"Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise, Chloe."
I pulled her down the stairs of a nearby subway stop, and we took the train to Hell's Kitchen. When we resurfaced, I led her through several alleyways.
"I feel like I'm following the big bad wolf or something," she said, sounding slightly nervous.
"You are wearing red," I said with a slight smirk. "But honestly, this area has been cleaned up. Lots of rich people live here."
I hoped the secret place was still there, though. Otherwise I would have to think of something else to impress Chloe.
We ducked through a brick archway and down another alley then through another doorway, and the view opened up.
"Wow!" Chloe said.
"This was my sister Belle's favorite spot," I said, looking around. The tiny garden was exactly as I remembered it.
"Who did all this?" she asked me. I shrugged.
"I don't know. But it's always well maintained."
A little miniature horse trotted out to greet us, the bells on his harness ringing.
"This is too pure," she said and took a cookie out of a bag in her purse.
"Of course you have cookies," I remarked, watching as the horse gratefully took a cookie out of her hand then followed us as we walked through the garden.
"It's like a fairytale!"
The owner or caretaker had decorated for Christmas. There were miniature trees with tiny ornaments, little glass snow globes floated in the ponds, and pots of poinsettias were tucked here and there around the garden. Hidden lights gave the place a magical glow.
"This is why I love New York!" she exclaimed. "Little hidden moments like this." She looked a little tearful. "It's so beautiful."
"Aren't you going to take a picture?"
"No," she said, shaking her head. "This is just for us." She reached out and took my hand. We sat on a bench and petted the pony while he begged for more treats.
"Where is Belle now?" Chloe asked.
"Gone," I said simply.
"She didn't…pass away, did she?" Chloe asked carefully. "Sorry. I don't mean to pry."
"It's fine," I said. "She's fine, she's just gone. She…my parents… It's hard to explain. I don’t want to ruin this place."
"I understand," she said, resting her head against my arm.
21
Chloe
The outing with Jack left me feeling rejuvenated. I loved New York City, and I had to stay here by any means necessary. I hadn’t taken any pictures of the little garden. I didn't think I could properly capture it without the right lens. Besides, it felt wrong, like if I tried to photograph the garden, it would disappear.
I also didn't know exactly what was going on with Jack. It sounded as if his family was horrible. I didn't know what his parents had done to run off their daughter, but I could sympathize. My relationship with my own parents was terrible—I hadn't even gone to my own father's funeral.
"What's for dinner?" Maria asked me.
We were in the kitchen of our apartment, preparing a shared dinner. The contestants liked to swap off cooking duties. Only Hartleigh didn't participate. She ate weird stuff like yogurt with bee pollen and shaved zucchini that looked like noodles. Give me real pasta any day of the week.
