One Wish In Manhattan (A Christmas Story) Read Online Free

in America I might not understand.’
    ‘They speak English, Angel.’
    ‘American English is very different to British English. They practically never use a “u” in anything and they prefer “z” to “s”.’
    ‘See how much you know already,’ Hayley quipped.
    ‘I need my dictionary.’ Angel pouted better than Naomi Campbell.
    ‘Your British English dictionary.’
    Angel let out a growl akin to an irritated beast on a nature documentary. Definitely more bear than ostrich. ‘I bet you’re taking that massive diary.’
    The words pinched but Hayley did her best not to let it show.
    The diary she’d just hidden was practically an undetonated grenade. She didn’t know why she even kept it. Most entries these days were a couple of lines, sometimes only a few words. Angel’s tooth came out when she ate the yellow Quality Street. Mother made another crack about single mothers – she’ll be asking Denise Robertson to give me advice soon. Greg bought me a sausage roll from Greggs, it would be funny if he wasn’t expecting his sausage to be rolling around somewhere near me and the trouser press.
    Hayley forced a smile. ‘I’m not taking it.’ There was no way she could take it now.
    Angel plumped herself down onto the cover, crossing her legs underneath her body in a show of flexibility to rival an experienced Pilates class attendee. ‘You should get a new diary.’
    ‘What for? There’s nothing wrong with the one I have.’ The one she hoped to God Angel hadn’t been reading. Along with the random sentences of life events she’d been writing in there this year, there were nine other years, including the very beginnings of Angel’s existence. And it was those entries that were the most controversial, as well as being the most helpful when she had been researching their upcoming trip.
    ‘You should bring your ideas book then. The one with all your drawings and designs and the bits of material in,’ Angel suggested.
    Her ideas book. She’d had so few ideas lately she’d turned the back of the book into notes for her party planning exploits. Most people wanted the packages set out on the website but occasionally, every now and then, someone would ask for something a bit different and then she pounced on it, like a hungry lion who’d been starved for an age.
    ‘What would I need that for?’ She swallowed.
    ‘To note down all those designs you give people.’ Angel smiled. ‘Like that woman in McDonald’s. Imaginary scarves.’ She wafted a hand in the air. ‘Berets and buckles. There’s going to be so much inspiration in New York.’
    Hayley smiled, enjoying Angel’s enthusiasm. ‘You’re changing the subject, young lady, when we’re meant to be getting ready for our trip,’ Hayley reached out her fingers and nudged Angel’s ribs, tickling.
    ‘Stop it!’ Angel squealed.
    ‘Sorry, didn’t hear that.’
    ‘Mum!’ Angel screeched, falling backwards on the bed and trying to get away from the attack. ‘You’ll make Nanny come up here and you know she doesn’t like to be interrupted when she’s watching Coronation Street .’
    Hayley removed her hands with the speed of a mousetrap mechanism. The last thing she needed was her mother on the warpath.
    Her eyes went from Angel to the thick book laying on the bed. She picked it up and opened it.
    ‘Ah, here’s a word I might need to get familiar with.’ Hayley cleared her throat. ‘Bodega – a cellar or shop selling wine and food especially in a Spanish-speaking country.’
    Angel snapped the dictionary shut and claimed it back. ‘I hope we’re not going to spend all our time searching for fizzy white wine.’
    ‘No, once we’ve established our local seller we’ll be loyal.’
    Angel crossed her legs again, placing the dictionary in the middle of her lap and fixing her eyes on Hayley. ‘Do you think Nanny will be OK on her own at Christmas?’
    There was deep sincerity in the question. Angel loved Rita. She was the only other