MANHATTAN – 6 JANUARY
‘Superhero – let’s fly!’ Jonathan Phillips guided his black plastic Superhero across a lunar base constructed with french fries. ‘Pow!’ He fired two missiles from under the dragon’s wings and nuked the alien hiding behind his burger.
‘Watch it, Jonathan, mind your Coke,’ said his mother. Sandra grabbed the drink as it slid towards the edge of the table.
Karen Patel at the next table raised her eyes to heaven. ‘Never a dull moment, Sandra,’ she said, nodding to the boys at her own table, who were also conducting a ferocious battle to the death, with their own Superheroes. Her daughter, Lauren, a budding supermodel, wasn’t going to be seen dead with a plastic dragon Superhero, which had sparked a row among the boys as to who should get it. Lauren settled the dispute with a game of rock, paper, scissors, which Jonathan had won.
The BurgerFantastic storefront on East 22nd Street, near the intersection with Park Avenue, was covered in posters for their new promotion. Free Superhero with every BurgerFantastic. Collect a free Superhero each week for ten weeks.
‘These are really good quality,’ Sandra remarked, crunching a fry and picking up one of the plastic toys. ‘Beats me how they make money giving them away free.’
‘Guess it’s all about volume,’ ventured Karen.
‘Well, we’d better get used to it, honey. Just nine more weeks of Superheroes to go!’
*
12 JANUARY
Her tongue rolled slowly over his. Her moist lips tasted of cherries. John Wyse felt like there was an electric charge running around his body and his head spun. He put his arm fully around her shoulder and pulled her body closer to his own. He could feel her breasts against his chest. They simultaneously broke away from the kiss and, noses touching, looked deep into each other’s eyes. At that moment, neither could think of anything else.
‘Wow,’ said Anna Milani.
‘Wow, back.’
It was three o’clock in the afternoon and they were sitting on a bench at the southern end of a frosty Central Park, near the Grand Army Plaza entrance. A friend of Anna’s was exhibiting their paintings of mountain scenery at the Graduate Center Art Gallery on Fifth Avenue. Anna had invited John along and she was excited about how good they were. She particularly liked the one of some place called Jaji and he was contemplating buying it for her. His interest cooled when Anna reckoned that the price was about five thousand dollars.
They’d gone for lunch together, to the restaurant in the Four Seasons on East 57th. It was one of Anna’s favourites as it did a great vegetarian selection. Wyse had the sole meunière and they shared a chilled bottle of Sancerre. It was Anna who suggested a stroll in the park. Funny, she was still playing it a little cool. She had gently declined his suggestion that they declare they were ‘exclusive’ now.
‘John,’ she blushed, ‘thank you so much for asking. I have no intention, whatsoever, of seeing anyone else. I’m so happy that we met, but I don’t want to mess things up by going too fast.’
She was going to some business function that night and he wasn’t invited. And he was getting pretty tired of hearing about SuperVerve tablets and how awesome that Japanese guy Tsan Yohoto was. He was back in New York to oversee progress with the marketing campaign apparently.
‘John, he is just so nice. He took me to this amazing Asian restaurant. He told me that Yamoura was very impressed with my work. Vic and Katie think it’s great that he wants to spend time with me.’
‘Hmmm.’
‘But he’s not coming on to me or anything. For God’s sake, he’s in his seventies. And the craziest thing is that he had a brother who died of leukaemia too. And his brother was eight just like mine. I think we kinda connected over it. His other brother and sister died young too. I think he’s lonely.’ She laughed. ‘And he was interested to hear all about you too. Said he hopes you’re taking proper care of me.’
‘I do my best.’
‘And you are the best, John.’ She pecked him on the cheek. ‘Anyway, he said we’ll have to have another lunch sometime, somewhere I choose. I threw out a few ideas but he won’t go anywhere where they’re roasting meat. Doesn’t like the smell of it. He said he’s glad I’m a vegetarian.’
