Page 91 of Sleeper: The Palisades Edition

“No. I’m only going to be there for a short while, this trip. I’m going to meet some people and talk to them about a job.”

“To be someone else’s nanny?”

“No, it’s not a nanny job. It’s another kind of job. Working in a big building instead of a house.”

“But why do you have to go to New York?”

“Because that’s where the job is.”

“But are you going to come back to here?”

“Yes. And if I have to move to New York, I promise I will come back to see you before I go. If you want me to. Do you want me to?”

He nods and wipes his nose.

I kiss him on the cheek. “You’re a very good, smart boy, and I love you very much.”

“You’re supposed to kiss me on both cheeks,” he whispers. “Like French people.”

“You’re right.” I kiss him on both cheeks. “Bonne nuit, mon chéri.”

Summer still hasn’t said a word or made eye contact with me, so I go over to sit closer to her. I brushhair out of her face and lean in to kiss her on both cheeks, and as soon as I do, she bursts into tears. “I made you in trouble, didn’t I?”

“No.Imade me in trouble.”

“I’m sorry I told on you.”

“You don’t have to say you’re sorry to me. I am not mad at you, Summer. I love you.”

“But you’re going away anyway?”

“I have to go to New York for the job interview. It’s not because I want to leave you and Lucky or your dad. People don’t stop loving each other just because they aren’t around all the time. You know that, right? Just like your mom still loves you, even though she’s working in Poland now. And your dad always loves you, even when he’s doing a movie somewhere else. I might have to go to New York to work for a while, but I’ll still love you and think about you guys all the time.”

This seems to make sense to both of them, and Summer calms down.

She wipes the tears from her eyes. “You’re not taking us to school tomorrow?” she asks.

“No, I have to go to the airport tomorrow. I’m going to my brother’s place tonight.”

“Will you wait here until we’re asleep?”

I give her a hug, and she hugs me back. I have to hold my breath because the scent of her baby shampoo is the thing that might finally break me. “I have to go downstairs to finish packing and putting things in the truck. But I’ll send your dad up to stay with you. Okay?”

She nods.

“Knock knock.”

They both ask, so cautiously, “Who’s there?”

“Toodle”

“Toodle who?”

“See you later, alligators.”

Shane is sitting at the bottom of the stairs. He stands up as soon as he hears me coming down.

“Can you stay with them until they fall asleep?” I whisper.