The photo booth is around the side of the snack shack. Derick ordered a drop depicting the graveyard set from Alice’s movie and got two plastic tombstones from the clearance section at a local party store. He even got a couple of clip-on schoolboy ties that match the one the zombie wears in the movie. Groups gather round, picking up paper props on sticks. The last gaggle of girls squat together holding up a severed hand.
“All good,” Derick calls out after getting the shot. The two youngest girls giggle to themselves, clearly fans of his meme status, and then scamper off. I must admit, he does look extra attractive tonight.
I may have lied and told him we were out of his size when he asked for a #TheLittleDriveInThatCould shirt to wear tonight, so the pink fabric pulls and bulges in all the right places, inspiring all the wrong fantasies.
I swoop in to say hi. Derick plants a kiss on my cheek. PDA with a PYT for little old me? Groundbreaking, I know. “How’d it go?”
“Great. Let me just break everything down so we can find a spot to watch.” He begins demounting his camera when a voice comes from behind.
“Time for one more?” It’s Preeti, looking gorgeous in a flowing tie-dye sundress. David is by her side, buttoned up as per usual.
Derick sputters. “What are you doing here?”
“We couldn’t miss this,” Preeti yelps, enveloping Derick in a hug. Whatever familial tension has been simmering through the Haverford household has not reached Preeti out in Philadelphia. She’s elated to see him. “We grabbed the last advance reservation and drove in. Can we grab a pic? I want to post it. All my friends at the practice were so jealous when I told them where we were going tonight.”
Derick obliges and sets the camera back. Preeti puts one of the ties on David.
“Quite the turnout,” David notes as Preeti fusses over his appearance. He offers a cordial handshake to his brother. The closest to intimacy those men share.
“I’ve been meaning to reach out,” Derick says.
David waves a hand as Derick fiddles with the focus. He counts down from three. I stand back, letting this play out. I’ll only step in if he needs me.
After taking a ton as per Preeti’s request—she needsoptions—David moves in toward the tripod. “I came over to let you know that I understand why you did what you did. That took balls, Bro. Don’t think I coulda done it.” He slaps Derick on the back. “Also, don’t panic, but…Mom and Dad are here.”
Derick’s face drains of color. The camera nearly topples to the ground. I dive around to catch it.
David points to the out-of-place white Tesla down front. The windows are tinted and the occupants haven’t stepped out once.
“They weren’t going to tell you, but I thought you’d want to know.”
Preeti pulls on David’s arm. “Let’s get snacks before the movie starts. I’m craving peanut butter cups.” David relents with a smile. “Have a good night, guys.” They disappear through the open doors.
“Should I go over?” Derick asks, frozen in place.
“I can’t answer that for you.” As far as I know, the three of them haven’t spoken. He spends most nights at my apartment. Whatever anger I feel toward Mr. Haverford is a pittance compared to what Derick must be experiencing, so I make no mention of how rude it is for his parents to be showing their faces around here right now.
Since I’ve seen Derick set the camera up more than a few times, I take the liberty of putting his stuff away, carefully transferring the camera back into its case. The tripod folds up easily, and by the time I’m done stashing everything in the storage closet, Derick is coming unglued.
“Will you come with me?”
I grab his hand and tell him to lead the way.
He knocks lightly on the passenger side window. It’s not even halfway down when he asks, “Shouldn’t you two be back in South Carolina by now?”
“We changed our plans to be here,” Mrs. Haverford says. Her pressed, peach lips curl up into an apologetic smile. “The beach isn’t going anywhere.” I’m about to make a snide remark about global warming (a scientific fact I’m certain they don’t believe in), but I zip my lips.
“This was your idea, I assume?” Derick asks his mom. Mr. Haverford hasn’t let his gaze leave the screen. It could be the sun dipping below the tree line, but I swear I see sweaty remorse glistening on his forehead. Though, that could also just be the boardroom attire he’s wearing despite the August humidity.
Mrs. Haverford fumbles for an answer, toying with the gold crucifix hanging from her necklace. “We both agreed to come. We’re both here.”
Her weak response is drowned out by a sudden bout of booing. Derick and I both jump. When I look up at the screen, an Any Weather Transportation Group ad is playing. Youssef must’ve forgotten to pull it from the rotation. It runs before every movie we show.
How had I not wondered about this before? What a clear tip-off that Mr. Haverford had our place in the palm of his hand this whole time. I guess everything is easier to see in hindsight.
“We should probably…” Spooked by the turning crowd, Mrs. Haverford reaches for the toggle on the car door.
“Yeah, you should,” Derick agrees, gripping my hand tighter. His anger doesn’t negate the confusion. There’s still love there between the three of them. Strained love, but love nonetheless. He doesn’t want them publicly bashed tonight. “Enjoy the show.”
