Chapter 12

The cast members responsible for keeping Lynda on board (namely Spike, Sarah and Kenny) were suddenly finding their role a lot easier thanks to the undeniably attractive understudy, Stacey Smithson. Lynda was determined not to miss a single second of rehearsal and kept an eagle eye on Spike, lest he slip off for some extra-curricular "practice"!

Spike characteristically decided to use this to his advantage and strolled over to the editor's desk. Instead of perching on it or leaning into her space, he waited deferentially yet closely nearby, waiting for her to acknowledge his presence. Being Lynda, she naturally reviewed the document she was working on twice, added some punctuation, crossed things out, re-wrote them and signed her name unnecessarily at the end before looking up.

"Lynda. Are you free tonight?"

"No, I charge," retorted Lynda. "Spike, for possibly the nine hundredth and ninety-ninth time, I'm not going out with you! Why do you persist in asking?"

"I'm waiting to see what happens when I hit 1000," replied Spike. "Maybe it will be like Disneyland, and you'll let me in free." Lynda glared. "I didn't mean it like that!" he added hastily. "And I'm not asking you out either, strictly speaking. I wondered if you were free for a bit of rehearsal."

"Oh," said Lynda, surprised. "Am I, Kenny?"

"Yes," replied Kenny, not looking up from his work.

"Great. I'll pick you up at 7," said Spike and beat a hasty retreat.

"Pick me up?" Lynda asked to his back. "Spike, this had better not be a date!"

"See you at 7! Dress . . . co-ordinated!" he called from the double doors and departed.

"What is he up to?" demanded Lynda of Kenny.

"No idea!" replied Kenny and bent his head back down to his work to hide his grin. You had to hand it to Spike for sheer determination and inventiveness!

That evening, as promised, Spike entered the garden gate of the Day house at promptly 7pm and was surprised to find Lynda waiting in the garden.

"So eager you couldn't wait for me to ring the doorbell?" he asked.

"No, I just didn't want you to think you were 'picking me up'," replied Lynda, pushing past him out of the gate. "Come on!"

"Where are we going?" asked Spike cheerfully.

"I don't know. This was your idea!" replied Lynda.

"That's right, it was. I almost forgot," said Spike. "We're going to rehearse together."

"So this wasn't just a lame excuse to get me to go out with you?" Lynda asked, confused.

"How could you think that?" Spike adopted an injured look.

"How could I not?" countered Lynda.

"I notice you're coming anyway," remarked Spike cheekily. Lynda gaped and made to turn back through the gate. Spike caught her arm. "Only joking, Lynda. I promise you, this evening is strictly play-related. Come on."

They walked down to the Norbridge High Street. Spike stopped in front of the Astor Cinema.

"Here we are," he said.

"I knew it!" Lynda fumed. "That's it! I'm going home!"

"Relax, Lynda!" Spike turned to the bored girl in the ticket booth. "Two for Romeo and Juliet, please."

Lynda gaped again.

"I love this cinema," said Spike, handing her a ticket. "Shows some great old movies. This is the 1936 version. It's got Leslie Howard and John Barrymore in it."

"You watch old films?" Lynda couldn't hide her astonishment.

"Sure. I like all the classics. Police Academy, Rocky, Rambo," Spike ushered her into the theatre. "Popcorn?"

"No. Er, yes. Thank you," Lynda was too astounded to even think straight.

"Don't worry," grinned Spike. "I'll get us a box each. I don't fancy accidentally brushing your hand and ending up with the entire box on my head!"

They took their seats inside the darkened cinema and the movie soon began. Lynda watched Spike from the corner of her eye. He seemed to be studying the film quite intently and occasionally even mouthed the lines along with the actors. She had to hand it to him, this was a terrific idea. And most importantly, he wasn't trying to wind her up.

When the movie ended and the lights came up, Spike couldn't resist doing the cliched yawn, stretch and arm behind Lynda's seat.

"Bit late now, Spike," she teased as she stood up.

"Well, I was thinking of staying here like this until the next session," Spike replied. "See if I can't do better!"

Unfortunately for Spike, he didn't fulfill his wish to escape the evening without a popcorn box overturned on his head. Unfortunately for Lynda, the box was empty!