Audrey Hepburn's Pearls: Part I

Chapter 50.4: 1968, Georgina

Chapter 50.4: 1968, Georgina

 

"Did you sneak in candy, you naughty boy?" 

"You know you want some."

"But I like Jujubes. There's no fat in them."

"You will eat Milk Duds and like it!"

"I love it when you're all aggressive like this!"

"Shhhh. Don't say that so loud."

"Sorry, ma chérie. I get excitable."

I was chuckling into my hand listening to Felix and Genesis to Frankie's left. The sounds of chocolate drops rattling in a box came to our ears and as I looked over, Felix extended a yellow box of Milk Duds to Frankie. "I brought two. I thought you two would want some," he said in a hushed tone. 

"Thank you," Frankie gasped, obviously having not been listening to their conversation. That was so like him, ever polite. 

"You're welcome. I just figured I'd bring some because Genesis said this theater doesn't have snacks and we didn't go to dinner."

Frankie's face went like someone shocked him from behind. "Should we go to dinner after?" he asked. I detected a slight panicked tone. Because of this, I reached over and took his hand in mine. Nobody would see it, it was okay. I felt his hand relax in mine, fluttering my heart like a little butterfly.

"Yes! Let's go to the Chinese place Georgina is always talking about! Felix, she said there's this chicken there that's as spicy as you want it! It sounds so delicious!" 

Felix looked over at Genesis who was beaming at him. "Of course you want spicy, you spice freak." He started laughing and Genesis started laughing, too. 

"Totally. I'd put Tabasco on it, too!" Genesis giggled at him.

"Some day there is going to be something so spicy that its going to burn your tongue clean off and I won't pick it up, I swear on it."

"But if my tongue falls off then I can't call you sweet things anymore!"

"Then stop eating things that are so spicy!"

"You know I can't do that, chéri!"

They cracked each other up again and giggled loudly like children. Genesis wiggled his feet and threw back his head, helpless. It was almost as if they forgot Frankie and I were here or even where they were.

God, I admired them so much. They'd been together for nearly fifteen years and were still so in love. I couldn't even imagine what Frankie and I would be like in fifteen years, but if we were half as happy as them then I'd be in total bliss. My grip squeezed on Frankie's hand, thinking this. I saw him blush as he looked down at it. Such a contented feeling flowed over my heart like billowing steam from above.

Felix cleared his throat, his fist to his mouth as if he were coughing. Composing himself, he ran his fingers through his chin length, wavy, strawberry-blonde hair. It seemed like a nervous tick. I'd seen him do it several times before. Genesis was still giggling softly, but calming down. 

"Do you think that Chinese place will still be open after the movie?" Felix asked, leaning over in his seat to direct his question at me. 

"Hmm, I'm not sure. The movie starts at 6:15 and I'm not sure how long it is or how long that place stays open." 

"I bet there will be a lot of places open afterwards, though. This is New York City, 'the city that never sleeps', right? There'll be something. We'll go to that Chinese place later," Genesis chimed in. 

"Yeah. It doesn't really matter where we go. Should be good anyway." Felix smiled at me. I was always taken aback by how charming it was, with his little dimples. Though thirty-four years old, he still looked eighteen with those dimples. I could see why Genesis was so taken with him.

While talking, I noticed how Frankie was being left out of our little group. I wanted so badly for him to blend in with us. We'd gone on this double date specially as a couples' date, the first one we'd ever been a part of. It was exciting, but also nerve-wracking. I'd really hoped Frankie wouldn't get isolated because to be sure Genesis and Felix were my friends, but I'd really wanted him and Felix to bond. Felix seemed like he could be a good mentor to Frankie, I thought, just as Genesis was a wonderful mentor to me. Felix was a business owner after all, having owned his salon for almost ten years, and now Frankie owned the Majesty. I betted Felix could teach Frankie a lot of things. If only they could become friends. 

"Where do you think we should go, Frankie?" I asked, squeezing his hand again, making an effort to include him like he'd sweetly included me earlier today at the grocery store with Cha Cha. I hadn't forgotten. 

A small pink bloomed on his cheeks as we focused on him. Shy as ever. I almost made an audible sound at how cute he was, but I knew that would embarrass him more. 

"Um. There's this nice little Italian place in Little Italy called Carabella's Cucina that's really good... Best tortellini in the city? They handmake it. Really good."

Genesis' jaw dropped open. I had to pinch my throat closed to keep from giggling. 

"Wow, I don't know what a tortetelli is, but that sounds amazing. I knew you'd know where to go," he said seriously. "Can I put Tabasco on it?"

"Its tortellini. And no, I wouldn't recommend it. You can get it a lot of ways, though. Alfredo, pesto, marinara. They can fill them with a lot of things, too, like ricotta and mozzerella or even beef if you want it."

"Honey, I only understood the word beef but I want it."

I burst into giggles. I couldn't help it. Frankie followed me, and his little giggles filled my heart with joy. He was beginning to blend. Such a proud feeling went from my head to my toes.

"What are you laughing for?" Genesis caught our laughter and his giggle box started up, too. "We don't have food like that in Philadelphia!"

"Yes, we do! You just don't eat anything that isn't American, French, or Cajun!" Felix snickered in a scolding tone. 

"What?! That's not true!"

"Tell me what bruschetta is, then!"

"What?! That's not even a word!" 

"Oh my goodness, Genesis!" I cried, falling over in my seat in my giggle fit.

"They have bruschetta at Carabella's," Frankie piped up, a grin on his face. He was so red, but smiling. Ah, I was so happy.

"We need to order some. Apparently Genesis has been living under a rock. I didn't put him there, I swear," Felix announced. 

"But what is it?"

"Bruschetta is a grilled antipasto bread brushed with olive oil. There can be a lot of different toppings on it or not at all, but I like the kind that has a sort of chopped tomato salad on top? Its really good as an appetizer that way." I stroked Frankie's hand as he was speaking and through it I felt him shiver a little bit. It made a smile widen on my face like a freshly sliced melon.

"Oh, I don't know what that is but I'll eat it. You have a way with describing foods. I want to eat it all." 

We were all still giggling softly as the lights went down in the little theater. By the time the movie started up, we were silent. But we all burst into giggles again as Genesis let out a thundering, long moan as the leading man started speaking in complete Italian and white text appeared under him. "Nooo, I have to read throughout the whole movie!" he groaned, "I wanted to stare at his faaace!"

A ring of hushes erupted in the seats around us and I caught Genesis covering his mouth with his hand, his eyes smiling in twinkling embarrassment as the light of the screen illuminated the laughing tears glittering in them. 

It was an effort to calm myself down, but I settled in, happy as a sheep in spring, holding Frankie's hand securely in the darkness. It seemed like our date was quickly becoming a success, and I couldn't be more filled with joy. I hoped it would be the first of many.