Outsiders. Part 22

"For what it's worth, I think you'd be good at just about anything you tried." With another quick kiss, Taj lay down on her poncho and fussed with her waterproof bag until she had it just as she wanted it. "I don't think we'll need it, but I have some insect repellent from China that I a.s.sume is a carcinogen. But it kills bugs like n.o.body's business." She laughed softly, nudged her pillow with her shoulder a couple of times, then reached out and took Laurie's hand.

Feeling strangely cared for and completely safe, Laurie lay on her back and watched the stars for a long time, fearing it might be the first and last time she saw them so clearly.

The sun warmed her face, and Laurie turned her head to avoid opening her eyes. She was stiff and uncomfortable, and briefly wondered how her relatively new bed had gotten so firm. Then she heard a long, baleful horn bleat, and she shot up and stared. She was about a hundred feet from the end of the pier, safely nestled behind a stand of shrubs which protected her from the bike path and, further on, West Side Highway.

Her memories returned and she looked around for Taj, spying her at the end of the pier, doing what looked to be tai chi, or some other form of martial art.

Taj was, to Laurie's pleasure, dressed in only her underwear-silky-looking pewter-colored briefs and bra that could have pa.s.sed for a swimsuit on a beach where Laurie could easily spend the rest of her days. Taj wasn't particularly muscular. In fact, she was lean, almost wiry, but her sleek body was as flexible and fluid as any Laurie had ever seen. Taj had clearly been practicing her routine for a very long time. She moved effortlessly-as if suspended in water-in one slow, beautiful and graceful motion.

Laurie had often seen groups of Chinese men and women doing tai chi in public parks around the city, but she'd never watched anyone perform the art as raptly as she now did. She was transfixed by Taj's peaceful elegance and power, unable to take her eyes from her.

She watched until Taj finished, then walked slowly back down the pier and, seeing her, waved happily. When she was close, Taj said, "I've had my exercise. Now I need breakfast." Her cocoa-colored skin was glistening with perspiration, and she ran her hands across her forehead, then smoothed her dark hair back.

Laurie wasn't sure she could speak without her voice breaking, so she stood up and grasped the end of her yoga mat. "I was going to limber up a little. Do you mind?"

"No, no, do what you normally do. I'll sit here and cool down."

Laurie was a long way from cool, but she ignored the desire she felt for Taj and focused on centering herself so she'd be ready for whatever the day had in store for them.

It took her a few minutes to feel loose enough to get into her usual routine, but she managed. After a while she was rolling through the downward dog, the crane, the half-moon, the dancer and all of the rest of her daily program, until she stopped and looked over to see Taj gazing at her with what could only be called l.u.s.t.

Laurie averted her gaze just before Taj's eyes met hers. She took a few deep breaths and walked over to her. "Guess what I see?"

"Electricity?"

"No, but almost as good. There's a bubble fountain right down the path. We can cool off and at least start the day feeling a little less grungy."

Taj grabbed all of her things and followed Laurie down the bike path to the fountain used by kids in the playground to stay cool. "I don't think this was made for adults, but I'm loving it." Taj walked right into the cool water, her nipples hardening so quickly that Laurie had to tear her attention away.

She ran into the water beside Taj and shrieked at the cold. It was already a warm morning, but the water couldn't have been more than sixty-five degrees, far too cold for her. But it was so nice to see the water glinting off Taj's beautiful skin and clinging underthings that she quickly forgot her discomfort and relished the pleasure the water brought.

After jumping around to try and get warm they realized they'd never reach that goal, so they dashed out of the spray and stood shivering in the sun. "We're gonna want to be this cold later today," Taj predicted. "It's gonna be a scorcher."

They were both surprised that the electricity had not come back on, but they realized how bad things were because even their cell phones were still not working. Their first goal of the day was to find food. Since there were more stores and restaurants there, they crossed over to Tenth Avenue. The pickings were very slim, with every restaurant and diner closed. There was a very nice market in Chelsea that Laurie had been to, but the front doors of the old factory that housed the little shops were locked tight.

Despite the disappointment, Laurie took Taj's hand as they continued to walk up the avenue. "You seem very cheerful this morning," Taj said.

"This is still kind of fun. I feel bad for all of the people who can't open today, and I know a lot of people are going to lose a lot of money, but from my single perverse perspective, I'm enjoying myself."

