“Well, we could do some more character work?” I suggested, waving my notepad, which was by now full of checklists and character studies. “See if we can add anything?”
RJ shook his head. “No, I think characters are there.”
“We could at least do basic grammar and spell-checks,” Elliot said.
“There’s nothing wrong withmyspelling,” I objected.
“Apart from all the extra letters you Brits like to add in?” Elliot retorted.
“Extra letters? How about nonsensical new words?” I said defiantly. “Explain eggplant. An aubergine looks nothing like an egg.”
“I’ll take eggplant and raise you jumper.Oh, it’s a little parky in here, I’ll just pop on my jumper.” Elliot pursed his lips, mimicking my accent. “It’s sweater, Lucie. Swea–ter.”
“I’m amazed you’ve got as far as you have if you’re still talking to each other like this,” RJ remarked.
For a second, I’d forgotten RJ was there. Although my and Elliot’s verbal exchanges hadn’t stopped, the intent behind them had certainly changed. “It’s all in fun,” I assured him.
“We’ve come a long way in two weeks,” Elliot added, his cheeks red.
“Far enough.” RJ laughed. “You know what? Start your weekend early. Have the afternoon off.”
Elliot and I exchanged startled glances. “Are you sure?” he asked. “Because we can—”
“I’m sure.” RJ nodded. “I know we don’t have a whole lot of time until the pitch but, honestly, we’re so close. I don’t have the headspace right now to review what you’ve done so far, and it isn’t fair for you to work until I have. So … show Lucie the city.”
“I have been—” Elliot’s reply was cut off by the shrill of RJ’s phone.
“Please.” RJ gestured. “Go.”
I looked at Elliot. “I don’t have a laptop right now – why not?”
And so it was we found ourselves out on the street, the air surprisingly swampy.
“So what shall we do?” I asked. The day felt strangely unstructured now, something I wasn’t used to; planning my time was what kept me sane. But knowing I was about to have unplanned fun with Elliot made me feel strangely calm, aside from the jumping snakes in my belly every time I locked eyes with him.
“I’m thinking,” he said.
“Whatever it is, can it be out of this heat?” I wafted the collar of my shirt.
“Well, avoiding heat like a New Yorker means a trip to the Hamptons.” Elliot made a show of checking his watch. “And I think we missed the Jitney.”
“I have no idea what any of that means,” I said.
“But I have the next best thing,” Elliot went on. “Something truly New York, that might,might, make you feel a little cooler. What do you say?”
Anything had to be better than the excruciating event at theart gallery that Ralf had dragged me to. “Okay, fine,” I said. “But there’d better be adequate hydration at this truly New York something.”
The Manhattan terminal of the Staten Island Ferry was a great glass edifice of tourists and commuters, twinkling in the spring sunshine. A steady stream of tourists trickled their way through the doors and into the airy vestibule with its huge windows through which the Hudson could be seen, its cool blue deceptively inviting in the heat. We were just in time to board the next ferry and we picked up bottles of iced tea from the on-board café before finding a space on the front deck.
“Is this any cooler?” Elliot asked.
“God, yes.” It was infinitely more pleasant on the water, with a light breeze ruffling my hair. “And this is free?”
“Totally free,” Elliot confirmed, just as the boat blasted its horn to set off. “And look.” He pointed across the water to where I could see the Statue of Liberty.
Heat forgotten, I jumped up with my phone to take pictures along with a host of tourists. Elliot joined me at the railing, watching as I tried to get the least grainy picture of the statue that I could. “Do we get any closer?”
“Afraid not,” he said. “But you don’t need to get close to learn some shit. Like, did you know the statue’s original name was ‘Liberty Enlightening the World?’ France gave it to America to celebrate their independence.”
