Nancy’s Theory of Style, page 15
“No one’s heard anything. She may have gone to Greece, but it’s possible she’s on the West Coast. She likes Baja. You probably think she’s an awful person, but she’s not really. Or maybe she is.”
“What if she doesn’t return?”
“Birdie’s a homing pigeon. She always comes back, if only to aggravate her parents and extort money from them. It’s not a question of if, but when.”
“Who will watch Eugenia tomorrow night when you go out?”
“I’m taking her to my parents. Not that they know yet.” Nancy smiled. “We embrace the element of surprise in our family interactions. It’s how we avoid the unpleasantness of saying ‘no’ to one another. What is your family like?”
“My mum is lovely, but she never asks a thing for herself. My father left her when I was young and she raised my brother and me by herself. Peter is happily married with two daughters.”
“Do you ever wonder where your father is?”
“Occasionally. He did teach us one lesson – that a good man does not abandon his children.” He put his arm around Eugenia and asked softly, “Her father?”
“Birdie has never told anyone,” Nancy said. “Is it hard for your mother that you’re gay?”
“I think she would be happy if I was married to a nice girl and had a family. Mind you, she thinks the world of Prescott.”
“Derek, if things go well with the party and with other things in my life, this job might be permanent. Would you like that?”
“So many things are in flux now, Mrs. Carrington-Chambers. Let us see how things progress.”
Nancy looked down on the sleeping child. “Do you know what I’ve noticed? She isn’t as unattractive as most other children.”
“Or as annoying. Most of them whinge constantly.”
“I know. I hate that. Is Prescott waiting for you?”
“Yes, I’d better get going. Do you want me to take her to your room?”
“Please.”
He gently picked Eugenia up, carried her into the bedroom, and laid her on the bed.
When Nancy walked him to the door, he said, “Enjoy your weekend.”
“You, too.” She hesitated. “Derek, you don’t have to stay late if you’ve got other things to do – but Eugenia and I like having you here with us.”
He looked into her eyes and said, “It’s my pleasure, Mrs. Carrington-Chambers.” He took her hand in his large, warm hand and held it for a long time. The tension between them was so strong, like those last moments of a date, just before a kiss, but this wasn’t a date.
Derek let go of her hand and said, “Goodnight, Madame,” and left.
While Nancy was capable of leaving her unsuspecting mother with a child, she couldn’t leave her with a child wearing a towel. First thing on Saturday morning, Nancy took Eugenia to Nancy’s favorite fabric store on Union Square to pick out material for an attractive cape. They went directly to the fourth floor, where the remnants were kept.
“Choose whatever you like,” Nancy told Eugenia as she directed her to a table of small lengths.
Eugenia went through the piles, pulling out anything that was red.
A clerk walked behind the child sighing loudly and rearranging the piles. The clerk looked at Nancy and said, “This isn’t a playground. Are you looking for something?”
“Yes, we’re looking for polite service. Even a child deserves that,” Nancy said sweetly. “If you don’t know where it is, you can direct us to your manager.”
The clerk smiled tightly and went to Eugenia. In a much nicer tone, she said, “Let me help you find what you’re looking for.”
“We’re making a pirate cape.”
Eugenia couldn’t decide on what she liked best, so Nancy bought prints and solids, muslins, wools for the winter, polished cottons, lush velvets, and even stiff oilcloth for rainy days.
The clerk suggested that they get Velcro to fasten the cape and metallics for emblems and sashes. She even helped them find big darning needles, yarn, and burlap so Nancy could teach Eugenia to stitch. Nancy bought brass buttons with little anchors because she associated them with buccaneers.
At home, she laid out red velvet, cut a rhomboid shape, and quickly stitched up the sides, before attaching ribbon for decoration and Velcro at the collar. “It’s not beautiful, but we’ll decorate it and tailor it later and it will be beautiful,” Nancy said as she put it on Eugenia. “I’m taking you to your uncle and aunt’s house, my parents. Your mama took you there before.”
“Can we see your pony?”
“Yes, you can meet Willoughby.”
