Part 22 (2/2)
”We only havevanilla, sugar” Mrs Miltonholds uptheredbox
”I likevanilla,” says Carter
”At mybirthday,”Grayer continues, ”I had acake It lookedlike a footballanditwasreallyreally big!”
”Woohoo! Let's have so & Olufsen stereo above the counter and Donna Suar pie Come and dance with Momma” Carter shakes his arms and bobs his knees Grayer starts off sloith a head wiggle, but by ”On the Radio”helets thejazzhandsfly
”Lookin' good, boys!” She takes a hand of each and the three of theht up through ”She Works Hard for the Money,” while I quietly start cracking eggs and greasing the pan I put the cake in the oven and turn around in search of an oven tie I have a MissClavel feeling
”I'o use the powder room,” I say to no one in particular I open every door off the pantry,attehtin a ssequined gowns, each with a banner across her middle Miss Tucson Miss Arizona Miss Southwest Miss Southern States There are tiaras and scepters, fralass cases
I slowly inspect every dress, each sash, and then go over to the far wall, which is covered in glossy, frauess, is where you go after being Miss Southern States There is row after row of photographs of her in various sequined costuthick THE NANNY DIARIESon some celebrity's lap, everyone from Tony Bennett to Rod Stewart And then 1 see it, halfway down the wall, alht white dress, Mr Milton, his eyes rolled back in his head, and the preacher The caption onthefraust12,199-”
I turnoutthelightandfindthebathrooforlornlyinthe oven
”You didit”
”Yes, ma'a troubleabsorbingthe inforly
”Oh, goodie! Who wants frosting?” She pulls six tubs of different-flavored frosting out of the fridge
”Carter, get the food dye” Grayer and Carter rabs sprinkles, silver balls, and candy confetti fro the food dye Carter hands her directly into the tubs ”Ooohwee!” She's laughinguncontrollablynow
”Mrs Milton,”1 say, standingbackwith apprehension, ”I think it's tiyourpardon?”
”CallmeTina!You can't leave,” shecalls over her shoulderasshescoops a fingerfulof frostingintoher mouth
”1 DON'T WANT TO GO HOME!” Grayer panics, his fists tightly clenching a bouquet of plastic spoons
”See, nobody has to leave Nohowantsfrosting?” She reaches into two of the containers, pullingouttwo handfulsoffrostingandcatapultingtheht!” She hands a tub to each boy and the frosting starts flying I try to duck behind the island, but Tina hits ht sincea s herbackforthesweater ndthenI' hysterically The boys roll on the floor, rabssomesilver balls andsprinklestheondownthere?” Lizzie's sternEnglishvoicecalls fromupstairs
”Ooh, we're in trouble,” she says ”Carter, I think we're in trouble” They all crack up again Lizzie comes intothekitcheninherterry bathrobeandslippers
”Oh,everywhere, dripping off the French tiles and the topiariesliningthe
”Oh,Lizzie,ere justhavingfunLoosenup!Don't besoBritish”
”Tina!” Lizzie uses et inthetub!”Tinalookscrestfallenandstartsto cry, sinkinginherrobeandrevealing a bittoomuchof herimpressive superstructure
”ButIWe wereWe were justhaving funPleasedon't tellJohnYou hadfun,didn't you,boys?”
”I had fun Don't be sad” Grayer gently touches her head, patting bits of pink frosting into her blonde hair
Tina looks at Lizzie and wipes her nose on her sleeve ”Okay, okay” She hunkers in front of the boys ”Moo take a bath, okay?” She pats each one on the head and then walks over to the banister ”You come back real soon, Grayer, you hear?” she murmurs to herself as she disappears down thestairs
”Good-bye, Tina!” Grayer shouts And with a little backave she's gone I wait for Carter to protest, but he's quiet We strip theboys and Lizzie givesforGrayer's clothesWe putonThejungleBookandtrytocleanupthekitchen
”Daon her hands andknees ”Mr Milton htand if he sees this he'll send her back to Hazelden and it's terrible for Carter, her disappearing for weeks at a time when his father travels so s out the sponge ”He askedureout whenshewoulduseagainand intervene”
”What's she on?” 1 ask, though I already have a pretty good idea ”coke Alcohol Prescription stuff whenshecan't sleep” ”Howlonghasthisbeengoingonfor?”
”Oh, years,” she says, squeezing out her sponge into the bucket ”I think since she came to New York She fell in with some really posh junkies, celebrities and the like He leaves her alone here all the tiuess he's just waiting for her to OD” Well, this certainly putspantiesinperspective ”I knowI shouldquit, butmyvisa extensionis attachedtothisjobIf I leave Carter itho out uys pushoff? I'll finishthis” ”You sure?”
”Oh, yeahTo else” Grayer and Carter are loath to be parted, but we et all thenstairs andoutthedoor
”Good-bye, Carter!” he shouts as I hail a cab ”Good-bye, Tina!” Since we're only going four blocks it see before, I' of Grayer's clothesandsomysweaterdoesn't shedsprinklesonit
”Whathappenedtoyouall?” JahtwithTina,”Grayer explainsashepads aheadof erpajamas
21 1
Upstairs I turn on the bathwater and put sos on the stove while Grover plays in his rooevoicecalls fromthemaid's rooesfroConnie's uniform
”hello, I' for Mrs X and must have fallenasleepI didn't wanttojustleaveonood-bye”
”Ohhi Hi, I'm Nanny I take care of Grayer” I introduce myself for the third time today ”Actually, Mrs X is out to dinner and probably won't be back till lateYou go on horeatThanks”
”Whoareyou?” Grover standsblockingthedoorwayinhisbriefs
”Grayer, this is Maria” Grayer sticks his tongue out, turns and runs back to his rooize ”I' day”I gesture tomybuttercreaive himhis bathReally, it's okaytoleave Nottoworry”
”Thanks,”shesays,foldingher coatover herarm
”No probleh the aparto into Grayer's roo in his underwear in front of his closet mirror ”Come on,Baryshnikov”I plunkhiminthebath