A fond smile tweaked my lips as I watched Elena stride purposefully around the guest room, setting up their things. No doubt, Elena would protest. Buying a couple of baby gates for such a short time would be a waste of money to her. I would convince her we could use them in Manhattan, too. It had been many years since a child had roamed around inside the penthouse.
After Elena convinced Bree to settle down, and put her to bed, we stepped outside onto one of the decks near the guest room to visit. But Elena left the door to the house cracked in case someone decided to go on an unauthorized nighttime adventure. Keeping our voices low, we talked about Oscar, Manhattan, what our time together there would be like, how Bree would adjust, what to eat for breakfast tomorrow…anything that happened to come up. We talked late into the night, only going to bed when we suddenly realized that we might see the sun come up over the ocean if we waited much longer.
I paused outside the room with Elena, suddenly realizing that this was where I would have to leave her for the night. Unless…
Elena smiled at me and gave me a kiss that told me she knew exactly what I was thinking. “I’d like to sleep with you, but I don’t want to leave Bree alone tonight. She’ll come get me if she wakes up and needs me, but she wouldn’t know what room I’m in. Maybe tomorrow night…okay?”
“Of course.” Elena let me kiss her, then disappeared into the guest room.
The next day was Sunday, and we enjoyed a quiet morning together. In the early afternoon, Elena took Bree for a playdate with Payton and Michael so they could visit and get Payton up to speed before we left for Manhattan. Their visit gave me time to do two or three chores here in the Hamptons. Since Elena would be staying at my penthouse, I would be only returning to the Hamptons occasionally to check on her home.
Then, after we had a nice, home-cooked dinner, we piled into my car and drove to the airstrip to fly to New York City.
“This is Bree’s first time on a plane,” Elena explained, attempting to disentangle fistfuls of her shirt from Bree’s tiny, clinging hands while the child stared dubiously at the aircraft.
“Oh, really?” I had flown so many times that the idea anyone hadn’t been on an airplane felt foreign. “Let’s make sure she enjoys it, then. The pilot keeps ice cream bars on the plane. Klondikes are his favorite.”
“Yum, they are Bree’s favorite too,” Elena giggled.
Bree might not have known what to make of the big, vibrating metal monster with wings, but she understood what Klondike Bars were. So, only a little coaxing convinced her to climb the steps with us both waiting anxiously behind to catch her should she suddenly decide to bail. Once she was aboard and sitting in a comfortable chair, messily gnawing away at an ice cream bar, we could relax and enjoy the flight ourselves.
At least I could relax. Elena, who sat beside me, fidgeted with her phone in her hands, turning it over and over. “What’s wrong?” I asked, keeping my voice low.
“I’m afraid I won’t like the city, Riker.” Elena shook her head. She had mentioned something similar before, but apparently staying in the city bothered Elena more than she had let on. “It’s so…noisy and…crowded.”
I lifted my arm so she could lean against me. “All those things are true. There’s plenty to like about the city too, though. I can show you if you let me. We can act like tourists and see all the sights. I haven’t really done that, honestly. When you work there, everything is less exciting.” My thumb traced her cheek. “Maybe I just need someone to appreciate it with. That can be you and Bree.”
“That does sound fun,” she admitted. “I’ve never really been to Manhattan to see the sights. I guess that’s what this should be. I should treat it like a vacation. A vacation away from Montauk and into the Big Apple, even though most people do it the other way around.”
“You’re not most people,” I pointed out.Not to me.“Give the Big Apple a chance, that’s all I’m asking. You might find you like it better than you think.”
“I’m not so sure about that, but you’re right. Besides, it’ll be new for Bree too. I want her to get used to seeing new things.”
“Then it’s a date,” I promised. “Maybe not tomorrow – I’ll let you get settled first – but Tuesday evening, we can go out after work to see some of the sights… all three of us. It’ll be fun. Really.”
“I know. You’ll make it fun.” Elena shot me a smile I sensed wasn’t entirely sincere, but it was good enough for me. I just wanted her to give the city a chance, and if she didn’t like it, that was fine. After this Oscar business was a thing of the past, the city could be as well because I already had a plan in mind.
I got Elena and Bree settled in on Sunday evening, and then I went to work Monday morning. I had gone to work hundreds, thousands of times, but this time…something was different. All day, I felt cheerful, my mood was floating in the clouds even when something happened I didn’t like. And all day I had mulled it over, trying to understand why nothing could get under my skin.
It took me the entire day to find the answer, but when I did, it was so simple I wanted to slap myself.
Elena. Elena was almost always the answer these days. So, I should have known she would be the catalyst for this pleasant mood. For the first time in years, I wouldn’t be leaving work and going home to a quiet, empty apartment that was never meant for a single person. When I opened the penthouse door, I figured Elena would be reading or writing poetry, and Bree would be sitting on the floor surrounded by a mess of toys - and I was right.
I couldn’t imagine a more welcome sight than returning home from work to blocks and dolls strewn everywhere. The sight reminded me, I needed to let the cleaning lady know she wouldn’t be needed for a while. Otherwise, both Elena and the woman who cleaned the apartment would be in for a surprise.
Speaking of surprises, the day came for me to show Elena around New York City. On Tuesday afternoon, when I got home from work, we packed a bag for Bree, grabbed the little girl, and settled her on my shoulders. Then we headed out into the press of people that made up the pedestrians traversing the streets of the city.
Showing anyone around New York City was a tall order. It lacked nothing in any area of interest. From museums and live shows to food and clubs, the Big Apple had something for everyone, and picking just a few things to see was never an easy task. With my knowledge of Elena’s likes and dislikes and her love for Bree and seeing Bree happy, though, I thought I could manage.
“Hm… let’s do…the High Line,” I decided for us.
“What’s that?”
“It’s a park, but it’s kind of unique. You’ll see. We can eat there too, and it has great views. It’s also not usually too busy, and it’s above…well, you’ll see,” I said again.
Elena was willing to go along with whatever I had in store, and the High Line was on Manhattan’s West Side. We arrived at the abandoned rail park turned sweeping green escape for citizens of Manhattan and visitors alike. The Hudson River sparkled in the distance, a line of silver fire streaking through the green forest, and expansive windows of the skyscrapers shone in the early evening sun.
We explored the park for a while, each holding one of Bree’s little hands, and followed the decrepit rail tracks to the sprawling expanse of manicured grass for enjoying picnics. Elena pointed out a food vendor that interested her and let me head over to wait in line while she laid out the blanket she had brought for Bree. We shared the meal on the grass while she played, stacking pieces of grass and poking sticks into the ground to create a world only she understood.