Nancy packed toys and books in one of her Froth totes and then drove carefully through the city streets. “I am following almost all the traffic laws,” she said proudly to Eugenia, who was in the back seat sipping from a juice box. “Don’t spill in my car. I’m only letting you drink this one time because it’s a special occasion.”
As Nancy headed down the Peninsula on the freeway, she remembered all those awful trips to the construction site with Todd and all the arguing on the ride back. She glanced in the rear-view mirror at Eugenia and said, “You are an excellent travel companion.”
Eugenia smiled and said, “I want to see the pony.”
“So, do I.”
Nancy was always happy when she reached the woodsy hillside village where she’d been raised. She slowed down on the narrow road that twisted through ancient oaks. She turned onto a private dirt lane that led past an apple orchard to her parents’ house. Every winter, when the rains came down, her parents talked about paving it, but then spring would come and their wish to keep outsiders away superseded safety issues.
Nancy parked by on a level plateau by the tennis court and then helped Eugenia out of the car seat.
“Mama brung me here before.”
“Brought, not brung. I knew you’d remember. Bring your book bag,” she said, but left Eugenia’s overnight case in the car.
“Where’s your pony?”
“He’s in his paddock near the stable, but first we’re going to say hello to my parents.”
Nancy loved the graceful Arts & Crafts brown shingle house that had been her great-grandparents’ summer home. She led Eugenia to the carved wood and stained glass door which opened directly into the airy living room with its beamed cathedral ceiling.
Every detail of the room had been lovingly selected, from the exposed hardware to the custom made tiles set in the brick fireplace, to the matte green jardinière filled with fragrant lilacs.
“You can slide on the floor in your socks,” Eugenia said.
Nancy looked down at the girl. “I always liked doing that, too.” She took the girl into the rustic kitchen and called, “Mom?”
The back door was open so they went out to the weathered redwood deck. Hester was on a chaise with a tall tumbler in one hand and a hardback book in the other. On seeing her daughter and the girl, she closed the book, swung her legs over, and sat up. “Hello, Nanny. Good afternoon, Eugenia.”
Nancy went to her mother and kissed her cheek. “Hi, Mom. Eugenia, come give your…” Nancy tried to figure out the relationship and said, “Give your Aunt Hester a kiss.”
After the girl did so, Hester said, “My, Eugenia, you’re looking so pretty today. Is that a new cape?”
“Auntie Nanny made it. We got lots of cape clothes at the store.”
“How lovely. Nancy, would you please bring out our lunch. Mina made sandwiches,” she said referring to the young woman who helped out on weekends when the housekeeper was off.
“Is she here now?” Nancy asked.
“She’ll be back later. She went shopping.”
As Hester asked Eugenia questions, Nancy went to the refrigerator to examine the contents. There was a platter of crustless sandwiches cut into diamond shapes, sliced melon, and a green salad. She carried them to the teak table outside and returned to the kitchen to fetch drinks.
As Nancy was getting ice for the lemonade, she checked the freezer, relieved to see that there was no vodka. She went back outside with the drinks and glasses.
Nancy marveled at her mother’s ability to feign interest in Eugenia’s conversation. Had it been like that when Nancy was little? She thought she must have been fascinating even as a child. “Where’s Dad?”
“He’s out on his boat,” Hester said. “Or playing golf. He said something this morning, but I was half-asleep. Your father works so hard, he needs his time to relax.”
“He enjoys the outdoors so much,” Nancy said as they all moved to sit at the table.
“We play in the park every day with Derek. He’s teaching me football,” Eugenia said as she lifted the top of a sandwich to examine its contents. “It’s green inside.”
“Do not perform a vivisection on your food, Eugenia,” Nancy said. “It’s watercress and butter and very delicious.”
Hester took a long drink from her tumbler and said, “Who is Derek?”
“My assistant, mom, remember? He’s teaching Eugenia how to kick a soccer ball. May I pour you some lemonade?” Nancy ran her finger along the smooth frosty glass. “Is this a new pitcher?”
“Pic-ture,” Eugenia corrected.
Nancy smiled. “I’m glad you’re listening to me.”
