It didn’t take long before we were both inside the plane and ready for take-off. I marveled again at how rich Uncle Joey had to be to fly the two of us in his jet to New York for an appointment that would probably take less than an hour.
Miguel was thinking close to the same thing. He hadn’t forgotten those hard years in Mexico with his mother, and he was grateful to his father for every opportunity that came his way. He had mixed feelings about this whole thing. The opportunity to be a star in a Broadway production… well, how could he say no to that? But he also wanted to please his father. Could he do both? He didn’t know.
We landed a few hours later and exited the plane at a small airport I’d never heard of. Lucky for us, a car was waiting, and a stocky, older man close to Uncle Joey’s age greeted us with a crooked smile.
“I’m Syd,” he said. “You must be Shelby and Miguel.”
“Hi. Nice to meet you.”
He nodded, wondering what Uncle Joey had on me, since he knew I wasn’t his ‘real’ niece. That whole bit with being Maggie’s daughter was pretty hilarious. Then he studied Miguel for similarities to the Manettos. Even though Miguel was obviously Hispanic, it was easy to see the strong forehead and jawline that was a Manetto trait, so it had to be true.
“Come on. The car’s this way.”
We followed him to the curb where a nice, black, four-door sedan awaited us. I picked up from Miguel that it was a new Cadillac, and I nodded in appreciation. The interior was roomy and nice with jet-black leather upholstery and red accents. It had that new-car smell too, and I inhaled deeply with appreciation.
Hmm… this was just another confirmation of Uncle Joey’s success, and it was hard not to be even more impressed.
“It’ll take about forty-five minutes to get to the hotel,” Syd said from the front seat. “So make yourselves comfortable, but be sure to buckle-up.”
In a car like this, with about the smoothest ride I could imagine, I didn’t mind how long it took. Then Syd turned on some classical music and the sound system about blew me away. Sheesh! This car was amazing.
As we drove, I kept my gaze glued out the window, taking in all the sights. Then I remembered what Syd had thought about Uncle Joey’s sister. I didn’t know her name was Maggie, and Syd had obviously known her. At least he knew the truth about me and Miguel, and I didn’t have to worry about lying to him. I just hoped the rest of the family was as nice as him.
With all the traffic, I had no idea where we were, but we soon pulled into a parking garage under a tall building that was just one of many to me. Syd parked in a reserved spot and grabbed our luggage from the trunk.
We followed him to an elevator entrance with “Hotel Perona Times Square” in rectangular, bold letters on a gold panel above the elevator doors. We stepped inside, and he pushed the button for the lobby.
I picked up that he was a little worried about the reception I would get from Frank and Sylvie… well, mostly Sylvie, since she didn’t like long-lost relatives showing up at her doorstep, especially from Joseph’s side of the family. So it was bound to be interesting. Good thing we were only staying one night.
Hearing that rattled my nerves, but I was grateful to know what to expect. Sylvie may not like me, but what could happen in one night? Miguel and I would both be gone by this time tomorrow, so no big deal, right?
The elevator doors swished open into a stunning lobby with rich, dark wood paneling and crystal lights that bathed the room in a warm glow. A beautiful Italian piece played over the speakers, adding to the ambiance. I took a deep breath and my eyes widened. Besides looking so elegant, the whole place smelled really good, and I kept sniffing just to keep smelling the lovely fragrance. Wow. This was amazing.
Syd led us to the desk where he was greeted respectfully by the girl manning the hotel registrations. She smiled at me, but her gaze locked onto Miguel with instant admiration, or was it more like adoration?
Her mind flew in a million directions of what his relationship to me could be. But when she found that we had two separate rooms, her interest grew exponentially. “Welcome to Hotel Perona,” she said catching Miguel’s gaze. “It looks like you have two of our best rooms on the twelfth floor. Here are your key-cards. Enjoy your stay. If you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I’ll be happy to help.”
