第25部分(第3/7 頁)

　understanding；

but　Captain　Archibald　seemed　oblivious　to　what　Nate　was　trying　to　say。

His　father　smiled　and　clinked　glasses　with　Nate　again。　？I？m　glad　it　helped；　son。You　certainly　are

one　lucky　kid；？　he　repeated；　looking　at　Blair　appreciatively。　Blair　giggled　and　squeezed　Nate？s

hand。　Nate　just　buried　his　nose　in　his　champagne。

Glug；　glug；　glug。

？Nathaniel！？　He　heard　someone　call　from　behind　him　and　turned　around　to　see　his　mother

approach　from　the　neighboring　Egyptian　exhibit。　She　wore　bright　red　lipstick；　a　red　poppy　in　her

dark　hair；　and　a　sweeping　red　gown　that　looked　like　it　had　e　straight　from　the　set

ofCarmen　。　？Darling；？　she　cooed　in　her　French　accent；　kissing　her　son　on　either　cheek。　？Your

father？s　told　me　the　good　news。　I？m　so　glad。　But　I？m　afraid　we　can？t　stay　to　celebrate？we？re　off

to　the　opera。？　Throughout　Nate？s　life；　his　mom　had　spent　more　time　shopping　and　attending　the

opera　or　a　gala　to　benefit　the　opera　than　she　had　with　her　only　son；　leaving　precious　little　to　talk

about。　Once　a　year；　at　Christmas　time；　she　met　him　for　a　drink　at　the　bar　in　the　Carlyle　Hotel；

where　she？d　attempt　to　pry　into　his　love　life。　It　was　totally　embarrassing。

？I？m　so　。　。　。　glad　you？re　glad；　Mom；？　he　responded　lamely。　？Congratulations；mon　cherie　。？　His

mother　gave　him　another　kiss；　squeezing　his　hand　before　she　dragged　the　Captain　away　to　their

waiting　town　car。

Nate　turned　to　Blair；　ready　to　confess　to　her　how　confused　and　freaked　out　he　felt；　but　she　was

chatting　with　the　bartender　while　he　tried　pathetically　to　get　her　number。　Maybe　Blair　had　bigger

balls　than　he　did；　but　she　couldn？t　figure　this　out　for　him。　No　one　could。

Excep