the thing. I’m having two more boys. I’m going to have
five
boys, Eleanor. Do you know what that is in girl equivalency? It’s like having fifteen girls.”
Eleanor opens the door and signals to the driver that she’s coming. “Ginny, I’m going away for a few days. I need you to watch—”
Ginny pulls her close and sobs onto her cashmere sweater. “What am I going to do? I’ll never survive five boys that young. Never. Do you know how many sandwiches I’ll be making every morning? And don’t get me started on the LEGO.”
Eleanor pats her back. It’s peanut butter in her hair; the smell is unmistakable now. There’s no way she can leave Angus with Ginny. In her state, she might forget the dog exists.
Through the window, Eleanor sees Noel climbing into the Audi. Eleanor pulls back from Ginny. “Quick. What have you got in your lunch?”
With the nail of his index finger pressed into a white rag, he extricates the dust from the decorative trim surrounding the odometer. Once he’s swiped all the way around, twice,he shifts the rag to a clean spot and spritzes it with an eco-friendly surface cleaner that smells like grapefruit. Then repeats the procedure around the gas and temperature gauge.
Eleanor sits in the seat beside him and watches. The look on his face is either enthusiastic or maniacal, she can’t decide which. Holding up Ginny’s crushed box of raisins, she flashes him a smile. “Raisins are surprisingly high in vitamin C. I thought, since it’s cold and flu season, you might like—”
“The thing is—and people don’t know this—you have to use a gentle cleaner. These chemical-based sprays, they dry out the dashboard. You combine that kind of harsh formulation with the constant glare of the sun and the heat and cold and, man. You’ve got yourself a recipe for premature desiccation and fading and cracking. Dashboard’s never gonna look the same.” In and out of the vent slats, along the crevice surrounding the stereo and A/C system goes his rag-covered finger. A slight shift of the hand to find a clean spot on the cloth, then over to the glove box.
Eleanor tightens the scarf around her neck. It’s cold this morning. How he’s sitting in here in nothing but a Meat Loaf T-shirt defies explanation. From the cab behind them, the driver honks. From the Pretty Baby window, Angus barks.
“So, anyway.”
“I used to use nothing but warm water. But then I heard there has to be at least some oil in your formulation.” He grabs the bottle and shrugs. “This one uses lavender oil. Supposed to keep things well conditioned.”
Two businessmen stop in front of Death by Vinyl and peer inside. The cab honks again. The driver will leave and then she’s going to miss the second flight in two weeks. She calls out the window that he can take her suitcase, which sitson the sidewalk. With a roll of his eyes, he grabs it and puts it in the trunk. She speaks fast.
“So, I’m going away today and, well, you seemed to take to Angus the other day at the cemetery. You know, the way he ate your muffin and then he wanted to wrestle. It’s rare for him these days. He’s … I don’t know. He’s been in a depression. Do you think you could watch him while I’m gone? It’s just for a few days and he can still sleep at my place.”
Noel wipes down the top of the dashboard and frowns. “Look at that lint. I don’t think I should use a cotton cloth.”
“Anyway. About Angus.”
“Who’s Angus—your husband?”
Eleanor stares at him, stunned. “My
dog
. Please. I have no one to help me and I have to board a plane in a couple of hours. He’s no trouble. If you could feed him and walk him, maybe let him hang with you while you …” She was going to say
work
, but there doesn’t seem to be much of that going on over there. “Fine-tune your speakers, I’d really appreciate it. My assistant, Ginny, can give you advice, and of course I’ll give you my cell.”
“Maybe it’s a polyester
five
boys, Eleanor. Do you know what that is in girl equivalency? It’s like having fifteen girls.”
Eleanor opens the door and signals to the driver that she’s coming. “Ginny, I’m going away for a few days. I need you to watch—”
Ginny pulls her close and sobs onto her cashmere sweater. “What am I going to do? I’ll never survive five boys that young. Never. Do you know how many sandwiches I’ll be making every morning? And don’t get me started on the LEGO.”
Eleanor pats her back. It’s peanut butter in her hair; the smell is unmistakable now. There’s no way she can leave Angus with Ginny. In her state, she might forget the dog exists.
Through the window, Eleanor sees Noel climbing into the Audi. Eleanor pulls back from Ginny. “Quick. What have you got in your lunch?”
With the nail of his index finger pressed into a white rag, he extricates the dust from the decorative trim surrounding the odometer. Once he’s swiped all the way around, twice,he shifts the rag to a clean spot and spritzes it with an eco-friendly surface cleaner that smells like grapefruit. Then repeats the procedure around the gas and temperature gauge.
Eleanor sits in the seat beside him and watches. The look on his face is either enthusiastic or maniacal, she can’t decide which. Holding up Ginny’s crushed box of raisins, she flashes him a smile. “Raisins are surprisingly high in vitamin C. I thought, since it’s cold and flu season, you might like—”
“The thing is—and people don’t know this—you have to use a gentle cleaner. These chemical-based sprays, they dry out the dashboard. You combine that kind of harsh formulation with the constant glare of the sun and the heat and cold and, man. You’ve got yourself a recipe for premature desiccation and fading and cracking. Dashboard’s never gonna look the same.” In and out of the vent slats, along the crevice surrounding the stereo and A/C system goes his rag-covered finger. A slight shift of the hand to find a clean spot on the cloth, then over to the glove box.
Eleanor tightens the scarf around her neck. It’s cold this morning. How he’s sitting in here in nothing but a Meat Loaf T-shirt defies explanation. From the cab behind them, the driver honks. From the Pretty Baby window, Angus barks.
“So, anyway.”
“I used to use nothing but warm water. But then I heard there has to be at least some oil in your formulation.” He grabs the bottle and shrugs. “This one uses lavender oil. Supposed to keep things well conditioned.”
Two businessmen stop in front of Death by Vinyl and peer inside. The cab honks again. The driver will leave and then she’s going to miss the second flight in two weeks. She calls out the window that he can take her suitcase, which sitson the sidewalk. With a roll of his eyes, he grabs it and puts it in the trunk. She speaks fast.
“So, I’m going away today and, well, you seemed to take to Angus the other day at the cemetery. You know, the way he ate your muffin and then he wanted to wrestle. It’s rare for him these days. He’s … I don’t know. He’s been in a depression. Do you think you could watch him while I’m gone? It’s just for a few days and he can still sleep at my place.”
Noel wipes down the top of the dashboard and frowns. “Look at that lint. I don’t think I should use a cotton cloth.”
“Anyway. About Angus.”
“Who’s Angus—your husband?”
Eleanor stares at him, stunned. “My
dog
. Please. I have no one to help me and I have to board a plane in a couple of hours. He’s no trouble. If you could feed him and walk him, maybe let him hang with you while you …” She was going to say
work
, but there doesn’t seem to be much of that going on over there. “Fine-tune your speakers, I’d really appreciate it. My assistant, Ginny, can give you advice, and of course I’ll give you my cell.”
“Maybe it’s a polyester
Similar Books
