第9部分(第2/7 頁)

　would　probably　want　to　have

tea　with　him　now；　maybe　get　in　one　last　heart…to…heart　before　he　left　for　college。

Or　take　him　wig　shopping？

？Well；　Daniel；　it？s　lovely　to　run　into　you　like　this；　though　I　can？t　stay　and　chat。　Congratulations

on　your　recent　announcement；　and　I？m　sorry　I　missed　your　party！？　Dan　watched　in　shock　as　Aggie

smiled；　patting　her　wig；　and　then　shuffled　off　in　the　direction　of　the　discount　books　racks。

Dan　gave　her　a　slight　wave　and　then　sighed；　pressing　his　back　against　the　brick　wall；　which　felt

like　it　was　searing　his　flesh　through　his　damp　T…shirt。　Well；　that　was　weird。　Did　his　mom　invite

theentire　world　to　his　ing…out　party？　He　adjusted　his　butt　on　the　hot　pavement　and　pulled　a

notebook　from　his　ratty　black　Timbuk2　messenger　bag。　If　he　didn？t　get　something　written　for　the

wedding　soon；　he？d　be　seriously　screwed。　But　the　trouble　was；　nothing　was　ing　to　him。　What

did　he　know　about　marriage　anyway？　How　was　he　supposed　to　write　about　loving　someone　for　the

rest　of　your　life　when　he　couldn？t　even　figure　out　hisown　love　life？

Good　point。

As　he　looked　up　from　the　blank　white　page；　he　saw　Greg　stroll　around　the　corner；　wearing　a

white　button…down　shirt　and　stiff　white　jeans。　Oh　God。　Greg　stopped　when　he　saw

Dan　sitting　there　and　smiled。　Then　he　smiled　and　hurried　over。

？Hey。？　He　touched　Dan　on　the　shoulder。　？Where？ve　you　been？　I？ve　been　wanting　to　talk　to　you。？

His　voice　sounded　genuinely　concerned。

Dan　looked　at　the　cement。　He　could　feel　his　T…shirt　sticking　to　his　back　with　sweat。　？I？ve　been

sick；？　he　mumbled；　coughing　into　one　fist　and　looking　away。　He　noticed　a　group　of　tourists

approaching　en　masse　and　h