Jo.”
“Maxine, are you back yet? I was going to call you.”
“Yes, we got back last night, and she wants to see you. Yes, Grace, I’m just on the line to her now, yes.”
“Hello Jo. It seems ages since we’ve seen you. Come round, and bring the kids; Lily’s really getting into playing with other children.”
“I still can’t believe she’s two now.”
“I know, and she’s much taller than when you last saw her. She must get that from Jimmy. Let’s hope that’s all she gets.”
There hasn’t been much activity on the Jimmy Madden front for a while: he’s busy on a World Tour, with a series of the kinds of young women who usually hang around rock stars. So hopefully there won’t be any repeats of him turning up and wanting a paternal moment with Lily. I’m sure Grace is right and that was more to do with the launch of his new album. She handled it really well, but I could see she was upset. Thank God Bruno was there to escort him off the premises.
“Fix a time with Maxine. Oh, and bring some of the new colors, would you? I want to be inspired.”
“Sure.”
The line goes dead, and then there’s a click and Maxine comes back on. “Sorry about that. I think she’s missed you.”
We both laugh, but it’s an affectionate sort of laugh. That’s one of the things I like most about Maxine, she’s so loyal. However demanding Grace is being, Maxine always behaves as if she’s being completely reasonable, with only a faintly raised eyebrow or the occasional mild aside to me when she’s sure Grace can’t hear. It makes me feel like I’m part of the team and I really like that.
“What time works for you today?”
“Well, it’ll have to be after school if you’re sure you want me to bring the boys.”
“Great, I’ll get Sam to make snacks, and they can have a swim if that works for you?”
“That would be lovely.”
Sam’s food is always fabulous; being personal chef to Ms. Harrison means his version of snacks is everyone else’s version of a four-course meal.
“See you around four then.”
“Perfect.”
Bugger. So that’ll be me in my tragic swimsuit making sure nobody drowns their brother while Grace will be looking divine. And Martin’s coming round for supper later on, and I’d hoped I’d be looking halfway decent, rather than with my hair all tufty like it goes after swimming. Brilliant.
By the time I’m driving to Graceland after school, I’m seriously thinking of canceling. We were unusually busy in the shop with a group of women from Maidstone who’d come over specially to stock up, and then the till in the café jammed, and one of the reps came in to show me their new catalog and I had to spend ages haggling to get anywhere near a decent price. Jack’s got a special sticker for Good Helping, and Archie always hates it when Jack gets stickers.
“Mum, can we have ice cream, on the way home?”
“No, love, it’ll be too late.”
“Yes, but you said when we had an ice cream shop we could have ice cream every day and we don’t and that’s a lie. It’s not fair.”
“I did not, Archie, and stop whining. You’re very lucky to be going swimming after school.”
“I hate stupid swimming.”
Excellent.
There are a couple of cars parked on the shoulder of the road as we get close to the gates for the house, and some bored-looking snappers who don’t even bother to lift their cameras; they probably reckon exciting people don’t drive such tragic old cars. Bruno is waiting by the gates to buzz us in, with Tom and Jerry standing by his side, looking every inch the perfectly trained guard dogs. I must get him to have a word with Martin. He waves at us as we drive in, suddenly transformed from the scary security person keeping a beady eye on the photographers. The gardens are even more manicured than usual, presumably in honor of Grace’s return, as I park at the side next to a huge dark green Jeep and a silver Mercedes with tinted windows. They both look
“Maxine, are you back yet? I was going to call you.”
“Yes, we got back last night, and she wants to see you. Yes, Grace, I’m just on the line to her now, yes.”
“Hello Jo. It seems ages since we’ve seen you. Come round, and bring the kids; Lily’s really getting into playing with other children.”
“I still can’t believe she’s two now.”
“I know, and she’s much taller than when you last saw her. She must get that from Jimmy. Let’s hope that’s all she gets.”
There hasn’t been much activity on the Jimmy Madden front for a while: he’s busy on a World Tour, with a series of the kinds of young women who usually hang around rock stars. So hopefully there won’t be any repeats of him turning up and wanting a paternal moment with Lily. I’m sure Grace is right and that was more to do with the launch of his new album. She handled it really well, but I could see she was upset. Thank God Bruno was there to escort him off the premises.
“Fix a time with Maxine. Oh, and bring some of the new colors, would you? I want to be inspired.”
“Sure.”
The line goes dead, and then there’s a click and Maxine comes back on. “Sorry about that. I think she’s missed you.”
We both laugh, but it’s an affectionate sort of laugh. That’s one of the things I like most about Maxine, she’s so loyal. However demanding Grace is being, Maxine always behaves as if she’s being completely reasonable, with only a faintly raised eyebrow or the occasional mild aside to me when she’s sure Grace can’t hear. It makes me feel like I’m part of the team and I really like that.
“What time works for you today?”
“Well, it’ll have to be after school if you’re sure you want me to bring the boys.”
“Great, I’ll get Sam to make snacks, and they can have a swim if that works for you?”
“That would be lovely.”
Sam’s food is always fabulous; being personal chef to Ms. Harrison means his version of snacks is everyone else’s version of a four-course meal.
“See you around four then.”
“Perfect.”
Bugger. So that’ll be me in my tragic swimsuit making sure nobody drowns their brother while Grace will be looking divine. And Martin’s coming round for supper later on, and I’d hoped I’d be looking halfway decent, rather than with my hair all tufty like it goes after swimming. Brilliant.
By the time I’m driving to Graceland after school, I’m seriously thinking of canceling. We were unusually busy in the shop with a group of women from Maidstone who’d come over specially to stock up, and then the till in the café jammed, and one of the reps came in to show me their new catalog and I had to spend ages haggling to get anywhere near a decent price. Jack’s got a special sticker for Good Helping, and Archie always hates it when Jack gets stickers.
“Mum, can we have ice cream, on the way home?”
“No, love, it’ll be too late.”
“Yes, but you said when we had an ice cream shop we could have ice cream every day and we don’t and that’s a lie. It’s not fair.”
“I did not, Archie, and stop whining. You’re very lucky to be going swimming after school.”
“I hate stupid swimming.”
Excellent.
There are a couple of cars parked on the shoulder of the road as we get close to the gates for the house, and some bored-looking snappers who don’t even bother to lift their cameras; they probably reckon exciting people don’t drive such tragic old cars. Bruno is waiting by the gates to buzz us in, with Tom and Jerry standing by his side, looking every inch the perfectly trained guard dogs. I must get him to have a word with Martin. He waves at us as we drive in, suddenly transformed from the scary security person keeping a beady eye on the photographers. The gardens are even more manicured than usual, presumably in honor of Grace’s return, as I park at the side next to a huge dark green Jeep and a silver Mercedes with tinted windows. They both look
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