He gestured to the glass on the table。
She took a seat； resisting her desire to push him onto the sticky floor and run。 The guy could
barely speak proper English and now he was about to be her brother…in…law？ ？That？d be great；？
she replied tensely。
Piotr walked to the bar to get her a glass； and Vanessa noticed that even though he was still
wearing those gross leather pants； he really wasn？t half…bad looking； with his shaggy blond hair
and tight black T…shirt。 Okay； so his crooked teeth and smoker？s cough weren？t exactly
swoon…worthy； but at least they made him sort of 。 。 。 quirky。
Vanessa looked around the room； accidentally catching the eye of a frighteningly large man in a
red T…shirt with cut…off sleeves that read GUNS DON？T KILL PEOPLE？IKILL
PEOPLE。 His biceps were enormous and covered in tattoos。 He saw her staring and gave a
toothy smile； then started heading through the pack of people toward her table。 Vanessa looked
wildly around； hoping he was headed toward someone else。 Just then Piotr swooped in and fell
back into his seat； and the big guy scowled and backed off。 Phew。 Vanessa never thought she？d be
so happy to see her sister？s fianc？。
？So 。 。 。？ Piotr filled her glass； apparently unaware of the fate he？d just saved her from。 ？You film
show tonight； yes？？ ？Yes。？ Vanessa nodded like a maniac。 ？I film show。？Fuck 。 It was hard not to
talk like him once you got into a conversation。 She took a sip of Coke； sputtering when she
realized it wasn？t Coke at all but Guinness。
？I am also making Ruby gift。？ Piotr moved his stool slightly closer to hers。 ？In my country；？？he
tapped his chest with one finger？？it is customary for groom to give bride special gift。？ Piotr
paused and took a sip of beer； licking his lips before continuing。 ？I shop all day for something I
think she like。？ ？What did you get her？？Vanessa asked； curious now。
Piotr smiled again； his whole face lighting up。 ？When we met； she tell me when she was？how
you say？ Small？？ He gestured with his hands to indicate someone short。
Vanessa nodded； taking a sip of the dark beer。 ？You mean when she was a little girl？？ ？Yes！？
Piotr said with relief。 ？Little girl。 Anyway； she tell me how she and you？？he pointed at Vanessa
with his full glass？？make tea party with apple juice？？ She burst out laughing； trying not to spit a
mouthful of
Guinness all over the table。 That wasnot what she？d been expecting Piotr to say。 She remembered
how she and Ruby used to play dress…up in their mother？s closet for hours； putting together
outrageous ensembles of feathers； beads； and long； tie…dyed hippie dresses before sitting down at
the kitchen table to drink Red Cheek apple juice from their mother？s special china cups。 They？d
sit there for hours； talking in fake British accents and giggling as they said things like ？Pass the
bloody crumpets！？ and ？Hand me me bloomin？ bloomers！？ even though that one didn？t even
make sense。
？So； I look all day；？ Piotr continued； refilling his and Vanessa？s now…empty glasses； ？for antique
tea set for her； and I finally find one this afternoon。？ He looked up worriedly； his forehead a mass
of wrinkles。 ？You think she will like？？ Vanessa looked at the concern in Piotr？s blue eyes； the love
that was so obviously there for her sister； and something inside her melted。 He obviously loved
Ruby？only a guy in love would run around New York all day to find a freaking tea set。
？Yes。？ Vanessa nodded； raising her camera to her face and pointing it toward the stage to check
the exposure； but mostly to hide the fact that she was touched。 ？I think she will likevery much。？
Seeing Piotr so obviously in love made Vanessa feel kind of 。 。 。 romantic。 She closed her eyes for
a moment and pictured Dan at home； sprawled out on the lumpy brown leather sofa； writing
poetry in his beat…up notebook。 She knew he？d been having a hard time with the poem for Ruby
and Piotr？s wedding； and the idea of him trying so hard to find the right words for her sister
warmed her chest。
You sure that isn？t the booze？
Maybe when she got home later they could really talk。 She？d tried to be supportive of Dan when
he？d e out； but seeing how unfortable he was at his surprise party； she still had her
doubts 。 。 。 not to mention her hopes about his supposed gayness。 Maybe she？d be able to tell him
how she felt 。 。 。 and try to help him figure out what he was really feeling。
Yes； and just exactly how would she do this？Naked？ Vanessa smiled as SugarDaddy took the
stage in a clamor of guitars。 Ruby wore her signature purple leather pants； her black； chin…length
hair sticking out in every direction； like she？d blow…dried it upside down？or electrocuted herself
with her blow…dryer。 She spotted Vanessa and Piotr sitting together and waved。 Then she stuck her
tongue out between her pinky and pointer fingers。 ？What？s happening； fuckers！？？ she yelled into
the microphone； and the crowd cheered； wildly。
Vanessa smiled。 Everything was going to be okay。 Her sister was still her sister； her
brother…in…law…to…be was weird and European but also sort of sweet； and she？d talk to Dan tonight。
He？d tell her he was just confused； that he wasn？t gay； and that he？d been in love with her all
along。 And maybe someday； years from now； he？d be the one givingher an antique tea set。
She pointed her camera up at Ruby？s smiling face as she leaned into the microphone and began
to howl。
？You stole mysoooooooul ； you fucking ass…hole！？ Oh； how romantic。
Air Mail … Par Avion … August 17
obr denDan！
I？ve been waiting to write； because I didn？t want to ruin the surprise； but Mom must have gotten
there by now and I couldn？t wait any longer。 I hope you don？t mind that I told her about your
recent gaylicious discovery。 It was just so nice to get to know her again this summer？did you
know that she and Dad met at a Russian bathhouse in Moscow！？？and I thought maybe she should
know about you too。 。 。 。
Anyway； Prague is amazing。 Staying solo at Mom？s flat （how very European of me； right？） is
super…fun but a little lonely。 I？ll be back soon to pack for Waverly （yay！）； but until then；Na
shledanou！ （That？s ？goodbye。？）
I miss you guys and I miss New York。 Have a cupcake from our favorite place on Amsterdam for
me。 Make it a pink one！
Love；
Jenny
this would be really funny if it wasn？t happening to someone we know and love
Dan lay on the bed in Vanessa？s room； his notebook open across his lap。 The empty white page
was practically blinding him。 It was the same story every night？he would sit there staring at a
blank page for hours； trying to write a poem about love for Ruby？s wedding； until； pletely
dejected； he？d finally just pass out。 He started to scribble。
Love。 Above。 Shove。
I love to shove you from above？
Kiss。 Bliss。 Piss。
Crap。 This wasn？t working。 Every time he tried to write； visions of himself as a kid； dressing up
in totally gay outfits； sprang into his head。 What could he possibly know about love when the only
time he？d ever been in love was with Vanessa； who apparently didn？t qualify； since she wasn？t