Her Upper East Side Manhattan apartment was no longer comforting. Kate constantly felt like a visitor in her own home. The decor and furniture felt as though it belonged to someone else. When she left the hospital, Kate looked forward to sleeping on her one thousand-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. But the moment she lay down, all she could think about was the other woman who left her mark. She had to get out of the apartment; the claustrophobia set in as the feeling of suffocation took hold of her throat refusing to let go.
Kate took the elevator down to the lobby. Her shoes clicked on the dark marble floors. The doorman rushed to open the door.
“Good afternoon, James.”
James nodded. “Ma’am.”
The sidewalk full of people was a welcome distraction. The humming of the traffic, the honking of horns, and chirping of birds were all soothing sounds. This was home. This was what made her love the city.
Kate walked up 67th St toward St. Catherine’s Park. When she was young, her mother would always take her to this park to play. Her mom told her stories how when she was born everyone in the entire city celebrated that such a beautiful princess now occupied the Upper East Side. As a result, they named the park after her. It wasn’t until she learned the park’s name was spelled differently did she figure out her mom made the story up.
Kate found an empty bench and sat down. Children played happily as their nannies looked on. These children may have been complete strangers, but once they started playing, it was as if they knew each other all of their young lives. She smiled in hopes of having her own children one day.
She rubbed the side of her chest where the wound from the chest tube was still healing. Kate’s muscles were sore and throbbed from time to time but each day, the pain lessened. Still, it was a frequent reminder of the hell she went through and the fact there still wasn’t any sign of Tony.
Kate spent a total of three weeks in the hospital before she was released. She suffered from severe dehydration, a punctured lung resulting from several broken ribs, and significant internal bruising. Her parents had brought in a psychiatrist to treat her while in the hospital; they were worried about the long-term effects the kidnapping would have on her psyche. As far as she was concerned, she was no worse for wear. That jerk beat the crap out of her, but she would live. There was nothing to psychoanalyze; he was just an evil monster.
Agent Thompson came to visit Kate a couple of times. He had been shot in the shoulder and stomach and had lost a significant amount of blood. The ambulances were able to bring Agent Thompson, along with two other Interpol agents, to the hospital. He spent most of his recovery in the Italian hospital before he was released. Immediately upon entering the States, he arrived at her bedside.
Kate asked if there was any news on Tony’s whereabouts. Unfortunately, when the Guardia entered the Bertalucci compound, Matteo Bertalucci was nowhere to be found and Tony was also M.I.A. The agents searched the area with helicopters and search dogs, but there was no sign of them. Thompson even went so far as to ask her if Tony was working with the green-eyed monster and perhaps they even escaped together. At first, she refused to believe such a thing could happen. However, after a month had gone by without any sign of Tony, she began to wonder herself. Was she really that bad of a judge of character? Was she the only one who felt the connection? Was Tony really trying to save her and get her to an embassy or was it all just a ploy to get the ransom from her family?
Tears fell from Kate’s face as betrayal took over her heart. She had a big, gaping hole the size of Alaska where he was concerned. There wasn’t anything she wanted more than to look into his emerald-green eyes at that moment. The truth would be in them; she would know whether or not he was playing her.
She stood up from the bench and pushed through the wrought iron gates back onto 67th St. Kate took the short walk down to 61st and then over to Lexington; Melissa’s Mini Cupcakes called her name. She walked inside and ordered a half dozen triple chocolate fudge and a half dozen red velvet mini cupcakes. She wasn’t normally an emotional eater, but today, she needed a little something to soothe her soul.
Once Kate stepped out of the store, she took a bit of the sinfully delicious chocolate cake. There was nothing quite like it; the richness of the flavors and decadent cocoa made the world right again.
She strolled down Lexington, peering in the shops. Cute outfits caught her eye in several of the windows. When she got down to 59th St, a stunning white dress called her name from the Banana Republic shop. Kate was in and out within minutes with the dress in tow. She popped another cupcake in her mouth and let the cream cheese frosting melt in her mouth before hopping on the bus.
Something had to change; the life she was living now was lonely and boring. The Upper East Side wasn’t what it once was. Wealthy families typically took residence there and she didn’t have a family, and she no longer had a fiancé or boyfriend to even think about starting a family with—only the distant memory of what might have been.
She got off the bus in Soho and walked around. This eclectic neighborhood was becoming a trendy hotspot for living, dining, and shopping. This neighborhood had culture and charisma. This felt like home; this is where she needed to be living.
Kate walked along Thompson Avenue until she came upon a newly constructed building on the corner of Broome St. The corner architecture and glass windows looked very modern and were appealing to the eye. The red and black sign in the window read: ‘Now Leasing.’ She pulled on the handle of the glass door and entered the air-conditioned lobby. It was beautiful—absolutely breathtaking.
