The Storm Before the Calm Read Online Free PDF Page A

whispered. “I didn’t mean to wake you. If you’re too tired, I can throw this in the fridge and you can have it later.”
    “No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pass out like that. I wanted to visit with you a little before I crashed.”
    “Oh, Sprout. That’s okay. You look absolutely beat. Why don’t you climb into bed? I have the day off tomorrow. We can spend some time together then. I thought I’d show you some of the city, let you get the lay of the land and learn how to navigate the subway before I unleashed you on Manhattan the day after tomorrow.”
    I gulped. I hadn’t really thought about how I was going to be getting to and from the studio. I suppose in the back of my mind I’d known I’d be on my own in New York, but as the reality slowly crept up on me, I began to get nervous.
    “What if I get lost?” I asked.
    “You won’t. I already looked up where the studio is. Straight shot from here. You’ll be fine. We’ll do it together tomorrow—a dress rehearsal—and then on Monday, you’ll be all set to go.”
    I smiled brightly. My nerves were still nagging at me, but I didn’t want Ginny to know what a mess I was. She had moved to New York all by herself when she was even younger than me. “Sounds good to me.”
    “Okay, Charlie. Get some sleep, and I’ll see you in the morning.”
    “Okay. G’night, Aunt Ginny.”
    “Night, Sprout,” she said, kissing her fingers before pressing them to my forehead.
    And then she was gone and so was I, lost to the conscious world.

Chapter Four
     
     
    I SLEPT late the next morning, finally awoken by the litany of sounds flooding in my window from the street below. A garbage truck and a taxi were in a fight for dominance over who had the right of way down the narrow street that was only made narrower by the line of cars parked along either side.
    When I emerged from my bedroom, my hair disheveled and sleep creases still visible on my cheeks, my aunt was in the living room, captivated by a book.
    “Good morning, Sunshine,” she said, putting her book down in her lap. “Are you hungry?”
    “Starving, actually. Should I make us breakfast?”
    Ginny laughed, her head falling back as she chuckled. “No, no, Charlie. This is my apartment. You think I have any of the necessary equipment or ingredients to make breakfast? No, no, my dear boy. We will go out. Besides, this is Manhattan. There’s no point in cooking when there are so many amazing restaurants steps from your door.”
    “Are you sure? I don’t want you taking me out for meals all the time. My mom gave me money for groceries. We could just—”
    “Charlie, listen to me,” Ginny said, standing. “You’re not going to worry for one minute about money while you’re here. Not at all. You are my guest, and you’re family. I don’t have kids, and it’s been far too long since I saw you last. I have time to make up for in spoiling you. So get dressed. We’re going out!”
    I nodded my understanding, not entirely comfortable with Aunt Ginny paying for me, but I certainly wasn’t going to argue with her. From what my mom had told me, she made a wonderful psych nurse, but I knew Ginny would have done just as well as a lawyer. That woman could argue her way out of anything.
    I hurried back to my room, grabbing some clothes before jumping in to have a quick shower. It wasn’t long until I was clean and dressed and definitely ready to get something to eat.
    We left the apartment, waving hello to Henry, who was sitting behind the desk in the foyer. The air smelled wet that morning, like it had been raining all night, but the pavement was dry. There were lots of people out walking, some meandering slowly and others marching down the sidewalk with purpose. I’d been in New York for less than twenty-four hours, but somehow I felt different.
    As we passed a community center whose doors held signs with information on a Ping-Pong tournament, I realized no one knew me here. I could be someone