‘Nineteen fifty-seven,’ Danny said factually.
‘Deborah Kerr is so—’
‘Beautiful!’ Kate called out.
‘Annoying,’ Vera said sourly at the same time.
Holly and Kate glanced at each other and smiled as they cleaned up.
Her friend poured her a cup of coffee. ‘Get out there and spend time with your family. I'll finish up here.’
‘Are you sure?’ Holly took the cup gratefully.
‘Of course, you’ve done enough.’
She walked out into the living room and looked at the small crowd gathered around the TV.
‘Come on Mom,’ Danny ordered. ‘Sit.’
‘Yeah Holly, ‘said Eileen. ‘Hurry up, they're about to meet at the Empire State Building.’
As there was no more room on the couch, Holly sat on the floor in front of the glowing screen, and watched as Cary Grant waited patiently for Deborah Kerr at the top of the Empire State Building. As she watched, something tickled in the back of her brain – but what she didn’t know.
Frustrated, she got up and went back into the kitchen.
‘What's up?’ Kate asked.
‘I dunno … it's weird, but remember the bracelet – that charm … ?’
‘Which one?’
‘The “Date to Remember” charm, the one with the New Year’s Eve inscription:Same Time, Same Place. What if … ?’ She trailed off, shaking her head as if the idea was too absurd for words, yet …
‘You think it might be referring to a meeting place – like in the movie?’
Holly grimaced. ‘It sounds stupid I know.’
‘But if it is, then the owner of the bracelet should show up at the meeting place, just like Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr – or Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan! Oooh exciting, do you think it’s the Empire State Building?’
‘Kate, I’m not even sure if it’s anything like that, but the charm does suggest… ’
‘And even better, this is supposed to happen on New Year’s Eve, only a week from now!’ Kate had dropped her tea towel and was getting seriously carried away by the drama of it all. ‘Oh Holly, you’re right – that has to be it. The charm must be referring to a romantic meeting spot for the bracelet owner, and the love of her life, here in Manhattan!’
Holly bit her lip, wondering if her imagination was running a little too far ahead of her this time. ‘Like I said, it’s just a thought … ’
‘So all you have to do is figure out the meeting place, then go there on that night too and find the owner.’ Kate was shaking her head with wonder. ‘But where could it be I wonder? In Manhattan alone there must be hundreds of—’
‘Actually,’ Holly admitted, hesitantly, thinking back to the conversation she’d overheard Jessica having with Margot Mead, a few days before. ‘I think I already have an idea.’
50
Lying on the couch, still in his pyjamas at five o’clock on Christmas evening, Greg had his arm over his eyes, as if nursing an almighty hangover.
He couldn’t believe how the day had turned out and was completely flabbergasted by what had happened with Karen.
After pulling him up from his prone position on bended knee, Karen had, in a very business-like manner, outlined all of the reasons why she couldn’t marry him. Greg had listened with an open mouth, aghast at her level-headedness, and in how flawlessly she had been able to provide her reasons. He had pleaded with her, and told her that he would wait for her to get accustomed to the idea. And then he had foolishly suggested couple’s counselling, to which Karen had simply shaken her head no, explaining that counselling of any sort was for weak-minded people, individuals who had no control over their lives.
That was a slap in the face itself – had she really called him weak? Or even alluded to the fact that he had no control over his life?