"I hate to keep bringing this up, but that's the key requirement for being a good traveler. I think you have unexplored talents."

"G.o.d, I hope so," Laurie said, laughing. She caught sight of a man walking down the street with a grocery bag. "What's open?" she asked.

"The bodega on Twenty-fourth, if you have cash."

"Thanks," she said, already rummaging through her pockets. Gleefully, she produced a five and two singles. "I bought an Italian ice yesterday after my yoga cla.s.s. Good thing I didn't bother putting my change in my wallet, or I would've left it at the restaurant last night." She shook her three bills in the air. "We're livin' large!"

The seven dollars didn't actually buy them much. Laurie considered buying two energy bars and a bottle of water, but Taj spent ten minutes walking around the tiny store surveying their options. She finally picked out a twelve-ounce jar of peanut b.u.t.ter and a decent-sized bag of raisins. "We'll get the most calories and the most protein from this. If this is the only thing we can buy it'll hold us for two days."

"Two days!" Laurie shrieked. "This is New York City. If the electricity isn't on by tonight, the federal government will start airlifting in tapas and Pinot Grigio."

Taj snapped the bills from Laurie's hand and put her purchases on the counter. "The energy bars are easier and might taste better, but I'm not counting on an airlift."

The bodega had a few plastic spoons left, so they sat in a pocket park eating spoonsful of peanut b.u.t.ter topped with as many raisins as would stay attached to the mound. After just a few spoons, Taj held the empty utensil in her hand and looked at the jar like she had no intention of eating another bite.

"Peanut b.u.t.ter isn't great without jelly," Laurie opined.

"I don't need the jelly, but I'll admit this isn't going down too easily. I wish we had a big gla.s.s of milk."

"Forget milk. I crave coffee."

"I kicked my coffee habit, which had become pretty bad, when I was in Afghanistan."

"They don't drink coffee?"

"Yeah, they like coffee, but they love tea, or chai as it's known locally. I started drinking green tea and now that's what I'm addicted to."

"I'll get you a chai the second Starbucks is open."

"I've had their chai and it doesn't bear much resemblance to what I've had in Afghanistan. But I'll gladly take it. You don't know of a good Afghani restaurant, do you?"

"No, but I bet there's one in Queens. Queens has everything."

"I don't have a confirmed flight out of New York, so I could hang around for a bit. I'd love to take you to Queens for dinner."

Smiling brightly, Laurie said, "It's a date."

It was just nine, but it was already hot and muggy. Not many people were out, even though no one had air conditioning or a fan. "Isn't it odd that people aren't heading to the parks? It's gotta be cooler outside than it is in."

"Maybe they're all standing under a cold shower."

"If their building is more than four or five floors, they don't have water." Laurie pointed at a big, wooden barrel perched atop a nearby building. "We have water towers if we're over five stories. Our water pressure only goes that high."

Taj surveyed the tower for a moment. "Why wouldn't the water still work?"

"It would, if it doesn't run out. But no one will conserve. Every native will a.s.sume the lights will be on in the next five minutes."

"Sounds like someone I know," Taj teased.

"It'll be back in no time. But I really don't like being broke. I have an idea of how to make a few bucks, but I have to change back into my dress."

"Sounds good to me. You look great in that dress." Taj's dark eyebrows popped up a few times, making her look like a teenager.

It took some teamwork, but Laurie was back in her dress, hair combed and lipstick applied by ten. They walked another ten blocks, winding up in front of Penn Station.

There were hundreds of people loitering in front of the entrance, with weary-looking police officers informing people that the Long Island Rail Road was still not in service. Nor was New Jersey Transit. But the A-C-E subway was back up, and people streamed into the hot building to wait for the subway.

"Will the A-C-E get us to your house?" Taj asked.

"Yeah. That's my normal train, but I won't have water or electricity. My apartment is hot when it's over seventy, so we're probably better off here."

"Then let's try to scare up some cash. How many do you have?"

Laurie checked her bag. "Five."

"Okay. I'll do my best." Taj stood near the entrance to Penn Station and started her pitch. "Get the latest from Laurie Ambrose, best selling mystery novelist. She's right here, a local girl made good. Let's hear it for Laurie Ambrose." She made an exaggerated circle with her arm and then pointed towards Laurie, who waved at the puzzled group of people.

