part-time schedule, which is ideal and uncommon. My arrangement with the agency and Talia would be hard to duplicate, not that I’ve searched for alternatives. Simply keeping track of Dash’s schedule—swimming! music! numbers classes!—exhausts my organizational skills.
As Talia continued, I added the appropriate “Really?” but when the intercom came alive, I was grateful. Dash was awake, and he wanted the whole house to know. “Can you hear that shout for Mommy?” I said abruptly. “I’ll have to call you later.” I walked downstairs. With blue eyes open wide, my son was sizing up Jamyang, who was hovering in the doorway.
“Pity boy awake,” Jamyang said, cooing in a language I couldn’t understand: our comprehensive library could use a copy of
Tibetan for Dummies
. “Dashiel,” I sang out, “did you have a wonderful nap? This is Jamyang. She’s going to be taking care of you.”
For the first time, Jamyang smiled broadly, displaying tiny, straight teeth. She turned to my son and said, “Does Dashiel want to play?” He answered with a giggle and handed her a stuffed cow.
Everything’s going to be all right
, I realized. I sighed so loudly Jamyang turned around. “Why don’t I leave you two to get to know each other? Bye-bye, sweet prince.” I kissed my son’s rosy cheek. “I’ll see you in ten minutes.” I spoke then to Jamyang. “After you two get acquainted, meet me in the kitchen, please, and I’ll show you what Dash likes to eat.” Then we’d circle through the neighborhood and onto the Promenade.
I walked upstairs, found the number for the school consultant, and dialed. “Hannah McCoy’s office,” a crisp voice announced before it buriedme on hold. “Mrs. Keaton,” Hannah McCoy said finally. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting, but the phone’s been ringing off the hook.”
“I’m sure I’m calling way too early.” I said, embarrassed, “but I wondered if I could make an appointment to meet about my son for school next fall.”
“You’re not calling a bit early,” Hannah McCoy answered, chomping on
bit
. “I’m well along with meetings for your child’s peers.”
Dash still went to bed at night in UnderJams, but apparently he already had peers, eager toddlers whose mothers were more plugged in than I. “Better make an appointment to meet soon, then. What do you have available, please?”
“Let me look—so sorry, have to take this call. May I put you on hold for a moment?” Six minutes later she returned. “It’s your day, Mrs. Keaton—I had a cancellation for Monday.”
Monday was when I would be returning to the office. “How about later in the week?”
“I’m booked solid for the next month.” She paused. “July sixth?”
Xander and I had rented a house in Nantucket and were planning to take off the entire holiday week. “Sorry, that’s not possible. What do you have the following week?”
After a long pause, she spoke. “One opening—on Wednesday, at eleven.”
“Great,” I said. “I’ll take it. It’s Keaton, Chloe Keaton, K-E-A-T …” I continued with my vital statistics, including an AmEx number for the sizable deposit. “Is there anything else I should know?” I wanted to learn, fast.
“Only this—pardon me for asking, but are you single?” Hannah McCoy’s tone had turned cloying.
“No. Why do you ask?”
“You said ‘I.’ Traditionally, both parents attend the appointments.”
Why hadn’t I figured this out? “In that case, eleven isn’t going to work, either.” After two more sessions on hold, Hannah McCoy suggested anappointment for a full six weeks from now. By then all of Dash’s peers probably would have learned to conjugate French verbs. “You know what?” I said. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m going to grab the slot on Monday.” Talia would have to work one more day, and Xander, whether he liked it or not, would have to get with this program.
CHAPTER 5
Quincy
Jake and I woke early, despite
As Talia continued, I added the appropriate “Really?” but when the intercom came alive, I was grateful. Dash was awake, and he wanted the whole house to know. “Can you hear that shout for Mommy?” I said abruptly. “I’ll have to call you later.” I walked downstairs. With blue eyes open wide, my son was sizing up Jamyang, who was hovering in the doorway.
“Pity boy awake,” Jamyang said, cooing in a language I couldn’t understand: our comprehensive library could use a copy of
Tibetan for Dummies
. “Dashiel,” I sang out, “did you have a wonderful nap? This is Jamyang. She’s going to be taking care of you.”
For the first time, Jamyang smiled broadly, displaying tiny, straight teeth. She turned to my son and said, “Does Dashiel want to play?” He answered with a giggle and handed her a stuffed cow.
Everything’s going to be all right
, I realized. I sighed so loudly Jamyang turned around. “Why don’t I leave you two to get to know each other? Bye-bye, sweet prince.” I kissed my son’s rosy cheek. “I’ll see you in ten minutes.” I spoke then to Jamyang. “After you two get acquainted, meet me in the kitchen, please, and I’ll show you what Dash likes to eat.” Then we’d circle through the neighborhood and onto the Promenade.
I walked upstairs, found the number for the school consultant, and dialed. “Hannah McCoy’s office,” a crisp voice announced before it buriedme on hold. “Mrs. Keaton,” Hannah McCoy said finally. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting, but the phone’s been ringing off the hook.”
“I’m sure I’m calling way too early.” I said, embarrassed, “but I wondered if I could make an appointment to meet about my son for school next fall.”
“You’re not calling a bit early,” Hannah McCoy answered, chomping on
bit
. “I’m well along with meetings for your child’s peers.”
Dash still went to bed at night in UnderJams, but apparently he already had peers, eager toddlers whose mothers were more plugged in than I. “Better make an appointment to meet soon, then. What do you have available, please?”
“Let me look—so sorry, have to take this call. May I put you on hold for a moment?” Six minutes later she returned. “It’s your day, Mrs. Keaton—I had a cancellation for Monday.”
Monday was when I would be returning to the office. “How about later in the week?”
“I’m booked solid for the next month.” She paused. “July sixth?”
Xander and I had rented a house in Nantucket and were planning to take off the entire holiday week. “Sorry, that’s not possible. What do you have the following week?”
After a long pause, she spoke. “One opening—on Wednesday, at eleven.”
“Great,” I said. “I’ll take it. It’s Keaton, Chloe Keaton, K-E-A-T …” I continued with my vital statistics, including an AmEx number for the sizable deposit. “Is there anything else I should know?” I wanted to learn, fast.
“Only this—pardon me for asking, but are you single?” Hannah McCoy’s tone had turned cloying.
“No. Why do you ask?”
“You said ‘I.’ Traditionally, both parents attend the appointments.”
Why hadn’t I figured this out? “In that case, eleven isn’t going to work, either.” After two more sessions on hold, Hannah McCoy suggested anappointment for a full six weeks from now. By then all of Dash’s peers probably would have learned to conjugate French verbs. “You know what?” I said. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m going to grab the slot on Monday.” Talia would have to work one more day, and Xander, whether he liked it or not, would have to get with this program.
CHAPTER 5
Quincy
Jake and I woke early, despite
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