looking　forward　to　each　having　theirown　copy；　as　I　had　requested。　I
  need　you　to　explain　why　my　orders　weren’t　followed。”
  This　wasn’t　happening。　This　couldn’t　be　happening。　I　was　definitely
  dreaming　now；　living　some　sort　of　alternate…universe　existence　where
  anything　resembling　rationality　and　logic　were　suspended
  indefinitely。　I　wouldn’t　even　let　myself　consider　the　absurdity　of
  what　was　unfolding。
  “Miranda；　I　do　recall　that　you　requested　two　copies；　and　I　ordered
  two；”　I　stammered；　hating　myself　yet　again　for　pandering。　“I　spoke
  to　the　girl　at　Scholastic　and　am　quite　sure　that　she　understood　that
  you　needed　two　copies　of　the　book；　so　I　can’t　imagine—”
  “Ahn…dre…ah；　you　know　how　I　feel　about　excuses。　I’m　not　particularly
  interested　in　hearing　yours　now。　I　expect　something　like　this　will
  never　happen　again；　correct？　That’s　all。”　She　hung　up。
  I　stood　there　for　what　must　have　been　five　full　minutes；　listening
  to　the　squawking　off…the…hook　sound　with　the　receiver　pressed
  against　my　ear。　My　mind　raced；　full　of　questions。　Could　I　kill　her？
  I　wondered；　considering　the　probability　of　getting　caught。　Would
  they　automatically　assume　it　was　me？　Of　course　not；　I
  concluded—everybody；　at　least　atRunway；　had　a　motive。　Do　I　really
  have　the　emotional　wherewithal　to　watch　her　die　a　long；　slow；
  agonizingly　painful　death？　Well；　yes；　that　much　was　for　sure—what
  would　be　the　most　enjoyable　way　to　snuff　out　her　wretched　existence？
  I　slowly　replaced　the　receiver。　Could　I　really　have　misunderstood
  her　message　when　I　listened　to　it　earlier？　I　grabbed　my　Cell　Phone
  and　replayed　the　messages。“Ahn…dre…ah。　It’s　Mir…ahnda。　It’s　nine　in
  the　morning　on　Sunday　in　Pah…ris　and　the　girls　have　not　yet　received
  their　books。　Call　me　at　the　Ritz　to　assure　me　that　they　will　arrive
  shortly。　That’s　all。”　Nothing　was　really　wrong。　She　may　have
  received　one　copy　instead　of　two；　but　she　deliberately　gave　me　the
  impression　that　I’d　made　a　tremendous；　career…ending　mistake。　She’d
  called　with　no　concern　that　her　nineA　。M。　call　would　have　reached　me
  at　threeA　。M。；　on　my　most　perfect　weekend　in　months。　She’d　called　to
  drive　me　a　little　crazier；　push　me　a　little　bit　harder。　She’d　called
  to　dare　me　to　defy　her。　She’d　called　to　make　me　hate　her　that　much
  more。
  7
  Lily’s　New　Year’s　party　was　good　and　low…key；　just　a　lot　of　paper
  cups　of　champagne　at　Lily’s　place　with　a　bunch　of　people　from
  college　and　some　others　they　managed　to　drag　along。　I　was　never　a
  big　fan　of　the　holiday。　I　don’t　remember　who　first　called　it
  “Amateur　Night”　（I　think　it　was　Hugh　Hefner）；　saying　that　he　went
  out　the　other　364　days　a　year；　but　I　tend　to　agree。　All　that　forced
  drinking　and　merry…making　did　not　a　good　time　guarantee。　So　Lily　had
  stepped　up　and　thrown　a　little　party　to　save　us　all　the　150　tickets
  to　some　club　or；　even　worse；　any　sort　of　ridiculous　thoughts　of
  actually　freezing　in　Times　Square。　We’d　each　brought　a　bottle　of
  something　not　too　poisonous；　and　she　had　passed　out　noisemakers　and
  glittery　tiaras；　and　we　got　quite　drunk　and　happy　and　toasted　in　the
  New　Year　on　her　rooftop　overlooking　Harlem。　Although　we’d　all　had
  way　too　much　to　drink；　Lily　was　pretty　much　nonfunctional　by　the
  time　everyone　else　had　left。　She　had　already　thrown　up　twice；　and　I
  was　scared　to　leave　her　alone　in　the　apartment；　so　Alex　and　I　had
  packed　her　a　bag　and　dragged　her　in　the　cab　with　us。　We　all　stayed
  at　my　place；　Lily　on　the　futon　in　the　living　room；　and　went　out　for
  a　big　brunch　the　next　day。
  I　was　glad　the　whole　holiday　thing　was　over。　It　was　time　to　get　on
  with　my　life　and　get　started—really　started—on　my　new　job。　Even
  though　it　felt　like　I’d　been　working　for　a　decade；　I　was　technically
  just　beginning。　I　had　a　lot　of　hope　that　things　would　improve　once
  Miranda　and　I　started　working　together　day　to　day。　Anyone　could　be　a
  cold…hearted　monster　over　the　phone；　especially　someone　who　was
  unfortable　with　vacations　and　being　so　far　away　from　work。　But　I
  was　convinced　that　the　misery　of　that　first　month　would　give　way　to
  a　whole　new　situation；　and　I　was　excited　to　see　how　it　would　all
  unfold。
  It　was　a　little　after　ten　on　a　cold　and　gray　January　3；　and　I　was
  actually　happy　to　be　at　work。　Happy！　Emily　was　gushing　about　some
