"So am I," said Claudia.

"So am I," said Stacey.

Uh-oh. When that happens, we usually start saying things like, "Well, I have two other jobs this week, so you can take this one," or, "I

know you Michael

Somehc

to say an)

I was

Instead

paper, dn

tossed th

body pick

sits for Di

Claudia

"Hey!"

it was!"

"I did n I know "You "Are "You si Oh, In the the job. the end set up violence.

At marched much as ; other, bu

haven't had a chance to sit for David |i a while, so you take it." w, I didn't think anybody was going 'thing like that.

Claudia cut out three scraps of a star on one, folded them in half, im in a shoebox, and said, "Everyone. The person who gets the star, yid Michael." chose the star, cried Stacey. "You knew which one

ot!" exclaimed Claudia. "How would tljat?" made

the scraps of paper." calling me a cheater?" id it, I didn't."

brother. I thought. Here we go again, nd, Stacey allowed Claudia to keep phone rang two more times before our meeting and we managed to baby-sitting jobs without actual

you

Trie

of

the

precisely

six o'clock, Stacey stood up and out of Claudia's room without so word. Claudia and I looked at each Claudia didn't say anything, either,

so I followed Stacey. Mimi watched us walk silently out the front door.

As we stepped onto the lawn, Stacey broke into a run, but for some reason, I turned around and looked back at the house. Claudia was in her window. I hesitated. Then I waved to her.

She flashed me a hopeful smile and waved back.

On impulse, I ran up the Kishis' steps again, opened the door, called Mimi, and handed her the note I had written to Claudia. Then I ran across the street to my house.