“I told my dad how I wanted you to come see me in New York, and he immediately bought you a ticket.”
“Oh, he didn’t have to do that. That was so nice of him. I’ll have to thank your parents when I see them at dinner.” I put my arms around Jane. “I’m excited to be spending time with you.”
“So this is what I have planned for us. Saturday, let’s go to the flea market, then lunch at Gotham, then maybe spend the afternoon at the Met. We’ll have dinner in Brooklyn and go see my friend’s art show. Sunday morning I’ll take you to the Green market in Union Square, we can have lunch at Lupa or maybe Union Square Café. Let’s shop afterward and then for dinner, how about Le Bernardin?”
“I was just there over Thanksgiving. Your generous brother sent me and Sarah on a gastronomic adventure there. It was amazing.” Vividly those courses continued to linger on my mind and palate.
“Then how about Masa? Maybe Jake will foot the bill for that meal.” Jane looked hopeful. “Of course, you’ll have to go up the Empire State Building at night so you can see the city all lit up. On Monday…darn, I think I hear Jake.” Jane spoke with disappointment knowing our time together was over.
“Here you are. I searched all over the house for you,” Jake said looking relieved. “We need to talk.” Jake grabbed my hand and started leading me out of Jane’s room.
“Hey!” Jane protested. “We were planning Emily’s trip to New York. You can’t just drag her out of here. We’re not done yet.”
Jake turned to me with a surprised look. “You’re going to New York, again? How come you didn’t tell me?” He looked hurt.
“Jane and I just made plans about thirty seconds before you came into the room. Your dad bought me a ticket so I can spend some time with her over MLK weekend.”
“I’m not letting you go off to New York again without me. Nuh, uh. I’m coming too. Plus, why would Dad buy you a ticket and not me? I’m sure he purchased two seats.”
“Jake!” Jane protested. “I’ll never see Emily if you’re there. Come on!”
I tried to smooth the situation over by reminding Jake that there was no way he would get another three days off from the hospital so soon after his Hawaii vacation.
“I have so much vacation time, I will make sure to take those three days off. So what do you have planned for Emily?” Jake gloated while Jane frowned.
Jane regurgitated all the places that she wanted to take me to when Jake rudely cut her off. “Hey, where do I fit in? I want to take Emi to some of my favorite places. You are taking my girlfriend away from me.”
“Maybe, you shouldn’t come on this trip, Jake!” Jane was serious. She did not want Jake spoiling it for us.
“Jane, you’re being unreasonable. If I’m taking time off to be in New York with my girlfriend, then I’d like to spend some alone time with her. I don’t want you tagging along everywhere.”
“Whoa,” I calmly stated. “Let me break this up. I have a solution for us.” I turned to my love. “Jake, why don’t you see if Nick wants to come to New York with us?”
“Why would I do that? I don’t need to add another wheel.”
“You do realize that you are the third wheel on this trip? It was a girls’ weekend, remember? You wanted to tag along?”
“That’s right,” Jane declared. “You’re the tag along, not me.”
I turned to Jake and lovingly asked, “Will you invite your brother so that you will have a friend when I spend some quality time with my friend? Please?” I did my best to break the stare down between the Reid siblings.
“All right. I’ll bring Nick and we’ll have some quality brother bonding time. So much for a romantic trip to the city.”
“Jake,” Jane said. “I have one favor.”
“What is it?”
“Can you pay for a meal at Masa? I’ve always wanted to eat there but can’t afford it on my budget. You make a lot of money. Will you treat us to this meal? If not for me, will you do it for Emily?”
Masa could be summed up as the most expensive restaurant in New York, maybe even in the entire United States. Each meal costs somewhere around $400–$600 per person, before drinks, tax and tip. This twenty-six-seat, Zen-like sushi temple has a small pond, bamboo garden, and Japanese Cypress Hinoki wood as the sushi bar. Depending on which pre-fixe menu we chose, we’d eat five appetizers, about fifteen to twenty sushi courses, along with dessert and tea. It was French Laundry—sushi style. My mouth salivated at the thought of this meal.
“Would you like to dine at Masa, Emi?”
I gave him an are you kidding me look while answering coyly, “Only if you want to take me there.”
“Why did I bother asking? I’ll call in a reservation if you’ll stop bothering me,” he told his sister. “You want to see my room?” He asked, but was already pulling me out of Jane’s room.