Syd cleared his throat, thinking she was going a little overboard, but easily picked up her interest in a handsome face. He smiled, thinking that if she knew Miguel was the hotel owner’s son, she’d probably start to drool.
“Is Frank in his office?” Syd asked the clerk.
“Yes.”
Syd turned to us and smiled. “Frank wanted to meet you. His office is right back here.” We followed him behind the desk to an office door. He knocked and turned the knob, then escorted us inside. The small office held photos of famous people taken in different places in the hotel.
An older version of Uncle Joey sat behind an exquisite cherry-wood desk. The uncanny resemblance sent my blood pressure to a new high. His gaze took in our little group, and recognition brought a smile to his face.
“You must be Shelby,” he said, coming around the desk to greet me. “It’s a pleasure to meet a long-lost relative.” He shook my hand, then turned to Miguel and shook his hand as well. “And this must be Miguel. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you both.”
This close, I could see the differences between Frank and Uncle Joey. Frank wasn’t as tall, and he carried more weight around the middle. His hair was just as white, but much shorter, and his face had deeper worry lines, so I guessed he was a little older as well. But he had the same assessing gaze that didn’t miss a thing.
“Nice to meet you too,” I said. “I have to admit that I had no idea Uncle Joey had relatives here in New York.”
His brows rose slightly, but he smiled at my mistake. “It sounds like we’re your relatives too. Isn’t that right?”
“Oh yes, of course.” I smiled brightly. “I meant that, too.”
He let it go, and turned to Miguel. “And this is the talented young man I’ve heard so much about. Your cousin, is that right?”
“From my adoptive family,” I said, needing to clarify our relationship.
“You must be pretty good to get an audition for a Broadway show, so I’m sure you’ll do great. I should let you go freshen up and prepare. What time is your audition?”
“Four o’clock,” Miguel answered.
Frank checked his watch. “It’s two-thirty now, so that should give you plenty of time to warm-up. Are you hungry? I can have some sandwiches sent up to your room.”
“That would be great,” I agreed.
“Good. Before you leave, I have a question. I was hoping you’d join me and Sylvie for dinner before the show.”
“Oh… sure.” I glanced at Miguel. “We’d be happy to.”
“Good.” He smiled, looking just like Uncle Joey did when something went his way. I listened real hard to his thoughts but couldn’t pick up anything concrete, just satisfaction to have me under his care. “See you later. Good luck young man.”
“Thanks,” Miguel said.
Frank nodded at Syd, silently commanding him to take good care of us. Then he thought that since Syd was Uncle Joey’s man, he probably didn’t need to be concerned. He nodded at us once more before we left his office.
Hmm… it didn’t look like Frank had missed a thing and knew all about Syd being Uncle Joey’s inside man. So much for that secret.
“I’ll take you to your rooms,” Syd said, dragging our luggage behind him. In the elevator, he gave us a history lesson. “This hotel was built in nineteen-oh-two and was actually designated as a New York City Landmark in nineteen-eighty-seven.
“The Manettos acquired it in the late seventies and poured millions into renovations during the eighties. When your… uh… Uncle Joey took possession a few years ago Frank had just spent another eighteen million in new renovations.
“He repl
aced the plumbing, electrical, and environmental systems in the whole building. Every room and suite were renovated and refurbished, with all the carpets and wall decorations redone as well. He also added a new business center, fitness center, and guest hospitality area.”
“Wow, no wonder it’s so nice,” I said.
“Yes. But with all the changes, Frank got in over his head and couldn’t make the payments. If Joe hadn’t stepped in, Frank would have lost the hotel.” He glanced at me, then Miguel. “I’m telling you this so you know how much Frank loves this place. He’d never do anything to jeopardize it, but it was hard for him and his family to turn it over to Joe.”
“That makes sense,” I agreed. “I mean, we knew Uncle Joey bought it to help out the family.”
“Right, and the hotel belongs to your uncle now, no matter how Frank may feel about it.” He shrugged, like it was no big deal, but he was thinking that when Uncle Joey died, Miguel would take the reins, and he didn’t want another war between the families.
