“KAAAATHERINE!” Christy threw a yellow pad at her friend and laughed like she was goofing on her. There was a reporter in the room, for God’s sake. “Skip, would you excuse us for a minute?” Christy asked.
“Who, me?” he said.
“Yes, I just need a minute with Katherine one-on-one. You understand?”
“Oh, sure,” he said, sauntering out in his Nikes.
When Skip was safely out of earshot, Christy spoke. “Katherine, you have to be more careful with that guy listening. What are you thinking? Anything you say can end up in the article!”
“Okay, okay,” Katherine said. “But he insisted on watching you operate in your real life. They won’t do the article if all we give them is access to a bunch of photo ops.”
“I understand. But there’s real and there’s real. He doesn’t need to know I’m asking you to pull strings to get Renata into school.”
“You’re right. I’ll be more circumspect. In fact, I’ll call Colby after he leaves. Lucky for you they love me. I just made a six-figure pledge.”
“SIX FIGURES?”
“This is the time. I need them to get Alex into a good college. After I pledged, they assigned her their best college counselor. Coincidence? I think not.”
Christy couldn’t get over how complicated parenthood was. The nanny. The driver. Clothes. School. Donations. Decorator. Camp. Therapy. And this was just the beginning. There was bound to be more. She wondered how Maria always managed to make it seem like raising Renata was no trouble at all.
Renata the Spy
DEAR DIARY,
YESTERDAY, WHILE NO ONE WAS HOME AS USUAL, I TOOK NECTER ON A TOUR OF THE APARTMENT. BUT SECRETLY, I WAS STAKING OUT HIDING PLACES. NOBODY TELLS ME ANYTHING AROUND HERE SO MY ONLY CHOICE IS TO SPY. THE BEST PLACE I FOUND WAS BETWEEN THE LIBRARY AND CHRISTY AND MICHAEL’S BEDROOM. THEY SHARE A CLOSET THAT YOU CAN GET INTO FROM EITHER ROOM. YOU CAN HEAR EVERYTHING IF YOU STICK YOUR EAR UNDER THE DOOR TO WHATEVER ROOM WHERE PEOPLE ARE TALKING. AND YOU CAN HEAR EVEN BETTER WHEN YOU USE A GLASS. THIS COULD BE A GOLD MIND!!!!
AFTER NECTER LEFT YESTERDAY, I VISITED MRS. DAMILL DE MILLE IN HER APARTMENT. GUESS WHAT? SHE IS RUSSIAN PRINCESS ANASTASHA, DECENDED FROM ZARR NICHOLAS. HER BIGGEST REGRET IN LIFE IS THAT SHE CAN’T GO BACK AND RECLAIM THE RUSSIAN THRONE. WE PLAYED WITH HER CAT AND I TALKED ABOUT GRANDMA. SHE TOLD ME THAT EVERYONE SHE’S EVER LOVED HAS DIED. MRS. DE MILLE IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO UNDERSTANDS MY PAIN.
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
RENATA
Coveting Colby
You two are superlucky,” Mrs. Hitchcock said. “Demi pulled Rumor, Scout, and Tallulah out last month so we just happen to have three extra spots. Very unusual. Demi was heartbroken about leaving, but she’s making a movie in California and doesn’t want to be separated from the girls.”
“Demi’s such a good mother,” Christy said. “Not that I know her, but from everything I’ve read.”
If Michael could have rolled his eyes at that moment, he would have. Christy kicked him under the table. He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. “I hear Bruce is a great father, too,” Michael added.
“So, Michael, it is truly admirable of you to adopt Renata. What concerns did you have about taking in an eleven-year-old Hispanic orphan?”
“I wasn’t concerned at all. Renata’s a great kid. Very special. I’m looking forward to being the father she never had.”
“That’s sooooo generous of you,” Mrs. Hitchcock trilled. “At Colby, we specifically look for involved fathers. That’s the number-one predictor of a girl’s success in life.”
“My dad was a huge factor in my life. He introduced me to running and pushed me to win,” Christy said.
“Case in point,” Mrs. Hitchcock said. “And Michael, you seem like a wonderful father. Renata is lucky to have you.”
Michael grimaced. Christy reached over and squeezed his hand.
“So, Christy, Katherine told me you were interested in heading a major committee at the school. She suggested we put you in charge of fifth-grade graduation. We always celebrate the girls moving on to middle school. It’s such an important rite of passage, don’t you think?”
“I do, and that’s a wonderful idea. I’ve never chaired a graduation before, but how hard can it be?” Christy said.
“Well, let’s see, there’s the ceremony itself, the speaker, and soliciting donations for the class gift. With all the volunteers we have, it’ll practically organize itself. Everyone will be thrilled to have a chairwoman with the kind of connections you have,” Mrs. Hitchcock said. “We’ll be looking for a famous woman to make the commencement address. Someone who’s a role model for young girls.”
“Then this must be kismet,” Michael said, smiling at his wife. “I’ll bet Christy could get LaShaun Mason.”
“Reee-ally,” Mrs. Hitchcock said, fascinated.
“No problem,” Christy said. I’m sure the number-one-ranked tennis player in the world would love to speak at a fifth grade graduation right before Wimbledon, she thought.
Everyone smiled like they thought that was a super idea.
Mrs. Hitchcock wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to Christy. Here’s the number of our PTA president, Brownie Rich. She’ll supervise you on the graduation.”
“Honey, isn’t that great? You know her,” Michael said.
“You’re friends?” Mrs. Hitchcock said. “How wonderful. Tell you what. Brownie’s daughter, Stephanie, will be in Renata’s class. She can be her big sister, you know, take her around and show her the ropes. I’ll call Brownie myself to arrange it.”
“Thanks,” Christy said in a voice that was half an octave short of hysterical.
Soon Christy and Michael were at Mrs. Hitchcock’s door, practically genuflecting as they bid her adieu.
In the car heading back down Park Avenue, Michael wasted no time launching into his tirade. “I pay Ali’s tuition bill every year, and it’s only twenty-eight thousand plus a ten-thousand-dollar annual-fund donation. I thought that was extreme. I can’t believe I let that development guy get two hundred thousand out of me. And
