小说园

第11部分（第1页）

of　a　blackChristian　Dior　evening　gown。K　andI　putting　up　NOLOITERINGsigns　around　theLes

Best　tent。　It　looks　like　they　actuallyvolunteered　their　services　so　they　could　get　good　seats。

It？s　supposed　to　snow　like　crazy　this　weekend　but　has　that　ever　stopped　us？　See　you　in　the　front

row！

You　know　you　love　me。

gossip　girl

kindred　spirits　connect　in　rehab

？Has　everyone　heard　about　the　snowstorm？　We？re　supposed　to　get　four　feet　by　midnight！？　Jackie

Davis；　Nate？s　teen　group　facilitator　at　the　Breakaway　Rehabilitation　Center；　rubbed　her　hands

together　as　if　the　idea　of　being　snowed　in　with　all　these　rich　derelicts　was　her　idea　of　a　rocking

good　time。

After　Nate　had　gotten　busted　in　the　park；　his　father　and　Saul　Burns；　the　family　lawyer；　had　e

to　fetch　him　at　the　precinct。　Nate？s　father；　a　stern；　silver…haired　navy　captain　who　handled

emergencies　with　crisp；　efficient　formality；　had　paid　the　fine　of　three　thousand　dollars　and

cosigned　an　agreement　that　Nate　would　immediately　attend　a　drug　rehabilitation　program　for　a

minimum　of　ten　hours　per　week。　That　meant　Nate　was　going　to　have　to　ride　the　train　out　to

Greenwich；　Connecticut；　five　days　a　week　for　counseling　and　group　therapy。

？Just　think　of　it　as　a　job；　son；？　Saul　Burns　had　tried　to　reassure　him。　？An　after…school　job。？

Captain　Archibald　hadn？t　said　anything。　It　was　pretty　clear　that　Nate　had　disappointed　him　beyond

words。　Luckily　Nate？s　mother　had　been　in　Monte　Carlo　visiting　her　thrice…divorced　sister。　When

Nate　had　relayed　the　sordid　tale　over　the　phone　she？d　shrieked　and　wept；　smoked　five　cigarettes　in

rapid　succession；　and　then　broken　her　champagne　glass。　She　was　always　a　little　dramatic。　After　all；

she　was　French。

？All　right。　Let？s　start　out　by　going　around　the　circle；？　Jackie　instructed　in　a　sunny　voice；　as　if

this　were　the　first　day　of　nursery　school。　？Tell　us　your　name　and　explain　why　you？re　here。　Keep　it

short；　please。？　She　nodded　at　Nate　to　start；　since　he　was　sitting　directly　to　her　right。

Nate　shifted　unfortably　in　his　Eames　chair。　All　the　furniture　at　the　posh　Greenwich；

Connecticut；　rehab　clinic　was　twentieth…century　modern；　to　match　the　minimalist　beige　and　white

d？cor。　The　floor　was　cream…colored　Italian　marble；　crisp　white　linen　curtains　covered　the

floor…to…ceiling　windows；　and　the　staff　wore　beige　linen　uniforms　designed　especially　by　nineties

denim　impresario　Gunner　Gass；　a　former　patient　who　was　now　on　the　facility？s　board。

？Okay。　My　name？s　Nathaniel　Archibald；　but　everyone　calls　me　Nate；？　Nate　mumbled。　He　kicked

at　the　legs　of　his　chair　and　cleared　his　throat。　？I　got　busted　a　few　days　ago　buying　weed　in　Central

Park。　That？s　why　I？m　here。？

？Thank　you；　Nate；？　Jackie　interrupted。　She　smiled　a　frosty；　brown…lipsticked　smile　and　made　a