Fabulous Five 012 - Katie's Dating Tips

  THE FABULOUS FIVE #12

  KATIE'S DATING TIPS

  BETSY HAYNES

  A BANTAM SKYLARK BOOK®

  NEW YORK • TORONTO • LONDON • SYDNEY • AUCKLAND

  RL 5, 009-012

  KATIE'S DATING TIPS

  A Bantam Skylark Book / September 1989

  Skylark Books is a registered trademark of Bantam Books, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and elsewhere.

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright © 1989 by Betsy Haynes and James Haynes.

  Cover art copyright © 1989 by Ralph Amatrudi.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  For information address: Bantam Books.

  ISBN 0-553-15748-5

  Published simultaneously in the United States and Canada

  Bantam Books are published by Bantam Books, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. Its trademark, consisting of the words "Bantam Books" and the portrayal of a rooster, is Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Marca Registrada. Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10103.

  PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

  O 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  For Paula Karl, who deserves a book dedication all to herself

  CHAPTER 1

  Katie Shannon floated up the steps to her front porch like a helium-filled balloon. "I had a wonderful time tonight, Tony."

  "So did I," said Tony Calcaterra. He nodded and looked into her eyes. "Big time."

  "I really don't know why tonight was so special, but it was," said Katie. "I mean, the movie was good, but not great. And Bumpers was fun, but not a blast."

  "Maybe the moon's full or you're wearing your lucky socks," Tony offered with a grin.

  Katie slugged him playfully on the arm. "No way," she said. "It was more than that. I wish I could explain it."

  "Yeah, I know what you mean," said Tony.

  A funny look came over his face, and he got quiet for a moment. Katie had the feeling that he was going to say something else, but just then a car horn blasted.

  "Uh-oh. Gotta go," he said. "I'll see you Monday at school." Giving her a quick kiss, he raced down the steps toward the curb, where Mr. Calcaterra sat in the car impatiently revving the engine.

  Katie watched Tony climb into the front seat beside his dad and wave to her when the car pulled away. Sighing, she drifted into the house. She was glad that none of her friends in The Fabulous Five could see her now. She had always criticized them for being too interested in boys—especially Melanie Edwards, the most boy-crazy girl in the universe—and not concerned enough about important things such as justice and equality for women. Boys weren't worth it, she had argued. They were shallow and immature.

  But Tony Calcaterra is different, she assured herself. He isn't just another stupid boy. He's interested in a lot of things, and he knows how to stand up for the things he cares about. Besides that . . .

  "Goodness, Katie. You look as if you're on cloud nine."

  Katie jumped as though she had been pricked with a pin and then blushed when she realized it was her mother who had spoken. Willie Shannon was snuggled comfortably into one corner of the sofa with her feet tucked under her, looking as much like Katie's older sister as her mother. Both had curly red hair, a dusting of cinnamon freckles across their noses, and slim figures, and tonight Willie was wearing an ancient blue chenille bathrobe and drinking a mug of cocoa. Libber, the yellow cat the Shannons had taken in a few months before, was curled up beside her.

  "Oh, hi, Mom," Katie said. "Tony and I had a super time. The movie wasn't that hot and neither was Bumpers, but we had fun anyway."

  Willie smiled, but there was a faraway look in her eyes. "I understand," she said. "It's always fun when you're with someone special."

  "So, what did you do all evening?" Katie asked brightly, noticing for the first time that the television was on and that her mother was in the middle of watching an old black-and-white movie. Wasn't there anything on better than that? she wondered.

  Willie shrugged. "A little laundry, and I caught up on some letter writing before I turned on the TV. Just the usual Saturday-night stuff."

  "Oh," murmured Katie. The usual Saturday-night stuff. She knew it was true, but somehow until lately she hadn't really stopped to think about what a boring life her mother lived. Not only was Willie a freelance writer who worked alone in an office at home, but she was a widow with an only child who hardly ever stayed home long enough to talk to her. Katie sighed. As much as she longed to rush up to her room where she could stretch out on her bed and daydream about Tony, she hung up her jacket and sat down on the opposite end of the sofa instead, racking her brain for something interesting to talk about. She couldn't just give up.

