The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus Read Free Book Online Page A

Lord,hawmyheadaches!Whata headhaveI!Myback a t'otherside. h,myback,myback!Beshrew yourheartforsendingmeaboutTo catchmydeathwithjauntingupanddown!
    . HENURSE,ROMEOANDJULIET CHAPTER TWO Multitasking Nanny,
    While you. e on your play date withAlex today, please askAlex. mother who catered her lastdinner?tellherIthought Cajun?infusedAsianwas astrokeofgenius. Justtoletyouknow,theparentsareDIVORCING. Sosad. PleasemakesureGrayerdoesn. sayanythingawkward. I. lswingbyAlex. at4:30 totakeGrayer tohis orthodist. Seeyouthen?
    "Nanny? Nanny?!" Mrs. X's disembodied voice calls out to me as I jog up the block toward the nursery
    schoolcourtyard.
    "Yes?" I say, spinningaround.
    "Thisway."Thedoorof a LincolntowncarpopsopenandMrs. X's manicuredhandflagsmeover.
    "I'm sogladyou're here,"I say, leaningdowntowhereshe's
    seatedamid hershoppingbagsintheplushdarkness. "BecauseI needtoaskyou?
    "Nanny,I justwanttoreiteratethat I'd likeyoutoalways getheretenminutesearly."
    "Of course."
    "Well, it's elevenfifty-five."
    "I'm reallysorry. wastryingtofindGrayer's class list. I'm notsurewhichAlex?
    But she's already busy rooting around in her purse. She pulls a small leather-bound notepad out of her

    hobo bag. "I want to talk with you briefly about a party I'm throwing at the end of the month for the Chicago branch of Mr. X's company." She uncrosses and recrosses her legs, the lavender Prada shoes making an arc of bright color against the dark interior of the town car. "All the top executives will be there. t's a veryimportanteveningandI wantittobeperfectformyhusband."
    "Soundslovely,"I say, unsurewhyI'm beingapprisedof thisfete.
    ShelowershersunglassestomakesurethatI havetakeninevery word.
    ShouldI bringmyformal weartothedry cleaner's?
    "So, I may need you to run a few errands for me this month. It's just that I'm so overwhelmed with the

    preparations and Connie's absolutely no help. So if there's anything I need I'll just leave you a note. t

    reallyshouldn'tbemuch."
    We both hear the heavy clank of the double doors opening behind me followed bythe growing swell of
    children's laughter.

    "I better run, if he sees me he'll just get all upset. Let's go, Ricardo!" she calls to the driver and he pulls
    outbeforeshe's even gotherdoorclosed.
    "Wait, Mrs. X,I neededtoaskyou a question?I callafter theretreatingtaillights.
    TherearefourAlexandersandthreeAlexandrasinGrayer's class.

    THE NANNY DIARIES
    I know. I checked. And now that Mrs. X has sped off I'm still at a complete loss as to which one is
    supposedtobeourescortfortheafternoon.

    Grayer,however,seems toknowexactlywho ourdateis.

    "It's her. I have a play date with her," he says, pointing across the courtyard at a little girl hunkered
    downover somethingintriguingatgroundlevel. I grabGrayer andmakeourwayover.
    "Hi,Alex. We have aplaydatewith youthisafternoon!" I enthusiastically informher.
    "Myname's Cristabelle.Alexis wearing ashirt,"shesays, pointingover atthirtyshirt-wearingchildren.

    Grayer looksup atmeblankly.
    "Grayer,Mommy saidyouhave a playdatewithAlex,"I say.
    He shrugs. "How about Cristabelle? Cristabelle, want to have a play date?"Apparently, one play date's

    asgoodasanother.
    "Grover, it's not Cristabelle, sweetie. But we can have a play date with Cristabelle another day. Would

    you like that?" The little girl huffs off. At the age of four she seems already to know thatif the date has
    tobepostponedit probablyisn't goingtohappen.
    "Okay,Grayer,think.Didn't yourmomsayanything toyouthismorning?"
    "She saidI havetouse moretoothpaste."

    "Alex Brandi, does that ring any bells?" I ask, trying to rattle off the names I remember from the class
    list.
    "Hepicks his nose."
    "AlexKushman?"

    "She spitsKool-Aid."Hecrackshimself up.
    I sigh, looking out across the crowded courtyard. Somewhere in this chaos is another pair who shares
    our plan. I get a flash of us?airport-reception style. e in a chauffeur's cap, Grayer on my shoulders,
    holding abigsignthatsays "ALEX."

    "Hi, I'm Murnel."An older,