gossip girl 12 终结- 第39节

“Don’t　say　hi　to　me。　I’m　just　the　mom；”　Ruby　joked　as　she　walked　into　the　large　loft。　“So；　Piotr’s　family　is　here　through　New　Year’s　and　I　seriously　need　a　break。”　She　pulled　out　a　bottle　of　wine　from　her　voluminous　bag　and　set　it　on　the　counter。　She　paused　and　glanced　around　the　room　suspiciously。　“God；　it’s　always　so　neat　in　here。”

“I　like　it　this　way；”　Vanessa　explained。　She　naturally　had　sloblike　tendencies；　but　in　the　last　year　that　had　all　changed。　She　liked　scrubbing　the　tiles　in　the　shower　and　Swiffering　under　the　Sub…Zero。　It　gave　her　something　to　do　besides　miss　Hollis。

If　it　makes　you　happy…

Vanessa　pulled　Moxie’s　hood　off　her　tiny　head。　“Still　no　hair；”　she　observed；　checking　the　baby’s　bald　head。

“You　didn’t　have　any　hair　for　four　years；”　Ruby　observed　blithely；　settling　in　on　the　leather　couch。　Now；　Vanessa’s　silky　jet…black　hair　fell　inches　past　her　shoulders。　“Hand　her　over；　she　needs　to　feed。”　Ruby　pulled　the　neck　of　her　gray　Hanes　T…shirt　down　to　expose　her　boob；　and　cradled　Moxie　in　the　crook　of　her　arm。　Vanessa　looked　away　politely。

Ruby’s　head　fell　back　against　the　couch。　“You　know；　you　should　really　throw　a　New　Year’s　party。　I　mean；　with　an　apartment　like　this；　it’s　practically　your　duty。　Do　you　ever　have　people　over？”

“Sometimes；”　Vanessa　said　evasively。　In　truth；　she’d　never　invited　anyone　except　Ruby　up　to　the　loft。　She　felt　it　would　somehow　be　disloyal　to　Hollis；　having　people　over　in　his　apartment　while　he　slaved　away　in　Iceland。　She　checked　the　fridge　to　see　if　there　was　anything　she　could　offer　her　sister。　A　forgotten　carton　of　lo　mein　from　last　week；　a　container　of　orange　juice；　and　a　plastic　tub　of　almonds　sat　on　the　center　shelf。　“Nuts？”　Vanessa　pulled　out　the　container　and　threw　a　couple　in　her　mouth。

“Thanks。”　Ruby　took　a　couple；　crunched　them　loudly；　and　threw　one　over　to　Norma。　It　bounced　off　the　dog’s　nose　and　onto　the　floor。　She　just　stared　at　it。　“Seriously；　Vanessa；　you’ve　bee　weird。”

“I　have？　Look　at　your　shoes；”　Vanessa　shot　back。　Ruby　wore　a　pair　of　burnt　sienna–colored　Dansko　clogs；　cutoff　sweatpants；　and　the　same　red　woolly　cardigan　that　she’d　worn　on　Christmas。

“They’re　not　weird；　they’re　fortable。　You’re　the　one　wasting　your　youth。　I　already　had　mine。”　She　sniffed；　tucked　her　boob　back　inside　her　shirt；　and　passed　the　baby　to　Vanessa。

“Hi；　Bunny！”　Vanessa　cooed；　inhaling　the　sweet　scent　of　Johnson’s　baby　shampoo；　which　Ruby　used　despite　the　fact　that　Moxie　had　approximately　three　strands　of　hair。　Moxie　felt　reassuringly　heavy　in　Vanessa’s　lap。

“Listen；　you’re　acting　like　you’re　in　mourning　or　something。　Live　a　little！　I’ve　been　given　the　night　off　from　Piotr’s　family　and　I　intend　to　use　it　for　good。”　Ruby　grinned。　“Let’s　buy　some　slice　and　bake　cookies　and　listen　to　Christmas　music。　I’m　not　ready　for　the　holidays　to　be　over　yet。　What　do　you　say？”

“I’m　in！”　Vanessa　smiled　and　then　headed　up　the　winding　staircase　to　the　sleeping　loft。　Their　California　king…size　bed　was　immaculately　made；　with　a　white　duvet　cover　contrasting　with　the　black　bed　frame。　Vanessa　wasn’t　sure　when　she’d　slept　there　last。　It　felt　too　big　by　herself；　so　she　often　curled　up　with　Norma　on　the　couch。　She　pulled　a　scarf　from　her　closet　and　wrapped　it　around　her　neck。　Her　sister　was　right。　Maybe　she　had　gone　a　little　bit　overboard　with　the　reclusive…widow　thing；　acting　like　Hollis　was　a　ship　captain　lost　at　sea　instead　of　a　film　director　caught　up　with　editing。　It　would　be　good　to　get　out　for　a　little　bit。

“Ready！”　Vanessa　yelled　down　the　stairs　as　she　ran　her　fingers　through　her　long　hair。　Her　index　finger　caught　on　a　large　snarl。　“And　FYI；　I　didn’t　take　a　shower　today　so　sorry　if　I　smell；”　she　called　as　she　ran　down　the　steps。　She　reached　the　bottom　and　gasped。

There；　standing　by　the　elevator；　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　a　smirk　on　his　face；　was　Hollis。