  "You ought to go out more often, Mom," she said. "Don't you get bored, sitting home alone so much of the time?"

  Willie shrugged. "Oh, I get out," she said bravely. "Sometimes I have to interview people for the newspaper articles I write and then I . . ." Willie paused and sighed deeply. "You're right, Katie. I do get bored sometimes, especially now that you're older and have a life of your own. But don't worry. Boredom isn't terminal, and I enjoy hearing about the things you do."

  Katie gave an embarrassed little laugh. Now what could she say? It was hard to think up a topic that would honestly interest a grown-up. Willie wouldn't want to hear the latest gossip about Taffy Sinclair's mother's trying to get her a part in a movie. Or how Scott Daly accidentally dumped an order of french fries into Dekeisha Adams's lap at Bumpers after the movie. And Katie wasn't about to tell her about Tony's good-night kiss.

  She sighed. It was a lost cause. "I think I'll go up to bed now," she said sheepishly. "See you in the morning."

  Until Katie sat down at the breakfast table the next morning, she had almost forgotten about her mother's predicament again.

  "Hi, sweetheart," chirped Willie, looking up from the newspaper and raising her coffee cup to Katie in a sort of salute. "You're just the person I'm looking for. How would you like to go to the Natural History Museum with me this afternoon to see the Ramses the Great exhibition?"

  "The what?" asked Katie, wrinkling her nose.

  "Ramses the Great," Willie repeated, pointing to a full-page advertisement in the paper.

  "Oh, you mean that Egyptian stuff?"

  "That's right," said Willie excitedly. "Ramses was the Pharaoh over three thousand years ago. He was the most powerful person on earth while he was alive, and his subjects thought he was a god. This show is supposed to be incredible. Come on. Go with me."

  Katie cringed. As much as she wanted to help her mother get out of the house and have some fun, this wasn't terrific timing. "There's a Fabulous Five meeting at Jana's, but I guess I could get out of it," she said, knowing her disappointment was showing on her face.

  Willie held up both hands in protest. "No way. I know how important your meetings with your friends are. Don't worry about it. I just thought perhaps you didn't have anything to do. The show will be in town for a couple more weeks. Maybe we'll find another time to go."

  "But why don't you go?" asked Katie. "You don't need me along. It would do you good to go somewhere."

  "I don't think so," Willie said, making a face. "It's no fun to see something like that if you don't have anyone to discuss it with. It's like having good news when there's no one around to tell it to."

 
"But what about some of your friends?" Katie insisted.

  Willie shook her head slowly. "I called Peggy, and she's more interested in watching wrestling on TV. Gretchen and Kelli are both too broke to afford a baby-sitter, and Crystal can't get off work. No taste, no money, and no time," she said with a little laugh. "Besides, I really need to work on my notes for the writing class I'll be teaching at Wakeman next week. I've never taught before, you know, and I'm a little nervous. I definitely want to be prepared."

  Katie nodded. She knew that Willie had been invited to give a series of writing seminars at Wacko Junior High as part of a special project in the English department, and she could easily understand why her mother was nervous. But still, she felt worse than ever as she headed for Jana's apartment and the meeting of The Fabulous Five a little while later. Maybe she should have gone to the Egyptian exhibit with Willie instead of being selfish and spending the afternoon with her friends. But at the same time, she reasoned, she couldn't stop her own life to keep her mother entertained.

  "What she really needs is . . ." Katie stopped cold and glanced around the street at the few people walking near her as if they might have read her thoughts. "A boyfriend?" she whispered to herself, scarcely able to believe that she, Katie Shannon, was uttering such words. "Well, not just any boyfriend," she said firmly. "He would have to be special, like Tony, and be fun and interesting."

