The Neighbor Favor(13)
Afterward, we’ll come upon a park, but the benches will be occupied by other couples. You’ll say, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a blanket to sit on?” And what do you know, I’ll pull a blanket out of thin air (maybe there’s magic in this scenario), and we’ll sit and spend the rest of the night pointing out more fake shapes in the stars.
It would make up for every bad date you’d ever had.
~Strick
P.S.—this is what Agata’s rajská omá?ka looks like.
FROM: Lily G. <[email protected]>
TO: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]>
DATE: December 6, 6:32pm
SUBJECT: Re: Happy Thanksgiving
Hi Strick,
Is it sad that our imaginary date is the best date I’ll ever have? That sounds lovely. Seriously. And that plate of rajská omá?ka looks delicious.
(Also, you might hate me for saying this, but your last email really proved that you’re a natural storyteller.)
I’m here working late at the office. It’s Christmastime, and our building is a ten-minute walk away from the big tree at Rockefeller Center, so the area is mobbed with tourists. I can’t believe that you’ve traveled all over the world but haven’t been to New York City. If you were here, I’d take you to every place filled with Christmastime tourists. We’d complain about the crowded sidewalks and how no one seems to know where they’re going. Then your mood will brighten when I take you to the holiday market at Union Square. Because you’re so cool and cultured, I’ll expect you to buy something unique, like energy crystals or handwoven scarves. But you’ll surprise me when you buy a Black Santa figurine and a keychain that says, “I <3 NY.” Afterward, we’ll sit on a Union Square park bench and drink hot chocolate, and you’ll say that New York is simultaneously the most frustrating yet best city, and you can’t believe you waited this long to visit.
How’d I do?
XO,
Lily
P.S.—Where do you spend the holidays?
FROM: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]>
TO: Lily G. <[email protected]>
DATE: December 17, 9:47pm
SUBJECT: Re: Happy Thanksgiving
Lily—
If I had the money, and if I weren’t currently in Skopje, Macedonia, I’d fly to New York right now so that we could spend the day together just how you described. It sounds perfect, but you left out one thing. I’d like to try a famous slice of New York pizza.
I usually spend the holiday wherever I’m on assignment. My boss would let me take time off to go home if I wanted to, but I don’t spend the holidays with family so there’s no point in taking a break if I don’t need to.
I used to spend the holidays with my best friend and his family while at university.
I know you’re reading this email and thinking that I must be a truly sorry person. But, really, I prefer to be alone, so don’t feel bad for me, okay?
~Strick
FROM: Lily G. <[email protected]>
TO: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]>
DATE: December 18, 10:19am
SUBJECT: Re: Happy Thanksgiving
Hi Strick,
It makes me very sad that you spend Christmas alone, but you asked me not to feel bad for you, so that’s all I’m going to say on the subject.
I spend a lot of time baking at my parents’ house over Christmas. If you were in the States, I’d save you some vanilla cookies.
XO,
Lily
FROM: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]>
TO: Lily G. <[email protected]>
DATE: December 20, 12:03am
SUBJECT: Re: Happy Thanksgiving
Thanks for the offer on the cookies. I’m sure they’re amazing.
FROM: Lily G. <[email protected]> TO: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]>
DATE: December 25, 10:19am
SUBJECT: Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas, Strick! I hope you’re feeling the Christmas spirit where you are. (I know that might be cheesy, but I’m cheesy all the time and even more so over the holidays.)
FROM: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]>
TO: Lily G. <[email protected]>
DATE: December 25, 8:54pm
SUBJECT: Re: Merry Christmas
It is quite cheesy, but I’ll give it a pass. Happy Christmas, Lily.
FROM: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]>
TO: Lily G. <[email protected]>
DATE: December 31, 6:01pm
SUBJECT: Happy New Year
Lily,
It’s after midnight here in Macedonia, so let me be the first to wish you a happy New Year.
I was invited to a party by a friend I met at my hostel. I managed to find a half-full bottle of champagne from the kitchen, which I’ve decided to keep for myself.
If you were here, I’d share it with you, and we wouldn’t really be able to understand the language everyone else was speaking, but that would be okay, because we’d sit in the corner, in our own world, drinking out of cheap, plastic champagne flutes. And when the clock struck midnight, we’d turn to each other and smile. I’d raise my eyebrow and you’d nod. Then we’d kiss. And we’d both think how happy we were to be there together.