Elementary

by Jason Zandri

  “Isn’t here.” Michael grinned. “You told me he left for work and wouldn’t likely be back until after midnight. Just run inside and tell your mother all four of us are going for a walk for pizza or something. Your sister is over at Colony, working; you can say you’re going there for a visit first, and that would account for the two or so hours you’ll be gone.”

  Melissa looked at Matthew, who looked down and scraped his feet on the ground. “I don’t have any money,” she said.

  Matthew’s eyes opened wide. He thought for a second. I have all the extra money from the candy. I could pay for her ticket like I am for Tim. He opened his mouth to act, but Michael beat him to it.

  “No problem,” Michael said. “My treat. Let’s go tell your mother.”

  He turned to Matthew. “You guys want to wait here for us to come back out?

  Either that or head up to Colony Convenience and we can meet up with you there.”

  “Sure,” Matthew said, trying to shield his feelings. “See you at my Dad’s.”

  Melissa went to say something to Matthew, but he walked away.

  “Okay, we’ll see you there,” she called out to him.

  “Okay,” Matthew called back without turning around or waiting for Tim.

  ***

  Melissa turned to cross the street and stepped off the curb. Michael

  went to follow, then Tim grabbed his arm. “You and me, we’re going to have a conversation later.”

  “Sure,” Michael said and tugged his arm away. “I wasn’t sure you were able to.”

  “You’re a dick. You want to be a dick to me, fine, but Matthew is a nice guy. Don’t be a dick to him.” Tim scowled, then looked up to see Melissa waiting on her side of the street.

  “How was I being a dick to him? What’s the big deal tagging along?

  You two want alone time at the movies or something?” Michael asked.

  Tim grabbed the front of his shirt. “TIM!” Melissa called out from across the street.

  “He likes the girl,” Tim said quietly and nodded his head a little to Melissa. “If you like her too, then you guys can figure it out between the three of you, but don’t get in the middle just to be a troublemaker.”

  “I wasn’t,” he said, moving his eyes nervously. “I was being friendly, and I had a few extra dollars. I figured if she couldn’t go because of cash, I could fix that.”

  Tim just stared at him.

  “Melissa is nice, but I never thought about her … you know … like that,” Michael said. “Not really. Well, sort of … but—”

  “But not seriously,” Tim said, letting his shirt go. “Guys like you …

  everything is a game.” Tim turned to chase after Matthew, who’d never stopped walking and hadn’t turned around to see the exchange.

  Michael crossed the street and met Melissa on her side. He kept looking back at Tim to make sure he was still heading away from them.

  “What was that all about?” Melissa asked.

  Michael turned up the bravado to regain his composure. “Did you know Matthew liked you?”

  “Well, yeah, we’re friends,” she said, turning to make her way up the stairs of her house.

  “I think it’s more than that,” Michael said, following close behind.

  “What makes you say that?” Melissa turned away from him and

  smiled.

  “Did you see the front of my shirt? Suddenly a tad wrinkled, don’t you think?” Michael responded with a small grin.

  “Mom,” Melissa called out, going through the front door, but not all the way.

  “Yes, dear,” Karen called from the top of the stairs.

  “I was going to head down to Colony Convenience with Michael, and visit Diane and see if Matthew is there. We were thinking to get a cheese pizza down on Center Street, maybe.”

  “Oh dear.” Karen came partway down the stairs. “I don’t have any money for you. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay, Mrs. C., I have a few bucks, and the cheese pizza is only six dollars. There’s four of us to split it,” Michael called out.

  “Oh … that’s very nice of you to offer,” Karen said, smiling. “Well

  …” Karen lowered her voice to a whisper. “Just don’t tell Joe you went there with the boys.”

  Melissa got the message. “Thanks, Mom.”

  ***

  Tim caught up with Matthew, and the two made their way to the store in silence. Tim walked over to the garage bay where his Dad was working, and Matthew broke towards the main part of the store.

  “Hello, Matthew,” Diane said when he walked in.