  The more she thought about it as she walked along, the more she knew the kind of person her mother's boyfriend should be. He didn't have to be handsome and romantic. Just someone who would take Willie to museums and art galleries and maybe even an occasional foreign movie. Those were the kinds of things her mother liked to do. All Katie had to do was find someone who liked the same things and introduce them to each other. How hard could that be?

  CHAPTER 2

  Katie was the last one to arrive at Jana's apartment for The Fabulous Five meeting. Katie had been best friends with Beth Barry, Christie Winchell, Melanie Edwards, and Jana Morgan since elementary school, and their friendship had grown so strong that they had formed a club and named themselves The Fabulous Five, even though they spent most of their time together anyway.

  Mrs. Pinkerton answered the door and invited Katie in. Pausing just outside Jana's room, Katie watched Jana's mother go back into the living room. She sat down on the sofa next to Jana's new stepfather, who was watching a bowling tournament on television. Katie couldn't help remembering that it hadn't been so long ago that Pink, which was short for Wallace Pinkerton, had simply been Jana's mother's boyfriend. Now they were married, and Jana had a stepfather whom she not only had to share her mother with but also their apartment. Katie shook her head. Willie would never do a thing like that. Besides, all she needed was someone to show her a good time. She certainly didn't need a husband.

  "Listen to my horoscope for today," said Christie just as Katie entered the room. Beth, Jana, and Melanie were lounging on the carpet, and Christie was sprawled across Jana's bed on her stomach, holding the entertainment section of the Sunday paper open over the edge of the bed as she read. "'You will learn an important secret. Unexpected rendezvous will lead to romance and adventure.'"

  "Get serious," said Katie, tossing her jacket into a chair and joining the three on the floor. "Do you know how often those things come true?"

  Christie glared at her from over the top of the paper. "Lots of times. Do you remember when mine said something about a special meeting that could bring conflict or romance and that I could find myself under pressure?" Christie didn't wait for Katie to answer. "That was the day Mr. Bell introduced me to Jon Smith and asked me to tutor him. Boy, talk about conflict and romance. The principal asked me to tutor the boy I had a crush on! And that was also the day that I found out you guys had nominated me for class president. Major pressure."

  Katie scowled, but Melanie bounced onto Jana's bed and asked eagerly, "What's mine, Christie? I'm Cancer."

  "Cancer, Cancer, Cancer," murmured Christie as she scanned the page. "Here it is. 'Lost article reappears. Older woman, possibly a family member, plays major role.'"

  "Is that all?" grumbled Melanie. "So my mother is going to find my overdue library book, probably when she cleans under my bed. Who cares? It didn't say one thing about my love life."

  "That depends on how you interpret it. Lost any boyfriends lately?" said Katie, realizing too late that she had made a major slip.

  "I thought you didn't believe in horoscopes," teased Beth.

  "Yeah," said Melanie. "You were pretty quick to help me interpret mine."

  "Let me read yours, Katie," offered Christie. "You're Capricorn, aren't you?"

  Katie nodded. She knew her friends weren't going to let her off the hook until they read it to her, so she might as well be quiet and listen.

  "Here it is," said Christie. "Wow, guys. Listen to this. 'Lunar position accents personality, timing, correct judgment. Advice you give will be well received.'"

  Katie blinked. "Run that by me again, please."

  "Here. You can read it yourself if you want to," said Christie, holding out the newspaper to Katie.

  Katie tried not to act too eager as she took the paper out of Christie's hand, but it was uncanny that her horoscope said she should be giving advice just when she had decided that her mother needed a little help with her social life. "Hmm. That's what it says, all right."

  Jana winked at the others and said coyly, "So what's it going to be? A lecture on how not to fall for the wrong boy?"

  Giggles broke out around the room. Katie tried to act angry, but she knew her best friends too well to get upset at their teasing. They were never going to let her live down the fact that Tony Calcaterra was considered a troublemaker at Wakeman Junior High and that most people couldn't understand why she liked him.

