Part 38 (1/2)
Abbie followed, her heart triple-timing in her chest.
”h.e.l.lo, Big Guy.” In the front hall, Sydney performed an admirably graceful squat, given the tightness of her suit and the height of her heels. Harry ran into her arms. She hugged him and kissed the top of his head.
Then she noticed Abbie standing on the stairs. ”What are you doing here so early?” she demanded.
”Sydney.” Howell came into the hall, a kitchen towel in his hand. ”We need to talk.”
Sydney narrowed her eyes. She glared at Howell, then at Abbie, then back at Howell. She rose up, tall in her high heels, thin as a whip. ”So that's what's going on.” She snorted. ”Unbelievable! You and the nanny are having a little fling.”
”It's not a fling,” Howell objected, adding, ”and let's not do this in front of our son.”
”I think fling is actually a rather perfect way of putting it,” Sydney snapped, ”and why not do it in front of Harry? I imagine you two have been doing lots of things in front of Harry.”
”Harry!” Howell reached for his son's hand. ”We're going to have some adult time, so you get to watch television.”
Harry pulled away, reluctant.
Howell persisted. ”In fact, I'm going to give you the remote control. You can change channels all you want.”
At this, Harry's face lit up.
”I'll be in the kitchen.” Sydney stalked away from the rest of them.
Howell led Harry into the living room and settled him on the sofa. Abbie took a deep breath and followed Sydney into the kitchen. Howell's wife was leaning against the counter, her arms crossed, her face bitter.
Sydney raked her gaze over Abbie's face. ”Well, aren't you the little mult.i.tasker. I have to say I'm surprised you've caught Howell's eye. You're hardly a femme fatale.”
Abbie didn't reply. She understood Sydney's anger.
”It's a cliche, you know,” Sydney sneered. ”The boss s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g the help.”
Howell entered the room. ”Sydney, let's not talk that way.”
”Oh, listen to you, so civilized and refined. You can screw the nanny but you don't want to talk about it.”
”I want to marry Abbie,” Howell announced. ”I love her, and I think she's good for Harry.”
Sydney shook her head like a boxer who's been stunned by an unexpected blow. ”You want to marry her? Good G.o.d, Howell, you really are full of surprises.” Then she smiled triumphantly. ”And she is why you want a divorce?” Sydney really had a remarkable voice, as clear as a bell, and full of confidence. ”Howell, you are such a loser. I'm the one who wants a divorce! You want to shack up with a babysitter. But I'm going to marry the next senator for New York State.”
Howell seemed genuinely amazed. ”Everett Candelli? You've been seeing Everett Candelli?”
”What?” Now Sydney's voice was gleeful. ”You think someone that important wouldn't notice a little ol' lawyer?”
Oh, man! Abbie felt like a kite swept up in a gale of fresh, intoxicating air. Oh, man, Sydney wants a divorce, too!
”I'm impressed,” Howell said. ”Everett is a remarkable man and a great public servant. I'm glad for you, Sydney.”
”The h.e.l.l you are. You're just relieved that you won't have a nasty divorce and custody case to deal with.”
”Well,” Howell admitted, ”that's true, too.”
”Daddy,” Harry called. ”The remote doesn't work.”
Howell looked frustrated. ”Okay, kid, I'm coming.” He left the room.
Abbie found Sydney's angry eyes latched on to her face. She sucked up her courage and found her voice. She said the one true thing that would matter to the other woman. ”I love Harry. I want you to know that.”
”Like you have any idea what maternal love is,” Sydney snapped. ”Sweet little you, all innocent and eager! You're just a hopeless girl, you can't imagine what it takes to be a mother.”
”Actually, I can,” Abbie began.
”Being a nanny is nothing like being a mother!” Sydney exploded. ”You worry all the f.u.c.king time! Vigilance, intelligence, all your best intentions, none of that matters! It doesn't stop when you go to sleep, it never stops! You are going to be so swamped if you take on Harry. You won't sleep at night, you won't know what to do when he gets sick, h.e.l.l, you can't even take him on a f.u.c.king carousel! It's hard work, sometimes it's hopeless and heartbreaking! You feel like you never get anything right! But look at you, you think you know how to be a mother!”
Abbie could understand the woman's rage, and it was with consideration of the mother Sydney was that Abbie said quietly, ”My own mother died when I was fifteen. I pretty much raised my two sisters.”
”That's hardly the same!” Sydney retorted. Suddenly she collapsed in a chair and rubbed her hands over her face. ”But that's too bad. It must have been hard for you.” She studied Abbie for a long moment, her eyes penetrating and critical. Finally, she said, ”Oh, f.u.c.k it, what do I know? You've been good with Harry. I can tell he feels loved by you. d.a.m.n it all, you'll probably be a decent stepmother.”
”I will,” Abbie promised in a hushed voice.
”All right, do me a favor,” Sydney said. ”Take Harry somewhere so Howell and I can talk. We've got a lot of details to iron out.”
Abbie hesitated. ”Okay.”
Howell and Harry were still in the living room, struggling with the stalled remote control. They looked up at her, the lines of their faces, the fall of their hair, and their hopeful expressions so much alike it made Abbie smile.
”You know what?” Abbie said. ”Forget the TV, Harry. I'm going to take you to my house to meet my family.”
Howell looked relieved. ”Good idea.” He added, ”Come back by lunchtime, okay?”
Abbie nodded and took Harry's hand. ”Okay.”
They stepped out into the gusty day. Abbie's spirits swirled like the wind and she was almost running, tugging Harry along. ”You'll love my house, Harry. I've got lots of cool things for you to see. We've got seash.e.l.ls and dolls and a cat named Cinnamon and a Playhouse!”
”You're silly today,” Harry giggled.
”Harry, I'm absolutely slaphappy!” she agreed.
60.
Abbie, Emma, Lily, and Marina and Harry, Spencer, and Jim Marina said, ”I'm okay, now, Jim.” She pulled away from him, slightly embarra.s.sed that they were sitting on the side of the busy airport road, wrapped up in each other like a pair of high school lovers while half of Nantucket drove past, gawking.
Still, Jim's embrace was very nice.
”Ready to go home?” he asked.
She liked the sound of that, going home. ”Absolutely.”