who smiled incessantly at Baker.
“Oh yes, sure I remember. It’s nice to see you again,” I lied.
“Welcome to Vermont. I remembered Baker saying you and your daughters would be arriving sometime this week. How do you like it so far?”
“We just got in a couple of nights ago, and as you can probably tell we’ve got our work cut out for us.”
“No joke. I saw all the boxes when I came in. Where are your girls?”
“Upstairs in our apartment watching The Little Mermaid ,” I said.
“For the fiftieth time,” Baker added sarcastically. An awkward moment followed.
“I wanted to stop in and say hi, and also to say there are a bunch of us meeting at Donovan’s tomorrow night. There’s a great band playing. Do you like music, Leelee?”
I looked at Baker to step in and say: Leelee’s been listening to music since she was yea high. And he only said, “Donovan’s is a local hangout.”
I said, “I love music. I haven’t figured out the babysitter thing yet, but I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks.”
“Be happy to babysit anytime, all you have to do is ask,” Roberta said. “I love children. Moe’s got three but we never had any of our own. They’re like mine though.”
“Thank you, Roberta,” I said. “I may take you up on that.”
“Oh, and Monday is ski day. It’s great fun.” Kerri looked over at Baker for affirmation.
“Oh, yeah, Mondays are great.”
“Well, I’ve got lots to do, I’ll see you guys tomorrow night, maybe?” said the bunny.
“Yeah, we’ll try,” Baker replied.
“ Auf Wiedersehen ,” she said to Helga and Rolf, and shot all of us a smile that revealed fluorescent white teeth. She flipped us a ta-ta wave and skipped out of the kitchen.
“ Auf Wiedersehen ,” Rolf hollered after her from behind the line. (The line, I learned, is the place in front of the stove and behind the counter where the chef places the plates for the waiters to retrieve their orders.)
“Baker, would you mind checking on the girls?” I said. We had much to discuss.
“Sure.” Baker told the kitchen staff he’d be back shortly and sprinted out of the kitchen.
I counted backward from one hundred and then hunted him down.
“Kerri seems like she already knows you,” I said, when I found him in our bedroom. “What’s the deal?”
“I was at Donovan’s one night and she and her friends were there. The guys who helped with the painting took me out to get a beer—after working hard all day. Is that okay?”
“Sounds like fun,” I said, sarcastically. I act that way sometimes when I’m threatened, and my head felt flushed with fear.
“Yeah, what’s the big deal?”
“No big deal , I was just curious how Kerri already knows you so well.”
“She works here, for God’s sake. Was I supposed to be rude to her when I saw her?” He stood up from the bed and angrily yanked the curtain on our closet shut.
“No, I just felt funny back there. Plus, Helga obviously likes her and it’s obvious she does not like me.”
“Why would you say that?” Baker turned back around to face me. “That’s not true, there’s no way she couldn’t like you. What’s not to like?”
“I’m just telling you she doesn’t like me. She changed everything I did inthe inn back to her way of decorating. Our styles are completely different. I have to feel like it’s my house if you ever want me to feel comfortable here.” I sat down on the side of the bed.
“Helga will back off. Just give her a little time. Remember how you said Germans have strong personalities? That’s just how she is.”
“Everybody in Vermont has a strong personality.”
Baker sat down next to me. “It’s just different from the South. You’ll get used to it, I promise.” He put his arm around me from the side and kissed my cheek.
I wanted so badly to get a four-way conference call to Memphis going right then and there. But honestly, I didn’t know what to tell the girls. I figured I’d better wait. They’d
“Oh yes, sure I remember. It’s nice to see you again,” I lied.
“Welcome to Vermont. I remembered Baker saying you and your daughters would be arriving sometime this week. How do you like it so far?”
“We just got in a couple of nights ago, and as you can probably tell we’ve got our work cut out for us.”
“No joke. I saw all the boxes when I came in. Where are your girls?”
“Upstairs in our apartment watching The Little Mermaid ,” I said.
“For the fiftieth time,” Baker added sarcastically. An awkward moment followed.
“I wanted to stop in and say hi, and also to say there are a bunch of us meeting at Donovan’s tomorrow night. There’s a great band playing. Do you like music, Leelee?”
I looked at Baker to step in and say: Leelee’s been listening to music since she was yea high. And he only said, “Donovan’s is a local hangout.”
I said, “I love music. I haven’t figured out the babysitter thing yet, but I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks.”
“Be happy to babysit anytime, all you have to do is ask,” Roberta said. “I love children. Moe’s got three but we never had any of our own. They’re like mine though.”
“Thank you, Roberta,” I said. “I may take you up on that.”
“Oh, and Monday is ski day. It’s great fun.” Kerri looked over at Baker for affirmation.
“Oh, yeah, Mondays are great.”
“Well, I’ve got lots to do, I’ll see you guys tomorrow night, maybe?” said the bunny.
“Yeah, we’ll try,” Baker replied.
“ Auf Wiedersehen ,” she said to Helga and Rolf, and shot all of us a smile that revealed fluorescent white teeth. She flipped us a ta-ta wave and skipped out of the kitchen.
“ Auf Wiedersehen ,” Rolf hollered after her from behind the line. (The line, I learned, is the place in front of the stove and behind the counter where the chef places the plates for the waiters to retrieve their orders.)
“Baker, would you mind checking on the girls?” I said. We had much to discuss.
“Sure.” Baker told the kitchen staff he’d be back shortly and sprinted out of the kitchen.
I counted backward from one hundred and then hunted him down.
“Kerri seems like she already knows you,” I said, when I found him in our bedroom. “What’s the deal?”
“I was at Donovan’s one night and she and her friends were there. The guys who helped with the painting took me out to get a beer—after working hard all day. Is that okay?”
“Sounds like fun,” I said, sarcastically. I act that way sometimes when I’m threatened, and my head felt flushed with fear.
“Yeah, what’s the big deal?”
“No big deal , I was just curious how Kerri already knows you so well.”
“She works here, for God’s sake. Was I supposed to be rude to her when I saw her?” He stood up from the bed and angrily yanked the curtain on our closet shut.
“No, I just felt funny back there. Plus, Helga obviously likes her and it’s obvious she does not like me.”
“Why would you say that?” Baker turned back around to face me. “That’s not true, there’s no way she couldn’t like you. What’s not to like?”
“I’m just telling you she doesn’t like me. She changed everything I did inthe inn back to her way of decorating. Our styles are completely different. I have to feel like it’s my house if you ever want me to feel comfortable here.” I sat down on the side of the bed.
“Helga will back off. Just give her a little time. Remember how you said Germans have strong personalities? That’s just how she is.”
“Everybody in Vermont has a strong personality.”
Baker sat down next to me. “It’s just different from the South. You’ll get used to it, I promise.” He put his arm around me from the side and kissed my cheek.
I wanted so badly to get a four-way conference call to Memphis going right then and there. But honestly, I didn’t know what to tell the girls. I figured I’d better wait. They’d
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