emark　fedora　over　his　thick　dark　hair。　He　stood　there　casually；　like　he’d　only　been　gone　a　matter　of　minutes—not　months。

Vanessa　didn’t　say　anything。　She　felt　like　she　was　going　to　cry。　Even　though　it　was　practically　a　scene　from　a　terrible　chick　movie；　she　couldn’t　resist　running　to　him　and　wrapping　her　arms　around　him　tightly。　She　lifted　her　face　up　until　her　mouth　met　his。

“Remember；　there’s　a　kid　watching！”　Ruby　called　from　the　couch。　Moxie　gazed；　entranced；　at　Hollis。

“Hi；”　Vanessa　said　dumbly；　staring　up　at　him　as　if　he　were　a　vision。

Courtesy　of　too　many　Scrubbing　Bubbles　fumes？

“I　couldn’t　wait　a　month。　I　don’t　want　to　be　in　Iceland。　I　want　to　be　with　you；”　Hollis　said　simply。

“You’re　back？”　Vanessa　asked。　“For　good？”

Hollis　nodded。　“Unless　you’re　hiding　a　boyfriend　somewhere。”

“Just　Paul　Morrissey。”　She　gestured　to　the　DVD　case　on　the　coffee　table。

“We’ll　leave　you　alone；”　Ruby　said；　bundling　Moxie　back　into　her　snowsuit。　“Maybe　there’s　a　movie　about　talking　penguins　we　can　see。”

Vanessa　didn’t　even　notice　her　adorable　niece　and　sister　as　they　made　their　way　into　the　elevator。　She　was　too　busy　kissing　her　boyfriend。

Beats　mopping　the　floor。

survivor

“Do　you　think　Jenny　will　choose　RISD　or　Pratt？”　Serena　asked；　taking　a　thoughtful　sip　of　her　organic　chai。　She　and　Dan　were　seated　at　a　small　table　in　Blue　State　Coffee；　one　of　the　cute　coffee　shops　on　Thayer　Street　in　downtown　Providence。

“Pratt；”　Dan　said　confidently。　His　hair　was　sort　of　shaggy—Serena　hadn’t　been　able　to　drag　him　to　John　Barrett’s—and　he　wore　a　rumpled　blue　cotton　oxford　shirt　and　jeans。　He　looked　slightly　homeless；　but　to　her；　he　was　absolutely　adorable。　“Jenny’s　wanted　to　go　there　since　she　lea