I opened my mouth to tell Mom that there was no way I was giving up my date with Greg to babysit, but closed it again without making a sound. I knew very well there wasn’t going to be any way out of it, and arguing would have been pointless.
If only it hadn’t been the Pernell children, I might have been able to get a friend to take the job on short notice, but they’re horribly shy of strangers. I’ve watched them before and I knew they’d set up a huge ruckus if they didn’t know the person taking care of them. And their mother couldn’t very well go off to the hospital with any peace of mind if they weren’t with someone they knew.
“I have to call Greg and cancel our date,” I said miserably. “Then I’ll go right over.”
“No, I’m bringing the children here.” Mom’s voice was full of sympathy. “Maybe Greg would like to come over anyway, and babysit with you.”
I was sure he’d love that all right! I’d just tell him to forget the great plans he’d made because we were going to do something even better.
I called his place, but his father told me he’d already left. That made me feel even worse because he’d have to turn around and go back home after walking all the way over.
The next half hour passed in a whirl as Mom rushed about, fetching the kids and hurrying off to take Mrs. Pernell to the hospital. They were both pretty agitated when they arrived.
“I want my mommy!” Cassie wailed. She’s only four, but she’s got lungs on her like you wouldn’t believe.
Two-year-old Ryan whimpered beside her, holding onto her jacket with one hand and rubbing his nose with the other.
“Hey, we’re going to have lots of fun,” I promised, trying to distract them. I figured all the sudden commotion had probably upset them.
I dug out some colouring books and crayons and set them up at the table. They didn’t budge. There were tears starting down Cassie’s face, and Ryan’s blubbering was sure to make them a matched set any second.
“Hey, want some cookies?”
“I want Mommy. I want to go home.”
“I have to go,” Ryan chimed in.
“You can’t go right now,” I was getting exasperated. “Mommy will be back soon and then you can go home.” That wasn’t exactly true, but I’d have said almost anything at that point.
Ryan joined his sister by bursting into full-fledged howling then. A few seconds later I realized that when he’d said he had to go, he hadn’t meant home. A wet patch darkened the crotch of his pants, spreading down both legs. He sobbed louder.
“Ryan wet his pants,” Cassie paused just long enough to point this out and then resumed crying.
“Hello there.”
I spun around to see Greg standing in the open doorway.
“I knocked, but no one came. Then I heard the commotion and I thought I’d better open the door or you’d never know I was here. I hope that was okay.”
“Oh, Greg! I’m so sorry. I tried to call but you’d already left. I can’t go out tonight.” I quickly explained what had happened, though it wasn’t easy being heard over the din. It’s amazing how much noise two small children can make!
“The little fellow wet himself,” Greg whispered when I’d finished.
“Yes, I know. It happened just before you came in.” I turned back to Cassie and Ryan. “Please stop crying,” I begged ineffectively.
“Can I help?”
“Thanks, but they don’t like strangers.”
“Forgive me for pointing this out, but they don’t seem all that fond of you either.” He took a few steps toward them and squatted down.
The phone rang and I picked it up, covering my other ear so I could hear the caller. It was Betts.
“Hey, Shelb! Mom said you phoned earlier.”
“Yeah.” That had been the call to ask her the kiss question, but I wasn’t about to tell her that with Greg right there. “I was just calling to chat.”
“What is that racket at your place?”
I gave her the condensed version.
“Gee, stuck with bawling ankle-biters on a Saturday night. That sucks. Anyway, I thought you had a date with Greg.”
“Yeah, well, so much for that. Someone should have mentioned it to Mrs. Pernell. Maybe she could have held off a bit.”
“I wish I could help, but I’m going to the show with Derek.”
I sort of doubted that Betts was wishing with all her heart that she could take my place, but I thanked her just the same and then said goodbye. When I turned back to the kids I was astonished to see Greg helping Cassie out of her jacket. She was still sniffling but the full-blown crying had stopped. Ryan’s sobs seemed to be diminishing too. Greg glanced up at me.
“I’m just trying to figure out if, uh,” he paused.
“Cassie,” I prompted.
“Yes, if Cassie here is an angel or a princess. And I see we have our answer. Since there are no wings, she must be a princess.”
“Yeah, she’s a princess all right.” I tried to hide the sarcasm.
