“I can’t count how many times my friends begged me to help them cheat.” She rotates her head against the headrest, looking at me. “What about you? What traits did you get from your parents?”
“Good looks and brains.”
“And modesty, I see?”
My eyes catch the way her brows arch, as though she’s calling me out. “I’m nothing if not modest.” I wink. “And charming.”
Ruby’s eyes roll as she giggles.
“In all seriousness, I get my boldness from my dad. He could say or do anything without batting an eye. He taught me to never be afraid of going after what I wanted. Which is kind of crazy since I let him think I wanted to go to med school, when I didn’t. It’s not like he would have been mad.” I pause as I merge onto the Expressway. I hate that I never told him the truth. If onlys, suck. I shake my head, determined to keep the conversation light.
“As for my mom, I inherited her love of art. She was an art teacher.”
“I don’t think you told me that. Did she teach at school? Or have her own art studio?”
“She was an elementary school teacher. She loved little kids and introducing them to the world of art. Real art, not cartoon coloring books.”
“That’s really amazing. I admire people who appreciate the arts.”
“Okay, I’m being forward and assuming our dinner will go well enough tonight that you’ll let me take you out tomorrow. Are you available?”
She taps her chin with her index finger. “Hmm . . . It might be difficult to open up my busy schedule. I am a single female living alone in New York City. And of course, I know a ton of people. My new neighbor, Greta, invited me over for bingo tomorrow. All the ladies on the block will be there. I’m not sure I can pass it up.”
“Bingo? Shoot, I don’t know if I can compete with such fun.” Her finger continues tapping her chin. I snatch it mid-tap and hold is against the console. “I wonder what we could possibly do in New York City to beat out bingo.”
She wiggles her fingers free from my grip and laces them between mine. I’m pretty sure a jolt runs up my arm. “It’s got some tough competition,” she agrees, staring at our interlocking hands.
“Do you think the promise of my company might be enough to tip the scales in my direction? Or do I need to pull out the big guns?”
“That depends. What are the big guns?”
Well, crap. “I’ll let you know when I know.” I didn’t expect her to play hardball.
“I bet we could work something out.”
***
At the end of the night, after hours of random conversation, juicy burgers, and dessert before AND after dinner, I believe she’s right.
SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE
Ruby
THURSDAY, AUGUST 12
Sunlight filters through the windows, waking me. I groan, curling to my side away from the light. First thing I’m going to do today is buy some curtains.
Brett. Brett is in New York! Forget the curtains! I spring up. What time is it? I grab my alarm clock from the floor. 7:15 AM. Is it too early to call him? I’ll get ready first, just in case. Flipping on my stereo, I turn up the volume and dance, waving my arms and spinning in circles. Brett’s in New York! I get to spend my day with Brett Pratt!
***
9:30 AM Good enough, I call the number on the paper he gave me when he dropped me off last night.
“I was thinking we could meet at the top of the Empire State Building. I haven’t been yet,” I blurt the moment he answers.
“Hello to you too, Ruby.” His voice is deeper this morning. Did I wake him?
“Sorry, hi.”
“You said Empire State Building?”
Is he going to think I’m crazy? “You probably haven’t seen Sleepless in Seattle. It came out a couple months ago.”
“Ha! Do I have a sister?” He laughs and groans at the same time. “Amber doesn’t have a boyfriend, so I got to watch it with her.”
I can’t help but laugh. “How fun for you.”
“Oh yeah, then I got to watch An Affair to Remember, too.”
My laughter bubbles over. Poor guy. “Amber must love to torture you.”
“Yep, I’m a lucky guy.”
“So, you wanna meet, and then we can start our exploration of the city from there?”
“Not a chance. This is a date. I’m picking you up. I don’t want you riding around on subways all by yourself.”
“Brett, I’m perfectly capable of taking the subway. You don’t have to worry. I’ve got all the routes and stops down. Not to mention, I will be taking the subway alone all the time to get around since, you know, I live in the city by myself.”
