ably　included　a　chain　of　metal　cheese　graters　tacked　to　a　wall　and　a　live　horse；　eating

Caesar　salad　from　a　wooden　bowl　and　pooping　freely　on　the　floor。　During　her　parents？　short　stay；

her　father　had　even　worn　his　full…length　hemp　skirt　to　a　fancy　party　on　Fifth　Avenue。

So　that？s　what　started　the　men…in…skirts　trend。

？Eggplant！？　Vanessa？s　mother？s　voice　rang　out；　calling　her　by　her　childhood　nickname。　Gabriela

Abrams　wore　a　brown…and…yellow　African　tribal　robe　despite　the　heat；　and　white　ribbons　tied　at

the　ends　of　her　long　braided　gray　pigtails。　She　looked　like　a　cross　between　Gandhi　and　Little　Bo

Peep。

？Hey　Mom；？　Vanessa　mumbled　as　her　mother　threw　her　arms　around　her。　The　robe　was　stiff　and

scratched　Vanessa？s　bare　arms。

Arlo　Abrams　appeared　from　behind　Gabriela　and　joined　in　on　the　hug。　？This　place　has　good　chi；？

he　noted　approvingly；　pecking　Vanessa　quickly　on　the　cheek。　His　long　gray　hair　was　braided　down

his　back　with　another　white　ribbon　tied　in　a　bow　at　the　bottom；　and　his　body　was　cloaked　in　what

appeared　to　be　a　white　linen　bathrobe。　It　was　no　surprise　that　Vanessa？s　parents　had　similar

clothes　and　hair…styles。　If　Gabriela　didn？t　dress　Arlo；　he？d　simply　walk　around　naked。

Let？s　hope　nothing　ever　happens　to　her。

Vanessa　fidgeted；　smothered　by　her　parents？　embrace。　Vanessa　looked　over　her　dad？s　shoulder

and　spotted　Dan　approaching　from　a　distance；　wearing　a　stiff　blue　button…down　shirt　and　tie。　She

didn？t　even　know　heowned　a　tie。　Her　stomach　flip…flopped　when　she　saw　him；　and　she　suddenly

wished　she？d　eaten　breakfast　that　morning　instead　of　drinking　the　Humphreys？　gross　instant

coffee。

Don？t　worry？there？s　plenty　of　t