“Hey there,” she said, sliding into the truck, pretty as a picture.
“Hey, you. Where’s our first stop?” I asked, because I couldn’t go there in my head. We were friends. That was it.
“Would you mind taking me to see the Statue of Liberty?” she asked. I loved her smile and flashed her one right back.
“You navigate,” I said, sliding into familiar roles.
“Deal.”
In less than five, we were on our way. The directions took us to Liberty State Park as she filled me in on her job, which she sounded like she loved.
“I think I’m permanently assigned to the maternity ward. It’s fine most days. Hard some.”
I remembered that night when she dissolved into tears over the death of a new mother. I hadn’t asked her about the baby’s fate because I didn’t want to remind her of that awful event.
“What about you? How do you spend your days?”
“You won’t believe it. I got a job.”
I caught a glimpse of her shocked expression. “You got a job here in New York.”
There was a hint that she hoped that was what I meant. “Yeah. My brothers hired me to fly my father around when he needs to go somewhere.”
“Wow? Do they have a corporate jet or something?”
“Both, I believe. But I’m flying him locally in the helicopter.” The NDA I signed wouldn’t allow me to tell her more. Thankfully, she didn’t press for more details.
When the directions led us to a mostly empty lot, I asked, “Are they closed?”
Natalie sported a mischievous grin. “I don’t know,” and hopped out the car at a sprint.
A sign read the park was open for another hour. The chase was on and she was surprisingly fast. She won with her head start as we gasped with laughter at the railing overlooking the water.
“There she is.” I nodded at Ellis Island across the water, which was closed. We couldn’t get there without a ferry. From where we stood, Lady Liberty was giving us her back. “It isn’t the best view, but there you have it.”
“Wow. I wish we could see it up close.”
“Closed, like everything else. But it’s a great view of the city.” I pointed out. We were given the icon view of New York’s skyline.
She faced me. “What are the odds? My first time as an adult in New York and world has gone to crap.”
To kiss her or not to kiss her as her eyes lingered on me. The moment was gone before I got my answer when she pulled out her phone.
“Selfie? Let’s commemorate this moment,” she said.
We huddled close together, wide grins on our faces, with Lady Liberty behind us. “Say cheese,” she implored.
“Pepper Jack,” I teased as her flash went off. When she shook her head, I shrugged. “You said say cheese. I guess I should have said American.”
“You’re not funny,” she said, before taking a few more pictures that didn’t include us. Then she took off again. “Come on,” she called over her shoulder.
“Where are you going?” I asked, nearly at a full speed to keep up with her.
“It’s where you’re taking me,” she said when we reached my truck.
Out of breath, I managed to ask, “Where to next?”
“Empire State Building.”
“It’s closed,” I said, leaning on the door.
“Yes, but we can go see it from the ground.”
I guessed that was true. “Your tour. Just give me directions.”
Our adventure would have likely been hampered by traffic even at this time of night if not for the virus that kept most indoors. As we neared, I pointed to the sky. “There she is.”
“She could be a he,” she said.
“Okay, there he is.”
“It’s sounds better as a she.”
“Are you just going to argue with me?” I asked, jokingly.
“Yes.”
I let out a belly laugh as we pulled closer. She stuck out her head and rotated so she was looking up.
“Be careful,” I shouted over her hoots and hollers.
She had her camera out too and had snapped a few pics before I was left to ask, “Where to next?” loud enough for her to hear.
She pulled herself back inside and said, “Rockefeller Center, please?” When I gave her the thumbs up, she brought up directions.
“I wish I could’ve seen the Christmas Tree,” she said as we drove by slowly.
“Next time,” I promised.
She grinned. “Where to now?”
“Times Square.” She was thoughtful for a second while searching up direction. “Sorry, I didn’t really think this through. There was probably a better order of things. We could be driving in circles.”
“I don’t have anywhere else to be. You?”
“No.”
I liked seeing her happy.
“Let’s walk,” she said as we got close. “Let’s find a place to park.”
It wasn’t that hard. We found a side street to parallel park on. There weren’t any signs prohibiting it that we could see. Other cars were there. The worst that could happen was I could get towed. It would be worth it.