There’s a huff on the other end of the line. “Not when I’m in town you won’t.”
Oh, Brett. I don’t know whether to swoon or feel indignant. I need to feel comfortable in the city alone, but I’m not wasting the time I get with him with arguing.
“Besides, I can’t chance having you get hit by a cab and not showing up. We’ve tempted fate enough. Let’s give it a rest.”
“Okay,” I chuckle, “okay. You’re right. Come get me. I’m ready when you are.”
“Perfect. You’re set for an entire day out, right?”
“Cleared my busy schedule just for you.”
“Then let Brett and Ruby’s day of fun commence. Well, as soon as I arrive.”
***
My buzzer goes off in my apartment and I skip down the stairs to see Brett through the glass front door waiting on the steps outside. Taking a cleansing breath, I tuck my hair behind my ear and open the door.
“Good morning.” Should I hug him? What the heck. I reach out and thank my lucky stars he reciprocates. It’s not an awkward battle of trying to figure out how we’ll match up. My arms go around his neck, and his reach tightly around my waist. The perfect fit.
“Morning.” His breath tickles my ear. His hands remain on my hips as he pulls back. “I like the dress, you look very pretty.”
My nerves run rampant. I look down at myself. Why? I know what I’m wearing, but I want to see myself as he sees me. I’ve had this dress since my junior year, but it’s my favorite. It buttons down the front of the dark floral print, hitting above my knees. Mom bought it for my seventeenth birthday.
“Thank you.” I smile. “You look nice, too.” That’s putting it mildly. He’s so handsome, it’s hard to keep from staring. The gentle wind picks up his short, ruffled strands, disheveling it more. He runs his fingers through it to tame the mess. It only marginally helps, but it doesn’t matter. He owns the tousled look.
“I wasn’t sure if you wanted to explore your neighborhood or Manhattan? I’m prepared for either. Ladies choice.”
“Let’s head for Manhattan. I can explore Brooklyn whenever.”
A wide smile creeps across his face, as though he was hoping for that answer. “Perfect. Did you have anything specific you wanted to do?”
I sigh. The city in a day. What can we do to make the most of our time? “Well, I’m putting the Empire State Building on the map.” I smile. “I’m seriously up for anything. Statue of Liberty? Times Square? I get to be here every day. What do you want to do?”
“Do you trust me?” His hand takes mine and he tugs me forward.
“I hope we’ve established that by now.”
“All right, let’s go. We’ll take Franklin to Columbus Circle and head into Central Park.”
***
“I have a confession,” he says as we work our way through the crowd to two open seats. “My parents used to bring us to the city two to three times a year as kids and there was this one time—maybe I shouldn’t tell you. It’s going to ruin my reputation.”
Sitting closely beside him, I say, “No, no. Now you have to tell me. You can’t leave me hanging.”
He lowers his head, his eyes flicking to the left and right. “Okay, did you ever watch Superman? Not the corny television show, but the movies?”
“Yeah. My dad l
oves all those movies.”
“Good, then you recall Lex Luthor and his super secret subway hideaway?”
I nod.
“When I was little, every time we rode the subway I would pitch a fit, begging my parents to go to Lex’s hideout. One time I tried to run from my mom while waiting on a train so I could sneak away.”
I can’t stifle my laugh behind my hand.
“Don’t laugh. He had a pool. In the subway! And those fur-covered chairs and crazy electronics. I wanted a hideaway, too. I realize I was idolizing the villain, but Superman lived in an ice cave. The subway was so much better.” He shakes his head ruefully. “We didn’t ride the subway for the rest of our trip. My parents were terrified I’d jump onto the tracks.”
Brett as a child must have been so full of imagination and determination. I bet he was the cutest. “Your poor parents. You probably gave them a heart attack. Did they shatter your dreams and tell you his hideaway didn’t exist?”
“They tried. I have a bit of a stubborn streak in me, if you haven’t noticed, so I wouldn’t quit hounding them about it. They eventually took me to the police precinct and had an officer tell me they closed the place up after Superman busted him. I bet you can’t guess who I was for Halloween that year?”