Wyse still had suspicions about that guy’s motives with Anna. What’s a big tycoon like that doin’ spending so much time with her? I’ll be keeping a close eye on that fella. Saturday night in Manhattan and he’d nothing arranged. He’d kept the night free, just in case their lunch date developed into a bit more. He had hoped that it would. He could feel himself falling in love. Pure and simple. Every few minutes, he found that he was thinking about Anna again. The way she looked. The chats they had. Her cute accent with its crazy expressions. She was completely different to any other girl he’d ever dated, not to mention the slow pace she was putting on their courtship. Maybe that’s the way they do it in England? Certainly not very New York. As of now, the best option for tonight was a voicemail from Cabrini, suggesting they check out a party on Park Avenue. Same block as J-Lo apparently.
*
MANHATTAN – 15 JANUARY
‘New York Girl has put its rates up again,’ said Cindy over the desk divider.
‘No way,’ replied Anna. ‘That must be like twice in three months?’
‘Yeah – full-page colour’s now over five grand. That’s if you can get it.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Haven’t you noticed, girl? Ever since you guys started buying up space in every magazine in town, it’s getting harder for the rest of us to get our usual spots in the women’s mags. And they’re tightening up on editorial.’
‘Don’t blame me, honey, I’m just hanging with the celebs,’ teased Anna.
‘Yeah, okay, but Arlene’s buying up space like there’s no tomorrow. She’s booking every cover, back page, inside cover, centrefold that’s goin’. It’s getting, like, embarrassing, trying to tell our fashion clients that there’s no space – cos Dynamic’s already booked it!’
Cindy flipped over the magazine to show Anna the back cover. Anna picked it up and read the blurb aloud.
‘Life in New York can take its toll on a girl, coping with the stresses and strains of work and relationships. We all need a little help from time to time. If you suffer from headaches, tummy upset or a lack of energy, SuperVerve can put you right back on top of your game. And SuperVerve tablets not only give you more energy, they have also been clinically shown to help with weight loss. Ask your doctor if SuperVerve is suitable for you. SuperVerve – putting the verve back into your life.’
‘Sounds like we could all do with some of that!’
‘You said it, girl,’ chuckled Cindy. ‘But why do these medical adverts always tell you to ask your doctor for more information?’
‘That’s cos the tablets are only available on prescription from a doctor,’ said Anna.
Cindy raised her eyebrows and looked at the magazine again.
‘Okay . . . but if only a doctor can decide whether you need these, why promote them to the public?’ she asked.
‘Power of advertising, girl,’ said Anna, tapping the side of her nose as she stood up, smiling. ‘The patients ask for it, the doctors prescribe it. Keeps us all in a job!’
‘S’pose so.’ Cindy shrugged and tossed her copy of New York Girl into Anna’s wastepaper basket.
‘Hang on,’ said Anna. She retrieved the magazine, shook it open over her desk and four coupons for BurgerFantastic fell out. She handed them to her friend.
‘No point wasting these.’
‘Guess not. Thanks,’ said Cindy as she stuffed the coupons into her purse. ‘How’s Mr Detective?’
‘Don’t rightly know.’ Anna shrugged. ‘Saw him a few days ago for lunch. Nice day out. I’m doing what you say, so I haven’t called or texted since. But he hasn’t called me either. I think he’s getting pissed off with the hard-to-get stuff. I know he’s got some kinda do on Friday for a cop that’s leaving. And I’ve been so busy . . .’
‘Don’t you worry, honey. You’re playing it perfectly.’ Cindy smiled. Excellent. Time to make my move.
*
HARRY’S BAR, MANHATTAN – 18 JANUARY
John Wyse was getting drunk but he felt the tap on his shoulder and turned around.
‘Hey!’
‘Hey, John, how are you? It’s me, Cindy. Fancy meeting you here again! What’s going on?’
