Reduced to Ruin

Chapter 32

Almost a month passed, and I tried to go with the flow and not show impatience in my plan. Things weren't going as quickly as I had hoped. But still, I tried to focus on the positive. James and I were getting along splendidly. We had patched things up quite nicely. I was downstairs all of the time. Overall it was going well.

         Eye on the prize, Corrine.

         "So, the best day of the year is coming next week," James said during dinner a few weeks later.

         "Really? What?" I asked.

         "Your birthday, of course."

         I had completely forgotten. I would be turning twenty-five on June twenty-eighth.

         "No, no, no. What gave you that idea? I don't have a birthday," I defended.

         "Oh, yes, you do," James corrected. "And it's the big quarter century."

         "Please, let's forget it, okay? I really don't want to celebrate."

         "What? No, we are celebrating it. It's an important day in history. What do you think of having a big party? Invite Dan and Tyler over? Maybe the Mannings and Palmers too?"

         This was getting out of control, fast.

         "No, no, no," I laughed. "Really, James, I don't want to have a party. Please, seriously, no party."

         "OK, then, if you don't want a party, what do you want?"

         "Nothing," I replied, simply. "I don't want or need anything. Honestly."

         "Oh, please. What woman doesn't want something?" James retorted.

         "I have all that I want—you," I feigned dramatically, and he laughed. I relished in any positive responses I could get from him.

         "Okay, okay, all jokes aside, I really do want to do something for your birthday. I'm sure you can think of something you'd like or want to do," James prodded.

         I thought about it for a moment, and I couldn't think of anything I needed, per se. However . . .

         "Well, I guess there is one thing."

         "Yes?"

         "Well, I haven't seen a movie in ages," I began. "I would love to see that new romantic comedy that came out a couple weeks ago. The previews look so good, and I miss the movie popcorn and squeaky seats and sticky floors and . . ."

         James looked away and stretched back in his chair. An awkward silence filled the room.

         "I—I thought, you know, since Sophia can see movies, maybe I could start, too. With you, of course."

         My plea hung in the air. It was a gamble, but I thought maybe James would be ready. After all, it had been almost a month since the Memorial Day incident.

         James cleared his throat. "Look, Corrine—"

         "Listen, I have the perfect solution. We could go to a super late show where no one would see us. You could escort me in, straight to a seat, and no one would even have to see me. And the movie's already been out for a while, so it should be pretty empty."

         My idea sounded plausible. James began clearing plates into the kitchen.

         "Well, you asked for ideas," I said defensively. Silence. "Never mind, it was a stupid, sudden idea. I don't know what I was thinking."