Burning Admiration

Chapter 1

LIZ

New York, New York - the city that never sleeps. Some say that New York is too loud, too fast paced, or too populated, to be a home. But it was mine, and it always had been. Despite having grown up in New York, the view when driving down Park Avenue still made me smile like a little girl who was still learning to soak up all the people, places, and things there were to be seen in the world.

I watched as business men and women pushed open office doors, joining the hustle and bustle on the sidewalk, fighting their way to the curb to hail a taxi. While others used the journey home as an opportunity to soak up some sun after 8 hours of pencil pushing under those horrid fluorescent lights. These individuals were easily identified by their unconventional pairing of business suits with tennis shoes.

I soaked it all in - just as I had for the last 25 years I'd spent as a citizen of New York. The incessant honking of taxis and cars that filled the streets. The seemingly road rage-filled nature of everyones driving, which typically included being cut off about a million times in a 10 minute time span and most definitely feeling like you're always on the brink of a fender bender. Things that made people detest New York were some of the things that made it home for me.

My absorption into the views and people of New York was interrupted by the feeling of my phone vibrating in my lap. Ahh my best friend Hailey, who was most definitely calling to bug me about my late arrival, "I am on my way! You know how New York can turn a 10 minute drive into half an hour" I said, "Okay, so I was thinking that if you're wearing black - you brought that black dress right? Then I could wear red maybe? Because I was thinking about wearing this black dress I have but I also don't want to be too matchy-matchy. So what are your thoughts on that red dress I bought the other day at Bergdorf?" I could overhear her rampaging through her closet and tossing her shoes around, which made me smile. "I think that'll be perfect! Let's discuss the shoes when I get there - I'm gonna change real quick", "okay thank you love, I'll see you in a bit! I'll have Rob make us some Cosmos too, Lord knows I need the drink!", she hung up the phone before I could respond. Hailey had been my best friend since kindergarten. She was high maintenance, high strung, and yet so easy to love. I laughed at the thought of her "needing a drink", since Hailey's full time job was being a housewife.

I grabbed my dress off the hanger in the back seat, "Hey Alfred, I'm going to change real quick, let me know when we're there!", I said as I pressed the button to raise the partition between Alfred and I. "Okay Ms. Carlisle, will do!", he flashed me a smile. Alfred had been driving me around since I was in grade school, and I had come to love him like a grandfather - yet he still insisted on referring to me as Ms. Carlisle. I slipped out of my dress that I had worn to work and put on my dress for tonight. Hailey and I were going to a rooftop for drinks, which called for an outfit somewhere between cocktail and club attire. I quickly exchanged my nude, block heels for black pumps. I lowered the partition just as we were pulling up to Haileys home - a brownstone, lucky girl. I had grown up in one, but I'd always hoped to raise a family of my own in one, one day. "Thanks Alfred! See ya tomorrow!", I pushed open the door and rushed to the front door.

I was quickly greeted by Rob with cosmo in hand. "Hey Liz! I thought you might need this", he handed me the cosmo and pulled me in for a hug, "Ugh, you know me too well" I kissed his cheek. "You might want to head up there, if not, it'll be at least 2 hours before y'all make it out", he playfully rolled his eyes. He knew how high maintenance and indecisive Hailey was, and he loved her for it. Their love had always been that way - full of acceptance and patience, mainly on his part.

I kicked off my shoes and jogged up the stairs, "Miss Hailey girl!", "One second, I'm coming", she yelled back. She appeared in their bedroom doorway, looking as beautiful as she always did with her brunette bob and her long legs, "Red dress was a good call, huh?" She did a twirl while sipping her cosmo. "One thousand percent, love! Before I forget, I need to borrow some makeup", I walked past her into her bathroom and bee lined for her vanity. After sufficiently darkening my eyeshadow and brightening my lips, we were ready to go, "love, love, love, but you definitely need some more texture spray", Hailey came in with another round of cosmos. She was right - my hair was straight as a board and lacked much texture, as per usual. I looked in the mirror and found that the smokey eye perfectly complemented my blonde hair and thankfully, I had recently gotten a fresh spray tan, which brought it all together. I doused my hair in texturizing spray and we headed back downstairs. "Cheers! To life long friends, good cosmos", she winked at Rob, "and New York fucking city", we downed our drinks and I slipped on my shoes. She grabbed Rob, throwing her arms around his neck and planting a kiss on his lips. "Have fun girls, and keep an eye on her, Liz", he said winking at me. We headed out the door to meet Louis, Haileys driver, waiting for us by the curb. "Let the night begin!", Hailey flipped her hair and dramatically flung open the door. She was wild, but I love her.