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Mindy was delighted as the waiter set an appetizer on the table. Baba ghanoush! Neither of them knew what it was, although they’d giggled over the name so much that they’d decided to order it. While waiting for the food to arrive, they discussed the production their theater class was about to premiere.

“I liked the Disney movie,” Cameron was saying. “You have to admit that the animation is gorgeous.”

“For sure!” Mindy replied. She was quickly realizing that the visual aspects of the play mattered to him more than the plot itself. “I liked it too, but I’ve always been fascinated by the original versions of the stories. Cinderella for instance. In the Grimms’ fairy tale, the evil stepsisters try cutting off their heels and toes to make their feet fit the glass slipper.”

“Gross!” Cameron said with a grimace.

“Sorry,” Mindy said, matching his expression as she checked to see if they’d been overheard. “But you have to admit that it’s neat. You’d never see that in a cartoon.”

Cameron was staring at the baba ghanoush with concern. “I’m scared to ask what the originalBeauty and the Beastwas like.”

“Also different. Before he was cursed, the Beast was a prince. His father had already died, and his mother the queen was busy fighting a war, so she trusted her son to the care of a fairy godmother who tried to seduce him. The prince refused, so she put a spell on him.”

This seemed to make Cameron uncomfortable. “What happened then?”

“It plays out the same, except that Belle is actually a princess who had to be hidden away because the same evil fairy tried to murder her so she could marryherfather, a different king.”

“This evil fairy has a type.”

“Exactly. She wanted to become royalty, it seems. Funny how so many fairy tales are obsessed with that.”

“It’s cool that you know all this,” Cameron said, picking up a fork.

“Do you like to read?”

Cameron shook his head. “I don’t dislike it, but I have trouble sitting still for that long. I like to stay active, so it’s hard to find the time.”

“But there’s always time,” Mindy said. Leaning forward, shewhispered. “Everybody poops. What else are you going to do while sitting on the pot?”

Cameron chuckled. “You arekillingmy appetite.”

“Sorry,” she said, laughing at herself. “I’ll shut up now so we can try the baba ghanoush.”

“Baba ghanoush!” Cameron repeated gleefully.

“Baby Gandhi bogarts baba ghanoush!” she added spontaneously, delighting in the nonsensical tongue twister.

They were both grinning and wiping at their eyes when Mindy noticed someone enter the restaurant. Anthony Cullen! He was damp from the drizzle of rain that had begun outside. His head turned left and right as he searched the restaurant. Their eyes met briefly, she thought, but it was hard to be certain because the greeter engaged with him then, drawing his attention away. Anthony didn’t look at her again. Even as he walked through the restaurant and was seated a couple of tables away. By himself.

“Looks like we’re not the only ones here on a date,” Mindy said, nodding toward him.

Cameron turned his head. The blood seemed to drain from his face before he focused on her again and attempted to smile, even though it looked more like he was having a stroke. “Huh,” he said. “Heh. Umm… I guess we should try this before it gets cold.”

“Was it ever hot?” Mindy asked. She picked up a pita bread corner and poked the beige puree experimentally. “I don’t think we should have ordered by name.”

“Is it too late to send back the baba ghanoush?” he asked.

“Who ordered this baba ghanoush?” she demanded, glancing around as if confused. This made her notice Anthony again, who shesworelooked away at the last second. Mindy leaned across the table. “We could send it to Anthony. You know, like they do in movies with drinks. It would be a fun way to let him know that we’re here.”

“No,” Cameron said, not sounding as jovial. “Let’s just leave him alone.”

“Are you two still friends?” she asked.

Cameron swallowed, his eyes guarded as he stared at her. “We’re still close,” he said at last.

“Oh. That’s good.” She scooped some of the strange substance onto her bread. “Let’s try it at the same time.”