Cleo was right beside me as I raced toward the intersection, past the library, through the park and across the street against the light.
When a driver pounded his horn and yelled “Stupid kids!” out the window, I just ran faster.
My breath was raw in my throat by the time we got to the house. A gray minivan idled at the sidewalk.
Caden pushed his way through the kids who were jammed in among coats and lunch boxes. “Where were you? We’ve been here for ages.”
Emmy emerged holding a piece of poster board. “You’re late.” She pushed it into my hands. “I have to do a science project.”
Today’s driver was a thin woman with a gray-white sheet of hair. “I have an appointment, you know.” She looked at her watch. “They will charge me if I don’t make it in time.”
“Sorry to hold you up,” I said.
The woman was too busy nagging everyone to buckle up to answer. She slammed the doors, hurried around to the driver’s side and drove off.
“Jacob’s mom said lots of rude words when you weren’t here,” Emmy said as I groped for the key.
“Lots and lots,” agreed Caden.
Cleo followed as I shepherded the kids inside. “Do you know anything about science projects?” I asked her.
She hung up her jacket and placed her shoes against the wall. But she didn’t take off her hat. “Sure. I won my school science fair.”
How come I’m not surprised, I thought.
“Three times,” she added as she followed us into the kitchen.
The kids didn’t find anything odd about a total stranger opening cupboard doors and peering into the fridge.
After a snack, Caden whined that he wanted to do a science project of his own. Cleo distracted him by asking about his LEGO, and he happily trotted out of the room.
That was close, I texted Josie. Late for work.
U tk a babysitting course? she asked.
1st aid.
Not the same thing.
Im the 1 wth the job. Though it might be hard to tell right now, with Cleo taking charge.
She had stuck a sheet of paper on the fridge with four flower magnets. “All you need to do is answer the five Ws and one H,” she told Emmy as she scrawled a big W across the paper.
Gotta go. Big science project, I texted Josie. If I wasn’t careful, Cleo might ask me to split my pay with her.
U tkg science this semestr?
Explain later, I told her. Call me.
Emerson munched her cookie as Cleo continued. “What? Who? Where? When? Why? And How? First decide your topic,” she told Emmy. “Then figure out your questions. Answer them, and you’ll be done.” I could hear footsteps and rattling toys overhead. Caden would be busy for a while.
I was ready to explain Cleo’s research methods to Josie, but it wasn’t her on the phone when it rang. “Where are you?” said Mom. No Hello. How was your day?
“Babysitting. It’s Tuesday.”
“Cynthia was worried. She called the house.”
“When?”
“Just after two forty-five. No one answered.”
“I was only a couple of minutes late.”
“Only a couple of minutes?” My mother’s voice was chilly.
“The car pool had just got here when we arrived.” Trust her to make a big deal out of it.
“We? Is it okay to have people over when you’re babysitting?”
“Cynthia never said.”
“Who is there with you?”
“Cleo.”
Cleo looked up when she heard her name.
“And who is Cleo?” Mom asked.
“You met her, remember? She knits.”
Cleo tapped her hat and grinned.
“Why didn’t Cynthia call again herself?” I asked Mom.
“She had to go into a meeting. I was to get her out of there if there was still no answer.”
I could hear Caden yelling upstairs. “Look, I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later.”
“I’ll tell Cynthia that everything’s okay,” said Mom. I could hear the smile in her voice when she added, “It’s nice to know you’ve made a friend.”
I hung up without saying goodbye. One minute, she’s on my case because I’m two minutes late. Now, everything is forgiven because I have a friend!
“You going to help, or what?” asked Cleo. “Caden’s calling you.”
“He’ll be fine for a minute,” I said as I checked my messages.
Im in the festivl!!! Jazz & tap!!! Selena had texted.
Deets ltr? I answered. Im @ wrk!!!
“Cleo is going to show me how to make a tin-can phone,” said Emmy. “Have we got any cans?”
I pushed the blue box toward them with my foot. “Isn’t Emmy too young to get addicted to phones?” I said to Cleo.
“Idiot!” Cleo said as she dug in the box for some cans.
When my phone rang, she leaned across and grabbed it. She peered at the screen. “One of your buddies, looks like. Leave it, can’t you? We’ve got a science project to do.”