“Hold on. Your parents actually took you to the precinct?”
“Did I mention I was stubborn?” His face turns red.
“So, you were Lex Luthor for Halloween?”
“No way. I’m sure I would have been, but once the cops assured me Superman had taken care of the bad guy, I changed my tune. I wore my red cape proudly. That’s a ridiculous story, isn’t it? I can’t believe I told you.”
A grin spreads wide across my face. “Don’t be embarrassed. It just makes me like you even more.”
Brett takes my hand, lacing our fingers together, and squeezes. Holding his hand will never get old. “This is us.” He stands as the line slows. “I didn’t ask if you’ve been to Central Park?”
“It’s a stop we didn’t make when I was here as a kid.”
His eyes light up with excitement, like I told him we’re going to meet Superman. “There’s so much to see and do. We could spend the whole day there.” We move with the crowd, exiting at Columbus, Brett’s firm grip holding onto me. “But first, I have something to show you.”
We come up out of the subway station, and I follow Brett as he crosses traffic, keeping my hand secure in his. I assume we’re going somewhere down 59th Street until he steers me into the southbound station. Back on the subway again?
“Of all the things in New York City, I’m about to show you my favorite.”
“Breaking out the big guns right off the bat?”
“I told you I had big guns.” He winks. “A little history, the Metro Transit Authority started a program back in ‘85 as an improvement campaign to clean up the city and make it more appealing to visitors. And with that,” he pauses, “this was born.”
He steps aside, his arms stretched wide toward . . . I inhale a small gasp, stopping to take in the long, tiled subway wall, lined with pieces of all different kinds of artwork.
“It’s all done by kids or art students. Luckily, they installed it last year, right before the crash, so my mom got to see it. She was so in love with it.”
It’s no wonder this is Brett’s favorite part of New York. “This is so cool.” Cool is probably the lamest word I could’ve used, but it is.
“The coolest part is there’s amazing artwork all over the city in the sub stations. A newer one went up this year in the Bronx by Romare Bearden called City of Glass. It’s these amazing three-tiled windows depicting the city.” I feel his eyes on me as I walk along the wall, inspecting each piece. “Are your eyes glazing over yet? This is why I love art, you know?”
“Brett, are you kidding me? I love this so much. I see why you do. Now I’ll have to make my way to the Bronx at some point. I want to see the City of Glass.”
“I didn’t want to bore you with a museum on our first official date, but I wanted to share my passion with you.”
“This is perfect.” I stop and look at him. “Though, I’d have been happy roaming around art museums all day with you.”
He tugs my arm and draws me closer. “I think I’d be happy doing anything with you, Ruby.”
I blink up at him, my heart struggling to function normally. What am I going to do when he’s gone?
He shifts, breaking the spell. “Onto the park?”
IT WAS A GOOD DAY
Brett
THURSDAY, AUGUST 12
How have I never realized how much fun a simple zoo trip can be? Ruby swoons over the cuteness of the sea lions during their feeding time, clapping her hands in sync with the children around us. She gushes over Gus the polar bear and groans when it’s time to move on from the lions. Every animal brings out the inner child in her, and with her joy comes my own.
There are memories here, memories with Mom and Amber—while Dad was at a doctor convention. Memories that long to break into my heart and twist it until I bleed. Ruby doesn’t let that happen.
“Where to now?” I ask, tossing the wrapper from my hot dog lunch away. “We’ve seen art, we’ve visited the zoo, we—” I lift my hands making air quotes, “ ‘were attacked by crazed squirrels.’ ”
“We were! I swear!” She laughs. “Squirrels are vicious. My Nana had some in the trees along her driveway that used to chuck acorns at us when we tried getting in and out of our car. I know a squirrel throw when I feel one.”
My finger taps her nose. “I think you’ve had too much sun.” Whoa, I tapped her nose? That’s something I’d do to bug my sister, but man, I couldn’t help it. Ruby is too adorable with her smug expression and claims of ninja rodents.
