Claire Gulliver #02 - Washington Weirdos by Gayle Wigglesworth Read Free Book Online Page B

placed them on a small tray and served them with a flourish they clearly enjoyed.
    Dinner was served in a small intimate dining room, separated from the large formal room by slider doors. When they had large parties, MiMi explained, they could extend the size of the larger room by opening the sliders. And breakfast and lunch were usually served in the solarium. She gestured to the room so Claire would be able to find it in the morning.
    “In the morning there is coffee, juice and fruit set out there from six o’clock until about ten, and you just ring the buzzer near the serving table when you’re ready for your breakfast. That way everyone can keep to his or her own schedule. We find it very efficient.
    “Of course, the morning after the Gala the house will be full of people, so we’ll have someone manning the breakfast room the whole morning.”
    “Oh, will there be a lot of people staying here then?”
    “I think about twenty. It’s easier to have them stay over a few days than worry about getting some of them home safely.”
    “What MiMi means, Claire, is some of them like to party till dawn, so we may as well give them a bedroom, as they’ll be here anyway.”
    MiMi laughed. “Well, actually some of our friends...”
    “And relatives,” David added.
    “Yes. Some of them don’t know when to stop. But it’s only one weekend. And since it’s the end of the summer, everyone tries to make it last forever.”
    “Ugh! Gramimi, do I have to?” The disgusted look on Amy’s face was comical as she eyed the dish she was being offered.
    MiMi took pity and shook her head. “No, dear. Just eat the other things. The spinach soufflé is a special treat for your Grandpap.”
    “David loves spinach soufflé so this is a sample of what will be on the buffet table on Saturday. I can’t say I’m overly fond of it either, but some people will enjoy it.”
    David helped himself to a liberal amount and Claire was happy to join him, being fond of the dish herself. She was surprised to find herself scarfing down the spinach along with baby lamb chops, tiny roasted potatoes, vegetables and mint sauce. She thought at lunch today she’d never have to eat again and here she was eating as if she was starved. It was a wonderful meal and she told MiMi so.
    MiMi smiled at her praise. “Marilou, our cook, did this. She is a wonder in the kitchen.”
    “You should have been here last night. Cook was off, so MiMi and the girls did dinner. Didn’t you, girls?” David’s face was serious but his eyes gave away his suppressed laughter.
    “It was so good. Gramimi is a great cook, aren’t you, Gramimi?” Amy was serious and JoJo nodded her agreement.
    “Well, I used to think I was.”
    Amy shook her head. “She is!” Amy was emphatic. “You are. We made fish sticks.”
    “And macaroni and cheese,” JoJo added. “It was our best meal yet.”
    The grownups looked at each other and then had to laugh.
    “Gourmet cooking is just in how you look at it,” MiMi explained. “Actually, the fish sticks weren’t bad. Either they’ve improved them or I’ve forgotten how they tasted when I served them to their mother.” She watched Amy struggling with her knife and fork and offered, “Here, dear, let me help you cut that up or you’ll never be able to finish your meal. Cook made your favorite desert.”
    At the end of their meal, the young lady who had been serving them brought in a message for Claire from Jack.
    “I need to call him. And I need to call home and let them know where I am.” She suddenly felt guilty. She hadn’t thought about the store all day.
    “We’ll have our coffee in the solarium because the girls and I are going to play a hot game of Yahtzee. David will be in the library. David, do you want coffee?” At his headshake she went on. “Claire, why don’t you use the phone in that little room off the library and when you’re done you can join us in the solarium. Then we can discuss what you want to do