第22部分(第7/7 頁)

this　time？it　was　like　looking　at　a　slightly　more

feminine　version　of　Dan？plete　with　long　brown　hair　and　too　much　hippie　jewelry。　？You　must

be　Vanessa；？　Jeanette　exclaimed；　her　hazel…blue　eyes　sparkling　manically。　？I？ve　heardso　much

about　you。？　？You　too；？　Vanessa　lied；　because　in　truth；　she　really　hadn？t。　As　far　as　she　knew；　Dan？s

mom　had　disappeared　with　Count　Dracula　or　Count　Chocula　or　something　and　was　never　heard

from　again。

Dan？s　palms　were　slick　with　sweat　and　his　wrists　trembled　under　the　weight　of　the　bags。　His

mother。　Really；　she　was　the　last　thing　he　needed。　On　top　of　trying　to　figure　out　once　and　for　all

whether　or　not　he　was　gay；　he　was　going　to　have　to　play　catch…up　with　this　person　who　had

basically　abandoned　him　when　he　was　only　eight。　Or　was　he　ten？　She？s　been　gone　so　long　he

really　couldn？t　remember。　He？d　certainly　stopped　missing　her　years　ago；　but　now　here　she　was　in

all　her　perfumed；　turquoise　jewelry…wearing　glory；　acting　like　her　presence　was　really　no　big　deal。

Jesus。　Jenny　had　seen　their　mom　in　Prague。Why　hadn？t　shewarned　him？