？You didn？t fail； Dad；？ Dan corrected as he scarfed down a forkful of sesame noodles。 Rufus and
Jenny had waited outside Hunan 92 on Ninety…second and Amsterdam while he went in to buy
some celebratory takeout。 He？d stayed up all night working on his speech； drinking instant coffee
after instant coffee and smoking Camel after Camel。 If he didn？t eat something； he wasn？t going
to make it to any party later。 Now they were home； sitting at the dining room table； staring at one
another； with an unopened bottle of champagne on the table。 It was a Monday and barely four
o？clock？an odd time to all be home together。
？At least he got into college；？ Jenny put in glumly。 She？d worn a new stretchy
lavender…and…pale…yellow Pucci print wrap dress to Dan？s graduation； and there were two huge
damp spots under each pendulous boob from where she？d sweated in the heat。 She felt disgusting
and was particularly resentful of her brother and father for being in such equally bad moods that
they weren？t even going to try to cheer her up。 She thought about calling Elise； but she was at her
country house in Cape Cod； and she？d only make Jenny feel worse by moping about the fact that
they were going to be apart next year。 That is； if Jenny was actually going anywhere next year。 As
things stood； she might have to be homeschooled。
She glanced at her father。 In an effort to fit in with the other fathers； he？d worn a suit to Dan？s
graduation； but it was black wool？too warm for June； and all wrong with the weirdly trendy；
tight…fitting pumpkin orange shirt he？d borrowed from Dan to wear underneath it。 He？d yanked
out the orange ribbon in his fury； and his wiry salt…and…peppe