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第32部分（第2页）

Doesn’t　she　mean　dads？

Serena　carefully　set　up　the　twins　at　the　toddler…size　table　in　the　corner；　remembering　herself　and　Blair　as　children　sitting　at　that　very　table；　doing　that　very　thing。　Blair　was　watching　them　too；　cupping　her　coffee　mug　between　her　hands。

“I　was　just　thinking…”　Serena　began。　She　wanted　to　apologize　to　Blair；　to　say　she　didn’t　even　remember　why　they’d　gotten　so　mad　at　each　other　the　previous　winter；　that　she　just　wanted　to　go　back　to　being　friends　again。　But　she　couldn’t　find　the　words。

She　didn’t　need　to。　“I　know；”　Blair　said。　“Me　too。”

It　was　still　snowing　heavily　outside；　but　inside；　it　seemed　the　ice　had　finally　thawed。

dinner　for　eight

“I　thought　Giles　and　I　should　show　off　our　Proven？al　cooking　skills；”　Harold　announced　as　he　set　a　heavy　red　Le　Creuset　casserole　on　the　long；　rough…hewn　table　in　the　fortable　sunken　dining　room。　It　had　been　snowing　heavily　all　day　with　no　signs　of　stopping；　and　Harold　had　insisted　that　Dan；　Jenny；　Serena；　and　Nate　call　their　parents　and　stay　at　the　Newport　house　until　the　storm　let　up。

Blair　hadn’t　minded—in　fact；　it　had　actually　been　kind　of　fun。　They’d　all　watched　Gone　With　the　Wind；　played　Boggle　and　Monopoly；　and　drunk　way　too　much　of　Harold’s　special　mulled　wine。　Dan　kept　excusing　himself　and　Serena；　either　to　make　out　or　read　in　the　library。　Nate　and　Chuck　had　kept　them　entertained　with　crazy　stories　about　Deep　Springs；　while　Jenny　quietly　looked　on　and　giggled。　Now；　even　though　it　was　only　eight　o’clock；　everyone　was　exhausted　and　drunk。

“Lamb　daube　with　red　wine　and　olives；”　Harold　explained　from　the　head　of　the　table。　“I　bet　this　is　a　far　cry　from　dorm　food。”

“Blair　survives　on　jelly　babies。”　Chuck　named　the　weird　British　candy　that　had　been　the　only　thing　Blair　liked　about　England　before　she　and　Chuck　started　dating。

“Shut　up；”　she　said　good…naturedly。　She’d　spent　the　whole　first　month　surviving　on　whatever　she　could　find　at　the　newsagent’s　near　her　dorm　before　it　closed　at　6　p。m。—potato　chips　and　candy　mostly—but　the　whole　table　didn’t　need　to　know　about　it。

“Well；　enjoy。　I’m　telling　you；　kids；　it’s　great　for　us　that　you’re　here。”　Harold　held　up　his　glass　of　champagne　as　he　slid　into　the　chair　at　the　head　of　the　table。　“To　youth；”　he　announced　solemnly。

“And　wisdom！”　Chuck　cried；　clinking　his　own　glass　with　Harold’s。

“I’ve　always　liked　you。”　Harold　winked　showily　at　Blair。

Nate　stiffened　as　he　cut　into　his　lamb。　Chuck　had　e…mailed　him　this　year　to　tell　him　that　he　and　Blair　were　dating；　but　it　was　one　thing　to　know　they　were　together　and　another　to　see　it。　He　stared　down　at　his　plate。　The　olives　looked　like　little　beady　eyes；　challenging　him。　Just　then；　he　felt　something　touch　his　foot。　Jenny　was　smiling　at　him　mischievously。　Footsies？　Really？　That　was　kind　of…　hot。　Nate　smiled　back　at　her。

“I　saw　you　girls　making　peanut…butter…and…jelly　pies　this　morning；”　Harold　said；　waving　his　flute　at　Blair　and　Serena。　“I　wish　you’d　stuck　to　doing　that；　instead　of　raiding　our　liquor　cabinet　when　you　were　teenagers。”　He　shook　his　head　in　bemusement。

