"Hello, girls", Mrs. Robertson said as she let them in the house, "how was your day at school, today?"
"Hi, Mrs. Robertson," J. J. said.
"Hi, Mrs. Robertson," Karyn said. "Today was great, J. J. and I met a couple of new boyfriends," she said with a grin.
As J. J. looked at Karyn in mild disgust, tempered by a slight rueful smile, Amber rushed up to J. J. and gave her a big hug. "Your really pretty t'nite Jenny, are you and Karyn cheerleaders at school?" Amber asked.
Blinking with mild surprise over the question, J. J. answered, "No dear, I really don't have the time for it." "Thank you for the complement thou, that's very sweet," she said with a smile.
"You know J. J., they're having new tryouts tomorrow for the squad. I was thinking of going," Karyn said.
"You're trying out for the cheerleaders?" J. J.'s voice went up in surprise! "You hate most of the girls on the squad, why would you try out to join it?"
"Actually, it's Susan Philips, the head cheerleader, and her little 'I'm sooo beautiful' clique that I despise. They all give cheerleading a bad name and set a horrible example with their poor grades," Karyn said. "They should be required meet the same standard as the football team. Maintain a B average or your off the squad," Karyn said with disgust. "As to why I might what to change my mind," Karyn said with a grin, "do the names Ryan and Justin ring any bells?"
"Oh."
"Yes, Jennifer" Karyn said with a wide grin, "OH!"
As the girls talked, a look of concern crossed Mrs. Robertson face. 'What was I thinking of, Jennifer isn't a grown woman looking for evening employment like Kathy. She's a teenager going to school and I was thinking of taking up all of her free time working for me as a babysitter. I haven't left her any time for after school activities, shopping with her girlfriends, dating or anything else. I'm an idiot! Now how do I correct this?', Mrs. Robertson thought.
"Well dear," Mrs. Robertson said to J. J. with a smile, "you've been a lifesaver with your babysitting. I should me able to get an additional babysitter or two in another few days to reduce the load I've dumped on you. Thank you so much."
Looking at Mrs. Robertson in surprise, J. J. said with a slight hurt look, "I can handle the work, Mrs. Robertson. I don't really need any help."
"Jennifer dear, of course you can do the work," Mrs. Robertson said, "you're doing wonderfully. However, you don't seem to realize that I'm taking up absolutely all of your free time with babysitting. You have no time after school to spend with your friends, go shopping, date or anything else. My last babysitter was a grown woman, babysitting for me was her job, which she left for a better paying one. I'm taking advantage of your kind heart dear, working you as much as I am. We will have to cut your work load down to 2 or 3 nights a week and give you time for other activities, like boys," she said with a smile.
J. J. realized that he hadn't given any thought to how much time he had been planning to give to babysitting the Robertson children. If Karyn hadn't been staying with him this week, he would barely have spent any time with his best friend except at school and he would only have time to eat evening dinner with his mother on Sunday. Why did Mom agree to let me work more than 40 hours a week babysitting? Oh, right. I wished she would. Why haven't I thought about any of this before? Right again, I wished I'd be a better babysitter than the woman who did it as a regular job. Sigh
After a few moments quick thought over what Mrs. Robertson just said, J. J. said "Oh." Mrs. Robertson and Karyn looked at each other and grinned. J. J., wondering what they were grinning about, remembered the last two words Mrs. Robertson just said. Like Boys. J. J.'s face went red. Karyn and Mrs. Robertson Giggled.
"Hmmm," Karyn grinned, "you should try out too, J. J. I'm sure Justin would love having you cheer him on, and maybe the two of use can work to bring some class back to the school cheerleading team."
J. J.'s blush got redder.