Now his explanation made sense, but I couldn’t see Uncle Joey wanting Miguel to rush in and take over the hotel. It seemed to me that he was more than happy to keep Frank’s family in charge. Plus, it wasn’t a forgone conclusion that Miguel would want to take over either.
The elevator came to a stop, and we stepped onto the top floor. Because of his spiel, I certainly had a new appreciation for the hotel, and I admired how well-designed and stylish it was.
“You have a suite with a connecting room. I’ll let you fight over who gets what room, but I’ll show you around.” We turned down the hall, and I inhaled through my nose enjoying how good it smelled, even up here, which kind of blew me away. He opened the door to a beautiful sitting room with chairs, a couch, a coffee table, and a flat-screen TV mounted on the wall.
He led the way to the large bedroom with a king-size bed, and another flat-screen TV over a chest of drawers, and an easy-chair in the corner. A window overlooked the street, with an amazing view. The bathroom held a big stand-in glass shower, hair-dryer, and other amenities.
“The other connecting bedroom is through here.” He led us back through the sitting room to the other side, where a door opened to another king-sized bedroom suite with a flat-screen TV and bathroom comparable to the first.
“This is the suite the original owners let out to many of their celebrity guests. From what I understand, they had quite a gathering back then.”
“I’ll take this room,” Miguel said, not wanting to get stuck hearing about the olden days. He slipped through the door and set his bag on the bed.
“I guess it’s settled then,” Syd said, turning toward me. “Take a moment to relax. Your food should be here soon. I’ll be back around three-thirty to take you to the audition at the theatre. It’s within walking distance, so it’s not far. If you want to do anything before that, like some sight-seeing or something, just call the front desk and they’ll let me know. But I’d prefer it if you didn’t go anywhere without me.”
He was thinking that Uncle Joey had told him to keep us in sight the whole time we were here, mostly because of me… since he’d claimed that I always managed to get into trouble without even trying.
Again, Syd wondered exactly what part I played in Uncle Joey’s organization. From what he could tell, I looked pretty normal, with nothing extraordinary about me, although he had to admit that I was a babe.
I felt my cheeks flush and hurried to answer him before he thought something I really didn’t want to hear. “Okay. That’s great. Thanks so much.”
As soon as Syd closed the door, I inhaled the wonderful fragrance again, then grabbed my bag and dragged it into my room. I unpacked my clothes and toiletries, and wandered back into the sitting room just in time to get the door, and let in the server with the tray of food. Miguel came back in, and we both grabbed a sandwich.
“This is so good,” I said, after a few bites. Taking a drink of soda, I asked, “So what do you need to do between now and the audition?”
Miguel shrugged, but I noticed that he’d only eaten half the sandwich before putting the rest down, and I could tell that his nerves were getting to him. “I brought a change of clothes for the audition and I need to warm up. So I think I’ll go take a shower and get ready.”
“Sounds good.”
After he left, I finished my sandwich and took my diet soda into my room, then pulled out a change of clothes. I slipped on my black jeans and boots, along with a turquoise-blue shirt, and topped it with my leather jacket.
It sure seemed like I wore this outfit a lot. Like every time I went out. At least the shirt was different. But I had to admit, I kind of liked the look. It was sassy and spunky, and certainly kept me from looking old enough to be Miguel’s mom.
Next, I put a call through to Chris. He was glad to hear from me, but too busy to chat, so I told him I’d call later tonight, and we disconnected. I sent Uncle Joey a text, letting him know we’d arrived safely and that I loved the hotel. I also mentioned that Syd was nice, and that we were going to dinner with Frank and Sylvie tonight before the show.
With that done, I wandered back into the sitting room and looked out the window. A little thrill went through me that I was in The Big Apple, and I looked forward to doing a little sight-seeing as well as going to a Broadway play tonight.
