Mayor of Munchkinland next to him,” Jamie said. “If he wanted to—”
“He wouldn’t,” Michelle snapped. Now she was getting pissed. “I’ve never had that problem before, and I’m sure I won’t have it now. I’m sure if I was working for one of the Islanders you’d think it was the greatest thing on earth.”
“Pretty much, yeah,” Jamie admitted.
Michelle looked at her father.
“Takin’ the Fifth on that one, honey.”
“You’re both such losers.”
“Takes one to know one,” her brother retorted, the same call and response they’d had since they were little kids.
“What’s the kid’s story?” her father asked.
Michelle explained Nell’s situation. She could see the connection he was making between her and Nell in his eyes. “Sounds like you’re the perfect nanny for her,” he said quietly.
Michelle squeezed her dad’s shoulder. “I agree.”
“Once you get to know her, bring her ’round here some time,” her father continued. “Let her get a taste of what a real family’s like.”
“We’ll see. That’s putting the cart way before the horse.”
The idea appealed to her, though. Nell had never had a father or a sibling; she might enjoy seeing what that was like. And God knew her dad’s house was a far cry from Esa Saari’s oversized Fortress of Solitude. She’d keep it in mind.
7
“Wow.”
Michelle agreed with her brother’s assessment of her new digs as they unloaded the final boxes of books in her new room. Esa had said she’d have her own TV. He hadn’t mentioned it would be a wall mounted, picture window sized marvel of technology. Her brother had to close his mouth to keep from drooling. A little overboard, was Michelle’s thought. But she wasn’t going to complain.
The room was immense, with high ceilings, pale yellow walls and a gleaming wooden floor that looked like it had never been walked on. Maybe it never had. She had her own desk, two tall dressers, and a double bed topped with an amazingly fluffy comforter. She sat on the edge, bouncing a few times, testing it. Hard as a rock, just the way she liked it. She nuzzled her face in the supersized, goose down pillows. Wonderful. She knew she’d sleep well tonight.
“Will this do?” Esa had asked when he first showed her the room. He seemed uncertain, which Michelle had found momentarily charming. Momentarily.
“It’s great,” she’d replied. What she really had wanted to do was exclaim, “Holy shit!” The room she’d had at the Karles was nothing compared to this. In fact, she often wondered if they’d taken one of their old walk-in closets and turned it into her room. But she’d never minded. It had been cozy.
The contrast between the two living spaces was further accentuated by her having her own walk-in closet here. Esa caught her smiling to herself, and he looked at her perplexedly.
“There’s no way I could ever fill this closet,” she explained. “I don’t own enough stuff.”
“Maybe that will change over time. Who knows?”
Michelle thought he might be alluding to the salary he’d agreed to pay her, but she gave a little laugh anyway. “Believe me: it’s not going to happen.”
The final space Esa showed her was the bathroom. Again, it was huge, dominated by a deep, white, claw-foot tub. Maybe it was pathetic, but Michelle had always dreamed of soaking in a tub like that. Everyone seemed to have one on TV or in the movies, whether it fit their decor or not. Now she understood why: a sexy bubble bath in a fiberglass tub just didn’t cut it. Esa pointed to the two large shell-shaped sinks that were side by side. “You’ll share this bathroom with Nell,” he explained, pointing to the door opposite hers. “It links your two rooms.” He paused. “Is that okay?”
“As long as my privacy is respected when my doors are locked, I don’t think it will be a problem,” Michelle answered smoothly. “I can’t imagine it being one, not with Nell.”
For a moment
“He wouldn’t,” Michelle snapped. Now she was getting pissed. “I’ve never had that problem before, and I’m sure I won’t have it now. I’m sure if I was working for one of the Islanders you’d think it was the greatest thing on earth.”
“Pretty much, yeah,” Jamie admitted.
Michelle looked at her father.
“Takin’ the Fifth on that one, honey.”
“You’re both such losers.”
“Takes one to know one,” her brother retorted, the same call and response they’d had since they were little kids.
“What’s the kid’s story?” her father asked.
Michelle explained Nell’s situation. She could see the connection he was making between her and Nell in his eyes. “Sounds like you’re the perfect nanny for her,” he said quietly.
Michelle squeezed her dad’s shoulder. “I agree.”
“Once you get to know her, bring her ’round here some time,” her father continued. “Let her get a taste of what a real family’s like.”
“We’ll see. That’s putting the cart way before the horse.”
The idea appealed to her, though. Nell had never had a father or a sibling; she might enjoy seeing what that was like. And God knew her dad’s house was a far cry from Esa Saari’s oversized Fortress of Solitude. She’d keep it in mind.
7
“Wow.”
Michelle agreed with her brother’s assessment of her new digs as they unloaded the final boxes of books in her new room. Esa had said she’d have her own TV. He hadn’t mentioned it would be a wall mounted, picture window sized marvel of technology. Her brother had to close his mouth to keep from drooling. A little overboard, was Michelle’s thought. But she wasn’t going to complain.
The room was immense, with high ceilings, pale yellow walls and a gleaming wooden floor that looked like it had never been walked on. Maybe it never had. She had her own desk, two tall dressers, and a double bed topped with an amazingly fluffy comforter. She sat on the edge, bouncing a few times, testing it. Hard as a rock, just the way she liked it. She nuzzled her face in the supersized, goose down pillows. Wonderful. She knew she’d sleep well tonight.
“Will this do?” Esa had asked when he first showed her the room. He seemed uncertain, which Michelle had found momentarily charming. Momentarily.
“It’s great,” she’d replied. What she really had wanted to do was exclaim, “Holy shit!” The room she’d had at the Karles was nothing compared to this. In fact, she often wondered if they’d taken one of their old walk-in closets and turned it into her room. But she’d never minded. It had been cozy.
The contrast between the two living spaces was further accentuated by her having her own walk-in closet here. Esa caught her smiling to herself, and he looked at her perplexedly.
“There’s no way I could ever fill this closet,” she explained. “I don’t own enough stuff.”
“Maybe that will change over time. Who knows?”
Michelle thought he might be alluding to the salary he’d agreed to pay her, but she gave a little laugh anyway. “Believe me: it’s not going to happen.”
The final space Esa showed her was the bathroom. Again, it was huge, dominated by a deep, white, claw-foot tub. Maybe it was pathetic, but Michelle had always dreamed of soaking in a tub like that. Everyone seemed to have one on TV or in the movies, whether it fit their decor or not. Now she understood why: a sexy bubble bath in a fiberglass tub just didn’t cut it. Esa pointed to the two large shell-shaped sinks that were side by side. “You’ll share this bathroom with Nell,” he explained, pointing to the door opposite hers. “It links your two rooms.” He paused. “Is that okay?”
“As long as my privacy is respected when my doors are locked, I don’t think it will be a problem,” Michelle answered smoothly. “I can’t imagine it being one, not with Nell.”
For a moment
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