Simon paused and circled his head all around. He was curious again and wondered if people had done nefarious acts in the dark together. He looked for the slightest hint of a red light, “I wonder if they have cameras in here…”
Cherish choked a bit on her bite and pressed her knees together, “What in the world makes you think that now? When the meal is done.” She laughed.
Her giggle caught him as he coughed on whatever he was eating and pressed the back of his hand to his mouth. She had a point. As their laughter died down, she cut into her flan cake again and rubbed her lips together, “No lie, this is a pretty great experience. Thanks.” She stated.
“I asked myself, “Who would I trust to stay in the dark with for an hour?” and the choice was obvious.” He replied contentedly. His fork scraped at his plate and, though she couldn’t see, the look of disappointment on his features was profound.
It had ended all too soon.
The tone of his voice and compliment caused Cherish to smile to herself. She lowered her head slightly and tightened her hand into a loose grip against the hem of her dress. She was struck with that nervous sensation again and didn’t dare move; because she knew if she touched any part of him, that would be it for her. There was another twinge of guilt in the back of her mindset as she cleared her throat and she pushed the confusion away, “Well, I’m glad you chose the woman who is terrified of surprises. How sweet of you.” She toyed. Honestly, she loved the experience once they’d relaxed and settled down; surprises and all.
Their waiter returned for the final time and asked them to stand carefully and take a hold of his shoulders again. As they emerged in the dimly lit room, she squinted and rubbed beneath her eyes, “Holy cow, it’s so bright.” She whispered. As Simon paid for their meals and handed the receipt back, she caught a glimpse of the total and saw, with tip, that he paid close to 200 dollars. She choked on air and waved a hand in front of her face stepping away. She told herself she’d owe him another hundred dollars and internally sighed.
Simon opened the door for her and rested his hand on her back as she passed through. The sun had disappeared beyond the horizon, but the sky was purple speckled with pink, yellow, and orange hues. The air was cooler, and the streets weren’t as crowded. He held his arm out to her again.
Wrapping her arm with his again, she turned back to the Maître D, “Thank you.” She called back.
Full and happy, Simon looked down at her as their steps fell in sync, “One more place. You’re going to love it.” He stated.
“What do you mean?” She asked looking to his profile. The only thing she was met with was Simon staring ahead with a smirk on his face.
Silence. Of course.
Instead of asking another question, she fell silent with him and made her way to the car with a smile that matched his. She caught sight of the time which showed they still had three hours until the projected time Simon expected to return home. Just what could they do for that length of time?
Once he paid the parking toll, Simon pulled out and drove away. Within ten minutes the downtown scene had melted away and they drove through arches of the historical district. Immediately, Cherish was hit with a sense of old-world charm which had been fixed up and modernized. Despite the viewpoints of the time, she felt as though the era a hundred years ago was the most romantic.
Biting on her thumb nail, she turned her head at Simon and grinned. Even though she tried to keep her excitement at bay, he could hear the shaken giddiness in her tone, “Where are we going?” She asked.
Her exhilaration was all and more than what he could’ve asked for when he planned their evening. Fulfilled, he pointed ahead of them towards the cinema sign before they pulling in front and parking, “Right here.” He said knowingly. Getting out of the car, he walked around to her side and opened the door for her. He held his hand out and smiled, “Our movie is starting soon, we should hurry.” He said.
Cherish grabbed his hand and stepped out. The old-time bulbs on the marquee shined down on her face, “Now showing Gone With the Wind?!” she exclaimed turning her attention to Simon, “You’ve messed up. I’m going to want to come here every weekend I’m off. I’m going to follow them on Facebook. Oh my gosh.” She rambled.
On the way inside, she clasped her hands together and held them to her lips. The lobby had the same vintage look but was decently maintained. The smell within wafted with the rich, buttery smell of popcorn which marinated in the building for decades. For Simon, it brought back childhood memories of watching movies with his parents. As he paid for the tickets, she looked over the dated movie posters lining the wall with Coming Soon… signs.
As Simon pulled up beside her, she took her ticket and they both went into the theatre. The seats had been updated for comfort purposes and the quality of the picture was HD, but they mimicked the way pictures were shown back in the day. As they settled into their seats, Simon wasn’t exaggerating when he said their show was starting.
Within a minute the lights dimmed, and the reel started at
