Part 13 (1/2)
I awake five hours later to a very patient George waiting at the end of my bed for breakfast He tilts his head and meows ”Been on a bender?” he seems to ask I pad to the kitchen in e and low of the phone frombehindtheicetrays
”Numberof callsreceived:12,”thefacereads Oh,LordI eson myself So, Mr X has decided he won't be able to make it toAspen and I really don't want to be out thereby roundsman live all the n the road and, well, I'd feel very isolated So I'll be in the city Anyway, I'd appreciate it if you could come in a fewdays aweekHow's Mondayforyou?Let ainis?
I don't eventhinkor chant I justreassemblethephoneanddialthenumberfortheLyford CayInn
”hello?”
”Mrs X?Hi,it's NannyHowareyou?”
”Oh God, the weather here is just awful Mr X hasjbarely been able to play a round of golf and now he'll be , as well Grayer's been trapped inside the whole time, and they promised us soe or so to do”I canhearPocahon-tasinthebackground”So,didyougetteer
”You know,I think there's so with your phoneYou really should haveit looked at I was trying to call you allthe weekend and won't bebackuntilMonday Ourplanegetsinateleven, socouldyoumeet usattheapartmentatnoon?”
”Well, actually” armuffs?I already made plans since I wasn't supposed t?start back until the last Mondayof theive is?
”Can you hold on a moment?” It sounds like she's put her hand over the phone ”We don't have another video” Mr X sayssoain,”shehisses
”Urn,Mrs X?”
”Yes?”
I knoe'll be having this conversation for the next thirty-six hours unless I reach for a sestion about Paris So I can't start back until, let's see, teeks frohteenth” No to say yes ”Also, we didn't really have tithis year”
”Uh-huh?”
”Well, typicallyI goup twodollarsevery January I hopethat's not a problem”
”Well No, no, of course I'll talk to Mr X Also, I'd appreciate it if you could go by the apartment tomorrow ou knohile you're outandabout ndrefill thehutobeontheWestSide, so?
”Great!Seeyouinteeks Butpleasedoletmeknowif youcanstartanysooner”
James holds the door open as I pass ”Happy New Year, Nanny What're you doin' back so soon?” He seems surprisedtoseeme
”Mrs X needsherhuives a wickedgrin
The first thing I notice when I open the Xes' front door is that the heat is actually on I step slowly into the silence, feeling a bit like a thief I aerald's ”Miss Otis Regrets” cooutof thestereosystem
I freeze ”hello?” I call I clutch rab a knife I've heard about door the apart openthekitchendoor
There's anopenbottleof Doonthestove Whatkindofsickpersonstealsintoanapartmenttocook?
”It's not ready yet Ce n'est pas fini,” a es frohis handsonhis checkedtrousersandadjustinghiswhite chef's coat
”Whoareyou?” I ask over the a step backwardtowardthe door Helooksup
”Qtti estvows?” heasks,puttinghis handsonhis hips
”Um, I workhereWhoareyou!”
”Je m'appelle Pierre Yourfennel The kitchenis a phantasmofproductivity anddelicious aromas It's never lookedsohappy
”Whyyoustandtherelike a fish?Go”Hewaves hisknifeatofindMrs X
I cannot believe she's back Of course, why bother to call Nanny? Ooh no, it's not like I have anything better to do than keep her oil paintings ht if that's her gaet ot Grayer tied up in a net over thehutodrophimonmyheadtheminuteI pourthewaterin
”SHE RANTOTHE MANWHOHADLED HER SO FARASTRAY,” the stereo blares, following me fromroomtoroom
Well, fine I'll justlether knowI camebylikeI saidI wouldandthenI'htout ofoutof thebedroos sparklinginthehalllight Myheartjuo
”Hi,” she says, as friendly as she was in the conference rooroo my scarf I round the corner just as she throws open the Frenchdoors ontothedining rooebouquetofpeonies,thepurplyblackof squid ink, sits a hten thesilverware
”I'm justhereforthehumidifiers!” I call outover thestereo
”Wait,” she says, going over to the hidden control panel in the bookcase and expertly adjusting the voluplacidly ”Whatwere yousaying?”
”The humidifiers? Are, um, dry? They run out of water? And the pictures, well, they can really, uh, suffer? If they're dry? I was just supposed to water them Only once Just now, today, 'cause that should lastthemtill Okay! So, I'll justdothat,then”
”Well, thankyou,NannyI'm sure Mr Xappreciatesthat,andI do, too”Sheretrievesher errantglass of chathehuthemyself outintothekitchen
I refill all ten water tanks, schlepping theht on trucking froh ”Why Can't You Behave?” and ”I'm Always True to You, Darlin', in My Fashi+on” MyThis is not her house This is not her familyAndthatmost definitelywasnot herbedroointhelastone ”BecauseI onderingifyoucouldruntothe shop for otto get heavycream Thanks” Shehandsme atwentyasI openthedoor
I look down at theu eyes that pop up when he opens it I hold the money out to her ”I can't have, uliiltmirror ”ActuallyI justcan't”
1 33
Her smile strains ”Keep it, then,” she says evenly The elevator door opens, while she atteainstthedoorframe