there　through　the　entire　conversation。　“Is　he　mad　at　you？”
  “Probably；”　I　sighed；　hugging　my　canvas　messenger　bag　to　my　chest。
  “I’ve　been　a　shit　to　him　lately。”　I　went　to　the　bar　to　ask　for　an
  appetizer　menu　and　by　the　time　I　came　back；　the　Wall　Street　guy　had
  curled　up　on　the　couch　next　to　Lily。　He　looked　to　be　in　his　late
  twenties；　but　his　receding　hairline　made　it　impossible　to　know　for
  sure。
  I　grabbed　her　coat　and　tossed　it　at　her。　“Lily；　put　that　on。　We’re
  leaving；”　I　said　while　looking　at　him。　He　was　on　the　shorter　side；
  and　his　pleated　khakis　didn’t　help　his　pudgy　figure。　And　the　fact
  that　his　tongue　was　now　two　inches　from　my　best　friend’s　ear　didn’t
  make　me　like　him　any　more。
  “Hey；　what’s　the　rush？”　he　asked　in　a　whiny；　nasal　voice。　“Your
  friend　and　I　are　just　getting　to　know　each　other。”　Lily　grinned　and
  nodded；　trying　to　take　a　gulp　from　her　drink　but　not　realizing　her
  glass　was　empty。
  “Well；　that’s　very　sweet；　but　it’s　time　for　us　to　go。　What’s　your
  name？”
  “Stuart。”
  “Nice　to　meet　you；　Stuart。　Why　don’t　you　give　Lily　here　your　number
  and　she　can　give　you　a　call　when　she’s　feeling　a　little　better—or
  not。　How　does　that　sound？”　I　flashed　him　a　smile。
  “Uh；　whatever。　No　worries。　I’ll　catch　you　guys　later。”　He　was　on　his
  feet　and　headed　to　the　bar　so　fast　that　Lily　hadn’t　yet　noticed　he’d
  left。
  “Stuart　and　I　are　getting　to　know　each　other；　aren’t　we；　Stu？”　She
  turned　to　the　place　where　he　had　sat　and　looked　confused。
  “Stuart　had　to　run；　Lil。　e　on；　let’s　get　out　of　here。”
  I　pulled　her　drab　green　peacoat　on　over　her　sweater　and　yanked　her
  to　her　feet；　where　she　swayed　precariously　until　she　regained　her
  balance。　The　air　outside　was　searing　and　cold　and　I　figured　it’d
  help　her　sober　up。
  “I　don’t　feel　so　good。”　She　was　slurring　again。
  “I　know；　sweetie；　I　know。　Let’s　get　a　cab　back　to　your　apartment；
  OK？　Do　you　think　you　can　make　it？”
  She　nodded　and　then　leaned　over　very　casually　and　threw　up。　All　over
  her　brown　boots；　with　some　of　it　splashing　up　the　sides　of　her
  jeans。If　only　the　Runwaygirls　could　see　my　best　friend　now。　I
  couldn’t　help　thinking。
  I　sat　her　down　on　a　window　ledge　that　looked　reasonably　like　it
  wouldn’t　have　an　alarm　and　ordered　her　not　to　move。　There　was　a
  twenty…four…hour　bodega　right　across　the　street；　and　this　girl
  clearly　needed　some　water。　When　I　got　back；　she’d　thrown　up
  again—this　time　all　down　her　front—and　her　eyes　looked　droopy。　I’d
  bought　two　bottles　of　Poland　Spring；　one　for　her　to　drink　and　one
  for　cleaning；　but　she　was　too　gross　now。　I　dumped　one　all　over　her
  feet　to　wash　away　the　sick；　and　half　of　the　second　one　over　her
  coat。　Better　to　be　soaking　wet　than　covered　in　puke。　She　was　so
  drunk　she　didn’t　even　notice。
  It　took　a　little　persuading　to　get　a　cabbie　to　let　us　in　with　Lily
  looking　in　such　bad　shape；　but　I　promised　a　really　big　tip　on　top　of
  what　was　sure　to　be　a　really　big　fare。　We　were　going　from　the　Lower
  East　Side　to　the　far　Upper　West；　and　I　was　already　figuring　out　a
  way　to　expense　what　was　sure　to　be　a　twenty…dollar　ride。　I　could
  probably　just　write　it　off　as　a　trip　I　had　to　make　in　search　of
  something　for　Miranda。　Yes；　that　would　work。
  The　trip　to　her　fourth…floor　walk…up　was　even　less　fun　than　the　cab；
  but　she’d　bee　more　cooperative　after　the　twenty…five…minute　ride；
  and　she　even　managed　to　wash　herself　in　the　shower　after　I’d
  undressed　her。　I　pointed　her　in　the　direction　of　her　bed　and　watched
  as　she　collapsed　face…down　when　her　knees　hit　the　box　spring。　I
  looked　down　at　her；　unconscious；　and　was　momentarily　nostalgic　for
  college；　for　all　the　things　we’d　done　together　then。　It　was　fun　now；
  no　question；　but　it　would　never　again　be　as　carefree　as　then。
  I　briefly　wondered　if　Lily　might　be　drinking　too　much　these　days。
  After　all；　she　did　seem　to　be　drunk　pretty　consistently。　But　when
  Alex　had　brought　it　up　the　week　before；　I’d　assured　him　it　was
  because　she　was　still　a　student；　still　not　living　in　the　real　world
  with　real；　adult　responsibilities　（like　pouring　the　perfect
  Pellegrino！）。　I　mean；　it’s　not　like　we　hadn’t　together　done　too　many
  shots　at　Señ；or　Frog’s　on　spring　break　or　too　ambitiously　worked　our