  guy　she　met　at　a　New　Year’s　party　in　LA；　some　“superhot；
  up…and…ing　songwriter”　who　had　promised　to　e　visit　her　in　New
  York　in　the　next　couple　weeks。　I　was　chatting　with　the　associate
  beauty　editor　who　sat　down　the　hall；　a　really　sweet　guy　who’d
  graduated　from　Vassar　and　whose　parents　didn’t　yet　know—even　despite
  the　college　choice　and　the　fact　that　he　was　abeauty　editor　at
  afashion　magazine—that　he　did；　in　fact；　sleep　with　guys。
  “Oh；　e　with　me；　please？　It’ll　be　so　fun；　I　promise。　I’ll
  introduce　you　to　some　real　hotties；　Andy；　you’ll　see。　I　have　some
  gorgeous　straight　friends。　Besides；　it’sMarshall　’s　party—it’s　got
  to　be　great；”　James　crooned；　leaning　against　my　desk　as　I　checked　my
  e…mail。　Emily　was　chattering　away　happily　on　her　side　of　the　suite；
  detailing　her　rendezvous　with　the　long…haired　singer。
  “I　would；　you　know　I　would；　but　I’ve　had　these　plans　with　my
  boyfriend　tonight　since　before　Christmas；”　I　said。　“We’ve　been
  planning　on　going　out　to　a　really　nice　dinner　together　for　weeks；
  and　I　canceled　on　him　last　time。”
  “So　see　him　after！　e　on；　it’s　not　every　day　you　get　a　chance　to
  meet　the　single　most　talented　colorist　in　the　civilized　world；　is
  it？　And　there　will　be　loads　of　celebrities　and　everyone　will　look
  gorgeous；　and；　well；　I　just　know　it’ll　be　the　most　glamorous　party
  of　the　week！　Harrison　and　Shriftman　is　putting　it　on；　for
  chrissake—you　can’t　beat　that。　Say　yes。”　He　squinted　his　face　into
  exaggerated　puppy　eyes；　and　I　had　to　laugh。
  “James；　I’d　really；　really　like　to—I’ve　never　even　been　to　the
  Plaza！　But　I　really　can’t　change　these　plans。　Alex　made　reservations
  at　this　little　Italian　place　right　by　his　apartment　and　there’s　no
  way　I　can　reschedule。”　I　knew　I　couldn’t　cancel；　and　I　didn’t　want
  to—I　wanted　to　spend　the　night　alone　with　Alex　and　hear　how　his　new
  after…school　program　was　shaping　up；　but　I　was　sorry　it　had　to　be
  the　same　night　as　this　party。　I’d　been　reading　about　it　in　the
  papers　for　the　past　week：　it　seemed　that　all　of　Manhattan　was
  ecstatically　waiting　for　Marshall　Madden；　hair　colorist
  extraordinaire；　to　host　his　annual　post–New　Year’s　blowout。　They
  were　saying　that　this　year　was　going　to　be　even　bigger　than　usual
  because　Marshall　had　just　published　a　new　book；Color　Me　Marshall　。
  But　I　wasn’t　going　to　cancel　on　my　boyfriend　to　go　to　some　star
  party。
  “Well；　OK；　but　don’t　say　I　never　asked　you　to　go　anywhere。　And　don’t
  e　crying　to　me　when　you　read　inPage　Six　tomorrow　that　I　was
  spotted　with　Mariah　or　J…Lo。　Just　don’t。”　And　he　huffed　away；　half
  joking　that　he　was　angry；　half　not；　since　he　seemed　to　be　in　a
  perpetual　snit　anyway。
  So　far；　the　week　after　New　Year’s　had　been　easy。　We　were　still
  unwrapping　and　cataloging　presents—I　had　gotten　to　unveil　the　most
  stunning　pair　of　Swarovski…encrusted　stilettos　this　morning—but
  there　were　none　left　to　send　and　the　phones　were　quiet　since　many
  people　were　still　away。　Miranda　would　be　returning　from　Paris　at　the
  end　of　the　week　but　wouldn’t　be　in　the　office　until　Monday。　Emily
  felt　confident　that　I　was　ready　to　handle　her；　and　so　was　I。　We’d
  run　through　everything；　and　I’d　taken　nearly　an　entire　legal　pad
  full　of　notes。　I　glanced　down　at　it；　hoping　I’d　remember　everything。
  Coffee：　Starbucks　only；　tall　latte；　two　raw　sugars；　two　napkins；　one
  stirrer。　Breakfast：　Mangia　delivery；　555–3948；　one　soft　cheese
  Danish；　four　slices　bacon；　two　sausage　links。　Newspapers：　newsstand
  in　lobby；New　York　Times；　Daily　News；　New　York　Post；　theFinancial
  Times；　theWashington　Post；　USA　Today；　theWall　Street　Journal；
  Women’s　Wear　Daily；　and　theNew　York　Observer　on　Wednesdays。　Weekly
  magazines；　available　Mondays：Time；　Newsweek；　U。S。　News；　The　New
  Yorker　（！）；Time　Out　New　York；　New　York；　theEconomist　。　And　on　and　on
  it　went；　listing　her　favorite　flowers　and　her　most…hated　flowers；
  her　doctors’　names　and　addresses　and　Home　phone　numbers；　her
  household　help；　her　snack　preferences；　her　preferred　bottled　water；
  every　size　she　wore　in　every　article　of　clothing　from　lingerie　to
  ski　boots。　I　made　lists　of　people　she　wanted　to　talk　to　（Always）；
  and　separate　lists　for　people　she　never　wanted　to　talk　to　（Never）。　I
  wrote　and　wrote　and　wrote　as　Emily　revealed　these　things　throughout