  "As a matter of fact, I had someone else in mind to give advice to," she said. "My mom."

  "Your mom?" shrieked Melanie. "What kind of advice can you give her?"

  "Plenty," Katie assured them. "Actually, maybe you guys can help me." She went on to explain how boring and lonely her mother's life had become and how she had decided that the right boyfriend was just what Willie Shannon needed. "Things are just so much more fun when you have someone special to do them with," she added with a sigh.

  "I agree," said Jana. "I know that being with Randy certainly makes things a lot more fun."

  Melanie, Beth, and Christie were nodding, too.

  "Do you want to lend your mother my article on the seven tips for flirting?" teased Melanie.

  "Don't laugh," said Katie. "My problem is, I don't know any eligible bachelors. At least not any who are her age and like the same things she does."

  Beth gave her a sly grin. "How about Laura McCall's father?" she asked. "He's the right age and he drives a red Maserati. If I were you, I'd definitely fix her up with a guy with a sports car."

  "And just think, you might get Laura for a sister if they got married," said Melanie, barely suppressing a laugh. "Lucky you!"

  "Come on, guys. You can do better than that," said Katie, rolling her eyes at the mention of Laura McCall, The Fabulous Five's biggest enemy. "Help me think of somebody."

  "Your mom's teaching that writing seminar at Wacko this week, isn't she?" asked Christie.

  Katie nodded.

  "Then why not introduce her to some of the single men teachers?"

  "Christie, you're a genius," said Katie. "There must be a bunch of them. Help me make a list."

  "There's Mr. Mendelson, the shop teacher. Oh, and don't forget dreamy Mr. Neal," said Jana.

  From the faraway look in her eyes, Katie guessed that Jana was remembering the crush she had on Mr. Neal when he was their fifth-grade teacher at Mark Twain Elementary. "I don't know," Katie mused. "Somehow he doesn't seem like my mom's type. He's probably too young, anyway."

  "And he hangs around Miss Dickinson a lot even though single teachers aren't supposed to date each other," added Melanie.

  "What do you do?
Spy on them?" asked Beth.

  "Of course not," huffed Melanie. "I can't help what happens right in front of my eyes."

  "Come on, guys. You're helping me think of dates for my mom. Remember?" asked Katie.

  "There's always Mr. Dracovitch," offered Melanie.

  "Boo!" hooted Beth. "Who would want to go out with a guy who pretends he's Dracula to try to get kids interested in taking his science classes? I wouldn't, and I like actors!"

  "You'll have to admit he's unique," said Christie. "Not your ordinary old run-of-the-mill bachelor."

  "But have you smelled the fumes coming from under his classroom door in the mornings before school?" asked Jana. "Kids are saying that he's cooking up some kind of magic potion in there, maybe with bat wings and lizard tails."

  "Hey, forget Dracula. I've just had a brainstorm," said Katie, ignoring Jana and slapping her forehead with the heel of her hand. "What about Mr. Newkirk? He's perfect. He's the head of the English department so he must like the same kinds of things my mother does. Not only that, he'll be in charge of her writing classes so they'll have to be together some of the time."

  "Brilliant!" said Christie.

  "I really think you've got something," said Jana.

  "Yeah," said Beth. "All you have to do is sit back and watch love blossom."

  "He's not very cute," complained Melanie.

  "So what?" asked Katie, giving Melanie an annoyed look. "This is not going to be big-time romance. It's just to get her out of the house once in a while."

  "Yeah, but he's got a potbelly, and his voice is too high," said Melanie, wrinkling her nose. "I wouldn't want my mother going out with him."

  Katie ignored Melanie. She was too busy figuring out the next step in her plan to be bothered by such trivial comments. Mr. Newkirk was fine just the way he was. In fact, his being not very attractive was one of the best things about him. Actually, he was sort of grandfatherly, and that suited Katie just fine. She certainly didn't want her mother to start dating someone who looked like Magnum, P.I. That could lead to unwelcome complications.