“Princesses need princess crowns for their heads,” he told her. “We’d better get your maidservant on that right away. Shelby?”
“A crown it is,” I smiled. “What colour crown would you like?”
“Pink,” she hiccupped.
“Don’t forget the jewels,” Greg said solemnly. “And now, young prince …”
“Ryan.”
“Indeed. Young Prince Ryan and I are going to see if there are any dragons in your bathtub. Would there be a change of royal clothes around here anywhere?”
Ryan’s eyes got bigger at the mention of dragons. I passed Greg the bag Mom had brought along with their pyjamas in it and they went off to search for mythical creatures in the bathroom.
Cassie and I had almost finished creating her crown out of construction paper when the two males returned. Ryan was riding on Greg’s shoulders, but he clamoured to get down.
“Me too, Sir Greg,” he commanded.
“A crown for Prince Ryan, fair damsel!” Greg swung the tyke off his shoulders and onto a chair.
“How did it work out that you got to be Sir Greg and I got to be a maidservant?”
“Silence! Sir Greg is special assistant to the prince.”
We all worked together, cutting and pasting until two crowns suitable for our wee royalty were finished. Greg had the kids laughing most of the time with his antics.
Watching him, I felt something swell up in my heart. It nearly made me cry, but not in a bad way.
Everything was royal, though Ryan pronounced it “oil.” There were royal cookies and royal milk and royal facecloths to wash the royal faces after they’d eaten.
“They caught on pretty fast,” I hissed to Greg as I carried Cassie on my shoulders. It seemed that they’d both decided their royal feet were too tired to walk. “If you ask me, you’ve turned them into royal pains with all these royal demands.”
“Apparently you haven’t yet learned your place,” he whispered back. “A good maidservant does her mistress’s bidding happily.” He sighed and frowned. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to be sent to the dungeon if this complaining continues.”
The truth was, I’d never had so much fun babysitting. I could hardly believe it when Greg mentioned that it was almost nine-thirty and wondered aloud about the royal bedtime.
“I don’t wanna go to bed!” Princess Cassie objected.
“Well, we must consult the royal bedtime bowl then,” Greg said quickly. “The magic bowl will tell us if your majesties are tired or not.”
“I’m not tired.” But the word “magic” had her attention.
“Sir Greg requires vinegar and soda for the magic potion,” he told me.
I fetched them, wondering what he was up to. He poured a little vinegar into a bowl and sat it on the middle of the table.
“The magic bowl knows all things,” he told the wide-eyed children. “We must add the magic powder and the bowl will tell us what is to be done. If it bubbles, that means you must have a royal story in bed. If it doesn’t, you must go right to sleep.”
They watched breathlessly as he spooned a little baking soda into the bowl. Of course it fizzled and bubbled like crazy.
“Aha! The bowl says you get a story!”
They clapped and followed him into the spare room, insisting that he lay between them on the double bed. I ran for a storybook, returning with an old favourite from when I was a child.
“Dr. Seuss, The Sneetches!” Greg nodded approvingly. “I love this story.”
He’d only finished about half of it before they were fast asleep. Extracting himself from the pair, he brought the book along to the living room and motioned me to sit on the couch.
“You deserve to hear the rest of this, seeing as how you’ve been a pretty good maidservant after all.” He sat close beside me and continued the story.
“You were great,” I told him when he’d finished.
“Thank you. I’ve been practising my reading.”
“Not that! I mean with the kids and everything. I don’t think too many guys would have done what you did, especially when you’d made plans and all.”
“It was all for the best anyway,” he said, “did you notice that it’s raining?”
I hadn’t, but he was right. It was raining. “Were we going to be doing something outside?” I asked.
“Maybe.” He smiled teasingly. “But you won’t know until we can reschedule.”
And then — I’m almost positive he was going to lean over and kiss me. I say “was” because at that moment headlights shone in the window as a car pulled into the driveway.
It was Dad. He was surprised to find us there, and I explained about Mrs. Pernell and everything.
“Well, that’s too bad. I’ll give you a lift home, so you don’t have to walk in the rain, Greg.” Dad offered.
And the next thing I knew Greg was saying good night and getting in the car.
Why, oh why, couldn’t Dad have come home ten minutes later? I was starting to think I was jinxed.
By the end of the next week, that feeling was going to be a lot stronger!