“I just got a text from Sadie Lee,” Mum says. “She says to tell you both that she’s just baked us a batch of brownies and we’re welcome to get there as soon as we like.”
I feel my own phone vibrate and my heart leaps at the sight of a new message from Noah.
Morning! Tell me, how good are your tree-decorating skills? N
Grinning, I quickly reply.
World-class. I’m actually Champion Bauble Hanger in my home town—three years running
Only three? Shame! I guess that’ll have to do. Hurry up and get here, Inciting Incident, Bella and I need your help
At first my mind goes blank when I see the name Bella, but then I remember—Noah has a sister.
? ? ?
In the taxi on the way to the airport, I’d been so focused on keeping Elliot’s spirits up, I hadn’t gotten anxious at all, but going back to the hotel to pick up our luggage is a different story. By the time we pull into the Waldorf, I want to leap from the cab and walk all the way to Brooklyn. As I go into the hotel for one final look around the grand lobby, I tell myself to get a grip. “You can do this,” I tell myself. “You’re Ocean Strong.” But my superhero name doesn’t seem to have the same effect without Elliot here. I think of him sitting on his own on the plane and I feel a hollow ache. Then I remember the exercise Noah told me about.
“Ready, Pen?” Dad says, as he and a bellboy come over with our luggage piled up on a trolley.
I nod. “Yes.”
As soon as I get back in the cab, I try to picture where in my body I feel the most anxious. As usual, it’s the tightness in my throat. I close my eyes and try to picture it as a color and shape. I see a red fist clutching at my neck. At first it makes me feel even worse and I want to open my eyes but I force myself to take a deep breath and just allow it to be there. Nothing happens. The tension in my throat is still there; it hasn’t gotten any better—but it hasn’t gotten any worse either. I take another deep breath. It’s OK, I say to the image of the red fist. I don’t mind you being there. I take another breath. In the background, I can hear Mum and Dad chatting to the taxi driver but I’m so focused that I don’t hear what they’re saying. I try to picture the fist of tension again and this time it’s more pink than red. It’s a little bit smaller too. It’s OK, I say to it again. The rest of my body starts to relax. Now it just feels as if there’s a knot in my throat rather than a huge fist. I take another breath and it’s much easier this time. It’s OK, I keep saying over and over again inside my head. It’s OK. As I keep focusing on the image of the knot, it fades until it’s snowy-white and then it completely disappears.
“Penny, look at the bridge,” Mum says, nudging me.
I open my eyes and see that we’re on the Brooklyn Bridge already, about to go under the first arch. On the other side of the river, the Brooklyn skyline stands solid and brown against the pale sky. My panic has passed, like a cloud skimming across the sun.
Once we get to Brooklyn, the cab pulls into a residential side street lined with trees. The houses are all four stories high and made of brownstone. We stop outside a house halfway down. A flight of steep stone steps leads up to a bright red door. A Christmas wreath made of holly and mistletoe hangs in the center of the door, and a miniature stone Santa is standing at the top of the steps, grinning down at us.
“Oh, it looks so lovely,” Mum says, speaking my thoughts aloud.
But as I get out of the cab, my head fills with fearful thoughts. What if you and Noah don’t get along? What if it’s really awkward spending Christmas together? However, before I can torture myself any more, the door of the house opens and a little girl comes flying out. Her shiny dark brown hair is so curly it falls around her face in perfect ringlets. She looks at us shyly through huge brown eyes.
“Have you come for Christmas?” she says in the cutest New York accent ever.
“We certainly have,” Dad says.
Sadie Lee comes out onto the steps. She’s wearing a flour-dusted floral apron over her dress. “Hello!” she cries. “Welcome! Welcome!”
Noah steps out after her and we instantly make eye contact. “Hey,” he says softly.
“Hey,” I say back. Then I start busying myself with my suitcase to try to hide my embarrassment.
“Let me get that,” Noah says, bounding down the steps. When he gets to Dad, he stops. “Hi, I’m Noah,” he says, holding his hand out.
“Pleased to meet you, Noah,” Dad says, shaking his hand. “I’m Rob.”
I give a sigh of relief—so far, so good.
“Are you Penny?” Bella says to me as I come up the steps after Noah.
“Yes, I am. And you must be Bella.”
She nods and grins shyly before turning to Noah. “You were right, Noah.”
“Shhh,” Noah says instantly.
“Right about what?” I say.
“She looks just like a mermaid,” Bella says.
“Man! I thought you said you could keep a secret!” Noah says, winking at me.
Noah’s house is straight from a cozy feel-good American movie. The hallway is the size of a living room. A beautiful grandfather clock stands in the corner next to a wide staircase. Noah and Sadie Lee lead us through an archway on the left, into a huge but really homey kitchen. I breathe in the rich smell of chocolate brownies.
“So, you guys will be sleeping in the spare room,” Sadie Lee says to Mum and Dad. “And, Penny, you can go in with Bella.”
“You have to have the top bunk,” Bella says to me gravely. “I don’t like the top bunk cos I’m scared I might fall out.”
“The top bunk would be great,” I say, smiling down at her.
She takes hold of my hand. “Do you want to come see?”
“Yes please.” I look at Noah and he grins at me.
“OK, but don’t be long. We have a tree to decorate, remember?”