  way　through　three　bottles　of　red　wine　while　celebrating　the
  anniversary　of　the　day　we’d　first　met　in　eighth　grade。　Lily　had　held
  my　hair　back　as　I　sat　with　my　face　resting　on　the　toilet　seat　after
  a　postfinals　binge；　and　pulled　over　four　times　once　while　driving　me
  back　to　my　dorm　after　a　night　that　had　included　eight　rum　and　Cokes
  and　a　particularly　horrid　karaoke　rendition　of　“Every　Rose　Has　Its
  Thorn。”　I’d　dragged　her　back　to　my　apartment　on　the　night　of　her
  twenty…first　birthday　and　tucked　her　into　my　bed；　checking　her
  breathing　every　ten　minutes；　and　finally　fell　asleep　on　the　floor
  next　to　her　after　I’d　made　sure　she’d　live　through　the　night。　She
  had　awakened　twice　that　night。　The　first　time　was　to　throw　up　over
  the　side　of　the　bed—making　a　sincere　effort　to　make　it　into　the
  garbage　can　I’d　set　up　beside　it　but　getting　confused　and　vomiting
  down　the　side　of　my　wall　instead—and　once　more　to　apologize
  sincerely　and　tell　me　she　loved　me　and　I　was　the　best　friend　a　girl
  could　have。　That’s　what　friends　did：　they　got　drunk　together　and　did
  stupid　things　and　looked　out　for　one　another；　right？　Or　was　that　all
  just　college　fun；　rites　of　passage　that　had　a　time　and　a　place？　Alex
  had　insisted　that　this　was　different；　thatshe　was　different；　but　I
  just　didn’t　see　it　that　way。
  I　knew　I　should’ve　stayed　with　her　tonight；　but　it　was　nearly　two
  and　I　had　to　be　at　work　in　five　hours。　My　clothes　smelled　of　vomit
  and　there　was　no　way　I　could　find　a　single　appropriate　piece　of
  clothing　in　Lily’s　closet　to　wear　toRunway　—especially　with　my　new
  upgraded　look。　I　sighed　and　pulled　a　blanket　over　her　and　set　her
  alarm　for　7：00A　。M。　so　just　in　case　she　wasn’t　too　hungover；　she’d
  have　a　shot　at　making　it　to　class。
  “’Bye；　Lil。　I’m　heading　out。　You　OK？”　I　placed　the　portable　phone　on
  the　pillow　by　her　head。
  She　opened　her　eyes；　looked　directly　at　me；　and　smiled。　“Thanks；”
  she　muttered；　her　eyelids　dropping　again。　She　wasn’t　fit　to　run　a
  marathon；　or　probably　even　operate　a　motorized　lawn　mower；　but　she’d
  be　fine　to　just　sleep　it　off。
  “It　was　my　pleasure；”　I　managed；　even　though　this　was　the　first　time
  in　twenty…one　hours　I　had　stopped　physically　running；　fetching；
  rearranging；　moving；　cleaning；　or　otherwise　assisting。　“I’ll　call
  you　tomorrow；”　I　said　as　I　willed　my　legs　not　to　give　out。　“If
  either　of　us　is　still　alive。”　And　I　finally；finally；　went　Home。
  10
  “Hey；　I’m　glad　I　caught　you；”　I　heard　Cara　say　on　the　other　end　of
  the　line。　Why　was　she　out　of　breath　at　quarter　of　eight　in　the
  morning？
  “Uh…oh。　You　never　call　this　early。　What’s　wrong？”　In　the　split
  second　it　took　me　to　say　those　words；　a　half…dozen　scenarios　of　what
  Miranda　could　need　raced　through　my　mind。
  “No；　no；　it’s　nothing　like　that。　I　just　wanted　to　warn　you　that
  B…DAD　is　on　his　way　in　to　see　you；　and　he’s　particularly　chatty　this
  morning。”
  “Oh；　well；　that’s　sure　great　news。　It’s　been；　what；　nearly　a　week
  since　he’s　interrogated　me　about　every　aspect　of　my　life？　I　was
  wondering　where　my　biggest　fan　had　gone。”　I　finished　typing　my　memo
  and　hit　“print。”
  “You’re　a　lucky　girl；　I　have　to　say。　He’s　lost　interest　in　me
  entirely；”　she　pined　dramatically。　“He　only　has　eyes　for　you。　I
  heard　him　say　that　he　was　ing　over　to　discuss　details　of　the　Met
  party　with　you。”
  “Great；　that’s　just　great。　I　can’t　wait　to　meet　this　brother　of　his。
  So　far　I’ve　just　spoken　to　him　on　the　phone；　but　he　sounds　like　a
  total　schmuck。　So；　you’re　sure　he’s　on　his　way；　or　is　it　possible
  there’s　a　kind　spirit　up　above　who　just　may　spare　me　that　particular
  misery　today？”
  “Nope；　not　today。　He’s　definitely　on　his　way。　Miranda　has　a
  podiatrist　appointment　at　eight…thirtyA　。M。；　so　I　don’t　think　she’ll
  be　ing　with　him。”
  I　checked　the　appointment　book　on　Emily’s　desk　quickly　and　confirmed
  her　appointments。　A　Miranda…free　morning　was　indeed　on　the　schedule。
  “Fantastic。　I　couldn’t　think　of　anyone　dreamier　to　do　a　little
  early…morning　bonding　with　than　B…DAD　himself。　Why　does　he　talk　so
  much？”
  “Can’t　answer　that　other　than　to　point　out　the　obvious：　he　married
  her；　so　he’s　clearly　not　all　there。　Call　if　he　says　anything
  particularly　ridiculous。　I　have　to　run。　Caroline　just　smashed　one　of