第33部分(第2/7 页)

ed。　It　didn？t　look　like　they　were　going　to　be　doing　any

sisterly　bonding　after　all。　She　fiddled　with　the　ceramic　Statue　of　Liberty　salt　and　pepper　shakers

Dan　had　given　her　in　a　fit　of　romantic　corniness。

？Well；　the　apartment　does　look　good；　even　if　it？s　not　what　I　expected　to　e　home　to；？　Ruby

mented。　？But　I　hate　to　think　that　you　went　to　all　this　trouble　when　。　。　。？

？When　what？？Vanessa　asked　suspiciously。

？Not　to　be　the　bearer　of　bad　news；　but　。　。　。　Piotr　is　going　to　be　here　for　a　while。　Some　local

galleries　are　interested　in　him？he？s　a　painter；　did　I　mention？　He　does　monolithic　nudes　with　their

canines。　He？s　huge　in　the　underground　Prague　scene；　and　he？s　hoping　to　break　into

Williamsburg。？

Vanessa　wasn？t　exactly　sure　what　？monolithic　nudes　and　their　canines？　meant；　but　she　could

imagine　Ruby　borrowing　somebody？s　pit　bull　and　posing　for　him　butt…naked；　teeth　bared。　？Good

for　him。？

？Well；　I　kind　of　thought　he？d　stay　here；　with　me；？　Ruby　mumbled。

？That？s　kind　of　a　tight　fit；？　Vanessa　muttered　back。　？But　that？s　cool。　We？ll　work　it　out。？

？That？s　the　thing；？　Ruby　corrected　her。　？Piotr　needs　a　studio。　And　since　he　can？t　afford　to　rent

one；　we　were　thinking　。　。　。　we？d　turn　the　other　room；　your　room；　into　his　studio。？

Ex…squeeze　me？

？So；　what；　you？rekicking　me　out？　？　Vanessa　stopped　fiddling　and　turned　to　face　her　sister。　She？d

been　living　with　Ruby　since　she　was　fifteen。　It　was　her　home　too。

？Well；　this　was　always　just　a　temporary　solution。　You　know；　like；　while　you　were　in　high　school。

But　now　that　you？ve　graduated；　it？s　time　to　strike　out　on　your　own；　like　I　did　when　I　was

eighteen。？

？Fine；？　Vanessa　snapped。　？That？s