Sounds of Miguel’s beautiful voice floated from his room, and I smiled. He really was amazing, and I looked forward to his audition and finding out what the people in charge thought about him. He certainly wasn’t as experienced as they probably wanted, so that could go against him. But he had the chops, the looks, and was the perfect age to be a great Aladdin.
A knock sounded at the door. I checked my watch, surprised that it was already time to go. As I moved to the door, Miguel opened his door and stepped into the sitting room looking splendid in jeans, a white dress shirt, and a blue blazer.
“Looking good,” I said to him.
I opened the door to Syd, and he ushered us to the elevator. “It’s about a ten minute walk to the theatre where you’re auditioning, so we’ll get there in plenty of time.” He was thinking that the kid looked a little nervous, but if he was a Manetto, he’d be fine. He was also looking forward to hearing Miguel sing.
“Are you staying for the audition?” I asked, surprised.
“I thought I would,” he said, his brows drawn together in a frown. Was something wrong with that?
“No, that’s great. It’s nice to have the support.” I smiled, realizing I’d just answered his thoughts. I hoped he didn’t think too hard about it.
He glanced my way, not too sure what was going on. Luckily the elevator doors opened, and we stepped into the lobby. Once again the elegance of the place washed over me, and I smiled with enthusiasm to take to the streets of New York City.
Outside, we began our walk to the theatre. The crowded streets and the sounds of sirens and honking cars filled me with delight. This city contained a pulse of activity that never seemed to stop.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the play tonight,” I said to Syd. “Do you think the audition will be on the same stage?”
“I don’t know,” Syd answered. “But I guess we’ll find out. Someone should be there to tell us where to go.”
Since I hadn’t heard anything about that part, I hoped he was right. We took a couple of turns, and soon we walked beneath several huge marquees and flashing banners. Then the big theatre marquee featuring Aladdin in gold lettering with a purple background and bright golden lights flashing all around it came into view.
My heart sped up with excitement to see it. I felt the same nervous excitement from Miguel. We both stopped in our tracks and stood there for a moment, taking it all in. Syd stopped as well, then nudged us on and we walked in a daze to stand beneath the marquee.
The agent we’d met at Miguel’s school waited in front of the doors for us, and I let out my breath to find a familiar face. We followed him inside and up a wide corridor which led thr
ough another set of doors into the lobby. One side held a gift shop, and the other had all sorts of posters and paraphernalia about the play.
From here, he took us through the main doors that opened into the actual theatre. We turned left and followed him down a side aisle toward the front of the stage. The lights were turned down low, and a young man sang on the stage. He was good, but I thought Miguel was better.
Several people sat a few rows back from the front of the stage with notebooks, and the agent had us sit down on the left side while he got the attention of a woman sitting behind the main director. She glanced back at us and nodded, thinking that the kid nobody’d heard of was here, and she hoped he was as good as the agent made him sound.
The singer finished his song, and one of the men asked him to sing another. Once he was through with that one, the director told him thanks and said they’d let him know. I picked up that this guy was one of the three understudies for Aladdin in the cast, so he knew the play inside and out, which was to his advantage. He also had a great voice, and he hoped he had it in the bag.
Then it was Miguel’s turn, and my chest tightened. From what I’d picked up so far, it didn’t look like Miguel’s chances were very good. Not without an impressive resume like most everyone else who’d auditioned. Miguel may have been the lead in his high school play, but he hadn’t gone to a musical college like most everyone else.
Miguel followed the agent’s instructions to enter the stage. The director asked him to give his name, and to tell them a little about himself. From what I could pick up, they wanted to know how his speaking voice sounded and how he presented himself.
Miguel had prepared for this, so he did a good job and didn’t fumble at all. That’s when it hit me that he didn’t have an accent. After growing up in Mexico, how had that happened? Then I realized there was a lot about his life that I didn’t know.
Not having many acting gigs under his belt didn’t stop him from looking confident. Then they asked him to sing Proud of Your Boy, which was the exact song he’d warmed up on at the hotel. The pianist did the intro, and Miguel came in strong and clear.