Page 20 of Mr Best Friend's Brother Grump

The mention of Ingrid is unnerving. Why was she asking me, I wondered?

A little later, I’m sitting on the sofa, drinking my tea when Rosa comes out. She’s smiling as she comes over and perches at the other end of the corner couch. Her hair is damp from a shower and hangs in loose ringlets over her shoulders and down her back. She’s wearing some of Kendra’s track pants and a T-shirt, which are baggy and oversized on my sister, but are filled, seductively, with Rosa’s ample curves.

“Sounds like Kendra isn’t having a great time.” Rosa leans back into the soft cushions. “She says the lawyers in Washington aren’t as much fun as New York lawyers.”

“I can’t imagine lawyers being that much fun anywhere!” I laugh at this, and Rosa does too. "Kendra being the exception, of course." After a few minutes I follow with, “I was wondering about tonight. Do you have plans?”

Rosa shakes her head and says, “No. I was going to just have a quiet night at home. Maybe share some food with my roommates. Watch a movie... Nothing really.”

“Sounds perfect… We can watch a movie here… if you want.” I’m trying to sound casual but I’m not sure if I’m pulling it off. “What kind of films are you into?”

“Now there’s a loaded question…” Rosa laughs. “I just loved ‘The Notebook’. There is something about that story…” She pauses, curls up, tucking her bare feet under, and leans towards me. “I went to see it at the movies years ago with Kendra. One of those small, independent movie theatres. We were, you know, not particular about what film to see. We were just out and happened to be at the cinema at the time the film started, so we bought tickets and went in… I remember…” She laughs again. “… we were in our seats, waiting for the movie to start, and telling each other about how we don’t cry at films. We could never feel that deeply for something so obviously not real.” Rosa stretches her arms out, sighs, smiles, and shakes her head. “I swear, five minutes in and I am bawling. And I turn to look at Kendra and tears are streaming down her face. I mean, she’s not crying just a little bit, but we’re talking floods. She sees me looking over at her mopping up her tears with her T-shirt, and she starts laughing, and that sets me off.” Rosa’s hand covers her mouth to stifle her giggles. “We are a big hot mess. And we just get worse throughout the film, so when it reaches to point where she dies and James Garner is holding her hands, and he dies… well, you can imagine!” Rosa pauses for a minute to sip her tea. “At the end, we had to wait for the whole cinema to empty out, then we ran to the bathroom to clean up. I have this picture of us standing side by side looking at ourselves in the mirror, all blotchy, with makeup in streaks down our faces, and wet patches from tears on our T-shirts, and we’re laughing so hard.”

“Do want to see 'The Notebook' again?” I ask, joining Rosa’s infectious laughter.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea… I wouldn’t want to inflict my blubbing on you. It’s not pretty.”

I was thinking the opposite, but I didn’t say anything. We both sip our tea.

Then Rosa says, “What about you?”

“Oh no. I didn’t cry when I saw ‘The Notebook’. I don’t think I could feel that deeply about something so unreal.” We laugh again.

“That’s not what I meant, Nathan.” Rosa fixes me with a mock-stern gaze. “I meant, what films do you like?”

“I like good stories… ones based on real life, usually…” Then after a moment’s thought, I say, “And ‘Star Wars’. The first three. That’s ‘Episode Four: A New Hope’, ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘Return of the Jedi’. Not the one with the Sith. He was never a convincing baddie. Not like Darth Vader, until he took off his helmet.”

“Ahhh, you’re right. The storylines became a bit flabby after the third one.” Rosa pauses for a moment. “We could see a ‘Star Wars’ tonight.” She beams at me. “Maybe two?”

I could have reached over, in that magical moment, and kissed Rosa fully and passionately. A woman who likes ‘Star Wars’. I couldn’t believe she existed. She is as rare and special as a unicorn. And yet, here she is, drinking herbal tea and sitting in my lounge on my sofa, and she wants to spend her Friday night with me, watching my favorite film. I know I live a charmed life, but things just cranked up a gear.

“Okay. Sounds perfect,” I say, reaching for the remote to turn on the TV.

Chapter 17

Rosa

I’m so excited, I’m fit to burst. I’m going to be watching ‘Star Wars’ with Nathan on his sofa in his apartment. I should be feeling sad and anxious about the potential explosive gas leak at my place, but that all seems a million miles away and not real at all.

My awkward nerves at being here have melted away and I’m enjoying our time. Maybe too much. He is, I need to keep reminding myself, my best friend’s brother. But there’s no harm in sharing a movie night, is there?

“I’ll go get some popcorn,” I say, wanting the evening to be perfect.

“Good idea. I think there’s some in the cupboard if Kendra hasn’t helped herself to it.” Nathan stands up and goes to the kitchen. He opens one of the cupboards to check. “Ah, we’re in luck,” he says pulling out two packs. He takes out a large bowl, opens one of the packs, and empties half into the bowl, then looks over to me and says, “What else do we need?”

“You know what? I can’t think of anything.” I am in heaven. A movie with a hot man and caramel butter popcorn? Can things get any better?

Nathan settles on the sofa placing the bowl of morish sweet popcorn between us. The film starts, the familiar music plays, and we both read out loud, the immortal words about a far away galaxy, a long time ago. I had forgotten how good this film is. Although it’s dated and the special effects aren’t as special as I remember them, the narrative is compelling, and the characters are all brilliant. I love how Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Luke Skywalker interact. The dialogue is great. But Han Solo claims all the best one-liners. He's so cool. Not unlike my movie-watching companion sitting close by.

I sneak a sideways look at Nathan’s handsome profile, while he is engrossed by the flickering screen. I'm quietly studying the noble straight nose; the salt and pepper of not-yet-shaved stubble; the distinguished silvering hair at his temples that blends with the other shades of sun-bleached blond. Then, before I get snapped gawping, I turn my attention back to the TV screen where Luke has just cleaned up R2-D2 and activated Princess Leia’s message. ‘Help us Obi-Wan. You’re our only hope,’ says her hologram. Caught up in the scene, my hand reaches into the popcorn bowl but instead of feeling corn snack kernels, my fingers lightly graze the smooth skin of Nathan’s hand. Our fingers touch briefly before we both retract, apologizing profusely. The moment sets me off giggling, which interrupts the film. Nathan hits the pause button.

“Please, Rosa. This is a very important and serious part of the story,” Nathan says, suppressing his own laughter. “The rebels need Obi-Wan Kenobi to help them smash Darth Vader’s Death Star. Do you mind?”

“Sorry.” I cover my mouth to squash the giggles that turn into a cough. “I’ll get some water.” I get up and make my way to the kitchen. “Do you want some?”

“Sure,” says Nathan. Then, adopting the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi, he says, “Don’t abuse the power of The Force.”

“No, I won’t… I never do,” I say, returning with two glasses of water. I hand one to Nathan. He presses play and we resume watching the action. I’m careful with popcorn extraction from now on, in case our fingers, once again, come into breathless contact within the ceramic confines of the popcorn bowl.

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