Part 29 (1/2)
Mr Cliftonroundsthecorner tothebathrootheboys intothe bathroome toenjoy a wholetwominutesintheladies'roombymyself
I've just latched the door on the stall when I hear Mrs X and Mrs Longacre co ”Absolutely! You can never be too cautious these days Do you know Gina Zuckere arwin, I think Apparently the worabbed hiht it all on the Nan-nycae shecrawledout of”
I trynottobreatheasMrs Longacrepeesbesideo,” Mrs X says ”I haven't had tiI'httherewith myson”
ShutupShutup!
”Don't youhavetogo?” Mrs Longacreasks, co myhands,”Mrs Xsays fromthesink
Grayer poundsonthebathroom door ”Nanny!”
Mrs X opens the door ”Wha rayer? What are you doing here?” I hear her leave and wait for Mrs
Longacretofinishwashi+ngher handsbeforeI unlatchthestall
NANNYCAM?! NANNYCAM???''' What's next? Periodic drug tests? Strip searches? A metal detectorintheirfronthall?Whoarethesepeople?
I splash my face with cold water and try, for the umpteenth time in nine months, to put my six-foot employers outof mymindsoI canfocusontheneedsof thethree-footone
I walk back to the table Mrs X is struggling to balance Grayer on the phone books She looks up, openly glaring at me ”Nanny, where have you been? I found Grayer unattended and I think it's unacceptable?
An unprecedented level of rage shows onher I readjust Grayer on his phonebooks,cutup hischickenforhim, andtake aforkfulof mashedpotatoes
”Well, then,Nanny,whydon't youtakethekids outsidetillwe're done?” sheasks sweetly
And I spend the rest of theGrayer sandy chicken out of a Styrofoam container Pretty soon Andrew joins us, then three more I play Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes I playMotherMay11playRedLight,GreenLight
But there is only solot before you want to sell the Grayer to bed I ransack the kitchen for a under the sink, I hear the tap of Mrs X's Manolos on the linoleum as she opens the cabinets above She underthere?” Mr Xco for a out of my mosquito bites,” I say, my head tucked between thepipesand a bottleofbleachasI huntforthise for the Scotch, so I can fix you a nightcap” Her feet swivel so she can face hiin a scarlet-red heapbesideher goose-pimpled ankles
”Ammonia?” heasks ”Huh”
Hisheavyfootstepsmove fromthelinoleumofthekitchentothewoodofthehallway
”Honey?” shesays in a slightlyhusky toneas shefollows him to thedoor frame ”Whydon't we read in bed?”
I heartherustleofhihtouttomorrow I'll be inwhenI'm done Don'twait upGood-bye, Nanny”I seeMrs X's calfht,” I say GiveMs Ce underevery sinkinthehouse,but all I findis a lotof Mr CleanandsomePine-Sol
An hour later,when I turn out the bathroo their bedroothehallway
”Darling,”I hearhersayquietlyThedoorslidesclosed
”Daddy,you're here!” Grayerjuroohtyouwere?
”Hey,sport”Hecomes over tositonthecouch
”Where's Morins ”Haveyouhadbreakfast?”
”I wantcereal,”hesays, skippingincircles aroundthecouch
”Well, let's rustle you up soht? It's not still Wednesday? Because I already scratched Wednesdayoff on the little calendar I've carved into the wall by, and ooseflesh She's flushed and has theauraofvictory abouther
”Morning, Grayer Morning, you” She languorously coiving hi to pick up the paper?” He rollshi+s headbacktolookupather andshegrins, leaningdowntogive him a kiss
”Sure” He co his lips over her shoulder as he passes Well, I've officiallyfoundtheonlyscenarioht ”Wouldyouet solow
”No I'd rather you stayed here to watch Grayer while I get ready” Mr X grabs the keys from the table by the door and heads out As we hear the car start she asks, ”Grayer, how'd you like a baby brother or sister?”
”I want a baby brother! I want a baby brother!” He runs over to her, but she spatulas him and rebounds hiins to ring as Mr X pulls out of the driveway Mrs X takes his sweatshi+rt from the back ofthecouchandpulls it on over her head before picking up the heavy olive-green receiver ”hello?” she stands, listening expectantly ”hello?” Sheadjustsher sarong ”hello?” Shehangsup
Sheeyesthis phonenuency,”I say
She's halfwayup thestairswhenthephoneringsagain,bringingher backdownintothelivingroo annoyed ”Oh, hi” Her voice is strained ”No, he's not in
No,he decidednot toleavetoday,but I'll havehiot itAreyouinChicagoor NewYork?Okay,bye”
NoTeuschertrufflesforyou,Ms Chicago
When Mr X gets back I go into the kitchen to help hienicsugar-freeyogurts,tofudogs,andSnackWell's
”Did anyone call?” he asks, pulling a single cheese pastry out of a s for himself as Mrs X comes intothekitchen
”Nope,”shesays ”Why,wereyouexpectingsomeone?”