Comic Convention

Early Christmas Presents

Once home, Clara carries the groceries inside and sets about putting everything away before starting on dinner. As she works, her mind strays to her chance encounter with her long-time celebrity crush.

Cutting the vegetables, she remembers how tall he is. Much taller than he appears on screen and in pictures. Seasoning the chicken, she turns to his arms and how on display they were in the tight, navy sweater and lack of coat he was wearing due to the unseasonably warm, December day. Larger, no doubt, due to the superhero movie he's in coming out in a few months. Putting everything in the oven to bake, she focuses on his face. Bright eyes blue enough to drown in and the big, kind smile one could only dream of seeing every day.

With nothing left to do but wait, she lets her imagination take control. The scene takes place in the grocery store. She's there shopping with Marshall Fox as they decide what to make for dinner that night. He lets her push the cart because he knows she likes to be in charge of it and how they maneuver around the store. He dutifully grabs what she tells him to, always a smile on his face. He never strays far from her side. His hand occasionally landing on the small of her back or her waist or her shoulder. As they stand in line to checkout, he's standing close in the narrow aisle. He says something to make her laugh and he watches, smiling softly. She stops laughing when she sees the look on his face and holds her breath in anticipation. He lowers his head. She tilts her head up. Four inches of air separate them. Now two. One...

"Clara!" Rose yells, breaking Clara out of her daydream and causing her to knock a stack of dishes into the sink.

"What?" she asks, quickly stopping the dishes from rattling.

"Marshall Fox is going to be at Comic Convention this weekend! Can we go? Please, can we?"

Rose hops with her hands clasped under her chin to emphasize her pleading. She even breaks out her best puppy dog look. There's a pang in Clara's chest. She didn't even think of her 13-year-old sister when she met Marshall Fox. She hadn't wanted to mess with his grocery shopping by getting an autograph, but it would have been the perfect Christmas gift for Rose, who had had a crush on him for as long as Clara had. Telling her without the proof, though, might encourage the begging to go to something there was no way they could afford.

"I don't know. I'm sure the tickets are really expensive," Clara tells her.

"Please, you don't have to get me anything else for Christmas."

Clara tries not to think about the pile of presents already bought in her closet. Maybe there is some way they can swing the cost.

"I'll look into it. But I can't promise anything."

Rose squeals anyways, throwing herself at her sister. With one tight squeeze around Clara's waist, Rose releases her and bounds up the stairs.

"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes," Clara calls after her.

Clara slips into the living room where her dad has already set himself up in his chair watching TV. She sinks into the couch with a sigh. Her dad glances over.

"Did Rose tell you about the Comic Planet Event?"

"Comic Convention? Yes."

"You girls should go. I know that guy you both like is going to be there. Rose wouldn't stop talking about him on the way home."

"It would be nice to go but those tickets may be cheap enough to get for the both of us but it'll be $150 at least to get a photo and autograph, which she'll want to get."