Free Past Forward Volume 1 by Chautona Havig Page B

the popcorn!”
    “Fine! Then give me the popcorn!”
    Chad knew what was coming the minute the
metal popcorn scoop hit the golden kernels. “Do you want
butter?”
    “No.”
    “Ya sure? It’s free.”
    “Will I get it faster?”
    “Well—”
    Exasperated, Chad exclaimed, “Yes, give me
butter, napkins, oh and I need a bottle of water.”
    “That’ll be two bucks and the napkins are at
the end of the counter.”
    Chad glanced at his wallet as the steaming
bucket of buttered popcorn slid across the counter. He had several
twenties, a five, and a single one. His mouth opened to protest the
inflated pricing in theatrical establishments but heard himself
say, “Keep the change.”
    He grabbed the waiting bottle of water, the
bucket of popcorn, and resisting the temptation to pour it all over
the service counter, dumped the imitation butter-soaked kernels in
the trashcan on his way back into the theater. Seconds after he sat
next to Willow and passed her the bucket, he felt a tap on his
shoulder. “Here’s your change. We’re not allowed to take tips.
Thanks though.” The kid nodded at Willow. “Hope you feel
better.”
    A glance at Willow and his mind was back on
the crisis at hand. “Feeling sick again?”
    She nodded. “The room is spinning. I feel
so…” Her eyes closed automatically.
    “Don’t close your eyes. Focus on the seat
ahead of you. Closing your eyes doesn’t help. Focusing will.”
    Willow concentrated on the seat until the
wave of nausea passed. “It worked. I feel better,” she whispered
back.
    Wordlessly, Chad took the bucket from her
and passed the bottle of water. “Do you still want to try to
go?”
    “I don’t think I can stand. I’d rather wait
until it’s over if I won’t get sick again.”
    Chad showed her how to predict which scenes
would send her stomach reeling. “The camera… when it starts
whirling like that, look down. It’s making you motion sick, I’ll
bet,” Chad murmured, ignoring the shushing of a few nearby
moviegoers. As for Chad, he’d never seen anything like it. If she
were this ill in a chick flick, she’d never make it through an
action film.
    The lights blinked and then glowed as the
credits rolled. Willow stood and collapsed back into her seat. “I
don’t know what is wrong with my legs and ears.”
    “Ears?”
    Willow shook her head like a puppy doused
with water. “Yes they’re buzzing and ringing and my head feels
mushy.”
    “Maybe now lay back and rest your head on
the back of the seat and close your eyes?” The cleanup crew
entered, visibly irritated to see people still sitting there, but
Chad ignored them.
    Ten minutes later, she sat up gingerly. “I
feel better. Let’s try to get out of here before those girls get
any angrier at us.”
    She stood, holding onto the backs of the
seats, and shuffled down the row to the aisle. Behind them, the
girls made snide comments about their slowness and the mess of
popcorn at their feet. Chad tried to keep his cool, but when the
quips turned crude, he lost his patience.
    “You had a choice between vomit and popcorn.
I chose popcorn. Next time I’ll let her toss her cookies over the
floor for you to clean up.”
    At the front doors, Chad left Willow leaning
against the glass wall and hurried back to find the girls. “Hey,
I’m sorry. I had no right to snap at you like that.”
    One attendant passed him without a word, but
the other said, “That’s really cool, apologizing when we’re the
ones who trash talked you. I hope she feels better. Flu?”
    “Motion sickness.”
    “In Eight Cousins ?” The incredulous
look on the girl’s face was priceless.
    “First time at the movies.”
    “What !”
    The other girl shook her head as Chad pushed
open the heavy door. “Wow.”

    They walked along Elm Street to Main and
back to the town square where Chad had parked his truck. Each step
in the balmy night air seemed to strengthen Willow, until a
relieved chuckle escaped. “I can’t believe I