One Wish In Manhattan (A Christmas Story) by Mandy Baggot Read Free Book Online

reason they don’t have a shop.’
    ‘Yes, Nanny.’
    Hayley immediately craved the biggest hot dog they could find from the grungiest looking guy the second they got there. ‘We have to go.’
    ‘All right!’ Rita barked. ‘Can’t I have five minutes to say goodbye to my granddaughter?’
    And your daughter . Hayley chewed her lip and tried to dismiss the words that bit. It was good Rita cared so much about Angel. She checked her watch again.
    ‘I hope your hospital appointment goes OK, Nanny,’ Angel said. Rita would be fine. A neighbour was going with her to the hospital and she had a year’s supply of after dinner mints and an arctic roll.
    ‘Freda and I will have a pensioner’s lunch at the coffee shop there.’ She put her hands on Angel’s shoulders. ‘Don’t forget to give your Uncle Dean a kiss from me and tell him how much I miss him.’
    The golden child . The one she put up on a pedestal as high as the Chrysler Building. Hayley cleared her throat, hoping to dislodge the bad feeling.
    ‘I hope you have a lovely Christmas, Nanny. I’ll call you,’ Angel said, smiling at her grandmother.
    ‘Oh don’t you worry about me, Angel. I’ll have one of those meals for widows and single people from Marks and Spencer.’
    Hayley closed her eyes. If she mentioned getting out the electric fan heater or watching Pollyanna she was seriously going to lose it.
    ‘Right then, off we go,’ Hayley said, pulling Angel towards her by the fabric hook on the back of her rucksack.
    ‘Bye, Nanny,’ Angel chirped.
    Hayley felt her mother’s eyes on her but didn’t know what to do. Hugging always felt so awkward and air-kissing was even worse. Guilt was now winning out over everything else.
    ‘Bye, Mum. Happy Holidays as they say in New York.’ Hayley stepped forward, ready to embrace her mother with everything she had. Instead she impacted on Rita’s foot.
    The noise that came from her mother’s mouth was akin to a cat having its tail trodden on. A yelp and a stagger had Angel rushing to her grandmother’s side.
    ‘Sorry,’ Hayley breathed. ‘Sorry, Mum.’
    ‘Are you all right, Nanny?’ Angel asked, concern etched on her features.
    ‘Yes …’ Rita let out a jagged breath. ‘Nothing the chiropodist can’t fix I don’t expect.’
    Hayley didn’t dare move her feet a second time. ‘Well, if you’re sure you can make it back to wait for the taxi driver then we’ll head off.’ They really couldn’t wait any longer. And the emotion just wasn’t coming.
    ‘Bye, Nanny,’ Angel said again.
    Hayley put her arm around her daughter and, drawing her close, she simply waved a hand.

7
    Drummond Global Offices, Downtown Manhattan, USA

    ‘ G ood morning , Mr Drummond.’
    It wasn’t a good morning. He felt like shit. Christa had turned out to be the most insatiable woman he had bedded in over a month. His mouth was dry not only from the champagne but also from the humidity of the hotel room heating she insisted on turning up to simulate the temperature of a rainforest. That had been just one of the fantasies she’d wanted to act out. Some of the others involved food from the room service menu he never wanted to see again.
    He forced a smile at the blonde receptionist and noticed for the first time that she wore glasses. Did he know her name? Had they dated? He wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer to that last question.
    ‘Good morning,’ he responded, heading for the bank of lifts.
    As he waited for one to arrive he looked through the glass doors to the street outside. The snow had stopped overnight and only a fine dusting remained. It was business as usual on the street, taxis, bike couriers, shoppers, workers, guys on roller-skates like they were auditioning for Starlight Express . Icicles hung from the building signs, there was a glaze of frost on fire hydrants and lampposts and the corners of billboards were streaked with a sprinkling of white.
    The bell chimed and the silver metal doors