muters for Nate？s face； or checking the time on the giant clock directly above them。 She was
starting to get insanely nervous。 Not to mention pissed off。 If Nate didn？t get there soon； he？d
miss the train。 Not that that would be the end of the world？he could always catch the next one。 But
she really wanted them to have the experience of starting their new lifetogether 。 And if he didn？t
get therenow ； it wasn？t going to happen。
？What？ No。 When did this all happen？？ Serena？s normally smooth brow wrinkled in
confusion。 ？He didn？t say anything？？ ？Last night。 He must not have had the chance to tell you
either。？ Blair pulled her cell from her bag with an exasperated sigh and dialed Nate？s number
again。 It rang and rang and then went to voice mail。
Again。
hello； goodbye
？God； Dan。？ Jenny？s voice rang out in the early…morning sunlight as she dumped a big box into
the trunk of Dan？s robin？s egg blue 1977 Buick Skylark。 Even though it was only 10 a。m。； the
pavement on Ninety…ninth Street and West End Avenue was already blazing hot； and the garbage
bins were starting to smell like rotting dog poo。 Jenny straightened up； wiping her hands off on her
jeans。 ？Do you think you packed enough crap？？
Dan scowled； taking a scuffed…up Samsonite suitcase from his sister？s tiny
hands。 ？They？rebooks ；？ he muttered； gently placing the luggage in the trunk； ？not crap。？
？Well； whatever？s in there is heavy。？ Jenny was panting in the oppressive August heat； her white
FCUK wifebeater streaked with grime。 Dan threw a duffel bag into the back…seat？along with a
blanket and pillow； his notebook； and a few bags of stale H&H bagels。 He couldn？t wait to park
by the side of the road at night and sleep looking out at the stars。 It was going to be soOn the Road。
He？d even brought the audio book to play on the car？s outdated tape player。 He was going to
spend the next week out on the open road； looking for truth and the meaning of life。
This from the guy who couldn？t figure out his own sexual bent。
Vanessa appeared from the Humphreys？ ramshackle apartment building； holding a plastic
container of Folgers crystals。 She looked cool and fortable with her shorn scalp； wearing one
of Dan？s old black Raves T…shirts and a pair of his black boxers。
？Hot enough for you？？ Dan called lightly； even though the sight of her was breaking his heart。
Vanessa grabbed a bag from the sidewalk and stuffed it in the trunk。 She stopped to wipe her face
on the hem of her T…shirt。 ？I hate you；？ she mumbled grumpily。 ？Don？t forget this；？ she added；
handing him a half…empty Folgers container。
？I can？t believe I？m actually leaving；？ Dan said nervously； to no one in particular； mechanically
grabbing the coffee from Vanessa as his mom and dad stepped out of the apartment building and
onto the curb。 Jeanette wore a bright purple satin kimono with a large dragon on the back
embroidered in gold thread； and her mousy brown hair was a mass of snarls。 Despite the heat； she
was also wearing her favorite pair of purple fuzzy slippers。 Rufus was wearing an obscenely tight
pair of electric blue spandex bicycle shorts； and a canary…yellow T…shirt with a colorful picture of a
sunset on the front； that said YOU BETTER BELIZE IT。 Dan was certainly going to miss his
parents； though he wasn？t sure whether he？d miss their bizarre fashion statements。
？You two could help； you know；？ Jenny mented； throwing an army green duffel bag in the
trunk and wiping the droplets of sweat from her eyes with the back of her hand。
Rufus crossed his arms over his chest。 ？Why do you think we had you two？ Free labor！？ He and
Jeanette burst into peals of laughter。
？Oh； Rufus；？ Jeanette moaned； posing herself； a note of sadness creeping into her
voice。 ？Our baby？s all grown up！？ She flew at Dan； the sleeves of her kimono flapping in the
breeze like wings； and Dan opened his arms； resting his head against his mother？s shoulder。
Looking around； Dan realized that this would be the last time that his family would be all
together？for God knew how long。 He was off to college today； and tonight his mom was flying
back to Prague and her boyfriend； Count Dracula。 Tears welled up in his eyes and he blinked them
back。 His mom patted him on the back like she was trying to burp him。 ？Sweetie；？ she whispered
in his ear； ？I know you and Vanessa are back together； and I just wanted to let you know that it？s
okay？I still love you； even though you？re straight；？ she sniffed。 ？You？re my baby boy； and I just
want you to be happy。？ Dan just shook his head。 Why his mother wanted a gay son so badly was
beyond him。 But if his brief venture into homosexuality had finally brought her back to visit； he
couldn？t really plain。
？It？s okay； Mom；？ he said between thumps on his back。 ？Just remember next time you send a gift
that I？m a men？s medium； not a kids？ size four； and I？m sort of not into pink spandex anymore。？
？Well； Dan。？ Rufus appeared at Dan？s side smelling like curry and enveloped his son in a huge；
hulking bear hug。 ？It？s time to begin the next great adventure of your life。？ Dan held onto his dad
for a long moment。 He knew that when he woke up tomorrow morning； that wherever he was？no
matter how beautiful and picturesque the scenery ？it would feel totally bizarre not to see his dad
padding through the kitchen making brussels…sprout pancakes； wearing his long white nightshirt
and purple flip…flops。 ？And don？t forget to write it all down；？ Rufus added； slapping his shoulders
affectionately。
