669小说网

第38部分（第2页）

The　terrace　door　slid　open　and　her　stepbrother；　Aaron　Rose；　stepped　outside；　carrying　Yale　on　his　hip　and　a　glass　of　champagne　in　one　hand。　Aaron　was　a　senior　at　Harvard；　insisted　on　wearing　his　hair　in　little　brown　dreadlocks；　and　had　spent　all　of　last　year　on　a　study…abroad　program　in　Burkina　Faso。　Now；　starry…eyed　at　the　notion　of　making　a　difference　in　third…world　countries；　he　was　in　the　process　of　applying　to　the　Peace　Corps　to　an　even　more　remote　third…world　country。

“Hey　sis！”　Aaron　said　cheerfully；　taking　a　large　swig　of　champagne　as　he　set　Yale　down。　Yale　had　large　blue　eyes；　dark　brown　hair　tied　back　with　a　dark　red　ribbon；　and　wore　a　green　velvet　Bonpoint　party　dress。　Blair　grinned。　She　was　fucking　adorable。

The　second　ing　of　Blair　Waldorf？

“Let’s　go　inside—it’s　cold！”　she　said；　holding　her　hand　out　to　her　baby　sister。　Blair　wasn’t　exactly　the　maternal　type；　but　the　almost…four…year…old　was　impossible　to　resist。

“No！”　Yale　stomped　her　foot　indignantly。　“I　don’t　like　anyone　in　there；”　she　whined　as　she　intertwined　her　sticky　fingers　in　Blair’s　manicured　ones。　Aaron　burst　out　laughing。

Blair　picked　up　Yale；　inhaling　the　scent　of　her　baby　shampoo。　“Don’t　worry；　Yaley；　I　don’t　like　anyone　either。”

Together；　Blair　and　Yale　swept　through　the　sliding　door　of　the　terrace　and　into　the　expansive　living　room。　Eleanor　hadn’t　begun　decorating　yet；　so　the　entire　room　was　empty　save　for　a　large　Douglas　fir　that　skimmed　the　vaulted　cathedral　ceiling。　In　a　way；　the　room　looked　more　impressive　without　furniture。　The　white　moldings　of　the　ceiling　contrasted　with　the　dark　oak　of　the　window　ledges；　and　the　art　deco　chandelier　cast　a　romantic　glow　against　the　cherrywood　floors。

“Blair；　darling！”　Misty　Bass　caught　Blair’s　elbow。　She　was　an　imperious…looking　woman　with　a　crisp　blond　bob　who　never　left　the　house　without　first　putting　on　a　large　amount　of　jewelry。

“You　know；　darling；　seeing　you　with　your　adorable　baby　sister　makes　me　imagine　you　as　a　mother；”　Misty　said；　leaning　in　close。　Blair　practically　recoiled　from　the　scent　of　her　spicy　perfume。　“I　know　both　your　mom　and　I　would　love　grandchildren！　After　the　wedding；　of　course；”　she　added　sternly。

Blair　smiled　tightly。　Who　said　anything　about　marriage？　She　and　Chuck　had　been　dating　for　over　a　year；　and　they’d　spent　the　entire　summer　at　her　dad’s　South　of　France　vineyard；　but　they’d　been　separated　by　the　Atlantic　Ocean　for　the　past　three　months。　Besides；　what　was　this；　1952？　She　was　going　to　get　a　job　after　graduation；　not　an　entryway　ring。

“Blair！”　Yale　whispered　urgently；　tugging　on　Blair’s　hand。　“I　have　to　pee。”

“Looks　like　you　need　to　attend　to　the　little　one！”　Misty　reached　out　to　ruffle　Yale’s　hair。

“Ow！”　Yale　yelped　loudly。

“Oh。”　Misty　drew　her　hand　back　and　pursed　her　lips　as　if　she’d　sucked　on　a　lemon。　“I’m　sorry；　little　dear。”

“Nice　to　see　you！”　Blair　called　over　her　shoulder　as　she　ran　Yale　toward　the　nursery。　“Good　job；”　she　whispered　in　Yale’s　ear　as　she　brushed　past　guests。　“I　owe　you　a　pony。”

