“I think you’ve got a whole new life in front of you, Charlie, and I love you and only wish every good thing in the world for you, but . . .”
“You’re going back to Charleston.”
“Yes. Yes, I am.”
“There’s only one queen bee in each hive,” I said.
“How come?” Hunter said.
“Because somebody has to be in charge.”
Chapter Twenty
Wigged Out
I knew it was the boys’ last day of school. How did I know? I knew because I paid attention, that’s why. Was Sharon there to help the boys clean out their lockers and cubbies? Of course not. Did she ask me to go help? Nope. Was every other parent or nanny there to help them? With little gifts for the teachers, and taking pictures, and bringing treats for the end-of-year class parties? Of course! So when Sharon got a call from the school that she was remiss in her duties, she had to leave her office and go. According to Tyler, she wasn’t too happy.
I knew this because she dropped the boys off at my house. She was going back to her office. And, as it can be in May, it was an unusually hot day. That kind of weather drives the bees from the hives because it’s too hot in there. Generally, what they do is find a cool spot and hang together in a formation that looks like a beard. That day they were hanging on the live oak tree in our backyard. If Sharon had seen them, she might have gone running and screaming to the police station.
“Come in! Come in!” I said when I answered the door. Tyler and Hunter ran by me, headed straight for the kitchen. There on the table was a cake that said Congratulations Tyler and Hunter! Another Great Year in School! Happy Summer! Of course, it was a full sheet cake, because I needed the room to write all that I wanted to say.
I had a big flat-bottomed basket, and in there were plates and napkins and plenty of small cold bottles of water, stacked up, ready to go.
“Want to take all this over to the playground and see who shows up?”
They were twitching and moving their weight from one foot to the other.
“Yeah!”
“Okay, but go to the bathroom first, okay?”
“Okay!”
They scampered like puppies, bumping into each other to see who would get there first. I was very pleased with myself in that moment.
This time we took their golf cart since we had so much to carry. Don’t you know half of their classmates were there at the playground? Tyler and Hunter were so excited. I pulled over and stopped, and they jumped off the cart and ran ahead, emptyhanded, I might add.
The kids were literally jumping up and down like mad and screaming, “No more school until August!” and “It’s officially summer!” We, the adults, looked to each other, remembering our own youth and how exciting it was to consider the promise of summer and all it might bring—vacations, days at the beach, flip-flops, sleepovers with friends, barbecues, fish fries, baseball games—there was an endless list. For me, I could remember trying to get the perfect tan without burning. Leslie, of course, had a tan after one afternoon on the beach. I used to be jealous of all those things, but these days I just remembered them and said, I’d so rather be me.
I took the cake over to the picnic table, went back for the plates, napkins, and water, and got it all organized. Tyler came running over with a couple of boys.
“We’re ready!” Tyler said.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?” I said.
“I’m Tommy and this is Brian,” Tommy said, before Tyler could respond. “Are you the nanny?”
“Nope,” I said. “I’m the next-door neighbor sort of aunt and sort of really great friend.”
Tyler gave me a huge hug and Tommy threw him a little grief.
“Hugging your best friend?” Tommy sang it in baby talk.
Tyler spun around on his heel and said, “Oh, yeah? Well, who bought you a cake?”
“No one! I see your point, sir!” Tommy said.
“I’m Brian,” Brian said. “And I would like a piece of cake, please.”
“Brian has the best manners in our class,” Tommy said solemnly, as though this was simply a goal beyond his reach.
“Well, I’ll tell you what. If you boys will go tell everyone there’s cake and water bottles, I’ll give you the corner pieces! They have the most icing.”