Popcorn

Donna fussed around him as he carefully sat down on the couch. She settled a blanket over him and adjusted the pillows behind his back.

“I’m not a child, Donna.” He complained as a matter of course.

Naturally it was all for show. Her fussing over him was like being just this side of heaven. She was leaning over him as she moved the pillows around, and she smelt wonderful. Her top was falling forward just a little bit, almost showing… He looked at her shoulder instead.

Not that he could have done anything, even if he wanted to (and he kept reminding himself that he didn’t want to, or couldn’t, or something). It wasn’t that long since his chest had been cut open and highly trained people had been rummaging around inside there. He was definitely improving but he currently had, approximately, the strength of a particularly weak kitten.

“Then stop whining like one.” She replied, drawing back to look him squarely in the face.

“Yes mom.” He replied, with a naughty smile.

Her lips almost quirked into a smile but the words that came out of her mouth were: “Stop it.”

She moved away, and he grinned, watching her as she studiously kept trying not to smile.

Donna toed off her shoes and settled herself onto the couch next to him.  He was momentarily distracted by her feet, with perfectly painted pink toenails. He wondered when she had time to do that. He realised that he’d been looking for a bit too long and snapped his eyes back up to her face. She hadn’t noticed. Phew.

“What movie did you pick?” He asked quickly.

She was adjusting the couch cushions to make herself more comfortable. She looked over at him, suppressing a smile again.

“10 Things I Hate About You.” She replied pointedly, pinning him with her eyes for a moment.  

“You trying to tell me something?” He asked, cheerfully.

She rolled her eyes and leant forward to retrieve the remotes from the coffee table. He watched her with a smile as she sank back down onto the couch. She pointed the remote at the screen and turned the movie on. They sat in silence watching the previews.

“Is this a chick flick?” He asked, wincing, as the titles started. “You’re making me watch another chick flick?”

“It’s a comedy.” She replied. “It’s unstressful.”

“Is that even a word?” He asked, incredulously. She didn’t answer. “It’s a romantic comedy, isn’t it?”

“Maybe.” She replied seriously, not looking at him.

He groaned.

“Are you punishing me for all the late nights I make you work?”

“Maybe.” She replied again, sending him a smile this time.

He puffed himself up a little and twisted his neck as if working out a kink.

“It’s okay.” He said. “I can take my punishment like a man.” He determinedly watched the screen. “I am man. I’m manly. I don’t feel at all threatened by the girly crap you’re making me watch. Bring it on!”

“Shish!” She replied. “It’s just a movie.”

He turned his head to look at her.

“A movie I’m going to watch like a man.” He insisted.

“Okay.” She said, clearly enunciating the word like she was talking to crazy person.

He looked back at the screen. Happy that he’d made his point clear.

“Oh!” She said suddenly and jumped up.

He turned as much as he could, which wasn’t much, to see her disappear into the kitchen.

“I almost forgot…” He heard her say. “You’ve been good, so you get…” She emerged out of the kitchen holding aloft a bowl. “Popcorn!” She announced.

Josh froze but she didn’t see it.

She waltzed back around to the couch, still talking obliviously.

“It’s on the approved foods list.” She said as she sat down. “From scratch, stove popped, no butter, but still tasty.”

She finally turned to him, offering the bowl. Her smile faded as she saw his face.

“You made that here?!” He demanded, completely aghast.

She looked at him with a mix of confusion and concern.

“Yes.” She said.  

“On the stove?!” His voice rose as his throat closed up.

She put the bowl down and picked up the remote, stopping the movie. The room was suddenly very quiet as she turned back to him.

“What’s wrong?” She asked softly.

“It’s dangerous!” He exclaimed. “Do you know the sort of thing that can happen?”

“I’ve done it a hundred times, Josh.” She said, trying to sound reassuring.

“It only takes once for it to go wrong.” He pointed out, looking down, away from her gaze.

He heard her soft sigh.

“But it didn’t this time.” She said softly. There was a pause. “Do you want to tell me what this is about?”

“Not especially.” He replied, still not looking at her.

“Okay.” She said, sitting back.

She reached for the remote, obviously intending to re-start the movie. He reached out and stopped her. He could feel her looking at him again, even though he didn’t look up.

“My sister died in a fire.” He said. “She was making popcorn.”

He heard her sigh again.

“I’m sorry, Josh.” She said.

“She was making it for me.” He blurted suddenly. “She’s was babysitting for me, and she was making popcorn. It started a fire,” He paused to draw a breath. “I ran out of the house. She didn’t make it out.” He finished, letting his hand drop from hers.

There was silence for a moment that seemed endless. Then Donna reached for the popcorn bowl and offered it to him.

He looked up at her, confused, and she smiled tenderly.

“Have some popcorn, Josh.” She said. “You’ve been waiting a very long time for it.”

He looked into her eyes and saw a sheen of unshed tears there. Slowly he reached out towards the bowl, his hand paused hovering over it, and then he took a small handful.

He broke the eye contact to look down at it.

“It’s okay.” She practically whispered, or at least it seemed that way to him.

Feeling like he’d been given permission, he raised his hand to his mouth and put the fluffy kernels in.  

“When you’re better I might even let you have butter on it.” She said, a slight amusement in her tone now, as well as a naughtiness, as if she was promising him something incredible.

He chewed the popcorn and swallowed. Then looked up at her and smiled tentatively.

“They’re good.” He said, still a little choked up.

“Better with butter.” She replied, smiling back at him.

She turned and picked up the remote again, settling down next to him, and turned the movie back on. She rewound it. “We need to go back. I think we missed the, all important, character set up.”

He watched her face as she concentrated. Who the hell was this woman? And what had he ever done to deserve her?

She turned to him.

“Josh?” She said, waving to get his attention. “The movie.”

He turned to the screen and blinked, trying to focus. His gaze flicked down momentarily as she settled the bowl between them. He focused back on the screen and deliberately, faking absently, reached out to take another handful. He ate it as casually as he could make himself and settled back into the couch.

They watched in silence, eating the popcorn, both relaxing as time went on.

“Hey,” He said, sitting up sharply. “That woman looks just like C.J!”

“Be still.” She ordered.

“But she looks just like her!” He exclaimed.

“Undulating with desire, Adrian removes her red… crimson cape, at the site of Reginal’s stiff and… Judith! What’s another word for “engorged”?”

Donna and Josh watched with raised eyebrows and matching looks of horrified fascination.

“Swollen… Turgid…” The woman continued.

“Tumescent?” The other girl in the scene suggested.

“Perfect!” The woman who looked like C.J. exclaimed.

“That’s an image I’m gonna have trouble getting out my head.” Josh said absently.

Donna nodded in agreement.

“I pick the movie next time.” Josh stated, his eyes still locked on the screen.

“Okay.” Donna agreed.

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