the cashier and wonder if I was doing permanent damage by swallowing
piping hot （and fattening！） soup so fast that I could feel the heat
coursing down my esophagus。Not worth it； I thought。Skipping a single
meal won’t kill you； I told myself。In fact； according to every
single one of your sane and stable coworkers； it’ll just make you
stronger。 And besides； 2；000 pants don’t look so hot on girls who
gorge themselves； I rationalized。 I slumped down in my chair and
thought of how well I had just representedRunway magazine。
11
The Cell Phone shrilled from somewhere deep in my dream； but
consciousness took over long enough for me to wonder if it was her。
After a stunningly fast orientation process—Where am I？ Who is
“she”？ What day is it？—I realized that having the phone ring at
eight on a Saturday morning was not a good omen。 None of my friends
would be awake for hours； and after years of getting screened out；
my parents had grudgingly accepted that their daughter wasn’t
answering until noon。 In the seven seconds it took to figure all
this out； I was also contemplating a reason why I should pick up
this phone call。 Emily’s reasons from the first day came back to me；
though； and so I started my arm in a floor sweep from the fort of
my bed。 I managed to click it open just before it stopped ringing。
“Hello？” I was proud that my voice sounded strong and clear； as
though I’d spent the past few hours working hard at something
respectable rather than passed out in a sleep that was so deep； so
intense； it couldn’t possibly have indicated good things about my
health。
“Morning； honey！ Glad to hear you’re awake。 I just wanted to tell
you that we’re in the sixties on Third； so I’ll be there in just ten
minutes or so； OK？” My mom’s voice came booming over the line。
Moving day！ It was moving day！ I’d forgotten entirely that my
parents had agreed to e into the city to help me pack my stuff up
and take it to the new apartment Lily and I had rented。 We were
going to lug the boxes of clothes and CDs and picture albums while
the real movers tackled my massive bed frame。
“Oh； hi； Mom；” I mumbled； lapsing back into tired…voice mode。 “I
thought you were her。”
“Nope； you’ve got yourself a break today。 Anyway； where should we
park？ Is there a garage right around there？”
“Yeah； right under my building； just enter right from Third。 Give
them my apartment number in the building and you’ll get a discount。
I’ve got to get dressed。 I’ll see you soon。”
“OK； honey。 Hope you’re ready to work today！”
I fell back onto my pillow and considered my options for possibly
going back to sleep。 They were looking really grim； considering
they’d driven all the way in from Connecticut to help me move。 Just
then； the alarm clock blared its signature static。 Ah hah！ So Ihad
remembered that today was moving day。 The reminder that I wasn’t
going pletely crazy was a small fort。
Getting out of bed was； quite possibly； even harder to do than other
days even though it was happening a few hours later。 My body had
been briefly tricked into thinking that it would actually get to
catch up； had depended on reducing that infamous “sleep debt” we’d
learned about in Psych 101； when I wrenched it from bed。 There was a
small pile of clothes I’d left folded by the bed； the only things
besides my toothbrush that I hadn’t yet packed。 I pulled on the blue
Adidas windpants； the hooded Brown sweatshirt； and the pair of
filthy gray New Balance sneakers that had acpanied me around the
world。 Not a second after I swooshed the last of my Listerine did
the buzzer ring。
“Hi； guys。 I’ll buzz you up； just a sec。”
There was a knock on the door two minutes later； and instead of my
parents there stood a rumpled…looking Alex。 He looked great； as
usual。 His faded jeans hung low on nonexistent hips； and his
long…sleeved navy T…shirt was just the right amount of tight。 The
tiny wire…rims he wore only when he couldn’t tolerate his contacts
were perched in front of very red eyes； and his hair was all over
the place。 I couldn’t stop myself from hugging him on the spot。 I
hadn’t seen him since the Sunday before； when we’d met for a quick
midafternoon Coffee。 We’d intended to spend the whole day and night
together； but Miranda had needed an emergency babysitter for Cassidy
so she could take Caroline to the doctor； and I had been recruited。
I’d gotten Home too late to spend any real time with him； and he’d
recently stopped camping out in my bed just to get a glimpse of me；
which I understood。 He’d wanted to stay over the night before； but I
was still in that stage of parent…pretending： even though all
parties involved knew that Alex and I were sleeping together；
nothing could be done； said； or implied to actually confirm it。 And
so I hadn’t wanted him there when my parents arrived。
“Hey； babe。 I thought you guys could use some help today。” He held
up a Bagelry bag that I knew would contain salt bagels； my favorite；
and some large coffees。 “Are your parents here yet？ I brought them
Coffees； too。”
“I thought you had to tutor today；” I said just as Shanti emerged
from her bedroom wearing a black pantsuit。 She hung her head as she
walked past us； mumbled something about working all day； and left。
We so seldom talked； I wondered if she realized today was my last
day in the apartment。
“I did； but I called the two little girls’ parents and both said
that tomorrow morning was fine with them； so I’m all yours！”
“Andy！ Alex！” My father stood in the doorway behind Alex； beaming as
though this were the best morning on earth。 My mom looked so awake I
wondered if she was on drugs。 I did a quick once…over of the
situation and figured that they would rightly assume that Alex had
just arrived since he was still wearing his shoes and was obviously
holding recently purchased food。 Besides； the door was still open。
Phew。
“Andy said you couldn’t make it today；” my dad said； setting down
what looked like a bag of bagels—also salt； no doubt—and Coffees on
the table in the living room。 He deliberately avoided eye contact。
“Are you on your way in or out？”
I smiled and looked at Alex； hoping he wasn’t already regretting
what he’d gotten himself into so early in the morning。
“Oh； I just got here； Dr。 Sachs；” Alex said gamely。 “I rearranged my
tutoring because I thought you two could use another pair of hands。”
“Great。 That’s great—I’m sure it’ll be a big help。 Here； help
yourself to bagels。 Alex； I’m sorry to say that we didn’t get three
Coffees since we didn’t know you’d be here。” My dad looked genuinely
up