第22部分(第4/7 頁)

d　window。

Vanessa　looked　from　the　window　to　her　ex…boyfriend？who　now　apparently　had　boyfriends　of　his

own。　？Uh　。　。　。　yeah；？　she　intoned；　fluffing　a　lumpy　brown　leather　sofa　pillow　that　resembled　a

giant　potato。　？That？s　just　great。　I？m　sure　we？ll　be　featured　inTown　&　Country　next　month。？　The

truth　was；　Vanessa　kind　of　missed　him。　After　returning　from　a　hellish　stint　as　a　nanny　and　then

some　sort　of　fashion　muse　out　in　the　Hamptons；　and　since　Greg　had　left　for　Phoenix；　she　and　Dan

had　spent　the　last　month　hanging　out　in　the　city；　but　it　had　been　。　。　。　different。　They　had　fallen　into

a　fortable；　friendly　sort　of　small…talk…making　rapport？with　none　of　the　sexual　tension　or

heated　argument　you？d　expect　from　two　exes　living　in　such　close　quarters。

With　so　little　time　before　Dan　left　for　college；　Vanessa　couldn？t　believe　that　this　was　the　way

they　were　going　to　leave　things。　Not　even　one　last　lingering　kiss　or　one　last　roll　in　the　hay？　Every

time　Dan　brushed　past　her　when　he　was　making　his　umpteenth　cup　of　Folgers　crystals；　or　on　the

way　to　the　bathroom；　when　she　caught　a　whiff　of　stale　Camels　and　coffee　grounds；　she　had　to　stop

herself　from　throwing　him　down　on　the　dust…bunny…littered　floor　and　ripping　off　his　brown；

frayed…at…the…bottom；　zillion…year…old　cords。　In　fact；　now　that　Dan　was　gay？and　pletely

unattainable？the　thought　was　more　appealing　than　ever。

A　key　jiggled　in　the　front　door　and　it　swung　open　with　a　bang　as　Rufus　Humphrey？s　bulk　filled

the　doorway。　He　wore　a　pair　of　denim　overalls　splattered　in　white　paint　with　a　faded　brown

ANTEATERS　HAVE　FEELINGS　TOO　T…shirt　underneath；　and　scuffed；　red　bowling　shoes　on　his

feet。　A　white　straw　Pa