Sounds　like　she’ll　make　a　fine　mother。

Once　Yale　was　safely　deposited　in　the　arms　of　her　nanny；　Bridget；　Blair　reentered　the　party；　determined　to　avoid　Misty　for　the　rest　of　the　night。　She　scanned　the　room　to　see　if　any　of　her　old　friends　had　tagged　along　with　their　parents。　Last　she’d　heard；　Nate　was　attending　Brown　and　shacking　up　with　Jenny　Humphrey。　She　saw　Serena　on　campus　often　enough；　usually　talking　on　her　cell　or　walking　quickly　across　the　quad；　latte　in　hand。　She’d　never　said　hello。　She’d　almost　gotten　to　the　point　where　Serena　could　be　anyone　on　campus—like　Emily；　an　annoying　red…haired　girl　in　Blair’s　Shakespeare　class　who　read　each　line　as　if　she　were　a　member　of　the　Royal　National　Theater。　Serena　was　just　a　vaguely　familiar；　vaguely　annoying　face　who　had　nothing　to　do　with　Blair’s　real　life。

“Blair；　darling！　Over　here！”　Her　mother’s　unmistakable　voice　floated　over　the　string　quartet　playing　holiday　music　in　the　corner。　At　the　entryway；　Eleanor　Waldorf　waved　frantically；　her　Cartier　tennis　bracelets　jangling　on　her　wrist。　She　wore　a　silver；　cleavage…baring　dress　that　might　have　been　acceptable　for　a　party　at　a　producer’s　house　in　the　Hollywood　Hills　but　was　pletely　inappropriate　for　New　York；　even　if　it　was　on　the　Upper　West　Side。　“Look　who’s　here；”　Eleanor　crowed。　Blair’s　eyes　flicked　to　her　mother’s　side　and　landed　on　Serena。

Serena；　wearing　a　tight　red　Catherine　Malandrino　dress；　squeezed　Eleanor　around　the　waist　as　if　they　were　long…lost　bosom　buddies。　Her　hair　was　impossibly　long　and　shiny；　her　skin　glowing　and　tanned；　as　if　she’d　just　returned　from　a　sun…drenched　Maldives　vacation。

Blair　set　her　mouth　in　a　firm　line　and　marched　over　to　them。

“My　two　favorite　girls！”　Eleanor　said　fondly；　pathetically　unaware　anything　was　amiss　between　them。　“I　was　just　telling　Serena　how　terrific　it　is　that　you　two　have　had　each　other　all　these　years。　I　felt　good　moving　to　California　knowing　Serena　was　in　New　York　for　you　to　e　home　to。”　Eleanor　rested　her　hand　on　Blair’s　shoulder。

Blair　hadn’t　told　her　mom　she　and　Serena　hadn’t　even　spoken　this　past　year；　how　every　time　they　saw　each　other　they　managed　to　have　an　enormous　fight；　how　Serena　was　like　some　bloodsucking　leech；　desperate　to　take　everything　of　Blair’s　and　literally　ruin　her　life。

“I　feel　the　same　way；　Eleanor；”　Serena　said　sweetly；　knowing　it　was　what　Blair’s　mom　wanted　to　hear。　“I　like　knowing　Blair’s　at　Yale；　even　though　I　hardly　see　her。　She’s　so　busy　with　pre…law　and　everything。”　In　truth；　she　didn’t　know　if　Blair　even　was　a　political　science　major　with　a　concentration　in　pre…law　anymore。　She　sometimes　saw　Blair　around　campus；　striding　across　the　lawn　with　a　group　of　girls　or　her　advisor。　Blair　always　looked　so　confident　and　capable　and　in　control；　like　a　picture　torn　out　of　a　Yale　catalog。

Meanwhile；　Yale　still　felt　like　a　holding　place　for　Serena。　While　she　knew　a　lot　of　people；　she　hadn’t　made　any　real　friends；　especially　since　she　spent　every　weekend　with　Dan　in　the　city。　It　felt　like　she　spent　Monday　through　Thursday　waiting　for　the　weekends　and　her　real　life　to　begin。

“What　are　you　majoring　in；　dear？’　Eleanor　asked；　plucking　a　mini　quiche　off　a　passing　tray。　“Do　you　have　any　idea　what　you’ll　be　doing　after　college？”

“I　don’t　know。　I　th