new york, new york

chapter 86

-I love you, I said out loud to Oliver, even if he was at work. But I was so happy. I was top of the roof once again. I used to go there every day since I found out there was a place like that. No one else ever came there so I was safe. And after all, I wasn�t Anna Green anymore, I was Anna Sand. I liked the name. Though idea of AJ�s son having Oliver�s last name was quite weird. But then again, I didn�t want to think AJ so I reached to paper next to me. It had review of my book that had been published in New York. Critique was pretty good, one thing they judged was not getting hold of me. Sure, I answered every e-mail I got and I had made few phone interviews, which had required maximum effort from all of us. But as critic said, I was living in Finland where there�s so much forest that bears run wild in our capital. Little they knew. Better for me.
Even if most of the reviews were good it hadn�t created any fuzz. There had been a short side note on of the gossip columns about �Backstreet Boys� ex-hangaround wrote a book of Big Apple as being survivor in the city�. It went pretty much like this: �Anna Green survived allright. She came from little country in Northern Europe and ended up hanging out with one of the top pop bands, Backstreet Boys. Rumors have been about dating but all unconfirmed. She used to write to New York Neighborhood these little columns of being outsider. And now they have been gathered as a book. But what happened to Anna? For all we know, she has escaped back to that little, cold northern country. What about Boys? Their representative exclaimed that Anna has nothing to with Boys and even if she ever did, all is forgotten by now. So read about conquering the city � and then leaving it all behind.� I was lucky they didn�t practice inquiring journalism.
Jacob had done everything he could to hide me. But he knew, as the rest of us as well, that reports of my staying in hospital - after I was allegedly gone back to Finland - were easily available. Matthew kept steaming Jacob about me. Not constantly but just enough to make him feel uncomfortable. He couldn�t believe that I was safe already.
Immigration agent had come by one day. He was middle aged man and flirted the whole time with Charlene who didn�t know what to do but luckily kept smiling. I laid in bed, Oliver sitting next to me reading some old English romantic classic out loud to me. It was just a success. So nothing to worry. I hadn�t gained weight so much lately. Because Charlene didn�t let me eat anything I wanted. Even if I wanted to eat. During the days, when it was really hot, she had to force me. And in the middle of the night she had to come and walk me away from the fridge because I could have stuff myself with pretty much anything. So I didn�t get fatter but still more uncomfortable because my stomach, and my son, kept growing. He had started to really kick around. Well, I guess that was unavoidable after such a slow start, and considering who his father was. He kept me awake most of the nights so against every command Oliver ever gave I had started taking naps during the day, mostly outside. They had got air conditioner fixed but still there�s something different feeling the real wind on your skin or just mechanically cooled air.
I was just about to reach some of my old dreams again (the one were I was very very famous tap-dancer, I know, weird, but still one of my favorite fantasies) when I heard the door.
-I'm awake! I announced quickly, thinking it was Oliver coming. But shadow that came between me and sun � and more important, wind � wasn't Oliver. Wasn't even close.
-I think it's her. Even if she looks like she's eaten a whale.
Yes. Someone knew all the most awful compliments you could say to pregnant woman.
-Oh, don't say so, Be-Bob, you're being rude now.
But when Nick saw me himself, he couldn't keep in a great gasp.

-What the fuck are you doing here?
I was pissed and a bit afraid since I couldn't get up from that chair of mine easily and because my nurse kept reminding me how I should avoid any kind of stress. And Nick Carter standing in front of me was pretty much like having a heart attack.
-You weren't that easy to track down, Nick said.
-How did you do it?
-When you got the money you can hire best men you can get. But it took them two weeks to follow them.
-Oh no, Nick. You just didn't pay them enough. I've been here most of the time.
-Most of the time?
Be-Bob had gone little bit away and Nick kneeled next to me. Caring on his face was clearly read. He was concerned over me. So was I.
-Yeah. All the time, actually, if you don't count my stay at the hospital.
-You should tell AJ. He's been looking for you.
-Oh well, I said. �As you've proved, I'm not that hard to find. So if he would really want to meet me he would be standing here instead of you.
-But it's really bad with him. You know, him and Kevin, they are being like best buddies. And I promise you've never seen Kevin like this.
-Won't be seeing this time around either.
-Anna�
-OK, I gave in. �Tell me how AJ's doing.
-What do you know?
-Nothing more than the press tells. That Helen miscarried and AJ dumped her after that.
-She was never really pregnant.
That got me completely off guard. I looked away and tears gathered into my eyes. I held them back, swallowed and turned to see Nick again.
-What kind of difference you think it makes now, you coming here and telling me this? Answer me. Answer me right now.

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I'm way too curious. Tell me what you think.

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