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the Christian Dior show。 I have a breakfast meeting in the
lobby at eight…thirty。 See that I’m not disturbed before
then；” she barked； all traces of her previous humanness
evaporating like spilled water on a hot sidewalk。 And before I
could think how to end our conversation or； at the very least；
kiss up a little more for having had it at all； she walked
toward the elevators and vanished inside one。 I shot a weary；
understanding look to Monsieur Renaud and boarded an elevator
myself。
The small； tastefully arranged chocolates on a silver tray on
my bedside table only highlighted the perfection of the
evening。 In one random； unexpected night； I’d felt like a
model； hung out with one of the hottest guys I’d seen in the
flesh； and had been told by Miranda Priestly that I was
reasonably petent。 It felt like everything was finally
ing together； that the past year of sacrifice was showing
the first early signs of potentially paying off。 I collapsed
on top of the covers； still fully dressed； and gazed at the
ceiling； still unable to believe that I’d told Miranda
straight up that I wanted to work atThe New Yorker； and she
hadn’t laughed。 Or screamed。 Or in any way； shape； or form
freaked out。 She hadn’t even scoffed and told me that I was
ridiculous for not wanting to get promoted somewhere
withinRunway 。 It was almost as though—and I might be
projecting here； but I don’t think so—she had listened to me
andunderstood 。 Understood andagreed 。 It was almost too much
to prehend。
I undressed slowly； making sure to savor every minute of
tonight； going over and over in my mind the way Christian had
led me from room to room and then all over the dance floor；
the way he looked at me through those hooded lids with the
persistent curl； the way Miranda had almost； imperceptibly；
nodded when I’d said what I really wanted was to write。 A
truly glorious night； I had to say； one of the best in recent
history。 It was already three…thirty in the morning Paris
time； making it nine…thirty New York time—a perfect time to
catch Lily before she went out for the night。 Although I
should’ve just dialed with no regard for the insistent；
blinking light that announced—surprise； surprise—that I had
messages； I cheerfully pulled out a pad of the Ritz stationery
and got ready to transcribe。 There were bound to be long lists
of irritating requests from irritating people； but nothing
could take away my Cinderella…esque evening。
The first three were from Monsieur Renaud and his assistants；
confirming various drivers and appointment for the next day；
always remembering to wish me a good night as though I were
actually a person instead of just a slave； which I
appreciated。 Between the third and the fourth message I found
myself both wishing and not wishing that one of the messages
to e was from Alex； and as a result； was both delighted and
anxious when the fourth was from him。
“Hi； Andy； it’s me。 Alex。 Listen； I’m sorry to bother you over
there； I’m sure you’re incredibly busy； but I need to talk to
you； so please call me on my Cell Phone as soon as you get
this。 Doesn’t matter how late it is； just be sure to call； OK？
Uh； OK。 ’Bye。”
It was so strange that he hadn’t said he loved me or missed me
or was waiting for me to get back； but I guess all those
things fall squarely into the “inappropriate” category when
people decide to “take a break。” I hit delete and decided；
rather arbitrarily； that the lack of urgency in his voice
meant I could wait until tomorrow—I just couldn’t handle a
long “state of our relationship” conversation at three o’clock
in the morning after as wonderful a night as I’d just had。
The last and final message was from my mom； and it； too；
sounded strange and ambiguous。
“Hi； honey； it’s Mom。 It’s about eight our time； not sure what
that makes it for you。 Listen； no emergency—everything’s
fine—but it’d be great if you could call me back when you hear
this。 We’ll be up for a while； so anytime is fine； but tonight
is definitely better than tomorrow。 We both hope you’re having
a wonderful time； and we’ll talk to you later。 Love you！”
This was definitely strange。 Both Alex and my mother had
called me in Paris before I’d gotten a chance to call either
of them； and both had requested that I call them back
regardless of what time I got the message。 Considering my
parents defined a late night by whether or not they managed to
stay awake for Letterman’s opening monologue； I knew something
had to be up。 But at the same time； no one sounded
particularly panicked or even a little frantic。 Perhaps I’d
take a long bubble bath with some of the Ritz products
provided and slowly work up the energy to call everyone back；
the night had just been too good to wreck by talking to my
mother about some petty concern or to Alex about “where we
stand。”
The bath was just as hot and luxurious as you’d expect it to
be in a junior suite adjacent to the Coco Chanel suite at the
Ritz Paris； and I took a few extra minutes to apply some of
the lightly scented moisturizer from the vanity to my entire
body。 Then； finally wrapped in the plushest terry…cloth robe
I’d ever pulled around me； I sat down to dial。 Without
thinking； I dialed my mother first； which was probably a
mistake： even her “hello” sounded seriously stressed out。
“Hey； it’s me。 Is everything OK？ I was going to call you guys
tomorrow； it’s just that things have been so hectic。 But； wait
until I tell you about the night I just had！” I knew already
that I’d be omitting any romantic references to Christian；
since I hadn’t felt like explaining the entire Alex scenario
to my parents； but I knew they’d both be thrilled to hear that
Miranda seemed to respond well when I’d brought up the idea
ofThe New Yorker 。
“Honey； I don’t mean to interrupt you； but something’s
happened。 We got a call today from Lenox Hill Hospital； which
is on Seventy…seventh Street； I think； and it seems that
Lily’s been in an accident。”
And although it’s quite conceivably the most clichéd
expression in the English language； my heart stopped for just
a moment。 “What？ What are you talking about？ What kind of an
accident？”
She had already switched into worried…mom mode and was clearly
trying to keep her voice steady and her words rational；
following what was sure to have been my dad’s suggestion of
passing along to me a feeling of calm and control。 “A car
accident； honey。 A rather serious one； I’m afraid。 Lily was
driving—there was also a guy in the car； someone from school；
I think they said—and she turned the wrong way down a one…way
street。 It seems she hit a taxicab head…on； going nearly forty
miles an hour on a city street。 The police officer I spoke
with said it was a miracle she’s alive。”
“I don’t understand。 When did it happen？ Is she going to be
OK？” I had started choke…crying at some point； because as calm
as my mother was trying to remain； I could hear the severity
of the situation in her carefully chosen words。 “Mom； where is
Lily now； and is she going to be OK？”
It wasn’t until this point that I noticed my mom was crying
also； just quietly。 “Andy； I’m putting Dad on。 He spoke to the
doctors most recently。 I love you； honey。” The last part came
out like a squeak。
“Hi； honey。 How are you？ Sorry we have to call with news like
this。” My dad’s voice sounded deep and reassuring； and I had a
fleeting feeling that everything was going to work out。 He was
going to tell me that she’d broken her leg； maybe a rib or
two； and someone had called in a good plastic surgeon to
stitch up a few scrapes on her face。 But she was going to be
just fine。
“Dad； will you please tell me what happened？ Mom said Lily was
driving and hit a cab going really fast？ I don’t understand。
None of this makes any sense。 Lily doesn’t have a car； and she
hates to drive。 She’d never be cruising around Manhattan。 How
did you hear about this？ Who called you？ And what’s wrong with
her？” Again； I’d worked myself up to nearly hysterical； but
again his voice was manding and soothing all in one。
“Take a deep breath—I’ll tell you everything I know。 The
accident happened yesterday； but we just found out about it
today。”
“Yesterday！ How could this have happened yesterday and no one
called me？ Yesterday？”
“Sweetie； they did call you。 The doctor said that Lily had
filled out the front information page in her daily p