“Nanny, dear, please don’t teach Eugenia to talk like you. I know you think it’s funny, but it’s very confusing. How is Todd?”
“Todd is fine. We had a delightful conversation the other day. He’s thrilled that Froth is going so well.” She poured a glass of lemonade and put it next to her mother’s empty tumbler. Nancy talked about GP’s theme for the fundraiser, the warehouse location, and her success with Gigi’s party.
Hester had only eaten a few bites of salad. “So nice that you’re having fun with your business. You won’t have time for it when you go back to running your house.”
Nancy smiled and said, “How is the preservation group going?”
Hester’s activities centered on ensuring that barbarians didn’t destroy the local architectural heritage. She became animated as she described an ongoing legal battle with a tech mogul who had purchased a property that had been the primary residence of raccoons for the last half-century. “He tried to remove all the copper ornamentation – even the sconces!”
“He’s a monster,” Nancy agreed. “Although Todd thinks anything new is better than anything old, except for money, and then he likes both new and old.”
“Nancy, if you bring up that wet-bar again, you’ll give me a migraine. Todd means well and does his best considering.”
“You’re right. He means well.” Nancy couldn’t look at her watch because it might make her mother suspicious. “I promised Eugenia that she could meet Willoughby,” she said and stood. “We’ll help you clear. Come on, Eugenia.”
They carried the dishes to the kitchen and then Nancy took an apple from the fruit bowl. She cut it into pieces so Willoughby wouldn’t choke.
Eugenia jumped and skipped all the way to the corral up the hill. “Can I feed him?”
“Yes, and I’ll show you the right way to do it so he won’t snap.”
The black and white miniature horse was in the corral with his companion, an old sheep named New Marianne. Nancy’s mother had named the horse and the original Marianne when she’d gone through one of her book club phases. “Hi, Willoughby!” Nancy said and he came up to the gate with a toss of his head and a snort.
Nancy demonstrated how to give Willoughby a snack. “You have to keep your hand flat and let him come get it politely. I’ll do it first and if he’s too frisky, he doesn’t get any more. Good behavior is rewarded.”
The horse didn’t try to nip and accepted a scratch on his nose. Eugenia held her hand through the gate and the horse took his treat.
“Very good, both of you!” Nancy said pleased.
Eugenia wanted to stay, but Nancy said, “We’ll come back later. I have to go to the house now.”
Her mother was no longer outside. Nancy took the girl and the tote bag of books to the living room and said, “Stay here and be a good girl while I talk to your Aunt Hester.”
Nancy went upstairs and found her mother in her spacious dressing room, a tumbler of ice and clear liquid in her hand. With her free hand, she was sorting through dresses. One wall held an astonishing collection of brilliantly colorful handbags, totes, clutches, and satchels.
“Mom, would you please watch Eugenia tonight? I’ll bring in her things from the car, and I’ll pick her up tomorrow. I’ve got to take care of something tonight.”
Hester pulled out a teal silk cocktail dress. “I wish I could, Nanny. We’re going to an anniversary party tonight.”
“You didn’t mention it on the phone yesterday. You said you’d be home.”
“I said I’d be home in the afternoon,” Hester said with a very convincing smile. “If I’d known that you needed a babysitter, I absolutely would have cancelled. It’s not too late. I’m sure they’ll understand, even though it’s a small party. Your father can go without me. I’m feeling a little tired anyway. I was going to catch forty winks.”
Hester dropped the dress on a bench and took unsteady steps toward her bed. “You can leave Eu..Eu.., the girl, and when Mina comes back, she’ll help. Just let me close my eyes for a few minutes and rest.”
Nancy took the tumbler from her mother’s hand and set it on her glass-topped vanity table where it would be out of reach. Then she guided Hester to the bed. “Don’t worry about it, Mommy. It’s not important. You get your rest.”
When Nancy had covered her mother with a soft cashmere throw, she went to the closet and did a quick search. She found an almost empty bottle of vodka in a chocolate brown suede boot and set it to one side. Then she went to the bathroom and filled a tumbler with water and got two aspirins from the cupboard.
