Chapter Three

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With all we learned in Sunday school, I decided to put part of the lesson to use. That evening, when it was time for Dwight to go take his shower, I went into the bathroom and hid. Quietly, I stood behind the shower curtain in the dark and waited for Dwight to come into the bathroom. The light went on. I waited until I heard the door close and gave him a moment to spare.

“Rah,” I shouted as I pulled the shower curtain aside.

Dwight jumped, clutched his hand to his chest, and screamed, “Aughhhh!!!”

He was breathing heavily. I couldn’t help laughing. “I got you.”

“Mom,” Dwight screamed. “Mom. Stephanie scared me.”

Mom came into the bathroom as I was climbing out of the tub. “What are you doing?” she asked. “Stephanie Marie Pixley, you know better than to pull a stunt like this.”

I sighed. “Yes, ma’am.”

The telephone was ringing in the other room. Mom went to answer it, and on her way, she gave me orders to get out of the bathroom and leave my brother alone.

“Big baby,” I said, giving him a dirty look.

“I’m not a baby,” he whined.

“Yes, you are. You had to go and tell m-o-m-m-y. You baby,” I taunted him as I left the bathroom.

“I am not,” he shouted, slamming the bathroom door.

Mom was still on the telephone in the kitchen when I went in there. I could hear her half of the conversation.

“Well, thanks for calling,” Mom said as she hung up the telephone. A frown creased her brow.

I can’t remember when the last time was that I saw her so concerned. Except when... when great-grandpa died. “Mom, who was on the phone?” I asked anxiously.

“Huh? Oh, Mrs. Severs dear,” she said.

“Is anything wrong?” I asked.

“No. Not really,” she said.

Dad walked into the kitchen carrying his glass and an empty bag of chips. He put his glass in the sink before shoving the bag in the trash. “Who called?” he asked.

“Mrs. Severs. It seems her granddaughter is in labor and her husband is temporarily stationed over-seas, so he won’t be able to be here. Mrs. Severs daughter lives in Minnesota, so she won’t be able to come out here and help. Her daughter is planning on coming up for Christmas to see them. That’s why Mrs. Severs is going to stay with her for a while and help out,” Mom told Dad.

“That’s nice of her,” Dad said.

“Yes, it is, but it leaves us with a small problem,” Mom told him.

“What’s that?” Dad asked.

“Who are we going to get to babysit the kids while she’s gone?” Mom asked.

“Me,” I said anxiously. “I’m old enough.”

Mom and Dad both looked at me. I could tell they were thinking, but they still weren’t totally convinced. I plunged forward, pleading my case. “I’m twelve now. All my other friends’ parents allow them to stay on their own. Peggy even babysits her cousin once in a while.”

Wringing my hands together, almost pleading, I looked anxiously from one to the other. Mom’s mouth twisted into a funny expression, like she wasn’t too sure. Dad, on the other hand, seemed to be giving it some serious thought.

“I don’t know,” Mom said, not sounding very enthusiastic.

“Why don’t we try it and see how it works out,” Dad suggested.

“All right,” I cheered.

“But...,” Dad said.

Oh no. Here comes that ‘but’. It’s almost as bad as Mom’s ‘if’. I braced myself, preparing for the worst.

“You have to call your mother as soon as you get home from school. There are to be no friends in the house and I don’t want you to tie up the phone,” Dad said.

“That’s it?” I asked, looking at him, my eyebrows, and hands both raised. “No problem,” I assured him.

“That’s it,” Dad said.

Wow. I was finally going to get to stay on my own.

“What’s it?” Dwight asked. He was dressed in pajamas and his hair was still wet from his shower.

“Stephanie is going to babysit you and Wendy after school on the days that your mother works. Mrs. Severs is going to stay with her granddaughter,” Dad told him.

“Stephanie? Watch us? No way!” Dwight complained.

“Yes, and you’re going to behave yourself while we’re gone. Do you understand young man?” Dad said sternly.

“Yes, sir,” Dwight agreed reluctantly, while he sent me a dirty look.

His eyes looked steamy. I could tell he wasn’t too happy with our parent’s decision. He had better behave this week if he knows what’s good for him.