Page 54 of California Waves

“They do not. But like everything else, a decent s’more involves a healthy dose of science.”

No one was drunk, but there had been a few beers put away. Arch suddenly said, “Wait. If I’m going to play you in the biopic of your life, I need to shadow you. Herschel, you need to show me how to make a good s’more.”

Nick jumped up and yelled, “Screen test! Wait, let me get the camera.” He dashed into the house, no doubt to find the good old camcorder that the family had been using for years. All of them had smartphones that could have made a better recording, but there was something sentimental and nostalgic about that old camcorder. While he was gone, Mila realized there weren’t enough ingredients for everybody to get a second s’more, so she went back into the kitchen to get more supplies. Her mom followed her.

Betsy put on tea and coffee and said, “Honey, I’ve never seen you like this with a man. Herschel seems to fit right in with all of us. Do you think there’s a future there?”

Mila leaned against the fridge, her hands full of chocolate bars. “A few days ago, he was a maybe. But now, I get these visions of us. He’s inserting himself into my brain.”

Her mom nodded. Mila loved that Betsy didn’t put pressure on her kids. All she said was, “Thanks for telling me. You know I’m always here if you ever want to talk.”

“I know.”

They headed back out and handed Herschel the extra supplies. Then they all stood around, watching. Nick yelled, “Screen test for Herschel Greenfield and Archer Davenport.” Then he looked around at everyone. “What’s the title of the movie? Herschel Goes to Space…”

“And Comes Back,” Mila yelled.

Nick nodded. “Great title. Snappy. A blockbuster already. Okay. Herschel Goes to Space and Comes Back. Screen test with Archer Davenport. Take one.” And then he started the camcorder.

Herschel looked around as though they were all crazy, and then his gaze caught Mila’s, where she saw the twinkle of amusement. He played right along. Turning to the camera, he said, “Not everyone takes the sweet dessert treat known as a s’more seriously. But I urge you to do so. Using physics and the laws of thermodynamics, we can avoid such disasters as the flaming marshmallow that’s hard inside and charred on the outside, chocolate that’s brittle and doesn’t melt, and—perhaps saddest of all—the marshmallow that slips right off the skewer because it’s been overheated and the inside lacks the structural integrity to hold itself on the stick.”

Beside him, Archer was hamming it up like crazy. He was imitating every move, and then he called, “Cut.”

Everyone stared at him. “I’m a method actor. I can’t play you without a moustache.”

“Where are you going to get a moustache now?” Erin asked him.

Running into the house, he said, “I’m a resourceful actor. I’ll think of something.”

Deciding that something very exciting was going on, Buster bounded into the house with him, barking.

“Mom!” Arch yelled. “Where’s your knitting box?”

With a shake of her head, Betsy went inside, and within five minutes Archer returned. He might have the services of the finest hair and makeup people in the world at his disposal, but tonight, he walked out with pieces of black wool taped above his lip. When he talked, the bits of wool fluttered around his mouth.

It was the most ridiculous thing Mila had ever seen, but by some effort of will, she managed to keep a straight face as Archer strode up to stand beside Herschel and said, “Now I’m ready.”

Nick yelled, “Herschel Goes to Space and Comes Back. Take two.”

As Herschel made the s’more, he talked about the relatively low heat needed to break down the gelatin in the marshmallow so that the air pockets would expand, making it larger and softer as it warmed. Then he explained how the heat would break the bonds linking the fructose and glucose molecules to sugar, developing more nuanced flavors. Finally, he talked about something called the Maillard reaction, which apparently was a chemical process that happened when certain amino acids came up against each other, causing the outside of the marshmallow to brown and giving it its characteristic toasty flavor. It was hard to keep a straight face, especially when Archer insisted on making his own s’more.

Her brother pulled out every big word he knew, rolling the word thermodynamics around in his mouth as though it were a big wad of chewing gum. But at the end of it, he was able to present Herschel with a pretty good-looking s’more.

Very seriously, Herschel inspected it before biting into it, and then he said to Archer, “That’s not bad.”

Archer whipped round to face the camera and said, “It’s not rocket science.”

Now the pent-up laughter they’d all been holding in burst out. While Nick yelled, “And that’s a wrap,” Hersch and Arch were patting each other on the back, and Mila and Erin were doubled over with giggles.

Howie wiped tears of laughter from his eyes and said, “Somebody better make me another s’more. I’ve definitely burned off the calories from the first one.”

In the middle of the craziness and laughter, Mila felt slightly lightheaded at how well Herschel fit in with her family. Then Archer said, bits of black wool still flapping on his upper lip, “I guess the women melt all over you like this chocolate on a s’more.”

Hersch paused and turned to look right at Mila. “I only want one woman.”

Archer probably hadn’t caught the moment, because he was still studying his s’more. He said, “You know, if you ever wanted to give up the astronaut gig, you could open a stall at the farmers’ market.”

Tessa came up beside Mila and said gently, but with a tinge of excitement, “Arch and I were talking earlier. There’s plenty of room for Hersch at the wedding if you’d like to invite him.”

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