  Matthew looked up. His father stood nearby, and Matthew knew better than to be rude, so he managed a simple “Hi,” and went into the office.

  Mark looked back to see Tim walk in at the far end of the building to go over and talk to his father. “Well, Matthew doesn’t seem to be in a great mood,” he said over to Diane.

  “No,” Diane said, looking over at the hallway to the office and tipping her head towards it.

  Mark smiled at her, already heading over. He stepped into the office.

  “Everything all right, sport? All set for the movie?”

  “Yeah, Dad,” Matthew said, seated on the couch in the office and

  sounding somewhat defeated. “Tim’s going.”

  “Good,” he said, closing the door behind him. “I was concerned maybe something had happened. You and Tim came up the street, and it didn’t look like you were in a good mood. Neither one of you looked like you were talking. Anything the matter?”

  “Oh, no,” Matthew said lightly, coming to realize that he was wearing his emotions. “We ran into Michael Anderson and Melissa and they’re coming with.”

  “Are you sure you’ll all get in? I had to call the theater, remember,”

  Mark said.

  “Well, no, I’m not sure, actually. I guess we’re going to try and see what happens.” Matthew shrugged.

  Mark smiled. “When I was a kid, we’d go to The Wilkinson Theater.

  There were no ratings back then. No issues like this.”

  “Really? There was another theater?” Matthew asked.

  “Yes,” Mark said, looking up and recalling. “It wasn’t too far from where the Center Cinema is now. Of course, it was more … stylish … than The Center Cinema, but that’s a nice place too.”

  “And there were no rated R movies there?” Matthew asked.

  “There were no movie ratings, period. I forget when the motion picture companies started using them, but back then, we didn’t have any formal ones.” Mark realized that the subject had changed and that Matthew’s demeanor had as well, so he decided to leave things alone. He reached around, took his wallet out, removed five dollars, and extended the money to Matthew.

  “What’s this for?” Matthew asked.

  “Well, for the movie and some popcorn,” Mark said with a smile.

  “My treat. I see you trying to help out here at the store a little bit, and at home too; putting dishes away without being asked, folding bath towels, and so forth.”

  “I didn’t think you’d noticed,” Matthew said.

  “I notice.” Mark nudged his son’s hand.

  “I don’t do it so you can reward me,” Matthew said, looking at the five-dollar bill. “I want to pull my weight, you know, like you say people should.”

  “I know,” Mark said with a hint of pride in his voice. “I’m giving you the five for the movies because that’s what I want to do. When you do something selfless, and someone reciprocates, all you need to do is graciously accept. You don’t take advantage, but you express the gratitude with a simple

  ‘thank you.’”

  “Thanks, Dad,” Matthew said, taking the cash from him.

  “You’re sure nothing’s bothering you?” Mark asked one more time, moving away and leaning on the office desk.

  “I’m fine,” Matthew replied, then stood up and walked past his father to the door. Just before going
out, he turned around and hugged him. “I love you, Dad.”

  “I love you too, son.” The words caught in his throat.

  Matthew let go and hurried out of the office.

  ***

  Mark disappeared down the hallway, and Diane went about her work in the store area. She made her way out from behind the counter to pull stock forward on the shelves. On one pass from the row nearest the window, she looked up to see Melissa coming into the parking lot with Michael. Diane looked over at the hallway to the office and things suddenly made more sense to her.

  “MICHAEL,” Tim called out when the bell to the store door rang, and Melissa stepped in. Tim waved him over to the garage bay area.

  “I’ll catch up,” Michael said, turning away from Melissa, who walked all the way into the store.

  Diane smiled to her, watching Michael walk away. “So how are you, Missy? I wasn’t expecting to see you here today.”

  “I’m good. Di, I need a couple of small favors,” Melissa said quietly, looking around. “Where’s Matthew?” she whispered.

  Diane stepped out of the row and walked towards the counter. “He’s in the office with Mark.”

