“Penny, look at the bridge,” Mum says, nudging me.
I open my eyes and see that we’re on the Brooklyn Bridge already, about to go under the first arch. On the other side of the river, the Brooklyn skyline stands solid and brown against the pale sky. My panic has passed, like a cloud skimming across the sun.
Once we get to Brooklyn, the cab pulls into a residential side street lined with trees. The houses are all four stories high and made of brownstone. We stop outside a house halfway down. A flight of steep stone steps leads up to a bright red door. A Christmas wreath made of holly and mistletoe hangs in the center of the door, and a miniature stone Santa is standing at the top of the steps, grinning down at us.
“Oh, it looks so lovely,” Mum says, speaking my thoughts aloud.
But as I get out of the cab, my head fills with fearful thoughts. What if you and Noah don’t get along? What if it’s really awkward spending Christmas together? However, before I can torture myself any more, the door of the house opens and a little girl comes flying out. Her shiny dark brown hair is so curly it falls around her face in perfect ringlets. She looks at us shyly through huge brown eyes.
“Have you come for Christmas?” she says in the cutest New York accent ever.
“We certainly have,” Dad says.
Sadie Lee comes out onto the steps. She’s wearing a flour-dusted floral apron over her dress. “Hello!” she cries. “Welcome! Welcome!”
Noah steps out after her and we instantly make eye contact. “Hey,” he says softly.
“Hey,” I say back. Then I start busying myself with my suitcase to try to hide my embarrassment.
“Let me get that,” Noah says, bounding down the steps. When he gets to Dad, he stops. “Hi, I’m Noah,” he says, holding his hand out.
“Pleased to meet you, Noah,” Dad says, shaking his hand. “I’m Rob.”
I give a sigh of relief—so far, so good.
“Are you Penny?” Bella says to me as I come up the steps after Noah.
“Yes, I am. And you must be Bella.”
She nods and grins shyly before turning to Noah. “You were right, Noah.”
“Shhh,” Noah says instantly.
“Right about what?” I say.
“She looks just like a mermaid,” Bella says.
“Man! I thought you said you could keep a secret!” Noah says, winking at me.
Noah’s house is straight from a cozy feel-good American movie. The hallway is the size of a living room. A beautiful grandfather clock stands in the corner next to a wide staircase. Noah and Sadie Lee lead us through an archway on the left, into a huge but really homey kitchen. I breathe in the rich smell of chocolate brownies.
“So, you guys will be sleeping in the spare room,” Sadie Lee says to Mum and Dad. “And, Penny, you can go in with Bella.”
“You have to have the top bunk,” Bella says to me gravely. “I don’t like the top bunk cos I’m scared I might fall out.”
“The top bunk would be great,” I say, smiling down at her.
She takes hold of my hand. “Do you want to come see?”
“Yes please.” I look at Noah and he grins at me.
“OK, but don’t be long. We have a tree to decorate, remember?”
“Oh yes!” Bella squeals, and she starts tugging me by the hand. “Come on, let’s go.”
Bella’s room is on the second floor of the house. She leads me across the landing to a door with a handmade sign stuck to it, saying: ALIENS KEEP OUT! (AND PIGS.)
“Noah made that for me,” Bella explains. “I don’t like aliens—or pigs—so that’ll stop them coming in.”
“Good idea,” I say, trying really hard not to smile.
Bella’s bedroom is possibly the greatest kid’s bedroom I have ever seen. The main wall is covered with a mural of famous fairy-tale characters, from Snow White and her dwarfs to Dumbo the elephant and Little Red Riding Hood.
“My daddy made that for me when I was born,” Bella says, noticing me staring at it. “But now my daddy’s in heaven.”
“I’m really sorry about that,” I say, crouching down in front of her.
“My mom is too,” Bella says matter-of-factly. “I think she might be an angel.”
“I’m sure she is,” I reply.
“This is my bed,” Bella says, turning and pointing at a set of bunk beds next to the opposite wall. The bottom bunk has a curtain going all the way around it.
“Cool bed,” I say, really meaning it. “I love the curtain.”
“Me too,” Bella says. “Sometimes I pretend it’s a tent. I like your voice.”
“Thank you.”
“You sound just like Princess Kate. I love Princess Kate.”
I take my case over to a space in the corner of the room and open it to get out a sweatshirt.
“Is that your doll?” Bella says, looking at the china doll lying in between my clothes.
“Yes, it is.”
“Cooool!” Bella runs over to her bed and dives through the curtains. She reappears clutching a beautiful rag doll. “This is Rosie,” she says, holding the doll up to mine. “Can they be friends?”
“Of course they can.” I pull the sweatshirt over my head.
“Hello, I’m Rosie,” says Bella, putting on a high-pitched doll voice. “What’s your doll’s name?” she says, turning to me.