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right this time。 She was hovering over me； appearing ready to
strike。
I immediately hung up on Lily； hoping she’d understand； and braced
myself for the onslaught。 “No； Miranda； no problem at all。”
“Good。 Now； I’d like a sundae and I’d like to actually eat it before
the entire thing melts。 Vanilla ice cream—not yogurt； mind you； not
ice milk； and nothing sugar…free or low…fat—with chocolate syrup and
real whipped cream。 Not canned； you understand？ Genuine whipped
cream。 That’s all。” She walked purposefully back toward the art
department； and I was left with the distinct impression that she’d
e in just to check on me。 Emily smirked。 The phone rang。 Lily
again。 Dammit—couldn’t she just e…mail me？ I picked it up and
pressed it to my ear but said nothing。
“OK； I know you can’t talk； so I will。 Your parents will be our
guarantors； which is great。 The apartment is a big one…bedroom； and
once we put the wall up in the living room； there will still be room
for a two…person couchand a chair。 The bathroom doesn’t have a bath；
but the shower looks OK。 No dishwasher； natch； and no AC； but we can
get window units。 Laundry in the basement； part…time doorman； one
block from the six train。 And get this。 A balcony！”
I must’ve breathed audibly； because she got even more excited at my
excitement。 “I know！ Crazy； right？ It looks like it might fall right
off the side of the building； but it’s there！ And we could both fit
on it and have a place to smoke； and oh； it’s just perfect！”
“How much？” I croaked； determined that these would be the absolute
last words I’d utter。
“All ours for the grand total of twenty…two eighty a month。 Do you
believe that we’ll get a balcony for eleven hundred forty dollars
apiece？ This place is the find of the century。 So； can I do it？”
I was silent。 I wanted to talk； but Miranda was inching her way back
to her office as she upbraided the public events coordinator in
front of everyone。 She was in a wicked mood； and I’d already had
enough for one day。 The girl she was currently abusing had her head
hung in shame； cheeks bright red； and I prayed for her own sake that
she wouldn’t cry。
“Andy！ This is fucking ridiculous。 Just say yes or no！ It’s bad
enough that I have to cut class today and you can’t so much as leave
work to e look at this place； but you can’t even bother to say
yes or no？ What am I—” Lily had reached her breaking point and I
totally understood； but there was nothing I could do except hang up
on her。 She was screaming so loud into the phone that it was
reverberating in the quiet office； and Miranda was standing less
than five feet away。 I was so frustrated； I wanted to grab the PR
coordinator and hit the ladies’ room and cry with her。 Or maybe if
we worked together we could throw Miranda into a toilet stall and
tighten that Hermès scarf that hung loosely around her skinny neck。
Would I hold her down or pull？ Or perhaps it’d be more effective to
just shove the damn thing down her throat and watch her gasp for air
and—
“Ahn…dre…ah！” Her voice was clipped； steely。 “What did I ask you for
a mere five minutes ago？” Shit！ The sundae。 I’d forgotten the
sundae。 “Is there a particular reason why you’re still sitting there
instead of doing your job？ Is this your idea of a joke？ Did I do or
say something to indicate that I wasn’t entirely serious？ Did I？ Did
I？” Her blue eyes were bulging out of her face； and although she
hadn’t fully raised her voice yet； of course； she was ing awfully
close。 I opened my mouth to speak but heard Emily talking instead。
“Miranda； I’m so sorry。 It’s my fault。 I asked Andrea to answer the
phone because I thought it might be Caroline or Cassidy and I was on
the other line ordering that shirt from Prada you wanted。 Andrea was
just on her way out。 I’m sorry； and it won’t happen again。”
Miracle of miracles！ The Perfect One had spoken； and in my defense；
no less。
Miranda looked momentarily mollified。 “Well； all right then。 Get my
sundae now； Andrea。” And with that； she walked in her office and
picked up the phone； where she promptly started cooing to B…DAD。
I looked at Emily； but she was pretending to work。 I shot her a
one…word e…mail。Why？ I wrote。
Because I wasn’t entirely sure she wasn’t going to fire you； and I
don’t really feel like training someone new；she wrote back
instantly。 I left to go in search of this perfect sundae and called
Lily from my Cell Phone as soon as the elevator hit the lobby。
“I’m sorry； I really am。 It’s just that—”
“Look； I don’t really have time for this；” Lily said flatly。 “I
think you’re overreacting just a little bit； don’t you？ I mean； you
can’t so much as say yes or no on the phone？”
“It’s hard to explain； Lil； it’s just that—”
“Forget it。 I’ve got to run。 I’ll call you if we get it。 Not that
you really care either way。”
I tried to protest； but she’d hung up。 Dammit！ It wasn’t fair to
expect Lily to understand when I would’ve thought I was ridiculous a
mere four months earlier。 It really wasn’t fair to send her all over
Manhattan in search of an apartment we could both share when I
wouldn’t even take her phone calls； but what choice did I have？
When she answered one of my calls right after midnight； she told me
we got the apartment。
“That’s amazing； Lil。 I can’t thank you enough。 I swear I’ll make it
up to you。 I promise！” And then I had a thought。 Be spontaneous！
Call an Elias car and get up to Harlem and thank your best friend in
person。 Yes； that was it！ “Lil； are you Home？ I’m ing up to
celebrate； OK？”
I thought she’d be thrilled； but she was quiet。 “Don’t bother；” she
said quietly。 “I’ve got a bottle of So…Co and Tongue Ring Boy is
here。 I’ve got everything I want。”
It stung； but I understood。 Lily rarely got mad； but when she did；
no one could talk her out of it until she was good and ready。 I
heard liquid swishing into a glass and ice clinking； and I heard her
take a deep； long swig。
“OK。 But call me if you need anything； OK？”
“Why？ So you can sit in silence on the other end？ No thanks。”
“Lil—”
“Don’t worry about me。 I’m just fine。” Another gulp。 “I’ll talk to
you later。 And hey； congratulations to us。”
“Yeah； congratulations to us；” I repeated； but she’d already hung up
once again。
I’d called Alex on his cell to ask if I could go over to his place；
but he didn’t sound as delighted to hear from me as I’d hoped。
“Andy； you know I’d love to see you； but； well； I’m out with Max and
the guys。 You’re never really around during the week anymore； so I
made plans to