‘Oh, it’s a going away party for one of the detectives,’ said Wyse, pointing behind him at the packed back room. ‘I’ve just passed the guitar on to someone else. Having a breather.’
‘Great, can I get you a drink?’
‘No, let me get you one. What’ll you have?’
‘Vodka and soda, please. Hey, I’ll grab that table over there if you wanna take a break?’
A couple of minutes later Wyse put the drinks down and sat opposite her.
‘Cheers, John,’ said Cindy, clinking glasses. ‘You’re looking great.’
‘Thanks. You too.’ He meant it. Cindy was certainly voluptuous. What was it his mother always said? The more cleavage a girl shows, the more business she means. By that measure, Cindy coulda been Donald Trump.
‘Hey, you seen Anna recently?’ he asked.
‘Yeah, sure. We see each other at work a lot. But not so much just now. She’s been caught up in some big projects.’
‘Huh. Tell me about it,’ said Wyse sarcastically. ‘It’s all I ever hear – too busy.’
‘Oh, everything okay with you guys?’
‘To be honest, Cindy, sometimes I wonder. There seem to be so many reasons that she can’t meet up that I wonder if she really wants to. Sometimes I feel like I’m being messed around.’
Cindy looked down and, after a pause, took hold of his hand and looked him in the eye.
‘John, can I be straight with you here?’
‘Sure.’
‘Look, Anna’s a good friend of mine, but I don’t want to see you getting hurt. So, this has to stay strictly between us. Can I trust you?’
‘Of course,’ said Wyse, his stomach knotting.
‘She’s seeing another guy.’
The words hit Wyse like a truck. He felt like vomiting. ‘Fuck’s sake. I don’t believe it.’
‘Yeah. I’m sorry, John,’ she said, taking his hand and squeezing it. ‘Some old boyfriend. It’s been going on a long time.’
Wyse shivered. ‘That makes me feel sick.’
‘You need a drink,’ said Cindy, waving at a waitress. ‘My round.’
‘Thanks. I’ll join you on the vodka. Make it a double.’
*
‘Hey, you could do with a coffee, John. C’mon up and I’ll make you one.’
Wyse had agreed to share a cab with Cindy and they were stopped outside her apartment. Cindy threw open the door of the cab, leaned over and pecked his cheek. Her perfume was nice. She had been really kind to him as they hit the vodka together and he knew he was really drunk now.
‘C’mon, John, it’ll be good for you.’
As soon as they got into the living room of her small flat, Cindy took his hands, held his bleary gaze, pushed him gently against the wall and flicked her tongue in his ear. He didn’t resist. She undid her blouse, unfastened her bra, and guided his hands onto her breasts. He felt himself stiffening, quickly.
Cindy undid his belt, lowered his boxers, kneeled down and took his cock in her mouth.
*
TWO DAYS LATER
Wyse was on the couch in his apartment, recovering from a night out with Cabrini. Even Cabrini, not generally noted for his sensitivity, had asked him what was wrong. Wyse hadn’t told him what had happened with Cindy, and didn’t plan to.
‘Jesus, what a mess,’ he said in the general direction of Glenda, who cocked an ear, grunted, and resumed her snoring. He couldn’t believe that he had allowed himself to be messed around by Anna. And ending up with Cindy . . . Fuck. That was a mistake. Ridiculously, part of him felt guilty about it. She was Anna’s friend. She’d definitely come on to him, but he hadn’t exactly been fighting her off. Great sex, though. He’d have to sort that out now, too. It was nice of her to tell him what Anna was up to, but she just wasn’t his type. First thing to do was restore some pride in the mess with Anna, without dropping Cindy in it.
He started on a text . . .
Hey Anna. Been thinking a lot. The two of us are just too busy for this. We need to go our own ways. Best of luck. John
He would never end a relationship by text under normal circumstances. But she had lied to him, made a fool of him, and he didn’t want to see her again. He felt sick about the whole thing. Wonder what she’ll make of that? Jeez, man, why do you care? I’m the victim here.