Page 62 of Bourbon Bliss
Despite my intention to have a little make-out fun with June, an hour into the movie, I couldn’t stop watching. It was a love story, following a girl and boy who’d grown up together. Life kept pulling them apart, then bringing them tantalizingly close, only to pull them apart again. It was heart-wrenching.
I glanced at June. The glow from the screen illuminated her features, and I suddenly realized why that alarm in my head wouldn’t quit. This movie was making my chest ache—I sniffed hard—and it was clear it was doing the same to her.
Her brow creased and her eyes were wide. She chewed her thumbnail and squirmed in her seat, as if her body was having a hard time containing all the emotions she was experiencing.
My attention was only half on the movie now. I wanted to know what would happen—I had a strong suspicion it wasn’t going to end happily—but I was captivated by June. Her feelings shone through in her expression in a way I’d never seen before. She gazed at the screen with hope, then worry, then fear. She clutched her hands together and held them to her chest. Touched her mouth. Covered her eyes.
When she looked again, the story had taken a turn for the tragic. I was having a hard time not letting my eyes leak. A quick glance at Cass and Bow showed Cassidy quietly sobbing with Bowie’s arm around her shoulders.
June shook her head a few times, as if trying to come to terms with what had just happened in the movie. Death, grief, loss, tragedy. It was all there on that big screen. Her body shuddered, she took a shaky breath, and tears flowed down her cheeks.
“Oh, Juney,” Cassidy whispered, reaching out for her sister.
I met Cassidy’s eyes and mouthed,I’ve got her.
Cass nodded.
I slipped June out of her seat and coaxed her into my lap. She melted into me, burying her face against my shoulder while she cried. Her body shook with deep sobs as I rubbed her back with slow circles. No one paid us any mind. Half the people in here were crying, the other half comforting them.
Even Bowie did a quick swipe at the corner of one eye. I pretended like I didn’t notice, even as I cleared my throat and sniffed hard again. Guy courtesy.
The movie ended with enough hope that we didn’t all want to walk into oncoming traffic when we left. But it had been bittersweet at best. I tucked June against me, keeping an arm firmly around her. She wrapped her arms around my waist and leaned her face into my chest. She still hadn’t stopped crying.
“I’m so sorry,” Cassidy said when we walked out of the theater onto the street. She wiped her eyes and sniffed. “I had no idea that movie would be so sad. I’d heard it was sweet and romantic. It sounded like a date movie.”
Bowie cleared his throat. “I’m picking next time.”
“I can’t even argue with that,” she said.
I tipped June’s chin up with one finger. “You okay, June Bug?”
She sniffed hard and blinked her puffy, bloodshot eyes. “I don’t know.”
Her eyes welled up with tears again. I wrapped both arms around her and let her wet my shirt.
I’ve never seen her cry like that, Cassidy mouthed.
I stroked June’s hair and kissed the top of her head. “It’s okay. I’ve got her.”
Cassidy gave me a warm smile. Bowie took her hand and they said goodbye. June didn’t unbury her face from my sweater.
“Come on, June Bug.” I ran my hands through her hair again. “As much as I love having you this close to me, I can’t walk with you clinging to my front like this. And we’re still standing in front of the theater.”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Her voice shook and she sniffed again. “The movie wasn’t even based on a true story. It was entirely fictional. Why did it make me feel this way?”
I put my arm around her shoulders and led her up the street toward my car. “Because it touched something in you. And maybe you already had a lot of feelings brewing. They just needed to come out.”
June just nodded.
We got to my car and I opened the passenger door for her. She turned toward me, popped up on her tip toes, and gave me a good, solid kiss.
“Thank you,” she said.
“For what?”
“For understanding.”
I brushed her hair back from her face and placed a soft kiss on her sweet lips. “You’re welcome.”
