pigeons and spat…out gum？
？Anyway；？ Ruby went on； her voice as breathless as if she？d been running the 10K； ？That？s not
the reallybig news。 Are you sitting down？？ ？Yeah；？ Vanessa lied； distractedly placing her ceramic
cup in the microwave and setting the timer。
？We？re getting married！！！！！？
？What！？？Vanessa sank to the floor in front of the microwave； Folgers crystals scattering all over
the linoleum they？d just mopped this morning。Married？ ToPiotr ？ They？d just met a few months
ago！ He made paintings of naked women anddogs ！ And now he was going to befamily ？ There
was something seriously wrong with the world。
Just then Dan？s mom glided into the kitchen； wearing a diaphanous； floor…length pink dressing
gown embroidered with hundreds of exotic birds。 A pasty； fragrant white cream that smelled like
pound cake covered every inch of her face。 Her fuzzy pink slippers shuffled against the linoleum
floor。 ？Pardon me； I forgot to take my vitamin drink！？ Jeanette whispered； opening the refrigerator
and pouring a noxious…looking brown liquid into a Scooby…Doo glass。 ？Vitamins are nature？s gift
to us all！？ she trilled。 Vanessa just shook her head as Jeanette smacked her lips and started to walk
back to Dan？s room； drinking the disgusting…looking concoction and humming as she went。
？Vanessa？ Can you hear me？？ Ruby？s voice broke the silence。
？Um； yeah。 Whatever。 I mean； congratulations；？ Vanessa murmured into the phone。 She looked
up to see Dan standing in the doorway。 He shot her a quizzical look and mouthed； ？Are you okay？？
Vanessa just nodded and brought the phone closer to her ear。 Ruby was still chattering away
happily； totally oblivious