第30部分(第2/7 頁)

hat；　really；　no　man　should　ever　wear；　but　he　looked　surprisingly　good。　It　was　hard　to　remember　a　time　when　her　dad　was　a　straitlaced　partner　of　a　Park　Avenue　law　firm　and　not　a　French　vineyard–owning　gay　man　with　a　partner　named　Giles　and　adopted　twins　from　Cambodia　named　Pierre　and　Pauline。　As　infants　the　twins　had　been　named　Ping　and　Pong；　because　of　their　cute　round　hairless　heads；　but　as　soon　as　Harold　and　Giles　began　applying　to　nursery　school　programs；　they　realized　their　son　and　daughter　might　be　teased。

You　think？

“‘For　auld　lang　syne’…”　Harold　warbled　as　he　stepped　between　the　pieces　of　the　elaborate　train　set　the　twins　had　gotten　for　Christmas　spread　out　on　the　floor。　In　the　corner；　Giles　was　having　a　tea　party　with　the　twins。

Blair　contemplatively　swirled　the　wine　in　her　glass。　It　was　nice　to　be　in　Newport；　where　she’d　spent　so　many　of　her　childhood　holidays。　Christmas　had　been　perfect：　They’d　spent　the　morning　opening　presents　underneath　the　gigantic　Douglas　fir；　then　taken　turns　helping　Pauline　and　Pierre　build　their　train　set。　She’d　gotten　a　pair　of　limited　edition　Chanel　booties　from　her　father；　and　she’d　spent　the　afternoon　curled　up　by　the　fire　reading　and　drinking　wine。　There’d　been　no　unexpected　surprises；　and　she　liked　it　that　way。

She　was　even　looking　forward　to　a　quiet　New　Year’s。　No　drama；　no　hangovers；　and　the　only　brushes　with　the　past　would　be　in　the　form　of　pleasant　memories。　The　house　smelled　like　oranges　and　cinnamon；　and　if　she　closed　her　eyes　she　could　imagine　herself　as　a　teenager；　annoyed　to　leave　New　York—and　Serena　and　Nate—for　boring；　lonely　Newport。

“It’s　good　to　have　you　back；　Bear；”　Harold　told　her。

It　felt　like　she’d　been　gone　forever。　Blair　was　spending　her　junior　year　at　St。　Peter’s　Coll