Page 72 of Break the Ice

‘I respect that, Miss Phoebe,’ Lenny replies. ‘But please don’t worry about us. You relax. There’s a lot of traffic on the roads because of the holidays. This will take a while.’

‘I’m all good. I have M&Ms!’ I say, a little too excitedly. This car is fancy, it has cup holders and interesting buttons. I press the buttons and a light blinds me. I switch it off and continue looking in all the pockets and compartments of the seats. They look at each other, obviously trying not to laugh.

‘Also, I know Joshy is trying to meet us back at the Abelman residence, but he may be delayed. He sends his apologies,’ Lenny tells me. Residence. I let that word wash over me. That screams posh.

‘That’s cool, it’s all good,’ I say as he starts the engine, pulls out and joins the lines of cars trying to escape the airport.

‘Will you get this schmuck? Who gets their bags out in the middle of the road, bozo…’ Lenny shouts and I smile broadly. I don’t think he realises that it’s things like this that make me tap my feet in the back of the car. This guy is amazing, like out of a film. ‘Forgive my French, Miss Phoebe.’

‘You are forgiven,’ I say, smiling and pouring M&Ms into my hand. ‘So are you lads both from New York?’ I ask. They look at each other, and it makes me wonder if it’s their place to talk. Yet this is what I do. I’m in a new place and immensely excited about life. I’m a talker.

‘I’m from Brooklyn, ma’am. Born and bred,’ Trayvon tells me.

‘I’m from a place called Yonkers,’ says Lenny.

‘I know Yonkers. They always talk about it in Law and Order: SVU,’ I say. I then make the SVU dum-dum noise, just in case they didn’t know about the show or needed to know where and how my crazy manifests itself.

This makes Lenny laugh. It’s deep and throaty. He coughs to reset himself. ‘Will you get this broad? That they do. This your first time in New York?’ he asks, trying to catch my eye in the rear-view mirror.

‘It is,’ I tell him, looking out of the windows at the great expanses of expressway, the bigger cars and bright blue winter sky. ‘I’m hoping Joshua will give me a good tour but I’m always willing to chat to the locals, see what you recommend too.’ They don’t say a word, just smile at each other. ‘Was it something I said?’

‘No,’ Trayvon replies. ‘I guess our passengers aren’t always so keen to chat or listen to what we gotta say.’

‘That’s kinda rude, no?’ I reply.

‘Maybe. So you got a list of things you wanna do?’ Trayvon asks. They seem more willing to engage with me now.

‘Yeah. I mean, where’s a girl got to go if she wants to get a good slice?’ I ask.

They both laugh to hear me talking their language. ‘Lady, I’m Italian. You wanna slice, do you?’ Lenny says.

‘Do we have time now? On our way to the Abelmans’? I’m kinda famished.’

Trayvon looks at his watch and shrugs. ‘I mean, I could do with a slice, you know?’

I lean forward in my seat. ‘I won’t tell. Plus, it’s Christmas, right? My treat because apparently I’m not allowed to tip you.’

‘OK, OK. I guess we’re getting a slice,’ Lenny says, relenting.

‘Yes, Lenny,’ I say, patting his seat. They look at each other again. ‘I don’t get these looks you two are sharing. What’s the deal?’

‘It’s just, you normally don’t get two drivers. T tagged along to check you out, see who our Joshy has been dating,’ Lenny tells me.

I nod. I just assumed that this was what posh people had in their lives. ‘So I’m being vetted, am I? And what do we think so far?’ I ask, leaning forward.

‘You’re fun,’ Trayvon says.

‘I am, thanks for noticing,’ I say, laughing.

‘It’s just the girl before you was…’ Lenny mutters.

‘Less fun?’ I say. They both nod in agreement. Lads, we need a really good chat. ‘It’s good I’m here then. Now tell me Lenny, does your car have music?’

THIRTY-FOUR

JOSHUA

‘Have a nice day, buddy. Happy holidays,’ the cab driver tells me as I pass him notes and get out.