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Nancydoesn’tlikeme.
I had been looking forward to meeting Tabby’s grandmother. From the way Tabby describes her Nana, she sounds like a caring, fun person. Duke has only spoken about Nancy with respect. But it’s clear from the second she arrives at the house that she has no intention of befriending me.
I decide to put chicken noodle soup on the stove, and I make a loaf of bread. Tabby assures me Nana likes soup, so I figure I’m safe. It’s a chilly day, too, so I wanted to offer her something warm and comforting. I made an apple pie for dessert.
The second Nancy steps in the door, she scans me from head to toe and dismisses me. It’s a subtle thing. A cursory glance, nothing drawn out, but I’ve been on the receiving end of glances like that before. I recognize it for what it is.
When she sees Tabby, though, she folds her into a tight hug, keeping one hand on the cane she favors. “My girly! I’m so glad to see you.”
Tabby hugs her back, a huge grin on her face. “How’s your leg, Nana?”
Nancy stands up again, leaning on her cane again. She pats her right leg. “I’m out of a cast now, so they flew me back home. I can drive, and that’s the most important part. So, I can come see you. I should be as good as new soon.”
Tabby squeezes her again. “I’m so glad. I missed you.” She steps away and joins me. “This is June, my nanny.”
Nancy looks me up and down once again, her lips pursed. “Hmm,” she says, noncommittally. “Nice to meet you, June.”
I smile my most likable smile. I’m not sure what I did to offend her, but I can feel her dislike for me rolling off her in waves. “Thank you for coming.”
She snorts. “It’s my son-in-law and granddaughter’s home. Of course, they would be my first stop.”
“Absolutely,” I agree.
“Nancy,” Duke says, coming downstairs. He got home earlier and went up to shower and catch a quick nap before dinner. There are still dark circles under his eyes, though. He’s already exhausted, and he leaves again with the team tomorrow for Boston. “I’m so glad to see you moving around.” He leans in to kiss her cheek. “I see you’ve met June.”
As always, Duke’s eyes are warm when he looks at me, and his presence soothes me. “We did,” I offer her another smile. Nancy doesn’t return it.
“Your nanny, huh?” She harrumphs again before holding her arm out to Duke. “Hon, will you help me into the living room? I just need to sit down. My leg is still giving me trouble.”
“Sure,” he says, steadying her. He casts me a questioning glance, and I only shake my head with a small shrug. “Let’s get you settled.”
“Come keep me company, Tabby?” Nancy asks.
Tabby skips to join them, clearly happy to have her grandmother back. She chatters away as they go into the living room, and I’m left in the foyer alone. Nancy’s message is obvious—I don’t belong here.
Taking a deep breath, I head into the kitchen to make sure everything’s ready for dinner. I put together a salad, so I dress that and warm the bread, setting everything out. When the meal is ready, I call to everyone.
Duke helps Nancy into the dining room, and Tabby sits next to her. She’s talking about the library upstairs. “Daddy had all the walls of the playroom covered in shelves, so June and I have somewhere to read.” I love hearing her excitement about the books.
Nancy casts a quick glance at Duke. “Did you, now?”
Duke only grunts, his eyes on the food. I want to glare at him, but I can’t make eye contact. He’s either too clueless to the tension in the room or he’s too hungry to care.
I sit across from Nancy, determined to make conversation as if nothing is wrong. “Nancy, they told me you hurt yourself skiing. How long have you been skiing? Do the doctors think you’ll be able to ski again?”
She gives me an assessing glare and then falls into conversation. At first, things are fine as we eat our dinner and talk about Nancy’s time in the hospital and rehab. She sounds like an incredibly active person, and my guess is she hated being unable to do the things she wanted. I completely understand that. I think I would make a terrible patient, too.
Tabby wolfs down her food and asks to be excused. When Duke nods, she hugs us all and runs into the living room.
With her gone, Nancy turns to me. “Tell me about yourself, June. Where did you grow up?”
I pat my lips with my napkin. “My mother and I lived all over when I was young, and then I was in foster care from middle school until I graduated from high school. My foster mother lives in Moorestown, so that’s where I went to school, and then I studied education at Rutgers.”
She makes a noncommittal hum. “I see.” She turns to Duke, and her voice is full of censure. “So,” she begins, “you think it’s okay to hire someone else to raise your child?”
I swallow hard, taken aback. Duke clears his throat. If he didn’t know there was animosity in the air before, he does now.
He glances between Nancy and me, as if trying to get his bearings. “You know how much I travel, Nan. It’s important for Tabby to have someone consistent here. June is her friend and confidante, which I’m sure you can appreciate.” He looks at me. “She’s become irreplaceable to me as well.”
