A moment for you
On a visit to her town’s drive-in theater, Connie’s memories of old love are made new again when she runs into her high school sweetheart
Look at all these cars, Junie! Good thing we’re early,” Connie said as she turned into the Starlite Drive-in. Its sign glowed, triggering a tumble of memories.
Her first job. Her first kiss and boyfriend. And now she was treating her niece, Junie, to her first visit to the drive-in movie theater.
As she neared the ticket booth, Connie rolled down her window and felt the breeze tickle her face. It’d been years since she’d visited the Starlite, and she’d lost track of which one of the four Greenwood sons owned the town treasure.
She knew it wasn’t her high school sweetheart, Dave. True to his word, Dave had moved from their small town after graduation and started his own construction company. They had been too young to get serious those many years and sweet memories ago.
“Five bucks a carload,” the ticket-taker said. “You should have filled up that backseat and gotten your money’s worth.”
He reached for her card as their gaze met. Despite creases around his eyes and gray sparks in the dark curls fringing the Starlite baseball cap, Connie recognized that smiling, handsome face.
“Dave?” she asked, her voice sounding more like a squeak. “Cotton-candy Connie? Is that you?” Connie burst out laughing as she remembered the perpetual sticky cloud of spun sugar in her hair her first week on the job. They had been busy, and Dave had given her quick instructions on how to wind the fluffy strands onto the paper cones, but something had gone awry. She’d been on the brink of tears when he’d found her.
“Your dad’s going to fire me,” she’d whispered. He shook his head. “Nope. You can’t fire someone when you’re laughing.” She’d run to the bathroom and gasped at her image in the mirror; a mound of cotton candy sitting on her head. The memory still made her laugh. “I knew there was a reason I agreed to help my brother tonight,” Dave said, his voice as warm as she remembered. “It’s been way too many years, Connie.”
“Her heart felt as light and airy as the day she had first kissed him”
Junie piped up, “Aunt Connie, is this your old boyfriend?”
Connie felt the blood rush to her face. “Old, indeed!” Dave laughed, filling the silence. “And she’s my old girlfriend.”
The car behind honked, thank goodness, before Connie had to think of a witty response. Flustered, she smiled as she drove off, her hands shaking on the wheel. Her heart was still pounding when she pulled next to a speaker pole and parked.
“I don’t see the movie house,” Junie said. Connie pointed to the giant screen ahead. “No movie house, Junie. Tonight, we’re watching the stars under the stars. But first we need some yummy treats.”
As they threaded their way between cars, Connie soaked up the laughter and happy chatter all around. People were unfolding lawn chairs and spreading blankets. Everything looked the same except the freshly painted concession stand.
When they stepped inside, Connie saw Dave flipping hamburgers at the grill, glancing now and then at the door. She knew in her heart that he was looking for her. She felt like a giddy teenager walking up to the stand as Dave caught sight of her.
Grinning widely, he held up his spatula and made a beckoning motion.
“Sure could use some help here, Connie,” he teased as the people in line chuckled.
She shook her head. “Nope. We’re just here for the 50-cent hamburgers and popcorn,” she flirted right back.
Flirting! That’s exactly what she was doing, Connie realized.
“Look, Aunt Connie. They have cotton candy!” Junie squealed.
Dave reached into the glass case, removing two fluffy pink bundles and handing them to Junie and Connie.
“On the house if you’ll let me join you for the show. These two old friends have a lot of catching up to do.” His eyes met Connie’s, his longing clear. “And I just happen to have three lawn chairs with built-in drink holders for Starlite milkshakes.”
Junie’s eyes widened. “Can I have a chocolate milkshake, please?”
Connie burst into a smile, her heart feeling as light and airy as it had when she’d first kissed Dave. With her old friend in the glowing sunset at the Starlite, she felt on the brink of something wonderful as they waited for the show to begin.