  “Do you have three dollars I can borrow? Well, have, I guess. Since I have no real way to pay you back,” Melissa asked.

  “I can spare it,” Diane said without hesitation. “What do you need it for?”

  “That’s the other half of the favor. Well, I guess two-thirds since it’s in parts. First,” she said, leaning in and whispering. “I told Mom we’re all going to pizza. We’re really all going to Nighthawks.”

  “You four?” Diane asked.

  “Well, yes. It sort of came up. Matthew was walking by with Tim, and we crossed the street to talk to them. Michael was hanging out on the front porch with me. So rather than have Mom say ‘no’ to a movie, which she would, we made the trip a pizza run. She’s good with that, delivering the standard, ‘don’t tell Joe.’ Anyway, Mom didn’t have any money to let me go.

  Michael said he’d pay for my ticket. I don’t feel comfortable with that. We’re friends, but I have no way to pay him back. It’s nice that he offered, but I don’t want to give him the wrong idea.”

  “Which would be?” Diane asked in a sing-song voice while getting her purse out from under the counter.

  Melissa didn’t answer, but her face turned red. She pulled her hair around to play with it to distract her from how hot her face felt.

  Diane took five dollars from her purse and extended her hand towards Melissa while putting her purse back under the counter.

  “That’s too much,” Melissa said.

  Diane insisted. “Take it. If you need it, use it. If there’s any change, then you can give it back to me. If you have the chance to let Matthew buy your ticket, you should let him.”

  “I would, you know, but he heard the whole exchange with Michael, and I think he’s upset now,” Melissa said in a worried tone.

  “He is.” Diane gestured over to the office hallway. “He’ll get over it.

  I’m sure Mark is smoothing him out, and Matthew’s not the type to get mad and flustered for long.”

  “Oh!” Melissa said, tapping her foot. “Why is all this boy business so difficult?”

  “The boys ask the same of the ‘girl business,’ trust me. Wait until you’re true teens and then young men and women. The complications get more intricate.”

  “I think I’ll be a nun instead,” Melissa said, which made her chuckle at the end.

  “You couldn’t,” Diane said. “No more than I could. You’re a stronger girl than I am, but we daughters of Karen are alike; we wear our hearts on our sleeves.” Diane finished her comment just as the door to the office closed.

  She turned her head to look at the hallway when the motion of the boys walking along the edge of the store caught her eye, and she looked outside.

  Matthew stepped into the store area and walked over to Melissa. “You all set to go?” he asked her. The door to the store opened, and Tim and Michael stepped in.

  Diane nudged Melissa. She stumbled forward at little. “Um, yes …

  can I walk with you while we go uptown? I mean, I haven’t had much chance to catch up at recess lately.”

  “Sure,” he said, then looked up at Michael.

  “Perfect,” Tim said loudly. “Mikey and I can continue our chat while we follow behind you.”

  Diane turned her head to smile as Mark exited the office hallway.

  “Well, let’s get going,” Matthew said. “I don’t want to miss the previews.”

  The four of them turned to head to the door and Diane called out to Melissa, “Missy, when you get back home later, remind Mom that I’m going over to the apartment after work with Mark to clean up some more so I can move in at the end of the month.”

  Melissa nodded and smiled.

  “Dad,” Matthew called out. “Are you going to work past eight?”

  “Maybe a little. Maybe to nine at the latest,” Mark answered.

  “Okay,” he said opening the door and heading out. “I’ll stop here on my way home then.”

  “Have fun,” Mark and Diane called out at the same time just before

  the door to the store closed completely.

  ***

  Matthew turned around the block before the movie theater and stepped away from Melissa, who he’d been walking with and talking to the whole time. He grabbed Tim by the arm and pulled him back and away from Michael, whom he waved forward.

  “Here,” Matthew said, slipping Tim three dollars.

  “What’s this?” he asked quietly.

  “I want to pay for Melissa. But if I pay for you, she’ll think I’m showing off or something. I want her to know I’m doing something nice for her.”

