about to walk out。
？I？m Lyla；？ the salesgirl chirped in a clipped English accent。 ？Do let me know if I can help you
find anything。？
Blair walked to the foot of the gracefully curving staircase。 Sensing something in the distance；
she ascended the marble steps grandly。 The steps wereexactly like the ones Eliza descends inMy
Fair Lady ； in the scene where she has her society debut。
See； life really does imitate art。
The second floor was nearly empty； except for a floor…to…ceiling three…way mirror against the far
wall。 Sun flooded in and Blair paused； pretending it was her own private dressing room。 In the
middle of the space； suspended from a glass hanger； hung a long white dress。 It was made of silk；
cut along the bias； and seemed to breathe as if it had a life of its own。 It was 。。。beautiful。 Whoever
wore that dress would be the star of a never…ending love story with herself。 Blair reached out to
touch the dress； transfixed。 Could it be？ It was。
It was a wedding dress。
It washer wedding dress。
？Would you like to try it on？？
Blair whirled around to see Lyla from downstairs。 She hadn？t heard her ing。
？Yes； definitely；？ Blair half whispered。 ？I think I？m going to need it。？
For what； exactly？
The shop only acmodated one customer at a time； so there was no need for dressing rooms。
Lyla explained this； reaching up to remove the glass hanger from its tack on the wall； while Blair
all but leapt out of her clothes。 She grabbed the gown and slid into it headfirst。 The chiffon was as
soft and light as fresh whipped cream； and she shivered as it fell down the length of her body。
Avoiding the mirror until everything was perfect； Blair stood by the windows； looking down onto
the lush private garden behind the store。
？Here； let？s put this on as well。？ Lyla held up a delicate gold lariat necklace and slipped it around
Blair？s neck。 ？I think you？re ready to have a look now；？ she murmured； turning Blair so that she
faced the mirror。
Blair crossed the room carefully； holding the dress up so she didn？t trip on the delicate hem。
There was a small platform in front of the mirror and she stepped up onto it； avoiding her
reflection until she was perfectly situated。 She let go of the dress； shook her hair back from her
face； and then gazed at her reflection。
？Oooh！？ she gasped。
There it was： the future。 Blair had never seen a more perfect dress in her life。 It was so amazing；
its beauty rubbed off on her。 She wasn？t even wearing proper makeup； but her face had never
looked more flawless。 She was wearing the wrong bra but her breasts had never looked so full。
She felt like she？d stepped off the cover ofTown & Country ？s summer wedding issue。 That old
theory？that you justknow ； somehow； when you？ve found the right wedding dress？seemed to be
true。
They？d be married in St。 Patrick？s on Fifth Avenue and they？d rent all the rooms in the St。 Clair
for the guests to stay in and for the reception。 Her father would give her away with tears in his
blue eyes； whispering； ？I love you； Bear；？ as he handed her off to Marcus。 Marcus would hold her
hand throughout the ceremony in that intimate way of his； reminding her that they weren？t just
passionately in love； they were best friends。
？It？s really quite something； isn？t it？？ Lyla crossed her arms in front of her。 She was standing
behind Blair； smiling approvingly。 Blair met her gaze in the mirror。
？It？s just perfect；？ she breathed； her eyes transfixed on the endless train of pure white silk。
？Have you set a date？？
Um； how about a proposal first？ And what about； you know； college？
？I？ll take it；？ Blair declared。
？Of course；？ Lyla agreed。 ？You won？t be sorry。 He？s going to love it。？
Blair nodded back hypnotically； still staring at her own reflection。
？And what about the necklace？？ Lyla queried。
Why not？Blair thought。
Oh； yes； why not？
there？s something about danny
The single plaint Dan had about his job at the Strand was that the bookstore lacked one
essential； modern amenity： air…conditioning。 This morning he was stationed in the pletely
airless basement； manning the information desk and keeping an eye on special orders； like the
request for a skin diseases photo calendar。 After a couple of torturous hours； he was definitely
ready for some fresh air。
If that？s what you call a smoke。
As soon as his replacement？a scowling； silent guy named Brent who？d worked at the store for
about twenty years？ arrived to take his place； Dan jogged up the narrow staircase and outside。 A
concrete ledge ran alongside the square beige building and he perched on it； enjoying the shade as
he lit up。
The sidewalk was crowded with passersby browsing the Strand？s large outdoor carts； which were
full of super…discounted books no one wanted； likeCollectible Coins from Contemporary Canada
andTiger：The True Story of the Dog Who Loved a Cat 。 Dan closed his eyes and tuned out the
chatter of the bargain hunters。 He took a deep drag on his cigarette and thought about Herman
Hesse？sSiddhartha 。？Love stirred in the hearts of the young daughters of the Brahmins when
Siddhartha passed through the city streets； with his radiant brow； with his impe…rial glance； with
his slender hips。？ Dan couldn？t help wanting to be Siddhartha； or at least be morelike him。
He wished he had someone he could discuss it with； especially since his attempt to chat about it
with Vanessa had ended so badly。
A tap on his shoulder interrupted his reverie。 He opened his eyes。
？Dan？？ Bree stood before him like a fit； blond daughter of a Brahmin； admiring him in all his
Siddharthaness。
Who says wishes don？t e true？
？Hi。？ He stood quickly。 Bree was wearing a form…fitting green tank top and white spandex shorts。
Her blond hair was in two tidy pigtails and her skin had a bold； healthy glow。
？Are you smoking？？ she demanded； aghast。
？Uh； no。？ Dan dropped the lit cigarette to the ground and stubbed it out quickly。 ？I was holding it
for this guy Steve。 He had to run back inside。？
Nice play； Shakespeare。
？Whew；？ she exhaled； fanning the air with her hands。 ？Smoking is just terrible for you。？
？Oh； I know；？ Dan agreed earnestly； wiping his hands on his faded green cords。 ？It？s really bad。？
？I？m so glad I ran into you！？ Bree hopped up onto the ledge and started swinging her legs like a
kid who has to pee but doesn？t want to get off the swing。 ？I wanted to tell you how much I
likedSiddhartha 。？
？Yeah？ That？s great。 I was actually just rereading it myself。？
？Really？ What a funny coincidence！？
Right。 Coincidence。
？So you thought the book was interesting？？ Dan asked； crossing his legs in a way he hoped
looked quasi…intellectual and quasi…athletic。 ？What are you thinking of reading next？？
？Well； I？m going to read a book my yogi has been working on。 It？s about improving the way the
brain municates with the other organs in the body by meditating and doing yoga and chanting。
There are； like； fifty chapters and most of them are a hundred pages long。 He？s been writing it for；
like； eleven years； and he？s going t