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all the way to a zero after the first date。 Your guy set a new
record。 Congratulations。 Your day was officially worse than mine。” I
leaned over to kick my bedroom door closed when I heard Shanti and
Kendra e Home from work。 I heard a guy’s voice with them and
wondered if either of my roommates had boyfriends。 I’d seen them a
bined total of only ten minutes in the last week and a half；
because they seemed to work longer hours than I did。
“That bad？ How could your day be bad？ You work infashion； ” she
said。
There was a quiet knocking on the door。
“Hold on a sec； someone’s here。 e in！” I called to the door； much
too loud for the tiny space。 I waited for one of my quiet roommates
to timidly ask if I’d remembered to call the landlord to put my name
on the lease （no） or bought more paper plates （no） or had taken down
any phone messages （no）； but Alex appeared。
“Hey； can I call you back？ Alex just showed up。” I was thrilled to
see him； so excited that he’d surprised me； but a small part of me
had been looking forward to just taking a shower and crawling into
bed。
“Sure。 Tell him I say hi。 And remember what a lucky girl you are for
having pleted the fraction with him； Andy。 He’s great。 Hold on to
that one。”
“Don’t I know it。 The kid’s a goddamn saint。” I smiled in his
direction。
“’Bye。”
“Hi！” I willed myself to first sit up； then stand up and walk over
to him。 “What a great surprise！” I went to hug him but he backed
away； keeping his arms behind his back。 “What’s wrong？”
“Nothing at all。 I know you’ve had such a long week； and； knowing
you； I figured you hadn’t bothered to eat yet； so I brought the food
to you。” He pulled a huge brown paper bag from behind his back； one
of the old…school grocery style ones； and it already had some
delicious…smelling grease stains on it。 All of a sudden； I was
starving。
“You did not！ How’d you know that I was sitting here this very
second； wondering how I was going to motivate to find food？ I was
just about to give up。”
“So e here and eat！” He looked pleased and pulled open the bag；
but we both couldn’t fit on the floor of my bedroom together。 I
thought about eating in the living room since there was no kitchen；
but Kendra and Shanti had both collapsed in front of the TV
together； their untouched takeout salads open in front of them。 I
thought they were waiting until theReal World episode they were
watching was over； but then I noticed that they’d both already
fallen asleep。 Sweet lives we all had。
“Hold on； I have an idea；” he said and tiptoed to the kitchen。 He
came back with two oversize garbage bags and spread them out over my
blue forter。 He dug into the greasy bag and brought out two giant
burgers with everything and one extra…large order of fries。 He’d
remembered ketchup packets and tons of salt for me； and even the
napkins。 I clapped I was so excited； although a quick visual of the
imagined disappointment on Miranda’s face appeared； one that
said；You？ You’re eating a burger？
“I’m not done yet。 Here； check it out。” And out of his backpack came
a fistful of tiny vanilla tea lights； a bottle of screw…top red
wine； and two waxy paper cups。
“You’re kidding；” I said softly； still not believing that he’d put
all this together after I’d canceled our date。
He handed me a cup of wine and tapped it with his。 “No； I’m not。 You
think I was going to miss hearing about the first week of the rest
of your life？ To my best girl。”
“Thank you。” I said； slowly taking a sip。 “Thank you； thank you；
thank you。”
6
“Ohmigod； is it the fashion editor herself？” Jill mock…shrieked when
she opened the front door。 “e on over here and let your big
sister genuflect a li’l。”
“Fashion editor？” I snorted。 “Hardly。 Try fashion mishap。 Wele
back to civilization。” I hugged her for what felt like ten minutes
and didn’t want to let go。 It was hard when she’d started at
Stanford and left me all alone with our parents when I was a mere
nine years old； but it was even harder when she’d followed her
boyfriend—now husband—to Houston。 Houston！ The whole placed seemed
drenched in humidity and infested with mosquitoes to the point of
unbearability； and if that wasn’t bad enough； my sister—my
sophisticated； beautiful big sister who loved neoclassical art and
made your heart melt when she recited poetry—had developed a
southern accent。 And not just a slight accent with a subtle；
charming southern lilt； but an all…out； unmistakable；
like…a…drill…through…the…eardrum redneck drawl。 I’d yet to forgive
Kyle for dragging her to that wretched place； even if he was a
pretty decent brother…in…law； and it didn’t help when he opened his
mouth。
“Hey there； Andy darlin’； you’re looking more beautiful every time I
see you。”Yer lookin’ more beeyootiful avery time I see ya 。 “What
are they feeding y’all atRunway； huh？”
I wanted to stick a tennis ball in his mouth to keep him from
talking anymore； but he smiled at me and I walked over and hugged
him。 He might sound like a hick and grin a little too openly and
often； but he tried really hard and he clearly adored my sister。 I
vowed to make a sincere effort not to visibly cringe when he spoke。
“It’s not really what I’d call a feeding…friendly kind of place； if
you know what I mean。 Whatever it is； it’s definitely in the water
and not the food。 But never mind。 Kyle； you look great yourself。
Keeping my sister busy in the city of misery； I hope？”
“Andy； just e and visit； sweetie。 Bring Alex along and y’all can
make it a li’l vacation。 It’s not that bad； you’ll see。” He smiled
first at me and then at Jill； who smiled back