Part 11 (2/2)

”Want to make some popcorn, honey?” asked Mom, seeing my teary eyes.

”Sure,” I answered.

When it was ready, we sat on the living room couch with the bowl between us.

”You know what?” I said to Mom. ”That was the old Jeff on the phone. The Jeff I knew before we left California. He does seem happier there.”

”He is happier,” Mom agreed. ”Letting him go may have been the toughest thing we ever did, but it was the right thing.”

”I know,” I said, and sighed.

”I don't want to lecture,” said Mom.

”But?” I prompted her, and we laughed.

”But,” she went on, ”most of the best things in life are tough - tough to work out, or tough to achieve. If they weren't, we wouldn't appreciate them so much.”

”Yeah,” I agreed slowly.

The phone rang again then. ”Oh, that's Mary Anne!” I said. ”I'll be right back. I won't stay on long.” I dashed into the kitchen, picked up the phone, and said, ”Hi, Mary Anne! . . . Oh, sorry. . . . Claire?”

It was Claire Pike. She'd never called me before.

”Guess what?” she cried. ”There's going to be a Beautiful Child contest at Bellair's Department Store. The winner will get to model clothes in a big fas.h.i.+on show at the store. Mom said I could enter - if you'll help me. Will you? Will you, Dawn?”

Oh, no! I thought.

”Dawn?”

”I'm here.”

”The winner gets a camera, too. And a supply of Turtlewax, whatever that is.”

I paused. At last I said, ”Okay, Claire. Tell me what we have to do.”

Here we go again!

About the Author.

ANN M. MARTIN did a lot of baby-sitting when she was growing up in Princeton, New Jersey. Now her favorite baby-sitting charge is her cat, Mouse, who lives with her in her Manhattan apartment.

Ann Martin's Apple Paperbacks are b.u.mmer Summer, Inside Out, Stage Fright, Me and Katie (the Pest), and all the other books in the Babysitters Club series.

She is a former editor of books for children, and was graduated from Smith College. She likes ice cream, the beach, and I Love Lucy; and she hates to cook.

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