  Tim nodded with a grin. “You’re a smart man, Sandman.”

  The four of them made their way up Center Street and neared the corner of South Orchard Street. Matthew hustled to jockey himself back up, moving between Michael on his left and the stone wall to the Center Street Cemetery on his right.

  When he popped across the end of the cemetery wall at the corner, he ran smack into Liz Wellsworth, who appeared on the sidewalk coming across to Center from South Orchard. He grabbed her around the waist to keep her from falling.

  “We have to stop meeting like this,” she said with a grin.

  Matthew steadied her and let her go. She immediately turned and looked at everyone. “Hi, gang. Where are you all headed to?”

  “Nighthawks,” Tim said, reaching over to hit the walk signal and giving Matthew a slight tug backward.

  “That’s cool!” Liz said. “We are too.”

  “We?” Melissa asked. “You have a mouse in your pocket? All I see is you.”

  “My sister’s boyfriend is parking the car,” she said, looking back.

  “Well, actually it’s parked. They’re making out. My mother made me tag along to chaperone— slash— get in their way. I was dreading it, but now I’m psyched. I can sit with you guys.”

  Melissa rolled her eyes.

  Michael tried to back between Matthew and Melissa, but Tim shoved him just off the curb. “Signal changed; don’t want to miss those previews. I HEAR THEY’RE MAKING ROCKY III next year,” he said in an obnoxiously loud voice. “Maybe there’ll be some live-action previews.” Tim stepped into Michael’s personal space as he also entered the road.

  Matthew smiled at the exchange and glanced over at Melissa. He extended his hand outward and away so she’d cross in front of him into the road. It took a moment for the gesture to register for her. In that hesitation, Liz crossed in front of Melissa and grabbed Matthew’s extended hand.

  Melissa now walked alone in the rear. Liz looked back at her, and then towards her sister, who climbed out of the car.

  Everyone made their way into the theater lobby after getting their tickets at the outside window. They were early enough that they were the first ones there.

  “You’ll have to wait a few
minutes, kids,” the older gentleman with the “manager” tag said. “My one Usher called out and I have to tidy up from the three o’clock cartoon kiddie show.”

  Without missing a beat, Matthew said, “We can help. There’s seven of us. What can we do?”

  Surprised at the offer, the manager turned and pointed at the pair of wheeled garbage pails. “Well, if you wanted to help, two of you could wheel the pails down the outside aisles and the other five of you and myself can scavenge the rows for all the discarded popcorn bags and soda cups.”

  Liz’s sister Pam and her boyfriend scoffed and walked away. “I paid to see a movie, not work,” she said.

  Liz looked perturbed over the comment, but Matthew shrugged it off.

  “Let them go over in the corner and make out,” Matthew said, trying to sound funny and looking at Liz, but then more carefully at Melissa. “They’d only get in our way, anyhow.” He said, losing himself for a moment in her eyes.

  He shook it off and turned to Tim. “Come on, man, let’s do this.”

  Tim made a swaying motion and went for one of the pails.

  “You’re Mark Sanford’s son, aren’t you?” the manager asked.

  “Yes, sir,” Matthew answered, with pride.

  The manager nodded in acknowledgment and let them go about cleaning up the theater. Just as Matthew predicted, despite being short two people from his original count, the five of them worked together quickly to clear the rows of all the soda cups, popcorn bags, and candy wrappers. The movie house manager made his way around and broomed the majority of the spilled popcorn.

  Tim and Matthew clowned around lightly with the wheeled pails, but they worked at the task at hand as well. When they’d done, they wheeled the pails to the back row.

  Matthew stopped partway down the aisle of the dimly lit theater and looked back at Pam and her boyfriend making out. He turned to start walking, and he nearly crashed into Melissa, who had quietly come up behind him. He did bump into her slightly.

  “Sorry,” he said and glanced away, nervous.

  “I’m not,” she said and her face flushed a little.

  “Matthew!” Tim called from the top row.