按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
my parents had grudgingly accepted that their daughter wasn’t
answering until noon。 In the seven seconds it took to figure all
this out； I was also contemplating a reason why I should pick up
this phone call。 Emily’s reasons from the first day came back to me；
though； and so I started my arm in a floor sweep from the fort of
my bed。 I managed to click it open just before it stopped ringing。
“Hello？” I was proud that my voice sounded strong and clear； as
though I’d spent the past few hours working hard at something
respectable rather than passed out in a sleep that was so deep； so
intense； it couldn’t possibly have indicated good things about my
health。
“Morning； honey！ Glad to hear you’re awake。 I just wanted to tell
you that we’re in the sixties on Third； so I’ll be there in just ten
minutes or so； OK？” My mom’s voice came booming over the line。
Moving day！ It was moving day！ I’d forgotten entirely that my
parents had agreed to e into the city to help me pack my stuff up
and take it to the new apartment Lily and I had rented。 We were
going to lug the boxes of clothes and CDs and picture albums while
the real movers tackled my massive bed frame。
“Oh； hi； Mom；” I mumbled； lapsing back into tired…voice mode。 “I
thought you were her。”
“Nope； you’ve got yourself a break today。 Anyway； where should we
park？ Is there a garage right around there？”
“Yeah； right under my building； just enter right from Third。 Give
them my apartment number in the building and you’ll get a discount。
I’ve got to get dressed。 I’ll see you soon。”
“OK； honey。 Hope you’re ready to work today！”
I fell back onto my pillow and considered my options for possibly
going back to sleep。 They were looking really grim； considering
they’d driven all the way in from Connecticut to help me move。 Just
then； the alarm clock blared its signature static。 Ah hah！ So Ihad
remembered that today was moving day。 The reminder that I wasn’t
going pletely crazy was a small fort。
Getting out of bed was； quite possibly； even harder to do than other
days even though it was happening a few hours later。 My body had
been briefly tricked into thinking that it would actually get to
catch up； had depended on reducing that infamous “sleep debt” we’d
learned about in Psych 101； when I wrenched it from bed。 There was a
small pile of clothes I’d left folded by the bed； the only things
besides my toothbrush that I hadn’t yet packed。 I pulled on the blue
Adidas windpants； the hooded Brown sweatshirt； and the pair of
filthy gray New Balance sneakers that had acpanied me around the
world。 Not a second after I swooshed the last of my Listerine did
the buzzer ring。
“Hi； guys。 I’ll buzz you up； just a sec。”
There was a knock on the door two minutes later； and instead of my
parents there stood a rumpled…looking Alex。 He looked great； as
usual。 His faded jeans hung low on nonexistent hips； and his
long…sleeved navy T…shirt was just the right amount of tight。 The
tiny wire…rims he wore only when he couldn’t tolerate his contacts
were perched in front of very red eyes； and his hair was all over
the place。 I couldn’t stop myself from hugging him on the spot。 I
hadn’t seen him since the Sunday before； when we’d met for a quick
midafternoon Coffee。 We’d intended to spend the whole day and night
together； but Miranda had needed an emergency babysitter for Cassidy
so she could take Caroline to the doctor； and I had been recruited。
I’d gotten Home too late to spend any real time with him； and he’d
recently stopped camping out in my bed just to get a glimpse of me；
which I understood。 He’d wanted to stay over the night before； but I
was still in that stage of parent…pretending： even though all
parties involved knew that Alex and I were sleeping together；
nothing could be done； said； or implied to actually confirm it。 And
so I hadn’t wanted him there when my parents arrived。
“Hey； babe。 I thought you guys could use some help today。” He held
up a Bagelry bag that I knew would contain salt bagels； my favorite；
and some large coffees。 “Are your parents here yet？ I brought them
Coffees； too。”
“I thought you had to tutor today；” I said just as Shanti emerged
