Natalie stopped chopping. Her eyebrows rose, but a small smile emerged on her lips.
“I know I need to, but every time I think about it, I feel a sense of dread,” I added. “But if I don’t go back, then my paychecks will stop. I have savings, but not a ton because it took so long to pay off my law school loans.”
“You could extend it a bit, right?”
“Yeah I probably could. But not much longer, I don’t think. And it might not be paid.”
Natalie tapped her pointer finger on her lips. “You could do something else, get a different job.”
“You mean like go in-house?”
“Yeah, or something totally different. Work at a store or a restaurant or freelance. You won’t make as much, but enough to defray your costs. Your expenses are low, aren’t they?”
“For the most part. Mimi isn’t charging me rent or anything. Car payment, groceries, other necessities. And eventually, health insurance.”
Natalie nodded. “Couldn’t you even find something on the Vineyard in the interim? There must be tons of summer jobs.”
“I don’t know why I didn’t think of that.”
“Could be fun, even.”
I smiled. “That’s a great idea. It would be really nice to feel like I have the freedom tonotgo back…” My shoulders relaxed.Even though I probably will go back at the end of the day.
I leaned against my pillows, content with this new idea and ready for a subject change. “Tell me about what’s going on with you. Any interesting dates lately?”
“Oh, you will not believe what happened on my last one.”
I made myself comfortable while Natalie told me all about the handsome but totally aloof grad student she went out with last weekend, how they got lost several times, and he’d made a reservation at the wrong restaurant. A smile stretched on my face as she gesticulated wildly, in full storytelling mode. Natalie found it all endearing, and said she’d go out with him again, but she would do the planning. He was a lucky man.
Over the next couple of days I meandered through town and looked online for job openings. My top choice would have been the bookstore, but they told me they already had their summer schedule covered.
I texted Natalie.
Val
Struggling to find a part-time retail job. And they’re all pretty low-paying.
Natalie
What else can you do? Did you have any other jobs before law school?
Val
Not really. Babysitting.
Natalie
That’s perfect! I bet tons of people on the island need help with their kids over the summer. And that would pay more than retail for sure.
Val
You’re brilliant, Nat.
11
On the Saturday morning of Memorial Day Weekend I walked into town before Mimi woke up with a stack of fliers I’d printed on my grandfather’s old printer. Each sheet advertised my availability for summer babysitting or nannying, complete with my age and prior experience.
My first stop was the community bulletin board at the Edgartown Yacht Club, a boating club and restaurant that extended out into the water at the end of Main Street where my grandparents had been members for years. After securing the paper with a pushpin, I meandered to the front deck. Excited boaters heading out for the day streamed by in a parade of white and wooden motorboats, some with speakers blaring already. It was the first official weekend of New England summer, and those three beautiful, fleeting months stretched before everyone. A palpable sense of anticipation swirled through town, carried on the harbor wind.
