t。
？And Manhattanneeds you；？ Chuck intoned。 ？We absolutely need you！？
Blair giggled。 It felt good not pretending anymore that she was going to bee one of those
hipster girls who wore striped kneesocks and vintage kilts and kooky glasses； ate hummus all the
time； and went to art galleries after school instead of to Barneys。 She pulled her favorite
red…and…white polka…dotted Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress off its hanger and put it on；
shedding her black Habitual jean skirt and boring dark gray C&C California T…shirt。 Manhattan
needed her。 Of course it did。
？I？ll be there in five； honey。 I？m just getting on the bridge now；？ Chuck assured her； the Jag？s
engine roaring in the background。 ？So； where am I taking you； anyway？ Back home？？
Blair hadn？t thought about this。 Or rather； she had； but home wasn？t her first choice。 Her mother
was still mentally unsound after marrying Cyrus Rose that fall and having his baby daughter that
spring。 Cyrus was loud and sweaty and obnoxious and preferred to wander the house wearing only
a loosely tied green silk robe and nothing else。 Baby Yale was adorable most of the time； but she
had taken over Blair？s room； shunting Blair into Aaron？s old room； where Blair？s cat； Kitty
Minky； had developed a peeing problem in reaction to the scent of Aaron？s boxer； Mookie。
Speaking of？wherewas Mookie？ He usually came with Aaron when Aaron stayed over at
Vanessa？s instead of sleeping in Blair？s brother Tyler？s room or passing out on the leather sofa in
the penthouse library after too many organic beers。
Nudge； nudge。
？Maybe now that I？m into Yale； I won？t mind being at ho ？？ Blair？s voice trailed off as
inspir