“I stand by my squirrel attack. It happened.” She balls up her trash, tossing it away, and once again takes my hand. We walk on, side-by-side, hand-in-hand, and I chuckle.
“You know, it’s a good thing you’re so cute, or else I’d be scared off by your delusions.” I poke at her, hoping for a reaction. She complies.
Her nose scrunches up as she puffs out her chest. “It’s a good thing I like you, or I’d leave you here.”
“You could try,” I shift, twisting the hand I’m holding behind her back and bringing her close. “But fair warning, you leave me, and I’ll chase you down like one of your squirrel friends.” I warn, my face stone-cold. Her lips press together, and I crack. I grin, releasing her, but I’m not kidding. I’m not letting her out of my sight—not for a few days anyway.
She bites back her laughter, as though trying to prove a point, but she fails and we resume walking.
“Ouch.” I stop only a few steps later. My eyes narrow on Ruby’s bewitching face. “Did you just throw something at me?”
“Ha! You didn’t happen to get hit by an acorn, did you?”
I glance at my feet and at the pathway behind us. What the heck? There’s one small, brown acorn resting two steps back. No way.
“Would you believe me if I denied it?” I bend down and pick up the offending acorn, holding it up for Ruby to see while shaking my head. “It’s possible you were right.”
“Hmm . . . interesting.” She squeezes my hand twice.
“C’mon, it’s time for phase two.”
I head toward the station at Columbus Circle, intending to let her think we’re taking the subway to our next destination. She giggles softly, apparently still amused by the acorn missile attack.
“Okay, my girl with the ruby slippers . . . it’s your turn.” I point at the street sign before us. Two green metal signs proudly bear the street names at our intersection. Columbus Circle and . . .
Ruby spins in front of me, her face full of bliss. “Broadway?”
There it is—the stirring in my chest she brings out. Though this time it’s stronger. I’m on a roller coaster, my stomach drops—in a good way—at the pure happiness written on her face. I want to . . . my hand begs to reach out . . .
I catch her waist.
I keep a hold of her with one hand while my other cups the side of her head and my fingers tangle in her hair. She looks up at me, the joy morphing into—anticipation?
Don’t do it, not yet, Brett.
Ah, screw it. I lean in, closing the distance between our faces.
Cars and people speed by on their way to wherever they need to go, but all that matters at this moment is the girl in front of me. I want to kiss her. I plan on it. Then I stop.
Dragging my fingers from her hair, I pull away and force a smile. Her forehead creases and I clear my throat.
“I had a dream about this a few months back.” It’s a horrible time for a subject change, but it’s for the best right now. We need more time together. “About you and I walking around Central Park and through the theatre district.”
Ruby’s lips part, a puff of air releasing as though she was holding it. Holding it and waiting for me to make a move I didn’t make. Chicken! “You had a dream about us?”
“I couldn’t stop thinking about you, whether I wanted to or not.”
“I know the feeling.” Her brown eyes stray to the ground and she bites on her bottom lip. She steps back, coming to my side, and tugs on my hand, encouraging me forward with eyes ready for adventure. “Time to step into my world.”
Ruby skips down Broadway, eyes to the sky; her grin never leaves her face as she soaks up the lights and sounds. “If only I’d thought about it I would’ve brought my camera. I know I’m going to see this stuff all the time, but today. . .” She stops.
Almost immediately she changes the subject. “Did you know that all these theaters were supposed to be demolished in the eighties? Stupid money-hungry developers wanted to come in here and destroy the arts. Can you believe that? Thankfully, there was a man named Joseph Papp—he was the producer of A Chorus Line—who started a campaign, ‘Save the Theaters.’ Anyway, because of him, all these theaters were saved. Well, he couldn’t save two of them, but those were out of his control. I can’t imagine New York without them. Where would Broadway be without shows?”
Paper Planes and Other Things We Lost Page 25