Part 12 (1/2)
”No,”heanswers
”Well, then, should you be touching Mommy's coat? Now, if you sit on the bench I have a surprise for youfrosasGrayersluhtbluesweatsuit
”Re boy's school next year? Well, Daddy just loves Collegiate” She flips the sweatshi+rt around to reveal the orange lettering I step forward to help Grayer pull it over his headShestandsbackwhile I rollthesleevesup intolittle doughnutsathis wrists
”Oh, you are going to hted, whips out his jazz hands and starts
g pose as he had done in the bedroo your arms about” She looks down at himinconsternation ”It's weird”
Grayer lookstoaze ”Grayer,it's tiood-bye toNanny”
”I don't wantto”Hestandsinfrontofthedoorandcrosses his arms
THE NANNY
I kneeldown ”It's onlyfor afeeeks,G”
”Noooooo!Don't goYou said we could play Candy LandNanny, you promised” The tears startto roll downhis cheeks
”Hey, you want your present now?” I ask 1 go in the closet, take a deep breath, put on a big shtwithMrs XtheBergdorf'sbox
”You shouldn'thave,”shesays, settingitdownonthetable ”Oh,yes, wehavesoforyou,too”
I looksurprised ”Oh,no”
”Grayer, go get Nanny's present” He runs off I pull the other box out of the bag ”And this is for Grayer”
”Nanny, here's your present, Nanny Merry Christ a Saks boxandthrustsitatme
”Oh,thankyou!”
”Where's mine?!Where's mine?!” Hejumpsup anddown
”Your mom has it and you can open it after I leave” 1 quickly pull on theelevator
”MerryChristwildly,like amarionette
”Bye, Grayer,MerryChristining Paris and handbagsand
J Lonjui/,<j dan=”” 1=”” icruias=”” vvtooi'via=”” vtapaper,pulltheboxapart,andstartgrabbingfistfuls oftissue
There's no envelope Oh, my God, there's no envelope! I shake the box upside down Tons of tissue co blackand furry falls totheelevator floor with a thudI drop to the messI've madeasidetouncover mytreasureand it's earmuffs Onlyearmuffs
Justearmuffs
Earmuffs!
EARmuffS!!
andand Mamnvy felt that she owned the O'Haras, body and soul, that their secrets were her secrets; and even a hintof htosetheruponthetrailsorecklesslyas a bloodhound
ONEWITHTHEWIND
CHAPTER FIVE
ownti all over for you so we can cut the cake,” I say, stepping intoroom, where myfather has foundrespite from the joint NewYear's Eve/Fiftieth BirthdayPartysheinsistedonthrowingforthe ”onesonGodblessedher with” ”Quick, close the door! I'm not ready yet ooartists and writers, thetuxedos, which is the onething,asmyfatherwill emphatically informyou,hedoes not wear For anyone Ever ”Whoare we, the Goddarand of this black-tie affair I, on the other hand, never have to be asked twice to step into a gown and a up my sweatpantsand headoutlike alady
”Not to be toohiulp, placing theglass down ontop of hertablebesidehis propped-up feet He drops the Ti for me to sit I plop ontotheplushcreamcar!
pet in a pile of black chiffon and take a sip out ofband musicwaftsin
”Dad,youreallyshouldcouyishere,theonefroout withhilasses ”I'd ratherspendti better?”
A fresh wave of rage washes overthe celebratory h, that wohty hours a week for the past month and for what? I'll tell you for what Earh thewalltransitions into a colorfularrayofChineseslippers
”Ah,yes It's been a wholefifteenminutessincewehadthisconversation”
”Whatconversation?” mymotherasks assheslipsinthedoorwith a plateofhors d'oeuvresinonehand andanopenbottle ofchaive you a clue,” he says, wryly,while holding up his glass for a refill ”You wear theain? Cohtoff?” Shefallsbackonthechaise,tuckingherstockingfeetup underher,andhandshi+mtheplate
I sit up and reach for the bottle ”Moht as well have just spit in et a heftyChristmas bonus;it's justhowit's done Whyelse wouldI have put insonition!Every stupidpersonthatworksfortheot?
”Earlass
”You knohat o out ofher son while she's atthemanicurist
All the little stories I tell and the 'Sure, I'd be happy tos' etsthatI'rab a bitof caviarfroot to confront this woo already Honestly, you should hear yourself, you've been talking about this for days You're wasting a perfectly good party on her, and sorande of the band out thereanddance”Shelookspointedlyatmydadashepopsthelastcrabpuffinhis mouth
”I wantto!I wanttolaydownthe law, butI don't even knoheretobegin”
”What's to begin? Just tell her that this is not working for you and if she wants you to continue as Grayer's nannythen a fewthingsaregoingtochange”