"Martin, Ann M - Baby-sitters Club 004 - Mary Anne Saves the Day" - читать интересную книгу автора (Martin Ann M)

"Can we make an obstacle course in the living room?" asked Jordan, speaking for the triplets.
"Can I just read?" asked Vanessa, who's quiet. "I'm in the middle of The Phantom Toll-booth."
"Can I color?" asked Margo.
"Can we start a baseball game?" asked Nicky.
"Can I help make dinner?" asked Mallory.
"Yes, no, yes, yes, no, and yes," I replied.
The kids laughed. Kristy scowled.
"Let's do something together," said Adam. "There are ten people. We could do something with teams, five on a team."
"Hey, Kristy," I said, suddenly inspired. "How about putting on a play?"
Kristy pretended not to hear me.
It was my turn to scowl.
"Mallory," I said, "tell Kristy it would be fun to put on a play."
"Kristy," Mallory began, "Mary Anne says Ч Hey, how come she didn't hear you, Mary Anne? She's not deaf."
"I know." I tried to think of a way to explain what was going on. "We're . . . we're playing Telephone."
"We are? Then wait. Okay, everybody," Mallory said to her brothers and sisters. "Let's sit down in a line, right here in the living room. And Kristy, you sit at that end, and Mary Anne, you sit at the other end. Now, start the game, Mary Anne."
Just for fun, I leaned over to Adam, who was next to me, and whispered, "Kristy Thomas is a nosy, bossy, busybody."
Adam giggled. Then he whispered to Jordan, Jordan whispered to Claire, and the game was underway.
By the time the message reached Kristy, she looked puzzled.
"What?" said Mallory. "What did you hear?"
"I heard, 'Cranky Tommy's nose is a bossy, busy boy.' "
The Pike kids laughed hysterically.
"Okay, Mary Anne, now tell us what you really said," cried Mallory.
What I really said? I'd forgotten I'd have to do that. There was no way I could tell what I'd really said. I thought for a moment. "I said, 'Crystal tambourines Ч ' "
"No, you didn't," interrupted Adam. "You
said 'Critical Ч ' I mean 'Christopher Ч ' I mean. . . . Oh, I don't know what you said!"
Everyone was laughing again. "Kristy, you start one this time," I suggested.
Kristy ignored me.
Oh, brother.
I whispered to Adam, "Tell Kristy to start the game."
By the time the message reached Kristy, she said, "Tired carrots take the blame?"
"No, start the game!" shouted Adam.
We played a while longer, letting different kids take turns being on the ends. Luckily, Kristy and I never had to sit next to each other.
Promptly at six o'clock, Byron looked at his watch and announced, "It's time for dinner! Let's eat!"
"Okay," replied Kristy. "Into the kitchen, everybody!" She seemed to have forgotten that she'd said dinner was at 6:30.
I could see that she planned to take charge. "Wash your hands," I told the kids.
"No, we don't have to," said Nicky.
"Not unless we want to," added Margo.
Kristy smirked at me.
In the kitchen, pandemonium broke out. Ten people were scrambling around, getting out plates, forks, spoons, and glasses, and pulling food out of the refrigerator.
Kristy stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled shrilly.
Silence.
"Now hold it!" said Kristy.
"We need some order," I added.
"What?" said Kristy. "Did somebody say something?"
"She said we need order," replied Mallory.
"We need order," Adam told Byron.
"We need order," Byron told Jordan.
"We need order," Jordan told Vanessa.
"We need order," Vanessa told Nicky.
"We need order," Nicky told Margo.