Waving goodbye to her old apartment, Dusty leaned back in the car and sighed contentedly. She was glad to be moving to Manhattan, to the island where everything happened. Outside, she watched people hurrying along the streets, their heads bent low to protect them from the bitter cold. In two short days, Ashley would arrive, and they'd be able to explore the city together. Dusty could barely contain her excitement over being reunited with her best friend.
"Moving to a new place?" the cab driver asked in his friendly Boston accent.
"Yeah." Dusty nodded. "Really excited about it. My best friend has just bought an apartment in the same building too."
"Sounds like a good setup!" The cab driver smiled, his voice warm and welcoming. "You girls will be like those women on TV, that Sex and the City show. My wife loves that."
"It's a good show," Dusty agreed. Looking wistfully out of the window, she hoped that her life would be as fun and magical as the ones depicted on television. She finally felt like she was close to fulfilling all her dreams, but still there was something missing. Her phone began to ring. Glancing down, Dusty was surprised to see that the incoming caller was Valentine.
She'd thought she'd been perfectly clear about her feelings for her when they last met. At first she wasn't going to answer. She watched her name flashing on the digital screen and tried to ignore the wave of pain that accompanied it. "You not going to get that?" the cab driver asked. "That could be your special one," he joked. Dusty smiled and sighed, resigning herself to answering the call.
"Valentine, hey." She forced herself to sound brighter than she actually felt.
"Dusty, hi. I'm glad you answered."
"What's up?" Dusty asked, her hard exterior coming down, refusing to let her in, not wanting to be hurt again.
"Are you in the city?" Valentine asked, but she struggled to hear her. Wherever she was, it was busy. She could hear other voices and the rustle of the wind as though she were somewhere outside.
"Yeah, why? Where are you?" Dusty frowned in confusion. Granted, it was a Saturday, so Valentine wouldn't be in school teaching, but where was she, and why was she calling?
"Are you busy?" Valentine asked, avoiding her question.
"I'm literally on my way to my new apartment," Dusty answered, glancing out as the cab crossed over the bridge towards Manhattan. It was an iconic view, and one which never lost its luster in Dusty's eyes. Each time she saw the center of the city looming before her, she got a giddy sense of excitement in her stomach, like a child on Christmas morning who creeps down the stairs and sees the abundance of gifts beneath the tree for the first time.
"Would you like to meet me in Central Park?"
"What?" Dusty asked, her voice shrill with shock. "Valentine, are you in New York?"
"Yeah." Valentine laughed. Dusty listened to the noise all around her, understanding why it sounded like she was somewhere busy. She was in Central Park!
"Why are you in New York?" Dusty insisted.
"To see you," Valentine replied. Dusty felt her heart seize in her chest on hearing the words. She'd tried so hard to push her away, to remove her from her life, but now she was in the city, wanting to meet with her. It was a romantic gesture right out of a movie, and it was happening to her. She could scarcely believe it. "So will you come and meet me?" Valentine asked when Dusty remained silent.
"I don't know," Dusty replied. She was still hesitant to drop her guard and give in to her feelings as she had done on New Year's Eve. The following day she had smashed her heart against the train station platform.
"Please," Valentine said, her voice soft and pleading.
"I'll think about it." Dusty said abruptly before promptly ending the call. In the back of the cab she felt agitated and nervous. The car crossed over the bridge and entered Manhattan, and Dusty felt sick with indecision. "So, are we still heading to your new apartment?" the cab driver asked, unable to miss the conversation taking place in the back. Dusty was silent for a moment as she considered what she wanted to do. She could go to her apartment, unpack her things and ignore any more calls from Valentine, and perhaps then she would finally get the hint and stop chasing her.
Or she could stop running from Valentine and her feelings and go to Central Park and finally get what she wanted. "What would you do?" Dusty asked the driver, not feeling confident enough to make the decision herself.
"Me?" The cab driver thought for a moment. "Well, if the one has come all the way to the city to see you, I'd say they're pretty serious. I'd go meet them. Isn't that what the Sex and the City girls would do?"
"I guess so." Dusty smiled.
"Put it this way. If you didn't go, would you always wonder what would have happened if you did?" the cab asked her philosophically.
"Yeah, I think I would," Dusty said, impressed by his insight.
"So, I'll ask again, are we still heading to your new apartment?" The cab driver glanced at Dusty in his rearview mirror and smiled. His positive nature and excitement was infectious, and Dusty found herself responding before she had a chance to stop and think better of it.
"We're going to Central Park!" she declared.
"Yes! Woo!" Her cab driver honked his horn in delight. "To Central Park! This is so romantic and exciting; I can't wait to tell my wife all about it," he admitted, smiling to himself.
****
The traffic grew denser around the park, and soon the cab was idling among all the cars. In the back, Dusty grew restless. "We'll soon be there," the cab driver reassured her. "You might want to check where the lover is. Central Park is a big place. You could be searching for hours."
Dusty nodded and called Valentine. She picked up after the first ring. "So are you coming?" she asked, her voice anxious but hopeful.
"Where are you?"
"In Central Park."
"Yes, but which part?"
"Does this mean you're coming?" Valentine said, excitement lifting her voice.
"Which part?" Dusty repeated.
"I'm by the fountains."
"Okay."
"So are you coming?" Valentine asked again. Dusty considered maintaining the suspense, letting her fret for a little while longer about whether she'd show up.
"I'm still deciding," she replied coolly before ending the call.
"You're cold." The cab driver laughed from the front as the traffic began moving once more and they edged closer to the park.
"She deserves to be kept hanging a little while longer," Dusty told him. Butterflies danced around her stomach as she dared to believe that she was on the cusp of something great, of one of those moments in your life that you will remember forever and recount to your children and grandchildren.
"What do you want to do about your luggage?" The driver glanced at the two boxes stacked around Dusty.
"I hadn't thought about that," she admitted, becoming slightly panicked. She wasn't sure how she could navigate through the park to the fountains with two large boxes and a duffel bag in tow.
"How about I leave them at your new apartment building for you?" the cab driver suggested.
"You sure you wouldn't mind?" Dusty asked, dubious about his intentions. The city had taught her not to trust people and that the kindness of strangers only existed in movies and myths.
"Not at all. Nice building like yours, they'll have a receptionist I can leave them with." Dusty looked at her belongings, unsure about leaving them with someone she didn't know.
"You can trust me," the cab driver told her, sensing her misgivings. "I know this city is full of douche bags who would rob you soon as look at ya, but that's not me. I'm a good guy, scout's honor."
"As if you were a scout!" Dusty giggled.
"I'm just trying to help. Does my old heart good to see young love flourish."
"Okay then, yeah, take them to the apartment, thank you."
"No problem, sweetheart, I just wish that all my fares were this exciting."
****
The cab pulled up outside the entrance to the park, and the driver stopped the engine and turned to face Dusty. "So this is your big moment," he said, his face pulled into a kind smile.
"I'm nervous," Dusty admitted, the butterflies dashing around madly within her.
"Don't be," the cab driver said softly. "That giddy feeling inside, churning you all up, that means it's right."
Dusty thanked the driver. Initially he wouldn't let her pay, but she insisted on paying her fare and leaving him a generous tip. Alone, she walked into the park and turned in the direction of the fountains. Around her were people jogging, walking their dogs or just ambling along, all enjoying the cool winter afternoon. She took a moment to settle her nerves before setting off in the direction where Valentine was waiting for her.