off the living room？s paneled walls； and she held her finger up to her mouth。
Hush…hush！
Serena tried not to giggle。 Eleanor was terrible at keeping secrets？she always managed to tell her
children what they were getting for Christmasbefore she？d even bought their presents。 Most likely
she？d tell Blair by tomorrow？ifBlair hadn？t already heard their entire conversation。 Nate just
nodded mutely。 He never said much in Eleanor？s presence： she was far too overwhelming。
？We？d be happy to do it；？ Serena answered for the both of them。 ？And we promise to keep it a
secret from Blair。？ Yeah。 They？re good at that。
a very short engagement
？I am just too pooped to pop！？ Dan？s mom stretched her arms overhead and wiggled her butt
back and forth on the lumpy brown leather sofa in the living room； her mouth open in a yawn。 It
was only eight o？clock； and Rufus was at one of his anarchist poet jamborees in the West Village。
She looked around； blinking like a sleepy Siamese cat。 Her mousy brown hair was sticking out in
every direction； and her watery blue eyes were now red and bloodshot。 ？Jet lag really gets you at
my age。 And cocktails on the plane are only a temporary fix！？
She looked at Dan and then turned in the direction of the kitchen doorway； where Vanessa was
standing； obviously expecting them to say something。 Dan sat stonily in the tattered armchair
across from his mom； still not sure what to make of her。
？But you kids really shouldn？t be drinking！？ She wagged a finger back and forth； apparently
unaware that she was chastising them for somethingshe？d done。 ？Although if you want to taste
some？just a taste？you just let me know； okay？ Because that would be fine。 So； where am I
sleeping？？ she added to her rambling。
Dan attempted to exchange a what…the…hell？ glance with Vanessa； but she just stood there； lazily
licking the remains of the penis cream puff from her fingers。 The contrast of her snowy； white skin
against her close…cropped dark hair； the curve of her red lips； her slightly mocking brown eyes？she
really was beautiful。
？See？？ His mother leaned forward and prodded his knee with her turquoise…embellished
fingers。 ？Shelikes the cream filling。？ Dan quickly snapped out of his reverie and stood up。 ？Um；
well； we？re sort of filling up around here。 I guess if you want to take my room I could take the
couch？？ His mother stood up； holding onto her neck with one hand and rubbing
furiously。 ？Thecouch ？ Don？t be silly。 I mean； now that you？re 。 。 。 well； you know？？ Jeanette
broke off； waving her turquoise…laden hands in the air。 ？I mean；？ she began again； ？sharing
Vanessa？s room shouldn？t be a problem； right？ You girls can pillow talk all night！？ ？Sure；
um？yeah？that？s fine；？ Dan stammered； glancing over at Vanessa。 She looked a little surprised or
horrified？or maybe she was just trying to hold in her laughter after hearing Dan called a girl by his
own mother。
Jeanette stood on her tiptoes and kissed Dan on the top of his head； mussing his hair。 ？Dan； dear；
do you mind if I use your puter before I go to bed？ I just want to send off a few e…mails。
Don？t worry； I won？t download any granny porn！？ Without waiting for an answer； she flitted
toward
Dan？s room； whistling Gloria Gaynor？s ？I Will Survive？ pletely off…key。
Sure；she？ll survive。 But will Dan？
？Good night； ladies！？ they heard her trill as she closed the door to Dan？s room。
Dan swallowed hard； trying to hide his embarrassment。 He never would have imagined it
possible that four little words？specifically； the ones on his postcard to his sister that read； ？Dear
Jenny； I？m gay？？could cause so much trouble。 He went into the kitchen to find Vanessa； who was
now smearing pastry cream on the Formica tabletop； swirling it in intricate designs。 If he was
really gay； then how e he still thought about running his palms over the prickly hairs of
Vanessa？s shaved head； or seeing if the flesh on her stomach was still as soft and warm as bread
dough。
？So；roomie 。 Wanna go to bed？？ Vanessa raised one eyebrow mischievously； her lips curved into
a smirk。 Before Dan could answer； Vanessa stepped away from the countertop and walked into
Jenny？s old room； her bat boots slapping against the floor。
Dan could hear the snapping of sheets as Vanessa made the bed？something she rarely did。
Making the bed。 Did that mean she wanted him to e to bed？ But it was barely dark out。 Maybe
she was just tired of the apartment being such a total mess？ Dan？s head hurt。 It had been a long；
long day。 He sighed and walked into the room behind her。
？Hey； roomie；？ he parroted back to her； grabbing one corner of the sheet and pulling it tight
around the mattress。 Vanessa let go of her end of the sheet and threw a pillow at his head。 Was
sheflirting with him？ A fine sheen of sweat coated her face； and her cheeks were flushed； giving
her a radiant glow。 Dan resisted the urge to crawl across the bed and lightly kiss each apple red
cheek。
Right。 Sharing a room will bejust like a girly sleepover。 Dan waited to see what Vanessa would
do next； but then a shrill buzzing sound came from her pocket； startling them both。 He still wasn？t
used to Vanessa having a cell phone？she？d gotten one shortly after moving in with the Humphreys
so she could pay her own bill。 Probably a good thing； since Rufus was not known for his skill at
relaying messages。 Usually he left sticky notes on the fridge that read； A GUY CALLED； and then
the time of the call； to the minute？like that was helpful。
Vanessa dug for her phone； not all that thrilled with the interruption。 Flirting with Dan was so fun
now that he was supposedly gay。 She flipped open her phone。 ？Hello？？ ？Lil？ sis！？ ？Ruby？！？
Vanessa hadn？t spoken to her sister since she returned from Prague and kicked her out。 Fun times。
So why was she calling now？
？What？s up； girl！？？ Ruby yelled； sounding uncharacteristically manic。 ？God； it？s great to hear
your voice！？ ？Um； you too。 What？s going on？？ Vanessa tried to keep her voice neutral； but she
was still mad as hell at her sister and wasn？t about to forgive her without first receiving some
serious ass…kissing。 She crossed her arms over her chest； waiting for Ruby？s apology。 Maybe she
and Piotr had broken up and she wanted Vanessa to move back to Williamsburg and into her old
room。 She could almost smell the sweet； burnt scent of the sugar factory directly across the street
from their apartment。 Soon she？d be having breakfast at Eat and late…night coffee at Diner
surrounded by pale； skinny boys with hair that looked like it had been cut with a butter knife； her
days of decoding Dan？s flip…flopping sexuality finally over。 。 。 。
？Listen； V； I？m sorry I？ve been out of touch for so long； but I？ve just been really busy。 。 。 。？
Vanessa gripped the receiver with one hand and stuffed a pillow back into its case with the other。
Right。 She？d probably been busy holding Piotr？sbrush 。 Ick。 Vanessa shivered at her own
perverted thought and threw the pillow onto the almost…made bed。 Dan sat on the end of the bed；
eavesdropping and examining his fingernails in a typically gay w