Page 80 of The Summer of Christmas

“We’re sitting over here, if you want to join us. Me, Griffin, and Bruce.”

“I need to sit in the front row. I like to see the film grain.”

“Vera, I just want to say—”

Vera cut her off. Excited. “Can you believe this place is showingScrooge?”

“I know. I heard about it in film school but could never find it. I heard it’s really dark.”

Vera smiled and said: “Ivy, I can’t help you. This is all on Amari. Did you get her to forgive you?”

“I made it worse.”

“You know, Ivy, maybe you should consider directing. You can throw a fit, and everyone is scared of you. If you throw a fit when you’re a writer, they send you away.”

She nodded. Vera sat down. Ivy returned to her seat.Scroogebegan to play. It was a darker version. The ghosts seemed real. The movie looked and felt gloomy. It was nearing the end, the Ghost of Christmas Future showing Scrooge his miserable future, when Ivy’s phone started ringing.

“Turn that off,” Bruce snapped. A lot of people shushed. Ivy could not find her phone. She fumbled in her jacket pocket, running up the aisle and seeing the name on the caller ID:DREW.

Ivy picked it up as she entered the lobby. “Drew?”

He was direct. “Where are you?”

“At the movies. Vera is here.”

“We need to talk. Can you come to Belhurst? It’s important.”

“Can we meet someplace else?” she asked, wanting to stay far away from the place where Nick still might be.

“Fine,” Drew snapped. “Where do you want to meet?”

“How about the pier at Seneca Lake? You can walk there from the hotel.”

“See you in ten minutes,” he said and clicked off. Ivy was going to go back to tell her companions she was leaving when the crowd started walking out. The movie was over. Ivy stood to the side. Griffin and Bruce walked out, laughing.

“How was the ending?” she asked.

“Great. The whole movie was great. Dark. All from a bad piece of meat,” Bruce said.

“Makes me glad I’m a vegetarian. We’re going to grab some dinner, do you want to join us?” Griffin asked.

“I can’t. Drew called me.”

“The Ghost of Christmas Present or Future?” Bruce wondered.

Ivy looked confused. Griffin explained, “I told him everything. I figured everyone already knew about everything anyway.”

She forged on. “He says he needs to talk to me right away. Thanks for letting me tag along.” Ivy hugged them both and started her walk down Main Street to the pier.

Griffin and Bruce were deciding where to eat when someone snapped their picture. It was Rory, the reporter. She looked very happy with herself.

“You two make a great couple. Anything you want to tell your fans?” she said, as if she was Hedda Hopper 2.0.

Griffin stalled for a heartbeat. Bruce answered simply, “We’re partners.”

“Partners?” Rory questioned, pushing her phone, with the voice recording app running, closer to them. By now a crowd had formed. The locals and some Griffineers noticed it was Griffin.

“Yes. Griffin and I are partners. We’re going to buy the movie theater together and restore it to its former glory.”