"When you reach the drinking age," replied Mom pleasantly, "then you may drink."

"But Mom, a year from now I'll be going to college. All the kids -" Charlie stopped. Mom isn't too partial to any sentence that begins with "all the kids."

Charlie gave up. He looked like he might sulk for a while, though.

"Well," Mom said cheerily, "we've set the date."

"What date?" I asked. I twirled a huge mound of spaghetti onto my fork, raised it, and watched the spaghetti slide off.

"The date of the wedding."

"Oh, yeah?" said Sam. He sucked a mouthful of spaghetti in through pursed lips. Andrew watched with interest. Sam never looked up from his plate. "When's the big day?" he asked.

"The third Saturday in September," Mom answered proudly. She was about to make

goo-gooeyes at Watson. I've gotten so I can tell when this is going to happen.

"What's a wedding?" asked Andrew suddenly. He had not touched hispasketti .

Mom's goo-goo eyes changed to surprised eyes. She looked from Andrew to Watson and back to Andrew.

"Yow know," Karen told Andrew. "I showed you a whole wedding. Remember when I put on the long white dress and kissed Boo-Boo?" (Boo-Boo is the Brewers' cat.)

Andrew nodded.

"We've talked about the wedding, Andrew," Watson added. "And everyone here is going to be a part of it."

It was my turn to act surprised. "We are? 1mean , I am? I'm going to be in the wedding?"

"If you want to be," said Mom. "I'd like you to be my bridesmaid."

"Your bridesmaid?"I whispered."Really?Like in a long, fancy dress with flowers in my hair?" I was awed.

"Since when do you like long, fancy dresses and flowers?" asked Sam.

"Since right now," I replied."Oh, Mom!"

"Is that a yes? You'll be my bridesmaid?"