Page 39 of Partner Pursuit
That wasn’t what she wanted him to get, but she wasn’t sure what more tosay.
They walked down an empty Columbus Avenue, past the bags of early morning bread deliveries tucked into the corners of restaurant doorways, and turned down a block leading to Central Park West. The early morning sun lit up the golden stonework of the buildings on the north side of the street.
“So, you moved here to help your sister?”
“Yes, my sister has two kids, and her husband is a medic in the military reserve and gets called away periodically. He’s serving rightnow.”
“That’s impressive,” Audreysaid.
“Yes, I was thego-tofix-itguy in the family. Then she married Ned, and now I’m just the music guy.”So, he could beself-deprecating.
She followed him into the art deco entranceway of a small apartment building. Jake greeted the doorman and then turned towards a staircase, saying it was just one floor up.Jake let himself in with his key and yelled out, “Reporting for uncleduty!”
The small foyer of his sister’spre-warapartment was neat but crowded, with a little bench for removing shoes, coats on a hook, bookbags, and afolded-upstroller. He hung his black leather messenger bag and Audrey’s satchel on the one emptyhook.
“I’ve brought a friend,”he added.
His sister met them as they entered the living room, hernine-month-oldson on her hip. She looked like Jake’s sister. She even had the same dimple inher cheek.
The living room gave off a casual, friendly vibe. A comfortable grayL-shapedcouch faced the windows next to a wall of bookcases filled with children’s books, games, and bright bins of toys. A maple dining room table was off to the corner in front of an open kitchen.
“Hi, I’m Audrey,” Audrey said, extendingherhand.
“Fiona, so nice to meet you,” his sister said, shaking her hand. “And this is Thomas.”
“Audrey’s my neighbor, so I invited her along when I ran into her,” Jake said. “You’re always sayingone-on-oneis better than zonedefense.”
“I knew my basketball example would hammer home the point. We both played basketball in school,” Fiona said. She explained that it had been a disaster of a morning, and she had planned to have everything ready for Jake to just go, but she didn’t. Despite all that, Audrey was impressed by how together yet casual Fiona seemed.
“Don’t worry, we’ve got this,” Jake said. Audrey nodded.
“Famous last words,” Fionasaid.
“Do you want us to help or not?” Jake asked.
“I desperately do. I’m deeply grateful. Really—moving up here was beyond the call of duty. You’re the best brother ever.” Fiona reached up to rufflehishair.
Jake rolled his eyes at Audrey. “Don’tpush it.”
“Do you have a brother?” Fiona asked.
“No, I’m an only child.”
“So, you’re neighbors?” Fiona asked as she walked back to her kitchen and put the bottles of breastmilk for Thomas into a little insulated pack. The kitchen was all white except for sprinkles of color here and there: a yellow pitcher holding wooden spoons, a blue dish towel, a red KitchenAid mixer. She yelled to the back of the house, “Luna, Uncle Jakeishere!”
“We met when Jake moved in,” Audreysaid.
“How friendly,” Fiona said, but it was in the tone of “there must be more to this.” Which was a valid tone as Audrey wasn’t in the habit of accompanyingnext-doorneighbors in New York to babysit.
“I’m a friendly guy. You did tell me that the Upper West Side was a neighborly place,” Jake said. He took the thermal pack from Fiona and added it to the TraderJoe’sbag.
“So, I did. Are you happy you moved?” Fiona asked.
Jake nodded. “Very. It’s easier to keep on good terms with Veronika if we’re not running into each other allthetime.”
“I imagine it’s a little harder for her to show up suddenly on the WestSide.”
“I thought you liked her,”Jakesaid.
