Page 37 of The Housekeeper

Chapter Sixteen

Elyse was waitingat the door with a plate of chocolate chip cookies when I arrived with the kids on Saturday. “Just one each,” she warned as they reached for them. “I’ve prepared a very special lunch for you, and I don’t want you ruining your appetite.”

“Elyse, no,” I protested. “You’re not even supposed to be here. It’s your day off.”

“What’s a day off?” asked Daphne.

“It means that she doesn’t have to work,” I said pointedly to Elyse.

“She’s not working,” Sam informed me. “She’s going swimming with us. Aren’t you, Elyse?”

“Just try to stop me.”

“Can I have another cookie?” Daphne asked.

“Do you promise to eat all your lunch?”

“I promise.”

“Okay, then. One more. What about you, Sam?”

“What’s for lunch?” he asked, always the more cautious of my two children.

“How does fish heads and fiddlesticks sound?” Elyse asked.

“Ew! No!”

Daphne promptly dropped the cookie she was holding back onto the plate.

“All right, then,” Elyse said with a smile. “How about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and homemade blueberry popsicles? Sound better?”

“Much better,” Sam said, stuffing another cookie into his mouth before Elyse could reconsider her offer. “Can we go for a ride in the elevator?” he asked as we entered the house.

“Why don’t we save that for later?”

“Okay,” Sam said without protest.

“You’re so good with them,” I marveled as we headed down the stairs to the lower level.

In a matter of minutes, the kids had discarded the clothes covering their swimsuits and were waiting at the side of the pool. “Come on, Elyse,” Sam called. “Hurry up.”

“Mommy, put on my water wings,” Daphne urged.

“I’ll do it. You just sit here and relax,” Elyse told me, motioning me toward one of the chaise longues. “You’re looking a little tired. Are you feeling all right?”

“I’m fine,” I said, hearing the weariness in my voice.

“You don’t sound too sure.”

“It’s been a rough week.”

“But you had that big sale.”

“It’s not work. Work’s going great.” Unexpected tears suddenly filled my eyes.

“Oh, dear,” Elyse said, her own eyes welling up in sympathy. “Home…not so much?”

“Not so much.”