TWENTY-SIX


SUSAN FOUND KATE a job as a teacher's aide in a private nursery school in Cambridge. Kevin was welcomed at Crocker Construction, where everyone treated him very respectfully. A couple of days after Kate had quit, Valerie Hatch stalked into my office without closing the door behind her.

"What the hell kind of operation are you running here?" she said.

"No need for thanks," I said. "Just doing my job."

"You sonovabitch," she said. "Because of you I've lost my nanny."

"Glad to do it," I said.

"Do you have any idea what it is like to be a career woman with a child?"

"No."

"Well, maybe you'd like to try the fast track someday while you've got a sixteen-month-old kid clinging to your damned skirt."

"I don't think a skirt would improve my fast-track chances."

"Don't avoid the issue," she said.

"Ms. Hatch, there is no issue," I said. "Kate didn't want to work for you, so she quit and got another job."

"Which you helped her with."

"Yes."

"You even got a job for that lout of a boyfriend."

"I did," I said.

"That is not what I employed you for."

"I know," I said. "I quit too."

"Don't think I'm going to take this kind of betrayal passively."

"Okay," I said. "I won't think that."

"I have every intention of pursuing this with the appropriate licensing agency."

I nodded.

"And don't think I'm going to pay your bill."

"There is no bill," I said.

"You mean they bought you off?"

"I mean this is pro bono, " I said. "Would you like to know what I think?"

"No."

"Few people do," I said.

We were quiet. She glared at me.

"Well, what is it?"

"What is what?"

"What you think," she said. "My God, you're a fool."

"I think you should hire a new nanny."

She stared at me.

"That's your idea?"

I smiled and nodded. She stared at me some more.

"Men!" she said, and turned and stomped out of my office.

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