She carried the vodka bottle under her arm and came out of the bathroom to see Eugenia hopping from foot to foot at the open doors to the dressing room.
“Eugenia, do you want a pirate bag? Choose one you like.” Nancy put the bottle down on the floor and went to her mother. She slid an arm under her shoulders and raised her up.
Hester’s eyes fluttered open. “I’m sorry I’m so tired.”
“It’s all right, Mommy. Here, take these and have some water.” Nancy gave her mother the aspirin and made sure she drank most of the water. She kissed her mother’s warm brow and smelled her girlish L’Air du Temps. “Go to sleep now.”
Nancy pressed her lips tightly together feeling a rise of emotions she couldn’t think about right now. “I love you, Mommy,” she said, but Hester was already asleep.
“My mama likes naps, too. She says, be quiet, mama’s tired.”
Nancy turned to see Eugenia looking at the sleeping woman.
“Some mothers like naps,” Nancy said in a hushed voice. “Did you pick out a pirate bag?”
Eugenia looked at the shelves and pointed. “That red one.”
“Your taste is improving,” Nancy said as held up the girl so she could pluck a shoulder bag of glossy, butter-soft, ruby leather off a top shelf. Nancy chose a stunning deep purple tote for herself and then said, “We have to go back now.”
“Can we take Willoughby with us?”
“No, he doesn’t like stairs, and he likes being with Marianne.” Nancy slipped the vodka bottle in the purple tote so she could dispose of it.
Then she gathered Eugenia’s things and got her into the car seat. An older Honda drove up and parked beside the Mini, and Nancy waited until her mother’s weekend helper got out. “Hi, Mina!”
“Hi, Nancy. Leaving already?”
“I couldn’t stay long. Thanks for the yummy lunch. But you didn’t have to cut the crusts off.”
Mina opened her truck and took out a bag of groceries. “You’re welcome. I fed the crusts to that wily Willoughby.”
“He was a complete gentleman when we visited. Oh, my mother is napping now. Would you mind checking in on her in a few hours? I know she’s going out tonight, and I’m sure she doesn’t want to oversleep.”
“Sure, Nancy.” The woman looked somber and said, “I always try to look out for her.”
“Thanks, Mina. My sisters and I appreciate how helpful you are.”
As Nancy drove back to the city, she considered her options and was calling Sloane even before they hit the freeway. “Sloane, how are you?” she said cheerily.
“Almost out the door, Nancy. So good to hear from you so soon again.”
“I don’t want to keep you, but I was wondering if you were available tonight. Because I need someone to look after my niece, Eugenia.”
“Oh, how nice that she’s still with you! We’re having a campout at Lloyd’s co-op pre-school. We’ll be going for a star-watching night walk, roasting marshmallows, telling stories, and having sing-a-longs. She’s welcome to join us.”
Nancy looked in her rearview mirror. Eugenia was staring out the window and singing softly to herself, and Nancy made out, “Nanny likes blue, cows like to moo…”
Nancy thought about the girl being abandoned with a horde of strange grubby children, sticky with burnt marshmallow. She thanked Sloane and said, “It’s probably best if someone comes to my place. I’m sure I can find someone else.”
“We’ll get the kids together soon. You can come to my house for a play date.”
“Absolutely,” Nancy said, while thinking ugh! She called Milagro, who knew nothing about children, but she was out of town. Finally she called Derek.
“Mrs. Carrington-Chambers, what a surprise to hear from you.”
“Oh, Derek, an emergency has come up! I know it’s your day off, but can you come immediately? It’s absolutely critical!”
“Are you all right? Is Eugenia all right?”
“Yes, but I need your help. I’m driving home right now. Can you be there in an hour?”
Chapter 13: The Dangerous Allure of Impulse
Nancy and Eugenia stopped at a drugstore and bought Disney movies and then went to a gourmet burger shop and got dinner for Derek and the child. “Desperate times call for desperate meals,” she told Eugenia, who was saying, “Hot, hot, hot!” as she ate sweet potato fries from a paper bag.
