"Maybe the daughter's like Brooke Shields," Dawn said. "Her mom managed her full-time from when she was a baby."

"I'm sure it'll be fun whatever it is," Kristy said.

"I guess," I replied.

"But it's only temporary?" Mallory asked, looking a little confused. "Is Mrs. Wilder taking a class or something?"

"No, her mom's sick," I said. "Rosie's grandmother. A broken ankle, flu — and something to do with . . . shingles."

"Ohhhhh," Mary Anne said with a pained expression. "My grandfather had shingles. It's some kind of virus that older people get, and it hurts like crazy. Your body just itches and itches for weeks, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Ew," I said, but that was as far as I got before the phone rang.

As I reached for it, I remember having this strange feeling. Like something was wrong about this job. Like it wasn't going to be easy at all. Was it something Ginger Wilder had said? Was it the tone of her voice?

Maybe it was the fact that I couldn't picture Rosie. Most of the time when a new client calls, I automatically imagine what the children will be like.

But when I tried to think of Rosie, I came up with a great big blank.

I picked up the ringing phone. "Hello, Babysitters Club."

Oh, well, I'd have to wait for Tuesday to find out what I was in for.

Chapter 4.

Tuesday, came. I walked to the Wilders' house feeling nervous. I told myself that was normal for meeting a new client.

The Wilders' house was a Cape Cod-style house, off-white with green shutters. A dogwood tree stood to the left of it and neatly cut hedges lined the porch. A maroon station wagon was in the driveway.

Totally normal.

I was soooo relieved.

Relieved? What was I expecting? Well, even though I couldn't picture Rosie, I had an image of the Wilder house. It was a mansion with servants. A butler would answer the door and say, "May I escort you to the mistress Rosie's changing room?" And Ginger Wilder would sweep down the staircase with a flowing gown, announcing "I'm off, dear. Ta-ta. Just tell the cook what you'd like for dinner — lobster or steak."