Chapter 18
It was a cool, rainy afternoon, more like late September than June. Leda was in her studio working on a set of cushion covers one of her neighbors had ordered. Her thoughts, however, had again drifted to Amy and the situation she had accepted from Cressida Prior.
Leda’s daughter had few faults, but the biggest one was that she was not the best judge of character. To be fair, there were times when even the most astute judge of character was fooled into believing an unethical person ethical or a criminal person innocent, but Amy had made too many bad calls for her mother’s comfort. There was, for example, the time when, in spite of education about the dangers of going off with strangers, a ten-year-old Amy had been just about to get into the car of a couple who claimed they could best find their lost puppy only with her help, when miraculously Vera had come along and saved the day. “But they were so sad,” Amy had told Vera, who was leading Amy home by the hand. “How could I say no?”
Then, when Amy was fifteen, her head had been completely turned by an eighteen-year-old senior who had beguiled her with tales of his selfless work in an unnamed nursing home and his volunteer services at an unnamed no-kill animal shelter, until one afternoon Amy had come tearing into the house only to tell Leda that this paragon of virtue had been arrested for illegal possession of a firearm. “And I almost said yes to a date with him!” Amy had cried. “How could I not have seen the truth?”
Most recently, in her freshman year of college, Amy had found herself the victim of a Mean Girl plot; the new friend from English class who had seemed so interested in getting to know Amy had one day cruelly cut her off. “She wouldn’t even look at me,” Amy had complained to her mother that evening, in genuine distress. “I said hello like I always do, but she just turned away. What did I do wrong?”
But there was little Leda could do now that Amy had taken the position other than offer mild warnings and hope that Amy didn’t react by doing just the opposite of what her mother was warning against.
The back door banged open and shut, and a moment later Vera appeared in the studio. She was wearing a bulky knit sweater and a beret. “I love days like this,” she said. “If it weren’t for the money I earn in summer, I’d want it to be fall all year round.”
Leda smiled. “Wouldn’t you miss lazy afternoons sunning yourself at the beach?”
Vera dropped into the old armchair that had once belonged to Leda’s grandmother. “Like I ever have an afternoon off? So, how did Amy’s big interview go?”
“Funny you should ask,” Leda said, and she told Vera about Amy’s getting the position immediately and how Ms. Prior, founder and president “or something” of Prior Ascendancy, had told Amy there was no need for a written contract or for the employment agency to be involved.
“What crap,” Vera said, reaching down to scratch Harry’s head as he leaned against her leg. “You’d better believe she’s got an army of lawyers hashing out even the tiniest business transaction she makes. And without the agency there’s no referee, as it were, to negotiate if problems arise. What’s she playing at, I wonder.”
“Taking advantage of a young woman who’s clearly not the savviest person you’ll meet?” Leda suggested.
“Well, not that I want anything bad to happen to Amy, but if she is taken advantage of by this woman it’s a lesson learned. What does Prior Ascendancy do, anyway?” Vera asked.
“Don’t ask Amy. She doesn’t know. As far as I can make out, Prior Ascendancy organizes conventions and annual meetings for groups like dentists and food wholesalers.”
Vera grimaced. “That doesn’t sound very glamorous.”
“And get this. Amy wasn’t introduced to the children. I don’t know about you, but if I were hiring someone to care for my children I’d want to be sure they took to the person before I went ahead and took her on.”
“That is odd,” Vera said. “For Amy’s sake let’s hope the kids aren’t undisciplined monsters.”
“And she didn’t ask to see Amy’s list of references. For all Cressida Prior knows, she could have been hiring a criminal. I don’t know, Vera, nothing about this situation seems right.”
“I agree there are some strange things about it. But keep in mind that given your history you were prejudiced about Amy’s working as a nanny from the start.”
“I know. Still, take a look at this.” Leda handed her friend the booklet Ms. Prior had given Amy.
Vera flipped through the booklet, occasionally stopping to read a page closely. After a moment, she looked up. “There’s nothing in here about the care of the children,” she said. “This is ridiculous. Don’t bring chips or other snacks into the house. Be sure to use hand sanitizer before leaving the bathroom. No shorts. No halter tops. Who wears halter tops these days?”
Leda frowned. “I have a feeling this summer is going to prove very interesting. Now, how about a cup of hot chocolate to go with this autumnal weather we’re having?”