Marissa and Griffin got to the kerb outside the studio before she stopped him.
"So where do we go?" she asked looking out across the busy street.
"Well." said Griffin revealing Kendal's guide book with a flourish. "I took the liberty of borrowing this! We are within walking distance of Central Park. I don't know about you but I would enjoy the chance to stretch my legs and then maybe we could do the tourist thing. There is a tour bus that will take us the scenic route to the Empire State."
"Sounds like a plan." said Marissa with a smile, although before they set off she looked back sadly one last time at the building that was holding her girlfriend hostage.
…
They wandered along the broad paths of Central Park. Griffin was keen to find the Mall which the map told him ran through the centre of the park. He led them passed an ornate fountain and over a bridge that spanned the lake before stopping to buy them both a hot dog for lunch when they got to the other side. He insisted it was a New York Tradition. Marissa just let him lead the way. She didn't mind where he took her, she was just astounded by the size and beauty of the park caged in at all sides by the towering skyscrapers. She was also amazed to see a place so busy after the relative quiet of Pine Valley Park. There were all kinds of people, joggers, cyclists, buskers, people walking their dogs or folk like them, just out enjoying the sunshine. Much further along the path they came to a medieval looking castle. Griffin turned his map upside down.
"Um… I think I've taken us the wrong way." he confessed.
"I don't mind." said Marissa thoroughly enjoying her surroundings. She was a little sad she couldn't share all this with Bianca but resolved to bring her back here one day.
Griffin looked at his watch.
"I guess we leave the Mall for another time. We need to get a move on if we want to see the rest of the city."
He turned the map on his side.
"Well if we are here… then the nearest bus stop is over here." He said tracing their route on the paper.
"Are you sure?" Marissa asked.
Griffin looked down to check his bearings once more and then looked up with a smile when he realised Marissa was teasing him.
"Come on." he said taking a turning on the right. "I promise not to get you lost this time."
…
True to his word Griffin led then to the bus stop. He went to the kiosk to buy tickets and check the times. Marissa busied herself in a nearby souvenir shop.
As she waded through racks of t-shirts and baseball caps with the mottos; 'I 'heart' Brooklyn'; 'New York, New York… it's a wonderful town'; 'I took a bite out of the Big Apple', 'Welcome to the Empire State' and a million more besides; she wondered if amongst all this she could find a suitable present for the kids back home.
Griffin found her moments later and informed her that there was a ten minute wait for the next bus so Marissa kept shopping. So far she had found a cute teddy in a pink sweater with a picture of the Empire State Building on it for Gabby and a snow globe of the New York skyline she thought Miranda might like. She just needed to find something for AJ.
…
Marissa found the perfect t-shirt for AJ with a Skate boarder in front of the Statue of Liberty was now looking at a rack of baseball caps. She had spotted one with the legend – 'I went to New York and all I got was this lousy baseball cap', and was wondering if it would make a good jokey gift for Bianca; something to make her smile after the long day she was having.
Griffin came up to her with a tiny t-shirt in his hands.
"What do you think." He asked holding it up for her to see. "I want to get something for Charlie, but I'm not sure about sizes."
Marissa gave a surprised a laugh.
"It's lovely if Charlie was a Chihuahua. The baby clothes are in that isle, that's the pet section."
"Oh." said Griffin, embarrassed, quickly putting the shirt back. "I did wonder about the squeaky toys. Did you find what you wanted?"
"I think so." said Marissa. She decided against the cap, it was $5 and besides she knew much better ways to make Bianca smile.
"Are you alright?" Marissa asked as she followed Griffin to the baby section. "You seem, not yourself… rather dozy."
"I'm just tired. It's been long days all week. David's taking time off looking after Leora, Cara's off with Charlie. The hospitals short staffed at the moment, add to that the crisis at the Miranda Centre. It's been hard work this week."
Marissa put her hand on his arm.
"Do you want to go back to the hotel and rest up?" she asked concerned. "I would understand."
"And miss this opportunity. I've always wanted to come to New York and I'm going to make the most of it! NAd besides I'd promised Bianca I'd take care of you... Aha!"
Griffin found a baby vest with the same design as the one he had picked up in the pet section, blue with a silhouette of a New York subway car.
"Just do me a favour." He added as they headed for the tills, "Poke me hard if I fall asleep on the bus."
…
Their shopping trip a success they joined the queue at the bus stop and bundled onto the double decker bus, making sure to get a seat on the top deck.
