Chapter 4

"Hello?" she asked, hoping it would Mort on the other end.

"Hi Deja. It's Mort."

Her prayers had been answered. She tried to remain cool, calm and collected, but on the inside she was as giddy as a 15 year old girl getting her first call from a boy.

Keep it cool, she reminded herself.

"Hi Mort. How are you?"

"I'm great. Not interrupting anything am I?"

"No, I was just relaxing. So how've you been?" she asked, hoping he would divulge some information on his whereabouts over the last couple of days.

"Good, thanks for asking. I've just been busy over the last few days. Since summer is coming up in another month, I decided I'd spend it up at Tashmore Lake. I haven't been there in about 3 months so the place must look a mess. I've been purchasing cleaning supplies and sorting out which day I'd go up there to tidy it up before my summer visit," Mort answered.

"Oh," Deja replied. Seemed like a reasonable enough answer. "I've never been to Tashmore Lake, although I heard it was gorgeous."

"Well, it's only 2 hours from here so maybe you can come visit me over the summer some time," Mort offered.

"Sounds like a plan to me. I could use a nice vacation by a lake," she answered wondering if she seemed too eager.

"Well, the reason I'm calling is because there's an old theater here in Datenville that's doing a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and I wanted to know if you'd like to accompany me?"

'Finally, he's asking me out!' Deja thought to herself. "I'm a huge Rocky Horror fan. I'd love to go. It'll take me about an hour to get ready and get to the theater. I'll meet you outside the theater then?"

"Works for me. But before I let you go, seeing as this is an official first date I think I should know your last name," said Mort.

Deja began to giggle as she realized that she'd just made a date with a man whose last name she didn't even know. "It's Brown. And yours?" she inquired.

"Rainey. Well, I guess I'll see you soon," Mort said as he hung up.

After hanging up, the biggest grin spread across Deja's face. You would've thought she hadn't been on a date in over 10 years, but this is the first date she'd actually been excited about in a very long time.

She arrived at the theater about 10 minutes later than she'd hoped, but by the look of things she seemed to have beaten Mort here. Maybe he still needed to beautify himself, she thought and giggled to herself. She pulled into the parking lot, got out and locked her car. She made her way to the front entrance of the theater and still there was no sign of Mort Rainey. People began to pass her as they made their way inside. She checked her watch. The movie would begin in about 15 minutes. She'd give him till then and if he didn't show she was headed home. Just then a small Ford pulled up and parked. And out of the car stepped Mort looking as good as ever. He had on a pair of jeans, boots, and a short sleeved shirt. His hair looked a little unkempt. Not like how she was used to seeing him. Normally his mid-length blondish-brown hair was neatly combed and in place. Deja actually found him more attractive now. He came running over to her and apologizing profusely.

"I'm so, so, so sorry, Deja," he repeated. "I don't know what happened. I guess I lost track of time and before I knew it I had fallen asleep. I hope you're not too upset with me."

He looked so adorable while apologizing. How could she not forgive this face?

"It's okay. I was actually running a little behind schedule myself so I guess we're even," she replied.

They approached the ticket window and Mort paid for the tickets. After buying a bucket of popcorn, Twizzlers and some soda they took a seat towards the back of the theater. Deja had never experienced the Rocky Horror Picture Show in a theater so she knew she would be in for a treat. She had heard about how the crowd gets involved and couldn't wait for it to begin.

After the movie ended, Mort walked Deja to her car.

"I can't believe you made me eat all that popcorn by myself!" Deja said.

"Well, you gotta have popcorn with a movie, but for some reason over the last 2 years or so I just haven't had a taste for corn of any kind," Mort replied. "You seemed to be enjoying it though."

"Well, it was good, but I'm gonna have to do 3 hours of pilates tomorrow just to work it off," she laughed.

"Ugh, a health nut, huh? Remind me not to let you get ahold of my fridge," he replied.

"That much junk food huh?" she asked.

"Yep."

They both began to laugh. Now the uncomfortable part of the evening came. Would he try to kiss her goodnight? Deja definitely wanted him to, but a part of her was still old fashioned and didn't believe in kissing on the first night.

Interrupting her thoughts, Mort said "Well, it's getting pretty late. I had a really nice time. Hope we can do this again some time."

"Definitely!" she replied a little too anxiously. "I mean, yeah that sounds good," trying to be a little cooler.

He then opened her car door for her and she slipped in. He leaned over and gave her a sweet kiss on her cheek and told her goodnight.

The entire way home she was in LaLa Land. Although she didn't envision their first date to be quite like this, she couldn't think of any way that it could've gone better. Deja went to bed that night with thoughts of Mort Rainey on her mind.