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Chapter Twelve

June 21, 2014


Sacramento, California

“Popcorn?”

“Do you haveta ask?”

“What size drink?”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously, we’re going to haveta buy a seat just for your food, Ben.”

“I’m a growing boy!”

I can’t remember the last time that I saw a movie in a theater. I think it might have been 2002 or 2003. I had always figured that my next movie in a theater would be the BSB documentary.

Instead I was watching a movie with a Backstreet Boy. And a Backstreet Boy’s son.

My son.

Mind BLOWN.

“If we don’t hurry up, we’re gonna have to sit in the front,” Ben smiles. “And mom hate the front, don’t you?”

I can’t remember a time when I’ve ever sat in the front row of a movie, but then again I don’t remember squeezing a baby out of my vag either. I smile.

“That’s right.”

Nick gives me a look and my smile widens. His eyes narrow suspicious but crinkle at the corners. The faux mad look makes him look especially attractive.

Attractive? As he turns to order, I frown. I don’t think Nick Carter is attractive. Never have, never will. I am sure that it is just the constant Nick force field that is jumbling my thoughts. I glance at my ticket.

“So what’s this Edge of Tomorrow?” I ask.

“It’s s’pose to be a great action movie,” Ben says. “Lots of guns and explosions and babes.”

“Babes?”

“Well, old babes. Like your age.”

“I’m old?”

“No, you’re breathtakingly stunning and worldly. Unlike me who found that you were my type of woman very early on in life, Ben’s a work in progress.”

Nick wraps an arm around my shoulders and I suck in a breath. Ben snorts.

“It’s only ‘cause mom wouldn’t pay attention to you,” he shoots back.

The strong aroma of popcorn fills the entire space around me. Nick laughs. “Life is not worth living unless you have challenges.”

“Are you calling me a challenge?”

Nick’s fingers squeeze my shoulder. It’s not painful it’s…

“Oh, honey, you are the biggest challenge of my life. It’s why I love you like I do.”

I look up at him but he’s already looking at the movie poster. “I just wish this movie didn’t have Tom Cruise. I’m kinda bored with him as badass action hero. I’d look so much better in all that gear.”

“You really think a lot of yourself don’t you?”

“The only problem is dad can’t act.”

Ben dodges Nick’s hand which flies off my shoulder, protecting his popcorn bucket at all costs. I burst out laughing.

“You don’t think that too!” Nick complains.

I can’t answer. I am laughing too hard.

“”I’m the next Cary Grant,” Nick whines.

“Yeah the next Cary CANT-act,” Ben laughs.

“I want my popcorn back,” Nick demands.

“Uh-uh,” Ben just laughs harder.

“Consider acting a challenge,” I say through my own giggles. I have seen a few of Nick’s acting masterpieces on YouTube. Ben was actually being kind.

“My whole family hates me,” Nick laments.

“You would look good in the gear though.”

The words fly out of my mouth before I can stop them. Nick brightens.

“Oh really? Well, maybe I can work something up for a private session.”

His stare could melt an egg on a sidewalk. The theater seems to be scorching hot.

“That’s really gross. I think I might upchuck in my popcorn,” Ben declares. “I don’t want to sit you with two.”

Nick yanks open the theater door. “Of course you do Benny. You want to sit with us in the back row.”

Before the door closes behind us the light reflects on Ben’s horrified face. “I’m not sitting in makeout row with my mom and dad.”

I hear kissing noises and reach out and poke Nick in the back. “Stop!”

“That’s not what she said,” Nick shoots back.

“What?” I laugh.

“I’m taking my snacks and sitting here,” Ben declares, pointing at a row close to the front.

“Fine,” Nick relents. “Just don’t sneak out to any R-rated movie.”

Ben smirks. “Scout’s honor.”

“That doesn’t assure me,” I say with a smile. I’ve been around long enough to hear this conversation before.

Ben just laughs. “I’m good,” he says, plopping down in the seat and wedging his giant cup into the too-small cup holder.

“Shall we?”

Nick’s hand slides across my back and I almost jump. He points up. “There’s a couple towards the back.”

I realize that the only choice I have is the very front row or the last few rows in the back. People behind us are making their way around to reach the empty seats.

“Okay, let’s go.”

Nick grabs my hand and I am led up the steps. The same six commercials seem to be rotating on the screen because some of the people in the crowd are shouting out the answers to the movie scramble before it even has a chance to fully appear on the screen.

“Shit, they got the last one. Guess it is back row.”

I see a couple teens slide into the last three side-by-side-by-side seats. The only seats left are on the far left, a pair pressed against the back wall. I swallow hard as we make our way there.

I don’t know why I’m nervous. Then again, I do. I think about the kiss in the car and my palms grow sweaty.

“You okay? You look nervous.”

Nick smiles at me. He had changed into a pair of God-awful camo pants and a red t-shirt. He looked like a Christmas tree lot in the midst of a battlefield.

“Is that Courtney Ford and Nick Carter?”

I hear the whispers and as my eyes get accustomed to the dark, I see several people looking at us. At first I’m nervous, but then I realize nothing can happen if we are being gawked at by a crowd.

I am safe.

“It’s fine,” I smile, taking a piece of popcorn off the top of the bucket. I settle down in the far seat and Nick takes the aisle seat. His knee instantly connects with mine as he sprawls out in the small space we have. He sets our normal size drink in between us. Before I can say anything, the lights go down.

I don’t remember movies being so incredible loud, but then again I don’t think I’ve ever been wedged right by the speaker. It takes a couple minutes for my ears to get used to the change in volume. The previews fly by and I’m keenly aware of Nick as our hands go back and forth into the popcorn bucket. Every single time our fingers brush.

When the movie starts, I am almost too distracted by Nick’s hand to pay attention. It’s only as the large combat scene assaults my senses and I see Tom Cruise die in a blaze of glory that I get partially interesting.

And then the real story unfolds. Tom is back.

Stuck in a time loop. Fighting and dying in the same combat mission over and over again. I glance over at Nick. His eyes are glued to the screen. I think about what he told me about waking up each morning to my screams.

For those days when I kept leaving, every time I returned back to him. For Tom, this meant getting close to actually beating the alien bastards rather than dying. But what did it mean for me?

About halfway through the movie our popcorn totally disappears. Nick is on the edge of his seat, the last kernel stuck to his red shirt.

Slowly, I slid my hand over to him. He looks at me surprise. I arch my eyebrow, waiting.

He takes my hand and squeezes. As Tom flies through the air again, he leans towards me.

My heart is pounding, but I go in for the kiss. A long, slow, in the dark kiss...

And it is perfect.