“May I help you, ma’am?” The tall doorman with slightly graying hair and a perfectly starched uniform welcomed her in.
“Yes, thank you. I saw a sign outside that said you were leasing. Is there anyone I can talk to about this?”
The man smiled, showing his sparkling white teeth. He could’ve been in an ad for a whitening toothpaste. “Please, come with me. I’ll call the manager right down to give you a tour.”
Kate approached the cherry wood reception desk. The doorman immediately picked up the phone and began talking. She looked around the lobby at the modern glass chandeliers, the oversized couches, and the gray marble tiles. The song “Pompeii” by Bastille hummed through the speaker system. Instantly, her thoughts went to Italy. She never had the chance to see the ruins in Pompeii or hike Mt. Vesuvius. Unfortunately, she doubted she would ever go back to that country.
“Hello, my name is Jeffrey.” A blonde-haired man with a golden tan held out his hand and she shook it firmly.
“I’m Kate. I’m interested in taking a look at your apartments.”
Jeffrey smiled. “Fabulous. What size did you have in mind?”
She thought about it for a minute before answering. Should she get a studio? After all, it was only her. She didn’t need anything too big. Maybe having an extra room might be nice if a friend wanted to stay over.
“How about a two-bedroom? Do you have any available?”
“Actually, I have one. The previous occupants just moved out last week. I’d love to show it to you.”
“Yeah, I think I’d like that.”
Kate followed Jeffrey to the elevators and up to the fourth floor. They stepped out onto a very modern charcoal carpet that lined the hallways.
“So, this is apartment 4F. It is one of my favorites. You get a great view down Thompson St. and along the skyline. All the appliances are new, and you will find all of the rooms are top-of-the-line.”
Jeffrey opened the door and allowed Kate to walk in first. The apartment was staged with oversized comfy couches and designer furniture. She took a look around the room before rushing to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Jeffrey was right; the view was amazing. She could see herself sitting in front of the windows, drinking coffee and watching the world go by. Kate then walked into the kitchen. The stainless steel appliances were prominently displayed amongst the granite counter tops and the white subway tile backsplash. If she cooked, this would be one kitchen she would be proud to serve up a nice meal in.
Kate moved on to the master bedroom where there were more floor-to-ceiling windows. A king-sized bed filled the room but allowed plenty of room to move about. A walk-in closet that could hold all of her shoes and then some. The on-suite bathroom had travertine tiles and his and her sinks with granite countertops. Kate was home. She didn’t even need to look in the guest bedroom.
“I’ll take it. How soon can I move in?”
Jeffrey’s jaw dropped. “Don’t you want to know the cost?”
“Not especially. This is where I need to be at this moment in my life. I can assure you I can afford whatever the rent is. You’re more than welcome to run a credit check on me right now. Oh, and I’d like to keep the furniture as well.”
Jeffrey nodded. “Ah, okay. I haven’t really experienced someone making a decision this quickly before. How about we head back downstairs to my office? I can get all the necessary paperwork going. I would say upon approval of the credit and background check, we can get you in here in about a week.”
“Hmmm. That long?” Staying in her old apartment one more night was the last thing she wanted to do. Dread washed over her at the thought of it.
“Well, Ms.…”
“Anderson. Katherine Anderson.” She smiled sweetly.
Jeffrey’s eyes grew wide. “Katherine Anderson of the Anderson restaurant empire?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Well, let me see if I can make an exception. I’ll still have to run the credit check for documentation purposes. When would you like to move in?”
“Honestly? Tonight. I’m ready to take the next step in my life and I don’t want to wait a second longer.” Kate shifted back and forth on her feet; the excitement and anticipation were killing her. She could be sleeping here tonight.
“Um…well…uh…This is certainly an unusual set of circumstances.”
“Please. I promise you won’t be sorry.”
Jeffrey pursed his lips, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. “Okay, as long as the credit check goes through and you sign the lease. You’ll have to sign a two-year lease.”
“No problem!” Kate ran up and hugged Jeffrey. “Thank you so much. I can’t wait!”
She filled out the required documents while Jeffrey ran the credit check. She couldn’t write fast enough, and her hand was trembling as she signed her name.
Jeffrey walked back into the office with keys jingling in his hand. “Well, Ms. Anderson, it appears everything is in order. You’re set to move in.” His smile was crooked and cute.
Kate jumped to her feet. “Yay! This is so amazing. I’m going to run back to my apartment, pack a suitcase, and come right back.” She ran out of the building and hailed the first cab she saw. Her future had changed for the better; life as Kate was going to be great.