Opportunity.

“Quick, take picture!” Casey cries, grabbing Andy

and striking the Titanic pose.

laugh and delve in my bag for my camera, my

fingers tingling as they brush Kitty’s photo. wonder if she

felt like this, arriving for the first time? So full of hope and expectation. Ready to start her new life. To follow her

dream.

My heart soars with the seagulls high above as

take the shot, the wind in my hair, my seasickness

suddenly gone.

The streets are rammed as we crawl back through

the city in Casey’s yellow cab. I’ve never seen anywhere so

busy, so bustling, so alive From every direction horns blare and drivers yell abuse as shoppers weave through

the endless river of traffic to the bright lights and fancy

window displays on the other side.

“Well, Toto.” Andy winks. “Guess we’re not in

Kansas anymore!”

He’s not kidding. Gazing out at this urban jungle,

feel million miles away from sleepy little Bramberley.

“Everybody out!” Casey says suddenly, pulling up

beside Central Park. “I’ll take the bags—you can walk

from here.”

“What?” Andy cries.

“Trust me.” Casey winks. “You’ll love it.”

113

He’s right. The walk through snowy Central Park is

beautiful, the lights of the city glittering like stars high

above us. guy on Rollerblades whizzes past, smooth as

train, weaving easily through the crowds of Japanese

tourists, balloon sellers, joggers—a constant stream of

people.

“Pretty cool, huh?” Andy grins.

grin back at him, my senses bombarded with new

sights and sounds and smells—it’s like anything could

happen!

No wonder Kitty came to America.

As if to prove me right, we step through an archway

and

fairy-tale castle suddenly appears in front of us—

right in the middle of the park!

gaze at it, enchanted, as clock above me starts to

play “Jingle Bells,” little bronze animals dancing round

while monkeys strike

bell five times, ringing out the

hour. It’s beautiful. Magical.

Andy grins, his eyes sparkling as he looks at me.

“What?” ask suspiciously. “Have got bird poo in

my hair?”

“No!” he laughs. “No, I’m just—I’m really glad you

came, Rosie.”

smile as

hook my arm through his,

warm

feeling flooding through me despite the icy cold.

“So am I.”

We finally arrive, exhausted and rosy-cheeked, at

Casey’s apartment, and

feel like I’m in an episode of

Friends—except it’s actually about half the size of

114

Monica’s apartment, and looks out on the brick wall of the

neighboring building.

“Welcome!” Casey grins, slinging

tea towel over

his shoulder. “Make yourselves at home—Lola, shift!”

“Two minutes!” the petite blond girl begs, her eyes

glued to her laptop. “It’s almost finished! Hi, guys—

sorry—nice to meet ya!”

“Guys, meet Lola—waitress extraordinaire and

hopeless TV addict.” Casey rolls his eyes. “Can’t pry her

away from her sitcoms—even to do the washing up!”

“It’s your turn!” she protests good-naturedly.

Sitcoms. Kitty

“You can watch online?” scan the screen urgently.

“What’s this one?”

“They’re all the same!” Casey groans. “Coupla guys,

coupla girls, awful jokes and lots of canned laughter …”

Lola sticks out her tongue. “They’re live audiences,

actually.”

“Seen one, seen ’em all!” Casey grabs the computer,

and Lola shrieks.

“You do it, you die—Brad’s new boss is about to

come in and find him dressed as gigolo! But he doesn’t

realize she actually has crush on him and thinks—”

“Well, fancy that,” Casey says seriously. “Just how

credible and believable and downright—ow!” he laughs as

Lola hits him. “You can catch up later—it’s New Year’s

Eve!”

“All right, already!” Lola grins, grabbing her jacket

and turning to me. “What’re you guys doing tonight?”

115

“Yeah, d’you wanna come to the bar?” Casey hits his

head. “D’oh! You’re not twenty-one, are ya?”

Andy hurls cushion at him.

“You’re coming to Times Square with us, though,

right?” Lola asks.

“Actually, I’m pretty knackered.” yawn.

“But it’s only seven-thirty!” Lola protests.

“Yeah,” Andy says. “But that’s half past midnight at

home. We’ve already celebrated New Year!”

smile. We toasted each other with mugs of hot

chocolate in little café before calling home.

“Happy New Year, sweetheart!” Nana had cried

above the noise of Sarah’s house party. “Don’t waste

single minute of it!”

glance at Lola’s laptop. don’t intend to.

“Then celebrate twice!” Lola insists. “Come on, you

can’t miss the ball drop!”

“Babe, they’ve been on transatlantic flight, they’re

jet-lagged, and they stink!” Casey holds his nose

theatrically, and laugh.

“Well, just call us if you wanna meet up.” Lola

smiles. “Or we might see you there?”

“Yeah—you and two million others!” Casey laughs.

“Have fun, guys—see ya later!” The door slams behind

them, leaving us in sudden silence,

siren wailing

somewhere in the distance.

“Well!” Andy grins. “It’s been quite day!”

smile at him. “It certainly has.”

116

“I’m going to take shower.” He grabs his rucksack.

“Casey’s right, reek!”

wait until hear the water running, then pick up

the laptop. My fingers trembling,

type For Richer, For

Poorer into the search engine, and immediately the theme tune blares loudly. grab the headphones and plug them

in quickly, holding my breath as listen down the hall.

The sound of running water is joined by Andy’s

loud off-key singing. sigh with relief and turn back to the

screen.

The latest episode starts playing and watch as two

impossibly good-looking guys comically struggle to coax

kitten down from

fire escape.

wait impatiently,

nervously, my eyes flicking over the rest of the webpage.

Episode Guide— Catch up quick!

Backstage Gossip! — Are Luke Reynolds and Kitty

Clare secretly engaged?

Engaged? stare at the photo. Kitty’s engaged? Her

face beams back at me, her arm linked with the tall, dark-

haired man from the clip, those catlike green eyes

sparkling brightly.

Photos; Interviews; Meet the Stars!

Eagerly, click the icon.

Come join our studio audience! We’re currently on

hiatus, but shooting will recommence on March 16 …

No!

stare at the page. Not till March? That’s

months away! And we’re going to be in L.A. in three

weeks

“Bathroom’s free!”

117

jump as Andy throws me

clean towel. His eyes

flick to the screen.

Too late, click the webpage closed.

“Oh, no,” he says gravely. “Oh, Rosie.”

“Andy, I—”

“I bring you all the way to New York and you wanna

watch TV?” He shakes his head disapprovingly.

“What? Oh! No, no, was just

looking, that’s all.”

“You won’t mind me checking my email, then.” He

grins. “Shift!”

Numbly,

surrender the laptop and lock the

bathroom door behind me. pull Kitty’s photo out of my

bag and sink to the floor.

On hiatus till March. Till March when we’ll be God