第27部分(第5/7 頁)

y　and　then　shuffled　away；　fanning　her　face　with　one　hand　as　she　joined　Rufus　and

Jeanette　on　the　curb。

Vanessa　grabbed　Dan？s　hand　forcefully；　pulling　him　behind　the　car　so　that　they　could　have　some

privacy。　She　kissed　him　hard？a　little　reminder　of　their　long　night　last　night？and　then　pulled　back；

grinning。　She　was　sad　to　see　Dan　go；　but　they　were　together　again？and　she　had　some　ideas　for

how　to　stay　in　touch。

？Not　only　will　I　call　you　every　day；？　she　said；　swooping　in　for　another　kiss；　then　lowering　her

voice　to　a　throaty　whisper；　？but　I？ll　be　sending　you　somemovies；　too。？　She　winked；　her　face

wicked。

Dan　blushed　bright　red。　？Rated　R；　I　hope；？　he　whispered　in　her　ear。

Finally　she　pried　herself　out　of　his　arms；　and　he　got　behind　the　wheel　of　his　huge　automobile。　He

slammed　the　door　and　Vanessa　backed　slowly　away；　joining　his　family　on　the　curb。　There　they

were：　his　crazily　dressed　father；　his　long…absent　mother；　his　sweet　little　sister；　and　Vanessa；　the

bald；　beautiful；　love　of　his　life。　He　jammed　the　key　into　the　ignition；　fighting　tears。

The　car　coughed　once；　twice；　and　then　。　。　。　died　abruptly。　Dan　closed　his　eyes。　He　couldn？t　face

another　round　of　goodbyes。　He　turned　the　key　once　more。　This　time；　the　engine　caught；　coughing

and　sputtering；　before　ing　to　life　with　a　giant　roar。

He　jerked　the　car　forward；　trying　to　remember　everything　his　dad　had　told　him　about　defensive

driving；　and　watched　his　family　get　smaller　and　smaller　in　the　rearview　mirror；　all　four　of　them

waving　wildly　and　wiping　their　eyes　as　he　sped　up　West　End　Avenue。　His　blood　felt　electric；　and

he　could　hardly　wait　to　get　out　on　the　open　road；　to　feel　the　sun　on　his