from her bedroom wearing a black pantsuit。 She hung her head as she
walked past us； mumbled something about working all day； and left。
We so seldom talked； I wondered if she realized today was my last
day in the apartment。
“I did； but I called the two little girls’ parents and both said
that tomorrow morning was fine with them； so I’m all yours！”
“Andy！ Alex！” My father stood in the doorway behind Alex； beaming as
though this were the best morning on earth。 My mom looked so awake I
wondered if she was on drugs。 I did a quick once…over of the
situation and figured that they would rightly assume that Alex had
just arrived since he was still wearing his shoes and was obviously
holding recently purchased food。 Besides； the door was still open。
Phew。
“Andy said you couldn’t make it today；” my dad said； setting down
what looked like a bag of bagels—also salt； no doubt—and Coffees on
the table in the living room。 He deliberately avoided eye contact。
“Are you on your way in or out？”
I smiled and looked at Alex； hoping he wasn’t already regretting
what he’d gotten himself into so early in the morning。
“Oh； I just got here； Dr。 Sachs；” Alex said gamely。 “I rearranged my
tutoring because I thought you two could use another pair of hands。”
“Great。 That’s great—I’m sure it’ll be a big help。 Here； help
yourself to bagels。 Alex； I’m sorry to say that we didn’t get three
Coffees since we didn’t know you’d be here。” My dad looked genuinely
upset； which was touching。 I knew he still had trouble with his
youngest daughter having a boyfriend； but he did his best not to
show it。
“No worries； Dr。 S。 I brought some stuff； too； so it looks like
there’s plenty。” And somehow； my dad and my boyfriend sat down on
the futon together—without a trace of awkwardness—and shared an
early…morning breakfast。
I sampled salt bagels from each of their bags and thought about how
much fun it would be to live with Lily again。 We’d been out of
college for nearly a year now。 We’d tried to talk at least once a
day； but it still felt like we hardly ever saw each other。 Now； we
would e Home to each other and bitch about our respective hellish
days—just like old times。 Alex and my dad prattled on about sports
（basketball； I think） while my mom and I labeled the boxes in my
room。 Sadly； there wasn’t much： just a few boxes of bed linens and
pillows； another of photo albums and assorted desk supplies （even
though I lacked a desk）； some makeup and toiletries； and a whole
bunch of garment bags filled with un…Runway…esque clothes。 Hardly
enough to warrant labels； I guess it was the assistant in me kicking
in。
“Let’s get moving；” my dad called from the living room。
“Shhh！ You’ll wake Kendra；” I loudly whispered back。 “It is only
nine in the morning on a Saturday； you know。”
Alex was shaking his head。 “Didn’t you see her leave with Shanti
before？ At least； I think that was her。 There were definitely two of
them； and they were both wearing suits and looking unhappy。 Check
their bedroom。”
The door to the room they managed to share by bunking their beds was
ajar； and I pushed it open slightly。 Both beds were made
meticulously； pillows fluffed and matching stuffed Gund dogs propped
up on each。 I didn’t realize until then that I’d never so much as
stepped foot in their room—in the few months I’d lived with these
girls； we hadn’t had a conversation of longer than thirty seconds—I
didn’t know exactly what they did； where they went； or if they had
any friends besides each other。 I was glad to be leaving。
Alex and my dad had cleaned up the leftover food and were trying to
map out a game plan。 “You’re right； they’re both gone。 I don’t even
think they know I’m leaving today。”
“Maybe leave them a note？” my mom suggested。 “Maybe on your Scrabble
board。” I’d inherited my father’s addiction to Scrabble； and he had
a theory that each new Home required a new board so I was leaving
the old one behind。
I took the last five minutes in the apartment to make the tiles
read； “Thanks for everything and good luck XO Andy。” Fifty…nine
points。 Not bad。
It took an hour to pack both of the cars up； with me not doing much
more than propping open the door to the street and guarding the
vehicle