“Daddy；　we　never　did　that；”　Blair　lied；　taking　a　large　swig　of　champagne。

“Ha！”　Harold　laughed。　“I　wasn’t　as　out　of　touch　as　you　may　have　thought。”

Yes；　he　was。

“Well；　you　girls　had　to　learn　how　to　socialize　somehow。　And　it　all　turned　out　for　the　best。　You　hosted　your　first　benefit　when　you　were　only　sixteen；”　Harold　recalled　with　pride。

“Oh　my　God；　the　Kiss　on　the　Lips　party；”　Blair　remembered。　They’d　organized　a　party　to　benefit　the　Central　Park　falcons　or　pigeons　or　sparrows　or　whatever　those　endangered　birds　were。　After　too　much　champagne；　she’d　nearly　thrown　up　on　one　of　the　foundation　representatives。　Nate　had　rescued　her；　making　an　excuse　to　the　representative　and　steering　Blair　discreetly　toward　the　bathroom。　She　looked　at　him　gratefully　now；　wondering　if　he　was　thinking　about　the　same　thing。　Nate　smiled　back；　and　then；　as　if　remembering　something；　tore　his　eyes　away。

“I　did　the　invitations　for　that　party！”　Jenny　piped　up　from　the　corner　of　the　table。　As　a　young；　ambitious　freshman；　she’d　wanted　to　be　invited　to　the　party　so　badly　that　she’d　offered　to　use　her　calligraphy　skills　to　address　the　invites。

Dan　stared　down　at　his　plate。　He　had　nothing　to　contribute　to　this　trip　down　memory　lane；　except　that　he　had　rescued　Jenny　from　the　bathroom；　where　she’d　been　cornered　by　a　date…raping　Chuck　at　the　same　party。　But　that　wasn’t　exactly　appropriate　for　the　dinner　table。

You　think？

He　couldn’t　believe　it　had　snowed　all　day　and　they　were　stuck　in　Newport　for　another　night。　All　he　wanted　was　to　be　back　in　his　apartment　with　Serena；　a　cup　of　coffee；　and　a　good　book。

“Oh　my　God；　Blair；　remember　when　we　were　Jenny’s　peer　counselors？”　Serena　laughed。　The　guidance　department　had　chosen　her　and　Blair　to　act　as　role　models　for　some　of　the　younger　Constance　girls。　They’d　been　assigned　a　group　of　freshman　with　whom　they　met　once　a　week　to　discuss　topics　like　peer　pressure；　teen　sex；　and　drinking。　Instead；　they’d　spent　most　of　their　time　talking　about　boys　and　sample　sales。　Serena　shot　a　sidelong　glance　at　Jenny。　She　seemed　to　have　turned　out　okay　anyway。

“We　were　great　role　models。　Unlike　Nate’s　role　model；　L’Wren。”　Blair　smirked；　naming　a　supremely　slutty　University　of　Virginia　freshman　who’d　almost　deflowered　Nate　when　he　was　fifteen。

“Oh　my　God；　L’Wren！　I’d　almost　forgotten　about　her！”　Serena　cried；　clapping　her　hands。

Nate　shook　his　head　ruefully。　In　truth；　he　still　had　a　soft　spot　in　his　heart　for　L’Wren；　the　girl　who’d　taught　him　how　to　smoke　a　bong。

Ah；　memories。

Dan　shifted　unfortably　in　his　seat；　wishing　he　had　more　to　offer　to　the　conversation。　What　would　he　say？　Hey　Chuck；　remember　when　you　locked　me　out　of　a　party？　Nate；　remember　when　you　invited　yourself　on　my　and　Serena’s　college　visiting　tour　senior　year？　“Hey　beautiful；”　he　whispered　to　Serena；　trying　to　pull　her　out　of　this　lame　remember…when　conversation　about　people　he’d　never　met　and　parties　he’d　never　been　invited　to。

“Hey；”　Serena　said　distractedly；　putting　her