Broken Wings

Part Nine - Exploring

Chapter 9

Aaron was right; the traffic was a lot lighter once it got to after nine. But it wasn't the lightest. After cruising over Brooklyn Bridge, he drove South, around to Battery Park, pointing out various points en route, cutting past the Bull statue on Wall Street to take Broadway North. It meant they bisected Manhattan of a fashion and with only small detours he could point out the new World Trade Centre, the Empire State Building, and then, against his better judgement, he did something he wasn't sure he'd done in the ten years that he'd lived in New York, he drove through Times Square, hell on earth ANY time of day.

Every time he glanced at her, she was staring out of the window of the car, eyes wide, mouth hanging open. But then this was an amazing city, and he sometimes became complacent to that, seeing it through a fresh pair of eyes was liberating. She asked him questions, constantly, about everything they saw; her enthusiasm was both contagious, and pleasurable. If there was ever a doubt that he'd done the wrong thin opening his house to her, then her reaction here thwarted that, she deserved to be here in the city, this was her.

"So you really haven't eaten?"

He glanced at her as he stopped at yet another red light, she nodded, "you said something about 'after dinner', and there was nothing in the house to cook...and I wasn't sure about times..."

Nodding, he cut through Columbus Circle and took the west side of the park, past the museum, laughing as she squealed in recognition, then cut across to a cross section deep in the Upper West Side, pulling his car to the kerb, he nodded across the street.

"That is the greatest restaurant in town...in my opinion anyway. Though it's more like a deli...you like pastrami? Chowder?"

She moaned, "I love everything!"

That was music to his ears. Getting out of the car, he led her across the intersection to the building, then ducked inside the door.

A small swarthy dark haired man looked up from the counter and smiled at them, "Ah, Mr Harding! Long time."

His accent was strong New York, and he fitted the interior perfectly, beside the small gingham covered tables, the walls covered in posters of yellow cabs and NY landmarks. Before they could make it to the centre of the room, he'd crossed to them, hand extended. "And this is...?"

Julia extended her hand as Aaron offered, "Hi Felix. This is a friend, from London. Julia Curtis, this is her first day in the city."

The older man grinned, "it is? That's amazing. How are you getting on?"

She grinned, "I love it!"

He nodded, "this is a place seeped in more history than a lot of this relatively young country...if you ever want to know more about this place, you come find me?"

When she nodded enthusiastically, Aaron leaned in and stage whispered, "She's here working in the Natural History Museum...she WILL take you up on that."

Felix widened his eyes, "maybe I need to come to you for some stories."

Julia smiled, "anytime."

"Take a seat; I'll grieve you a few minutes to choose?" He handed them both a menu when they sat, then asked, "drinks?"

"I'll take a light beer," Aaron replied then looked at Julia. "You want a beer too?"

Julia nodded, then reached for her menu.

"So you come here a lot."

Aaron paused from perusing his own menu...not that he needed to look; he knew it off by heart. He looked at her, but she'd dropped her eyes back down to her own. "Not as much as I'd like...geographically hard to get here most of the time."