Blair did was glance at Kati and Isabel to see if they’d noticed the
slip。 Blair was acting strange; and Serena fought down a rising
panic。 Maybe Nate was wrong; maybe Blair really was mad at her。
Serena had missed out on so much。 The divorce; for instance。 Poor
Blair。
“It must really stink without your dad around;” Serena said。 “But
your mom looks so good; and Cyrus is kind of sweet; once you get
used to him。” She giggled。
But Blair still wasn’t smiling。 “Maybe;” she said; staring out the
window at the hot…dog stand。 “I guess I’m still not used to him。”
All six of them were silent for a long; tense moment。
What they needed was one more good; stiff drink。
Nate rattled the ice cubes in his glass。 “Who wants another?” he
offered。 “I’ll make them。”
Serena held out her glass。 “Thanks; Nate;” she said。 “I’m so fucking
thirsty。 They locked the damned booze cabinet up in Ridgefield。 Can
you believe it?”
Blair shook her head。 “No; thanks;” she said。
“If I have another; I’ll be hungover at school tomorrow;” Kati said。
Isabel laughed。 “You’re always hungover at school;” she said。 She
handed Nate her glass。 “Here; I’ll split mine with Kati。”
“Let me give you a hand;” Chuck offered。 But before he could get
very far; Mrs。 van der Woodsen joined them; touching her
daughter’s arm。
“Serena;” her mother said。 “Eleanor would like us all to sit down。
She made an extra place next to Blair for you; so you two girls can
catch up。”
Serena cast an anxious glance at Blair; but Blair had already turned
away and was headed for the table; sitting down next to her elevenyear…
old brother; Tyler; who had been at his place for over an hour;
reading Rolling Stone magazine。 Tyler’s idol was that movie director;
Cameron Crowe; who had toured with Led Zeppelin when he was
only fifteen。 Tyler refused to listen to CDs; insisting that real vinyl
records were the only way to go。 Blair worried her brother was
turning into a loser。
Serena steeled herself and pulled up a chair in the space next to
Blair。
“Blair; I’m sorry I’ve been such a plete asshole;” she said;