第26部分(第3/7 頁)

　you；　too；？　she　whispered　back。

Dan　felt　like　his　whole　body　was　smiling。　Who？d　known　this　mundane　Monday　in　February

would　wind　up　so　damned　。　。　。great　？

So　much　for　flowery　descriptions　and　poetic　turns　of　phrase。

All　of　a　sudden　his　cell　phone　sounded　its　startling；　vibrating　ring　from　where　it　sat　on　the

bedside　table；　only　inches　away。　Dan　was　pretty　sure　it　was　only　his　little　sister；　Jenny；　calling　to

plain　about　school　again。　He　turned　his　head　to　read　the　number　on　the　little　screen。　PRIVATE；

the　message　flashed；　which　only　happened　when　Vanessa　called　him　from　home。

？It？s　your　sister。？　Dan　propped　himself　up　on　one　elbow　as　he　reached　for　his　phone。　？Maybe

she？s　calling　to　tell　you　to　get　your　own　damn　cell　phone；finally　；？　he　joked。　？Should　I　answer　it？？

Vanessa　rolled　her　eyes。　She　and　her　twenty…two…year…old　bass…guitar…playing　sister；　Ruby；　shared

an　apartment　in　the　Williamsburg　section　of　Brooklyn。　Ruby　had　made　three　New　Year？s

resolutions：　to　do　yoga　every　day；　to　drink　green　tea　instead　of　coffee；　and　to　be　more　nurturing

toward　Vanessa；　since　their　own　parents　were　too　busy　being　art…hippie　freaks　up　in　Vermont　to

nurture　her　themselves。　Vanessa　was　pretty　sure　Ruby　was　only　calling　to　ask　when　she？d　be

home　so　Ruby　could　have　the　meatloaf　and　mashed　potatoes　all　done　when　she　got　there；　but　it

was　so　unlike　Ruby　to　call　Dan？s　phone　right　in　the　middle　of　the　school　day　that　she　couldn？t

resist　answering。

She　took　the　ringing　phone　from　Dan　and　clicked　it　open。　？Yeah？　How　did　you　know　where　to

find　me？？

？Well；　good　afternoon　to　you；　darling　sister　o？　mine；？　Ruby　chirped　cheerfully。　？Remember？　I

stuck　your