Heidi had her very own classroom in the playroom. She had a chalkboard, a desk, and a pointer. She even had students: a stuffed panda; a stuffed kangaroo; and her little brother, Henry. They all sat on small wooden chairs in front of Heidi, who was, of course, the teacher. She called herself Mrs. Applegarth.

   

 

  Mrs. Applegarth tapped the chalkboard with her pointer. “Class, what can you tell me animals do when they’re scared?”

  Henry raised his hand. Mrs. Applegarth called on him.

  “Skunks spray stink bombs when they’re scared,” he answered. “And octopuses squirt black ink.”

  “Good answer, Henry,” said Mrs. Applegarth. “You get a gold star!”

  Heidi handed Henry a gold star sticker.

   

 

  “Excuse me, Mrs. Applegarth!” said someone from the door.

  Heidi pulled off her pretend glasses and looked at the door. It was Mom.

 

   

 

“May I help you, Mrs. Heckelbeck?”

  Mom entered the classroom. She had a fancy card in her hand with gold cursive writing on it. Heidi noticed it right away.

  “Ooh, what’s that?” she asked, forgetting her role as make-believe teacher.

  “It’s a wedding invitation,” Mom said.

  “Do we get to go?” Heidi asked.

  “It’s for grown-ups this time,” Mom said. “We’ll need to get a babysitter.”

  “A BABYSITTER?” questioned Heidi. “But why? It’s not like I’m a baby anymore.”

  “That’s true,” agreed Mom.

  “Then what if I babysit Henry?” suggested Heidi.

  “No way, José!” Henry cried. “I’m not a baby anymore EITHER!”

  “Well, you’re more of a baby than I am!” Heidi argued.

  “Am not!” Henry said, folding his arms.

   

 

  “Okay, that’s enough,” said Mom firmly. “Neither of you are babies, but you’re both too young to stay home alone.”

  Heidi ran across the room to the dress-up trunk and put on a gray-haired wig. She stuffed her hair inside like a bathing cap.

  “Am I old enough now?” asked Heidi.

   

 

  Mom shook her head.

  “What about me?” Henry asked. He had put on a top hat and beard. “I’m Abraham Lincoln, and he’s REALLY old!”

   

 

  Heidi rolled her eyes at her brother. “He’s not even alive anymore.”

  “Well, he used to be old,” said Henry.

  Mom laughed. “Nice try, you two,” she said.

  Heidi sighed. “But I REALLY want to babysit,” she said sadly.

   

 

  “You’ll get to babysit soon enough,” Mom said. “But you have to be a little older before I’m comfortable leaving you alone with your brother.”

  Heidi pulled off the gray wig.

   

 

  “Well, I won’t need THIS,” she said, tossing the wig in the trunk. “Because by THEN I’ll already be a grandmother!”