11. Delilah #3
“Come here.” I put my arm over her shoulder and pulled her into my side.
“I understand why they can’t be together. But what if they could? What if Rick and Ilsa turned their back on convention and ran off together?”
“Then it wouldn’t be Casablanca.” I lifted my other shoulder in a half shrug. “The story resonates with so many people because of the sacrifice. If he threw her husband under the bus and ran off with her, it wouldn’t be a classic.”
“But do you think she’ll ever be happy without him?” Delilah turned her face toward me, and it took everything I had not to lift my finger to her cheek and wipe away the trace of her tears.
“I don’t know.”
“If I found a love like that, I wouldn’t be able to walk away.” The firmness of her voice surprised me.
“What if he lived on the other side of the world? Say an apartment in Paris. Would you give up everything you have here to follow him?”
“They have the internet in Paris. I could still run my business from there.”
“What if he lived on a remote island? Maybe he raises sheep in New Zealand or something? No internet, no cell phone service. Would you follow him there?”
Her forehead furrowed. “If I had a love as strong as Rick and Ilsa’s, I suppose I wouldn’t have a choice.”
“Hmmm.” I nodded.
“What, you disagree?” The tears had stopped, and her jaw now held a hint of the stubbornness I’d seen in her before.
“I don’t think it’s that simple.” I held out a hand and helped her to her feet. The other moviegoers had left by then, leaving us alone with the Hamptons. I folded up the blanket and clipped a leash on Buster, who seemed eager to help with the cleanup effort.
“What’s not simple about that? She loves him, he loves her.”
“Yeah, but sometimes other things get in the way. Things too important to overlook. I mean, in the movie, there’s a war going on.
No matter how much they love each other, he has to put her safety and his own responsibilities above everything else.
” I set the blanket on top of the cooler and held out Buster’s leash.
“Can you hold him for a minute? I want to give the Hamptons a hand.”
Delilah took the leash but joined me when I bent down and began to clean up the lawn. The sight of the beauty queen picking up discarded popcorn buckets and empty soft drink cans made me do a double take.
“I’ve got this. You can go wait in the truck with Buster if you want.”
She shrugged. “I don’t mind. Besides, what’s that saying about many hands make for less work?”
“‘Many hands make for light work.’ My grandma used to say that all the time.” I grabbed a trash can from the edge of the clearing and rolled it to the middle. “Here, you can toss that stuff in here.”
“Thanks for your help, Jasper.” Mr. Hampton walked over and threw some trash into the barrel. “We can handle the rest. You young folks go on and enjoy the rest of your evening.”
I cast a glance around the space. We’d gathered almost everything. “Thanks for another great movie night, Mr. Hampton.”
“I really enjoyed it.” Delilah gave the older man a smile.
His eyes lit up at her attention. “Edna and I met at the movies. Of course, back then, a night at the theater only cost you about a dollar, including popcorn. We like to do what we can to provide an opportunity for other folks to experience the same kind of magic that brought us together.”
I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought to make introductions. “Mr. Hampton, meet Delilah Stone. She’s the reigning Miss Lovin’ Texas and is in town to consider Ido for the title of most romantic small town in Texas.”
“Is that so?” Mr. Hampton nodded. “Edna, come meet the woman who’s going to fall in love here in Ido.”
My cheeks heated and I shot a glance to Delilah. The comment hadn’t rattled her at all. The glimpse I’d had of her vulnerable side had been replaced by the smiling, friendly demeanor she seemed to be able to slide on at will.
“It’s so nice to meet both of you. I’d shake your hands, but I’ve been picking up trash. How long have you been hosting Sunday night movie nights?”
A glance passed between the Hamptons. “Oh, I’d say maybe about, what, twenty-five years?” Mr. Hampton said.
Mrs. Hampton nodded her agreement. “Maybe thirty. It’s so nice to give young folks a place to spend an affordable evening out. We show family movies, too. So many of the couples who used to come here on dates now bring their kids. It’s a wonderful tradition.”
“I had a fantastic time tonight. Thank you for having me.” She gave them another grin.
“We ought to be on our way.” I moved the trash can back to the edge of the clearing. I met up with Delilah by the passenger side of the truck. “Did you have a good time?”
She nodded as she squirted some hand sanitizer in her hand. “Here, take some of this.”
“What all do you have in that purse? You’re like a Boy Scout. Aren’t they the ones who are always prepared?”
“Do you want some or not?”
I held out my palm, then rubbed the hand sanitizer between my hands. “There. Now I’m ready for anything.”
“Anything?” she asked, a sly smile spreading across her lips.