"But, Dad, everyone else gets to."

"I'm sure not everyone does. You can't possibly be the only sixth-grader who has to be in by nine or nine-thirty."

"Dad, I'm in seventh grade, and I am the only member of the Baby-sitters Club who can't stay out till ten. You treat me like a baby, but look at me. I'm halfway through seventh grade. In a year and a half I'll be starting high school."

For a moment, my father looked taken aback.

Then a change came over his face. He rubbed his hands over his eyes tiredly. At last- he said softly, "It's not easy for a father to raise a daughter alone. I have to be both a father and a mother. On top of that, I'm not home much. I'm doing the best I can."

"But Kristy and Claudia and Stacey — "

"What Kristy and Claudia and Stacey and their parents do is not our concern."

"That's not fair! Don't you think Mrs. Thomas is a good mother? Don't you think Mimi and the Kishis care about Claudia?"

"Those are not the issues," my father said. "The issues are you and me and your bedtime."

"Dad, I am old enough to stay out until ten o'clock. I'm twelve, and I'm very responsible and mature. Don't my teachers always write that on my report card? 'Mary Anne is a joy to have in class. She's responsible and mature.' "

"You don't sound mature at the moment."

I knew I didn't. I was whining. But it was too late to stop. I was on a roll. "I'm also too old to wear my hair in these dumb braids, and my room looks like a nursery. It's a room for a five-year-old."

My father looked at me sharply. "Young lady, I do not like your tone of voice."

"You know, you're not the only parent who

isn't around much," I went on, ignoring him. "Mrs. Thomas is hardly ever home, either, and she has to raise Kristy and Kristy's brothers alone, and Sam and Charlie don't have Peter Rabbit all over their bedroom.