal on top of the fridge. “I know you like Apple-Os,” I said.
“I like Apple-Os for breakfast,” Angela said. Then she ran out of the room crying.
I didn’t want cereal either. I opened the freezer again. All we had was frozen peas, sausage, and fish cakes.
And $50.00.
I picked up the phone to order pizza, but instead of a dial tone, I heard a voice.
Angela was using the phone in the living room.
“911,” a woman said. “What is your emergency?”
“My sister won’t feed me!” Angela sobbed.
My heart jumped into my th
roat.
Calling 911 for something stupid was a crime! Did they send little kids to jail? Or lock up the person who was supposed to be watching them?
Chapter Four
Texting While
Babysitting
“It’s against the law to prank-call 911, young lady,” the 911 woman said sternly.
I knew I had to do something. “Um, hi,” I said. I was nervous, and my voice shook. “She called when I wasn’t looking. We don’t have an emergency.”
“Yes, we do!” Angela exclaimed. “I’m hungry!”
“I picked up the phone to order a pizza,” I said.
“You didn’t tell me that!” Angela yelled happily. She hung up.
“I’m really sorry,” I told the 911 responder. “It won’t happen again.”
“I’ll let it go,” the woman said.
“Thanks,” I said. That was a huge relief.
Angela marched into the kitchen. “I want pepperoni,” she said. “That’s it. No onions and no green peppers.”
“Promise you won’t call 911 again,” I said.
“What if the house is on fire and you’re asleep and I can’t wake you up?” Angela asked.
“Then you can call 911,” I said.
“Okay,” Angela said. “I’m gonna watch TV.”
I ordered the pizza. Then I took paper plates and napkins into the living room. Angela was sprawled on the floor watching Baby Brats cartoons.
“We can’t eat in the living room,” Angela said.
“I’m in charge tonight, and I say it’s okay,” I told her. I reached for the remote and scanned through the program guide. “But I’m tired of cartoons. Let’s find something else.”
“I like cartoons,” Angela said.
“Let’s watch a movie,” I suggested. I found one I wanted to see and changed the channel. It was a horror movie called Monsters of Hollow High, and it was supposed to be absolutely terrible in a hilarious way.
“I’m not supposed to watch scary stuff,” Angela said. She sat down next to me on the couch.
Monica and the Weekend of Drama Page 1
