Part 17 (1/2)
I click back
”hello,onschedule”
”Thankyou,”I say, hangingupshi+t shi+t shi+t
1 walk slowly through the living rooo stand outside the library, where Mrs X and Grayer are seatedonthenavyleathercouch,studying theweatherintheMidwest
”So staytuned,becauseafter thebreakwe'll betalkingtoCindy in Little Springs about what it's doing on her back porch,” a perky voice says from the television I feel queasy
”Nanny?” Sheroundsthedoor fraintoetthenuranlate”
”Urn,actually Mr Xjustcalledontheotherline,while I wasonholdwiththeairline, andthat's whathe saidHishtand,uh?
Sheraisesherpaleto?
”I see”Shepressesher lipstogether ”Andwhatelse didhesay?”
I can feel s down htthere”I castaze
Shetakes a stepcloser ”Nanny,I wantyouTo tellme ExactlyWhathesaid”
Pleasedon't makeme dothis
”Well?” Shewaitsforananswer
”Hesaidhewassnowedinandhe'll call youtolance up She looks as if I've just slapped her and I return my eyes to the floor She walks back into the library, picks up the re the roohts of Park Avenue, her red silk gown shi+theremote
Grayer's wide eyes stare up at me in the darkness from where he sits, hands carefully crossed in his lap ”Coles offthecouchandfollows me withoutprotest
Heisuncharacteristicallyquietwhile webrushteethandputonpajamas 1 readhim Mais GoestoBed about alittle mousewith asimple mission
”'Maisybrushedher teeth'Did Grayerbrushhis teeth?”
”Yes”
”'Maisywashedherfaceandhands'Did Grayerwash his face andhands?”
”Yes” Andsoonuntilhe's yawning andhiseyes areopening andclosing
I stand to kiss hi ht, Grover”
I walk tentatively out into the cold, gray light of the
Okay?” Noanswer
I walk down the long, dark hall to her bedroo thepaintings Thedoor is open ”Mrs X?” I enter her bedroo fro-roo?” Quiet
”I'ainst the door and can hear her weeping quietly on the other side The iown makestosoundcheerful,calls out ”Is thatyou?”
”Yes” I pickupour elasses fro
”Okay,yougoonaheadSeeyoutomorrow”
”Um, there's still somepizzaleft Doyouwantht”
”Are yousure? 'Causeit's notrouble”
”No,that's reallyfine Seeyoutoht” I walk back down the long beige hall to the kitchen, place the glasses in the sink, and put out a fruit plate, just in case I decide to wait till I get downstairs to cancel their expired reservation
I go back into the hall, grab my coat and boots, and pull my paper heart out from Grayer's stroller pocket It sprinklestheblack-and-white tile with a lightdusting of red glitter I kneeland press theive wayto adeep,anientlyclosethedoorbehindme
They all felt that there was no sense in their living together, and that any group of people, who had ether by chance at an inn would have had more in common than they, the members of the Oblonsky family and their servants The wife did not leave her own rooms and the husband stayed away from howhattodowiththerettoInfor watchedMrs butters pateachof her heavily bundledstudentsontheheadandsendthe nannies,andstill noGrayer
”Mrs butters?” I ask
”Yes?”
”Was Grayer inschooltoday?”
”No”Shegrins atme
”Okay,thanks,”I say
”Sure”