Read Online Kelly McClymer-Must Love Black by Kelly McClymer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kelly McClymer
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the mostly gray butterfly that had landed on Lady BV’s head. It wasn’t the black butterfly I’d been looking for, but it had saved me from losing my job.
Within seconds we were ready to go. I had managed to keep the peace and get us what we needed. I rocked at the nanny job. I grabbed the tripod and led the twins past Lady Buena Verde and back toward the safety and invisibility of our domain.
Geoff had his back to Lady Buena Verde and seemed not to have noticed that we were being shooed out of the garden. But when we scuttled past him, I heard him whisper, “Good work, Philippa. Don’t take her on head-to-head, or you’ll lose.”
I almost stopped, but Lady Buena Verde’s glare kept me moving. I didn’t need to cause trouble for a guy who might turn out to be my only ally.
Once we were out of the garden, the twins began towhisper furiously again. “That wasn’t fair. Father never would have shooed us out of there,” Triste said.
“I don’t like her.”
“Mother wouldn’t like her either.”
“You shouldn’t say that.”
“Why not? It’s true. Mother wanted Father to make Chrysalis Cliff more about peace and welcoming.”
Interesting.
We scooted back through the house. As we passed the turnoff to Laurie’s office, Triste stopped in the middle of the hall. “We should see Father about this.”
Rienne stopped, too, but her glance toward Laurie’s office didn’t look very certain. “What would we say?”
How about “let me out of this prison and be a normal kid if you so badly want me to have fun”? Not that I thought it would be wise to put those words in the twins’ mouths.
Triste wasn’t so reticent. “We should ask if we can be permitted to photograph butterflies if we need to, and if we behave ourselves, of course.”
“Excellent point, Triste.” I decided it was time to put on my nanny hat. “We should get permission ahead of time, so we don’t feel unfairly scolded in the future.” I had a feeling Lady Buena Verde wouldn’t be happy, but she wouldn’t know until after we’d dealt with the permission issue and cut out her objection.
Laurie was at her desk. A guy was bent over her pointing out something in a newspaper they were both looking at on her desk. For a second I hoped she’d found a new guy, but then they saw us and she jumped up and said, “Philippa, I want you to meet my brother, David.”
“Hi,” I said, suppressing my disappointment. Her brother. Bummer.
Or not. He straightened up, taking the paper and folding it under his arm as he smiled. “Philippa. What an old-fashioned name.” His blue eyes were bright, and I was a little surprised to find myself being checked out with enough interest to make my temperature begin to rise. “I like it.”
Triste and Rienne had no time or patience for my flirtation, however. Triste spoke up firmly. “Laurie, we need to see Father.”
“You do?” She spoke to them with a lilting tone that made it seem as if she thought they were three, not ten. She patted her brother on the arm and gave him a no-nonsense sisterly look that said “get lost.” “I guess we can talk more about this at home, okay?”
He nodded and threw me a rueful smile as he left. I wondered if he came by often or if this was a rare treat, but I didn’t know how to ask. Not that it would matter since we weren’t allowed to leave our domain.
“So, what exactly is the problem?” Laurie asked. If the twins wanted to see their father, they would first have to get past his gatekeeper.
Rienne told Laurie our plight and she dropped her jaw in shock. “You didn’t!”
Great. Everyone here thought it was okay for the girls to be locked away like freaks. I said, “Well, yes, I’m afraid we did.”
Laurie picked up her Blackberry and pushed a few buttons. “Lady Buena Verde saw you?”
Was that really the most important question? “Sure. Butshe didn’t turn into dust or melt away, so don’t worry.”
“Oh, no!” Laurie cried.
I
Within seconds we were ready to go. I had managed to keep the peace and get us what we needed. I rocked at the nanny job. I grabbed the tripod and led the twins past Lady Buena Verde and back toward the safety and invisibility of our domain.
Geoff had his back to Lady Buena Verde and seemed not to have noticed that we were being shooed out of the garden. But when we scuttled past him, I heard him whisper, “Good work, Philippa. Don’t take her on head-to-head, or you’ll lose.”
I almost stopped, but Lady Buena Verde’s glare kept me moving. I didn’t need to cause trouble for a guy who might turn out to be my only ally.
Once we were out of the garden, the twins began towhisper furiously again. “That wasn’t fair. Father never would have shooed us out of there,” Triste said.
“I don’t like her.”
“Mother wouldn’t like her either.”
“You shouldn’t say that.”
“Why not? It’s true. Mother wanted Father to make Chrysalis Cliff more about peace and welcoming.”
Interesting.
We scooted back through the house. As we passed the turnoff to Laurie’s office, Triste stopped in the middle of the hall. “We should see Father about this.”
Rienne stopped, too, but her glance toward Laurie’s office didn’t look very certain. “What would we say?”
How about “let me out of this prison and be a normal kid if you so badly want me to have fun”? Not that I thought it would be wise to put those words in the twins’ mouths.
Triste wasn’t so reticent. “We should ask if we can be permitted to photograph butterflies if we need to, and if we behave ourselves, of course.”
“Excellent point, Triste.” I decided it was time to put on my nanny hat. “We should get permission ahead of time, so we don’t feel unfairly scolded in the future.” I had a feeling Lady Buena Verde wouldn’t be happy, but she wouldn’t know until after we’d dealt with the permission issue and cut out her objection.
Laurie was at her desk. A guy was bent over her pointing out something in a newspaper they were both looking at on her desk. For a second I hoped she’d found a new guy, but then they saw us and she jumped up and said, “Philippa, I want you to meet my brother, David.”
“Hi,” I said, suppressing my disappointment. Her brother. Bummer.
Or not. He straightened up, taking the paper and folding it under his arm as he smiled. “Philippa. What an old-fashioned name.” His blue eyes were bright, and I was a little surprised to find myself being checked out with enough interest to make my temperature begin to rise. “I like it.”
Triste and Rienne had no time or patience for my flirtation, however. Triste spoke up firmly. “Laurie, we need to see Father.”
“You do?” She spoke to them with a lilting tone that made it seem as if she thought they were three, not ten. She patted her brother on the arm and gave him a no-nonsense sisterly look that said “get lost.” “I guess we can talk more about this at home, okay?”
He nodded and threw me a rueful smile as he left. I wondered if he came by often or if this was a rare treat, but I didn’t know how to ask. Not that it would matter since we weren’t allowed to leave our domain.
“So, what exactly is the problem?” Laurie asked. If the twins wanted to see their father, they would first have to get past his gatekeeper.
Rienne told Laurie our plight and she dropped her jaw in shock. “You didn’t!”
Great. Everyone here thought it was okay for the girls to be locked away like freaks. I said, “Well, yes, I’m afraid we did.”
Laurie picked up her Blackberry and pushed a few buttons. “Lady Buena Verde saw you?”
Was that really the most important question? “Sure. Butshe didn’t turn into dust or melt away, so don’t worry.”
“Oh, no!” Laurie cried.
I
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