Vanessa helped Jenny fit the last suitcase into the oversize trunk and stepped back。 Was Dan
imagining things； or did he see actual tears in Vanessa？s eyes？ She swiped at them furiously；
refusing to look at him。 He walked over and took her in his arms； running his fingers over the
stubbly scalp he adored。 He could hear the rapid sound of her breathing； and he hugged her even
closer。
？I？ll call you every day；？ he said； his voice trembling。 ？I promise。？ ？Me too。？ She sniffled。
Jenny slammed the trunk of the robin？s…egg…blue car shut。 ？Let？s get this boat on the road！？ ？It？s
not aboat ；？ Dan snorted； letting go of Vanessa。 ？It？s a 1977 Buick Skylark convertible； and it
deserves somerespect 。？ ？Okay； Mr。 Only Got His License like；Yesterday 。？ Jenny gave him a
sweaty hug。 ？I was only kidding。？ She buried her head against his chest； her curls bobbing up and
down。 ？I？m going to miss you so much；？ she said quietly as the tears rolled down her round
cheeks。
Dan closed his eyes； squeezing his little sister tight。 ？You too；？ he muttered； trying not to cry any
harder。
？But I know you guys probably have some stuff to um 。 。 。 do。？ Jenny looked up at Vanessa
meaningfully and then shuffled away； fanning her face with one hand as she joined Rufus and
Jeanette on the curb。
Vanessa grabbed Dan？s hand forcefully； pulling him behind the car so that they could have some
privacy。 She kissed him hard？a little reminder of their long night last night？and then pulled back；
grinning。 She was sad to see Dan go； but they were together again？and she had some ideas for
how to stay in touch。
？Not only will I call you every day；？ she said； swooping in for another kiss； then lowering her
voice to a throaty whisper； ？but I？ll be sending you somemovies； too。？ She winked； her face
wicked。
Dan blushed bright red。 ？Rated R； I hope；？ he whispered in her ear。
Finally she pried herself out of his arms； and he got behind the wheel of his huge automobile。 He
slammed the door and Vanessa backed slowly away； joining his family on the curb。 There they
were： his crazily dressed father； his long…absent mother； his sweet little sister； and Vanessa； the
bald； beautiful； love of his life。 He jammed the key into the ignition； fighting tears。
The car coughed once； twice； and then 。 。 。 died abruptly。 Dan closed his eyes。 He couldn？t face
another round of goodbyes。 He turned the key once more。 This time； the engine caught； coughing
and sputtering； before ing to life with a giant roar。
He jerked the car forward； trying to remember everything his dad had told him about defensive
driving； and watched his family get smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror； all four of them
waving wildly and wiping their eyes as he sped up West End Avenue。 His blood felt electric； and
he could hardly wait to get out on the open road； to feel the sun on his face as it streamed through
the windshield。 Hopefully； by the time he found an Internet caf？； he？d already have a Vanessa
Abrams original in his inbox。 One meant for his eyes only。
And sure to make its way into the public realm？nudge； nudge。
n picks up another girl
Nate glanced at his beat…up platinum Rolex as he hopped out of the cab and into the blinding
morning light。 He shaded his eyes from the sun as he looked up at the street signs； trying to get his
bearings。 ？Thanks； man。？ He turned to the cabbie and handed him forty bucks。
？Sir； you overpay？？ The driver handed back one of the twenties； but Nate had already turned
away。
？It？s all yours；？ he called as he hurried down the street。 He checked his watch again。 Nine
fifty…five。 Only five more minutes。
He started to run now； his loafers slapping against the pavement as his feet made contact with the
hot asphalt。 A few paces and he was panting。 The sweat trickled down the back of his gray T…shirt。
The balls of his feet hurt and he wished he？d worn sneakers？and maybe eaten some breakfast。
Of course he？d be thinking of food at a time like this。 His phone rang and buzzed in his pocket。
He pulled it out and looked at the screen。 Blair。 Again。 He silenced the phone and put it back into
his shorts。
Finally he rounded a corner and there she was； the sweet girl he？d be spending the next year
with。
Who？
Nate raced down the Battery Park City wharf？the same dock he and Blair had sailed into ten days
ago； although it felt like much longer。 It was as if the moment he？d set foot on dry land； his days
had turned into a confusing tangle of getting stoned and hurting the people he loved。
Story of his life。
Nate leapt onto the deck and strode into the stern of theBelinda； crashing into a pile of life
preservers。 He looked at his watch again。
？Nine fifty…nine！？ he called out。 ？I？m early！？
Chips appeared from the cabin with a grin。 ？Glad you made it。？ He was wearing his ？traveling
clothes；？ a pristine pair of white duck cloth sailor？s pants and a navy blue windbreaker。 His white
hair was bed back from his deeply lined face； and his blue eyes sparkled as he moved around
the boat； his bad leg dragging behind him but an excited spring in his step。 He bent at the waist；
untied a mass of rope at his feet； and began to raise the anchor with the hand crank。 That？s what
Nate was going to love about sailing with Chips。 No puterized anything。 Everything was done
the old…fashioned way； with maps and muscle。 ？Belindaand I thought we might have to leave
without you。？ Nate grinned； extracting himself from the pile of life preservers； and started to help
Chips with the rope。 ？I just wanted to make you sweat a little。？ His phone rang a