Griffin had made sure to find a tour that would take them round the city and drop them outside the Empire State Building just before four.
The bus was slow going in the traffic and the tour guide 'Tammy' had an unfortunate monotonous quality to her voice as she talked continuously from the tinny overhead speakers. She did share with then some interesting facts about the city and pointed out buildings that they otherwise wouldn't have noticed but her voice was never ending and she barely spared a moment to take a breath. They saw the Statue of Liberty in the harbour 'A gift of friendship from the people of France. It is a depiction of the Roman goddess of Freedom, Libertas. The tablet in her left hand is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776… ' and they drove through Times Square 'Known as the Crossroads of the World. It is the only neighborhood with zoning ordinances that requires building owners to display illuminated signs…' and when the bus turned down a side street they passed a theatre emblazoned with the word 'Erica' in letter's ten feet high.
"On our left you can see the Ziegfeld theatre." droned Tammy. "Opened in 1969; it is one of the last large scale movie palaces built in the United State and is the largest single screen cinema's in New York City. It is the site of many film premiers including The Close Encounters of the Third Kind. As you can see they are setting up for the film premier of 'Erica' tonight, a film about the turbulent life of the American icon, Erica Kane. The film is tipped for Oscar success. The Ziegfeld Theatre is correctly called the New Ziegfeld theatre…"
As Tammy babbled on Marissa nudged Griffin.
"Do you think Erica will be impressed to see her name up in lights like that?" she asked
"Definitely." said Griffin with a grin. "Do you think she'll like the fact that a New York City tour guide considers her an icon?"
Marissa laughed.
"I won't tell her if you don't!"
…
They hopped off the tour bus just outside the Empire State building, pleased to finally escape Tammy's endless voice. Marissa felt a thrill of excitement at the thought that Bianca may already be waiting to the top. She barely glanced at the beautiful interior of the building. Her only focus was on the elevator and how quickly it could get her to the observation deck.
As she stepped out onto the windswept roof of the building, she didn't spare a look at the view; she was too busy searching faces for a sight of Bianca. She walked a whole circuit of the deck before she realised Bianca wasn't there yet.
"Never mind." said Griffin, leading her to a corner out of the wind. "We are still early. We just have to wait."
…
Marissa looked at her watch. It was ten past four.
"I wonder what is keeping her." she asked.
"They are probably just stuck in traffic." said Griffin reassuringly.
…
It was half past four.
"I hope nothing's happened to her." sighed Marissa as she checked her mobile phone. There was no message."
…
It was twenty to five.
"We can't wait any longer." said Marissa sadly. "If we don't leave now we won't have time to get ready for the theatre."
Griffin, who had been leaning over the parapet watching the street below, turned and put restraining hand on her arm.
"Just a moment more." he said. "Haven't you seen the movies?"
"What movies?" asked Marissa.
"Sleepless in Seattle? An Affair to Remember?"
Marissa shook her head.
"Amnesia remember."
"My point is just at the moment heroine is about to give up, that is always when their loved one reappears."
"Life isn't like the movies unfortunately." said Marissa walking dejectedly towards the elevator.
"Just wait." said Griffin, catching her arm once more.
Marissa stopped and looked at him. He was being completely serious.
"Trust me." he said sincerely.
There was a chime and a whirl as the elevator arrived and the doors opened. As the crowds disembarked, who was left standing there like a miracle but Bianca and Kendal.
"Sorry we're late." said Bianca with a grin.
Marissa just ran forward and flung her arms around Bianca's neck, kissing her like she hadn't seen her for a hundred years.
"I missed you." she muttered, between kisses.
"I couldn't tell." said Bianca with a chuckle before pulling her close to deepen the kiss. "I missed you too."
Kendal gave a discrete cough.
"As much as I hate to break up such a moment, don't you think we should all quickly admire the view and then head back down. Mom is already pitching a fit that we only have three hours to get ready for tonight and we still have to get to the hotel."
Bianca and Marissa reluctantly separated and as a group they moved to the edge of the observation deck to look down at the street below.
Her arm still wrapped around Bianca's waist, Marissa turned to Griffin.
"So are you going to tell me how you did that?" she asked.
"A bit of New York magic." he said with a grin.
He didn't have the heart to tell her that the moment wasn't quite the miracle it had appeared. He had noticed the limousine pulling up outside just as Marissa had made her move to leave.
…