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When I follow her out into the long hall, I can’t help but glance at the double doors of the neighboring office They’re big and heavy — stately — with the US seal in the center and two flags flanking the, but the htly closed Even to me

“Is he here?” I ask

I haven’t seen him in three years

“No, Grace Your grandfather is a busy ives er, a sive you the tour”

“I’ve been here before,” I say, following her toward the stairs

“Of course, but I’ve never had the privilege of showing you around”

“I lived here every summer until my mom died I know the way around”

“Of course you do, but you and I have never really gotten to know each other I would like for us to be friends, Grace” Ms Chancellor stops on the highest step, her hand on the railing The light frohts in her auburn hair It’s pretty She’s pretty I bet she was a real looker in her twenties, but she’s only a few years younger than randfather, which makes her at least sixty now Her auburn hair, I realize, probably comes out of a bottle

“Chocolate?” She pulls two blue-wrapped sweets out of the pocket of her tailored jacket, offers one to me, and keeps one for herself

“I’m sixteen,” I tell her

“So?”

“So I’m not a little kid You don’t have to bribe me with candy”

“Good Then I get to eat yours” She unwraps one piece and pops it into her mouth

Every year the Swiss arandfather for Christmas, and I know froelse on earth, so I take my piece and unwrap it, hold it ina bite A thin layer of chocolate covers ers when I’m finished

“Here,” she says, handing me a handkerchief

I rub my hands on my jeans

Ms Chancellor eyes this, sees it as proof that the ahter is just as wild and untamed as advertised

I start down the stairs and sulance back over my shoulder “I feel we’re off to an excellent start”

The es are supposed to shrink as you age, but I hadn’t been expecting this When we reach the stairs,I wonder what Ms Chancellor would do if I were to hop onto the banister and slide down to the black-and-white-checkered floor like I used to do when Jamie told me not to

“There are fifty-five Americans e back into tour-guide nitary I can’t really bla job, after all, a responsibility she isn’t exactly trained for