“What did Aunt Em say?” No point in asking Uncle Henry’s opinion. We were his sister’s children, but he left all decisions about our raising to his wife.
“I didn’t tell them.”
“But they know you’re here,” I ventured.
Toni shook her head. “They think I’m coming home for Christmas.”
Our aunt was not a sentimental woman. She never sat down with us to watch a Christmas movie all the way through. She gave practical gifts: winter coats and underwear. But every December she set out the china bell collection that had belonged to her grandmother and the pottery nativity figures our mother brought back one year from Mexico. Toni and I used to arrange them together on the sideboard. What would Em do, how would she feel, if neither of us were there?
“Toni. You have to call her. You have to tell her.”
“I thought maybe you could do it.”
Of course she did. Didn’t I always?
“Dee, dear, could I speak with you a moment,” Glenda said from the doorway. Not a question.
“I’ll just take my things to your room,” Toni said. She shouldered her backpack. “Where is it?”
“Up two flights. Third door on the right.”
“Great. Nice to meet you,” she said to Glenda as she passed.
“Welcome to Dublin!” Toni’s footsteps faded up the stairs. “Of course she can’t stay,” Glenda said to me.
Of course, I echoed silently. Because housing a live-in au pair was totally different from hosting a random American teenager over the holidays.
I sucked in my breath, remembering Mom dropping us off with Aunt Leslie. Or was it Cecily?
“This apartment isn’t really set up for children,” Leslie/Cecily said.
I stood in the center of her living room, holding tight to Toni’s hand, our suitcase at my feet. “We don’t take up a lot of room.”
Our mother’s friend sighed. “I thought you girls were older. You’re fine. But some of the supplies I work with are pretty toxic. If the baby gets into things...”
“She won’t,” I assured her. “We won’t be any trouble. I’ll take care of her.”
That’s what I did.
I met Glenda’s gaze. “I didn’t expect... That is... Would it be okay if Toni slept in my room tonight?”
She nodded. “You want to visit before we leave for Gstaad on Monday.”
The day after tomorrow. I winced. “Yeah. Thank you. The thing is... My sister just got here.”
“I’m aware.”
“I can’t leave her alone on Christmas.”
Glenda’s perfect brow creased. “Naturally, you’llmissher. But you’re sharing a room with Lily and Sophie. There’s simply no way your sister can come, too.”
“I wasn’t suggesting... I mean I can’t go.”
Glenda blinked her pale-blue eyes. “I’m not sure I understand. I thought you were looking forward to our trip.”
“I am. I was. But Toni’s only eighteen,” I said.
“Old enough to get on a plane. Old enough to make her own decisions. She needs to learn that actions have consequences.”
