Free An English Boy in New York by T. S. Easton

towards the Big Apple. I snuck a few covert glances at Brandi. In addition to having extraordinary hair and spectacular teeth, Brandi smells amazing. She talked a lot as we drove, telling me things I already knew. ‘Many people think that
New
York is the capital of the United States, but it isn’t. That’s a city called Washington.’
    â€˜Oh yes?’
    â€˜That river there is called the East River,’ Brandi said. ‘On the other
side
of Manhattan is the Hudson. Manhattan has water pretty much all the way around. It’s a bit like an island.’
    â€˜Manhattan is an island, isn’t it?’ Mum whispered to me. I nodded.
    â€˜That pointy building over there?’ Brandi went on. ‘That’s the Chrysler building. It was built a long
time
ago. It’s very famous  …  These are traffic lights here.’
    â€˜Uh huh,’ I nodded. ‘Traffic lights, OK.’
    * * *
    The hotel is on West 38 th Street, close to the Hudson and just a few blocks from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden, which is where KnitFair is happening in just a few days. Brandi didn’t come into the hotel. She said she was already seriously late for her date that night, but before she headed off in the cab, she gave me a folder with media engagements in it. She promised to come and collect me in the morning.
    When we arrived, there was no sign of Gex. Dad came down to the lobby as I was checking in and told me Gex had dropped off his bag in the room we were sharing, and then immediately gone out.
    I sighed. ‘Where did he go?’
    Dad shrugged. ‘He turned left.’
    â€˜This is not good,’ I said. ‘Why didn’t you stop him. You know he’s got the wits of a toddler?’
    â€˜Nah. He’s a big boy,’ Dad said. ‘He can look after himself.’
    â€˜Have you met Gex?’ I asked.
    Dad seemed distracted though. A bit agitated, too. He was grinning and sweating a bit.
    â€˜Are you OK?’ I asked as we walked to the lift.
    â€˜Jet lag, I suppose,’ he said. ‘And I took some codeine for my knee. And I drank a bottle of your sister’s car-sickness medication for the flight. Feel a bit funny, actually.’
    â€˜Maybe you should go and lie down.’
    â€˜Yeah, maybe just for a bit,’ he said, and we headed for the lifts. Or elevators, as they’re called here.
    â€˜Don’t think much of this hotel,’ Dad said, as we waited for the next elevator to arrive.
    â€˜It’s three star,’ I pointed out defensively.
    â€˜Out of how many?’ he asked. ‘Twenty?’
    We got into the elevator.
    â€˜Fourteen,’ I said, but Dad had already pressed 11 for some reason. Then he hit 15 by mistake, and then, in trying to correct his error, he lurched against the wall and accidentally pressed 3, 4 and 5 with his good knee.
    â€˜Sorry,’ he said, blinking furiously. Mum watched him calmly as the doors closed, then reached across and pressed 14.
    â€˜Thanks, Mum.’
    The room I’m sharing with Gex is quite nice. Tidy and clean. This is probably because Gex hasn’t been in it much.
    There’s a small bathroom, two single beds and a little kitchen area with a sink and a minibar. The prices of the items in the minibar are eye-wateringly expensive. Apple juice for $8. Small cans of beer for $13. A Hershey’s chocolate bar for $6.50. I’ll have to watch Gex to make sure he doesn’t get stuck in. I had a shower, and watched a bit of CNN, and I felt a bit better. Brandi had given me a fold-out map of Manhattan and I checked where all the important places were. KnitFair USA at Madison Square Garden. The Priapia offices on 5 th Avenue. Bloomingdales on 59 th and Lexington. I was so excited. I wished Megan was here.
    OH MY GOD I forgot to skype Ms Gunter! This is what happens when you rely on phones to remind you to do stuff. (Note to Megan Hooper.)
    I raced down to reception