Part 31 (1/2)
”HaveyoupackedGrayer's activitybagfortheclub?”
”No,I've beenkeepinghim company”
”Well, heseewith et ot freak
”Um, did Mr Xpick thes
Mrs X picks up the receiver ”hello?” She stares atthe receiver ”hello!” She sla the bamboo table ”I don't know if he did Did you put it on the shopping list?” Sherestsher handonherhip
”I never sawyesterday's shoppinglist”
Shesighs ”Honey?”shecalls upstairs ”Didyouget Finally we hearthesoundof slowfootstepson thestairs
Hedescendswearinghis tenniswhitesandetwipes?” sheaskshi+s back ”Honey?You know?thoselittlecloths I usetocleanGrayer?”
He keeps walking, then stops at the door, turns to ot as on the list,” and disappears into the kitchen I can hear Mrs X exhale slowly behind entlemen, fortheremainderof theshowtheroleoffuckedwill beplayedbyNanny
”What, in the name of Christ, is all this racket?” The senior Mrs X stands in a Pucci zip-front robe in thedoorway,flinging abejew!eledhandtowardthetelevision ”Canwe pleaseturnoffthatGodawfulpurpledinosaur?”
”No!” Grayerspewschocolatecrumbs onthecouch
”I'hertemples ”WouldyoulikesothattheonusisonositontheporchandNanny'11bringyourcoffeeoutthere?”
”Doyouwantmetocatchpneumonia?”
”Howaboutthekitchen,then?” Mrs X asks,buttoninghercardigan
”I don't supposeetthepaperyet?”
”No,butyesterday's isstill onthetable”
”Well, now that would have been useful yesterday Honestly, I don't knohy you insist on spending your vacation here in thishut when you could have cous all eggsrightnow”
”Nextyear,Elizabeth,I pro to her crate on the kitchen floor, I'rounds into the filter when Mrs
XcoTheEconooesoutthebackdoor She takes another long exhale, biting the side of her urt, holds it for a second and puts it back She brings out a loaf of bread, flips it around to look at the nutrition information and returns it to the shelf She closes the door and pulls down the box of Soy Flakes frorapefruit?” sheasks
”I don't think Mr X gotany”
”Neverbackthebox
She walksslowly over to the counter ”Oh, a boy calledhere for you a few days agoItwas a terribleconnection,though”
”Really? I'm sorry?
”He's notthekidwholives oneleven, ishe?” sheasks
”Actually, uet a coffee cup out of the cupboard, silently willing her to drop the conversation ”I recognized the name, but it tpokhow you knew hi? Was Grayer with you?” The lurid i sex on her bed, but enabling said sex by letting Grayer take a nap Hard to say whichshe'd find
”YeahIt's funny”
”Well, he must be quite a catch for you” She walks toward the s and looks out at Mr X standing in the yard with his back to the house as the fog lifts ”His irlfriend he was so beautiful Every tio in for ether” She turns to eye ht I don't suppose you'd ever consider applying for a prograibleforawards ofthatcaliber”
”Well I wanted to work after graduationthat is, I'm not really interested in international fieldwork so? But she's already walked out I lean against the avocado-green linoleu
Thecoffeemachineclicks off
”DearMrs X,yousuck,”I mutterasI pour
”Pardon?”I whiparound Mr XstandsbehindUcoffee”
I pulldownanotherchippedcup,still having aar?”
”Nope,black,black,black”
”ShouldI nothaveused a filter?” Helaughsandfor a secondhelooksjustlikeGrayer
”Nanny!Where's thatcoffee?” I hustlebacktotheliving roo nottospill
”So I said to hiot another think coalesher with thetrialsof gettingher poolproperlyserviced
”Nanny, why don't you get hi over to the club Honey, you and Mo Daddy play tennis” Grayer barely looks over from the TV
I kneeltodress himinfrontofSesameStreet
”No, Nanny I want to wear the Pooh shi+rt, I hate that one,” he says when I hold up the Power Ranger shi+rt
”Poo shi+rt!That's disgusting!” ElizabethXcries asshestandstogoupstairs