“Okay；　we’ve　already　got　our　first　date　planned。　Shower；　here　we　e！”　Hollis　grinned。　He　had　slight　bags　under　his　gray　eyes；　as　if　he　hadn’t　slept　in　months。　He　wore　a　black　leather　jacket　and　his　trademark　fedora　over　his　thick　dark　hair。　He　stood　there　casually；　like　he’d　only　been　gone　a　matter　of　minutes—not　months。

Vanessa　didn’t　say　anything。　She　felt　like　she　was　going　to　cry。　Even　though　it　was　practically　a　scene　from　a　terrible　chick　movie；　she　couldn’t　resist　running　to　him　and　wrapping　her　arms　around　him　tightly。　She　lifted　her　face　up　until　her　mouth　met　his。

“Remember；　there’s　a　kid　watching！”　Ruby　called　from　the　couch。　Moxie　gazed；　entranced；　at　Hollis。

“Hi；”　Vanessa　said　dumbly；　staring　up　at　him　as　if　he　were　a　vision。

Courtesy　of　too　many　Scrubbing　Bubbles　fumes？

“I　couldn’t　wait　a　month。　I　don’t　want　to　be　in　Iceland。　I　want　to　be　with　you；”　Hollis　said　simply。

“You’re　back？”　Vanessa　asked。　“For　good？”

Hollis　nodded。　“Unless　you’re　hiding　a　boyfriend　somewhere。”

“Just　Paul　Morrissey。”　She　gestured　to　the　DVD　case　on　the　coffee　table。

“We’ll　leave　you　alone；”　Ruby　said；　bundling　Moxie　back　into　her　snowsuit。　“Maybe　there’s　a　movie　about　talking　penguins　we　can　see。”

Vanessa　didn’t　even　notice　her　adorable　niece　and　sister　as　they　made　their　way　into　the　elevator。　She　was　too　busy　kissing　her　boyfriend。

Beats　mopping　the　floor。

survivor

“Do　you　think　Jenny　will　choose　RISD　or　Pratt？”　Serena　asked；　taking　a　thoughtful　sip　of　her　organic　chai。　She　and　Dan　were　seated　at　a　small　table　in　Blue　State　Coffee；　one　of　the　cute　coffee　shops　on　Thayer　Street　in　downtown　Providence。

“Pratt；”　Dan　said　confidently。　His　hair　was　sort　of　shaggy—Serena　hadn’t　been　able　to　drag　him　to　John　Barrett’s—and　he　wore　a　rumpled　blue　cotton　oxford　shirt　and　jeans。　He　looked　slightly　homeless；　but　to　her；　he　was　absolutely　adorable。　“Jenny’s　wanted　to　go　there　since　she　learned　how　to　draw；”　he　said　proudly。

“I　didn’t　have　a　clue　when　I　was　her　age。”　Serena　wrinkled　her　nose。　“But　I　guess　it　just　depends　on　the　person。　Blair　always　knew　she　wanted　to　go　to　Yale…。”　She　trailed　off。

“Have　you　spoken　to　her？　Is　she　in　New　York　for　the　holidays？”　Dan　asked　before　emptying　the　last　of　his　double　espresso　from　his　mini　porcelain　cup。　It　made　him　feel　like　a　character　in　Alice　in　Wonderland。　The　espresso　was　his　second；　and　they’d　been　in　the　shop　for　less　than　an　hour；　hanging　out　while　Jenny　took　her　RISD　tour。　She　was　due　back　any　minute。

“I　don’t　know。”　Serena　shrugged；　thinking　of　her　and　Blair’s　huge　fight　last　winter。　A　blowup　between　them　wasn’t　anything　new—they’d　been　fighting　since　before　they　could　properly　form　sentences。　But　their　arguments　usually　blew　over　quickly。　This　one　hadn’t。　Blair　had　gone　to　study　abroad　at　Oxford　while　Serena　had　gone　to　Yale；　and　they　hadn’t　spoken　since　last　January。　“It　doesn’t　matter。　I　just　hope　she’s　had　as　good　a　year　as　I　have；”　Serena　added；　smiling　at　Dan。

She　and　Dan　had　gotten　together　the　previous　winter　break；　and　the　relationship　had　quickly　turned　serious。　By　April；　Serena　was　spending　most　of　her　weekends　at　Dan’s　Upper　West　Side　apartment。　They’d　sit　at　the　tiny　kitchen　table；　studying　together；　or　go　to　the　coffee　shop　on　his　corner　and　read。　Dan　was　a　junior　at　Columbia　and　Serena　wasn’t　quite　sure　what　she　was　at　Yale。　She’d　just　started　in　September；　but　she’d　carried　over　a　few　credits　from　courses　she’d　taken　at　the　New　School　earlier　that　year。

Being　at　Yale　was　more　plicated　than　she’d　thought　it　would　be。　It　was　strange　living　in　a　dorm　when　she　was　used　to　having　her　own　apartment。　She　felt　years　older　than　her　fellow　freshmen；　and　it　wasn’t　easy　to　get　back　into　studying　mode；　especially　since　she’d　only　taken　fun　classes　at　the　New　School；　like　screenwriting　and　New　York　in　Literature。　She　liked　reading　books；　but　she’d　never　been　one　for　taking　tests　and　writing　papers。　And　even　if　she　did　go　back　to　the　city　every　weekend；　it　was　hard　to　be　separated　from　Dan　from　Monday　to　Thursday。

She　did　miss　acting；　but　she　didn’t　miss　having　an　agent　and　a　publicist　and　getting　followed　around　and　pointed　at　everywhere　she　went。　Her　first　few　weeks　on　campus；　she’d　g