Laurie held up her new book, acting like a spokesmodel for a new detergent.

"Yes, it's the book you've been waiting for," Taj continued. "It's in hardcover...and, in honor of the blackout, Laurie is selling the book for a mere twenty dollars. That's seven dollars off the list price, folks. And she'll autograph all copies. She'll even take a picture with you. Come on now, don't be the last person to get in on this deal. The blackout could be over in five minutes and you'll have missed your chance."

The nearby police officer snickered at Taj's prediction.

A few people stopped and regarded both women, clearly trying to figure out what kind of scam this was. But a flushed-faced woman tentatively approached and said, "Are you really Laurie Ambrose?"

Laurie turned the book around and put it next to her face. "I'm as close to being me as I can be in this heat."

"Ahh!" The woman started pointing and jumping up and down, and a few more women approached. "We're big fans!"

"Wonderful!" Laurie acted as excited to see them as they were to see her. "My book just came out yesterday, so you'll be the first to have it."

The woman looked at her three friends. "Do we have any money left?"

Laurie caught Taj's eye and they both sighed. "I won't charge you twenty dollars. I'm just stuck in the city and I'm out of cash. If you can spare a few bucks you can have a copy."

They talked among themselves, looking into wallets and bags, then produced sixteen dollars, which Laurie gratefully accepted. She signed the book for the first woman, then wrote down the names and addresses of the other three, promising to send them complimentary copies once she got home. She walked over to Taj and said, "Well, that only cost me about forty dollars. I'm gonna have to buy copies from my publisher."

"Yeah, but we've got sixteen dollars. That'll buy us...something."

They decided to walk to Central Park, even though it was so hot they had to walk in the shadow of buildings to keep even marginally cool. Once they reached Fifty-ninth Street, the whole city seemed to cool off by ten degrees. They entered the park at Columbus Circle, and immediately spent five of their scant dollars on a bottle of water and a giant pretzel, which they consumed in seconds.

"I've never known water to taste so good," Laurie moaned. "It's like rare wine."

They found a shady spot under a grove of trees and sat on Laurie's yoga mat, just watching people wander around. No one seemed to have an agenda. "I've never seen New Yorkers amble. No one's in a hurry for a change."

"They're probably worried about sunstroke," Taj said dryly.

"Hey! That guy's Blackberry is working." Laurie got to her feet and approached the man as soon as he hung up. "Is there any chance I can use your phone? Just for a minute?"

He eyed her for a moment, then asked the question that identified him as a local. "How much?"

"Two dollars."

He shook his head. "No deal."

"Okay. Five." She took out the bills and showed that she had them.

He grabbed them and handed her the phone. "Make it snappy."

She turned and called one of the few numbers she knew by heart, spending a good five minutes speaking. When she hung up, she said, "Someone's gonna call me back. You get another five if you let me take the call."

"How long will it take?"

"Not too long. Why? Where've you got to go?" She delivered this with her best New York att.i.tude.

He nodded and sat back down on a bench. When Laurie went back to Taj, she said, "I might have had a brilliant idea."

"What?"

"I'll let you know if it turns out to be brilliant. I don't like to advertise dumb ideas."

They sat on their mat, watching people roller blade and bike ride in the blazing sun. As she looked around, Laurie noted that the cell phone holder was wearing a suit, obviously one he'd slept in. She started to feel a modic.u.m of sympathy for him, but when he waved the phone at her, she jumped up and ran back to him, holding out the five dollars, which he took and pocketed.

A few minutes later she walked back to Taj, clearly with very good news. "Guess where we're going?"

"Brooklyn?"

"Better."

"Riverdale?"

"No. Even better. Even closer."

"Tell me!" Taj was on her feet, holding Laurie by the shoulders as she resisted the temptation to shake her.

"An apartment on the Upper West Side. One of my fans is letting us crash there. And," she said, delivering the news with the authority it deserved, "we can eat everything she has in the place!"

During the fifteen-block walk, Laurie told of calling Libby and having her use her Blackberry to place a notice on Laurie's internet chat group. A fan from New York was traveling, but she offered her place and the contents of her cupboard.

"That's really remarkable," Taj marveled. "She doesn't know you at all, but she's gonna let you use her apartment."