janaurie robinson
- february 10, 2018 -

O̶N̶C̶E̶ ̶U̶P̶O̶N̶ ̶A̶ ̶T̶I̶M̶E̶

I̶N̶ ̶A̶ ̶G̶A̶L̶A̶X̶Y̶ ̶F̶A̶R̶ ̶F̶A̶R̶ ̶A̶W̶A̶Y̶

T̶H̶E̶ ̶F̶I̶N̶A̶L̶ ̶F̶R̶O̶N̶T̶I̶E̶R̶

A̶L̶L̶ ̶T̶O̶W̶N̶S̶ ̶H̶A̶V̶E̶ ̶S̶T̶O̶R̶I̶E̶S̶ ̶T̶O̶M̶B̶S̶T̶O̶N̶E̶ ̶H̶A̶S̶ ̶A̶ ̶L̶E̶G̶E̶N̶D̶

ALL GREAT MOVIES HAVE GREAT BEGINNINGS. Take for example, Saving Private Ryan released in 1998. The film opens to the American Flag waving in the wind with emotional music in the background to set the correct, mournful mood. We see a family walking down a path in a graveyard with an elderly man front and center; speeding ahead of the group. He moves through the headstones. He begins to cry and the family rushes to his side as he crumbles to the ground.

A few more shots of the cross-shaped headstones before the camera zooms in on the elderly man. He has this far-away look in his eyes. Thinking of the time that's gone by. Then it fades to black and the next thing you know, you're on the beach; June 6, 1944.

Although Saving Private Ryan is arguably one of the best films to be released in 1998, it also came out in the year of Disney's Mulan and You've Got Mail which also starred the talented Tom Hanks. Few movies capture chemistry like Meg Ryan's Kathleen Kelly and Tom Hanks' Joe Fox. Except, maybe, when they starred opposite each other in Sleepless in Seattle which came out only five years earlier in 1993.

Just once, I'd like my life to be somehow like that. And, I know a lot of people say they'd like their lives to be like a movie; usually in reference to some iconic 80's film like Dirty Dancing or Can't Buy Love. But, at this point I'd settle for anything. Preferably one with a complicated storyline and character growth like Gone With The Wind or The Game.

Yes, I know The Game is a suspense thriller, but that's just kind of where I'm at in my life right now. Anything would be better than the same old, same old routine I'm going through at the moment. That gut-wrenching feeling that I'm wasting my already numbered days. I think Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame said it best with;

"Life's not a spectator sport. If watchin' is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without ya".

My leg bounced uncontrollably, shaking the entire wooden bench. The young girl on the other end probably wished she'd picked a different one to sit on now, but it would have probably seemed rude if she got up. Which was a real shame because had someone else been doing it to me, it'd be driving me up the walls.

She looked like she was in the midst of her high school career with that youthful look of hers; all that porcelain like skin. It boggled my mind that we were even sitting on the same bench at all. There I was, fresh off my twenty-second birthday and sitting next to a girl that looked like a younger version of Ruby Rose.

I'd been inside Kensington theatre more times than I'd care to admit to anyone. But that's what happened when your brother was your best friend and you've been watching movies before you knew what the word movie even meant.

My father was a film buff. He had bookshelves that lined the living room full of VHS tapes and then DVDs when those came out. Oh, it was beautiful. Arranged not only alphabetically, but also by genre.

You could say that the Robinson family was in love with the entertainment business; everything from movies to books, to music. We consumed it all. And then when dad passed away some of us, like yours truly, started to obsess over movies like he had. I watched almost every new film that came out, when it came out.

However, when I came in to get my job application, everything was different. It was as if I was seeing it all again for the first time. How the lobby managed to transport you back in time with wooden signs hanging on the walls that said things like, 'tickets sold here' and 'snack bar'. Their movie posters had light bulbs lining the frames and a strip of red traveled from the door to the snack bar; your own, personal red carpet to walk. It was like walking around in Hollywood sometime in the 1960's.

But now the whole thing made me want to throw up. To go back home with my tail tucked between my legs. The lights were too bright and it was far too loud. I promised Josiah that I'd give this some kind of a chance. With as much complaining I'd been doing about mom and Joshua; he was practically begging me to start looking for a job away from the bookstore.

But my leg wouldn't hold still and my stomach apparently took up gymnastics in its spare time. Plus, they could always decide not to hire me. The only problem then was that I'd be put in this situation all over again.

A woman in a baby blue button-up occupied herself behind the counter by refilling cups and popcorn tubs. Her name was Willow. She was my favorite employee to get when I came to watch anything. She always had a smile on her face and there was no one better to geek out with. She watched all the movies before they were released to the public to make sure they're working properly.

Talk about living the dream.

I wanted nothing more than to move back there with all of them and get lost in what looked like organized chaos. Everyone behind the counter chatted and joked around as they worked. Occasionally, they would look up and stare across the lobby at us before whispering to one another. My cheeks kept burning when they did that and I'd have to look at the ground.

I needed this job... Scratch that, I didn't need this job, but I really wanted it. I hated to say it, but probably more than the girl sitting next to me ever would. I'd dreamed of working there for almost my entire life. It was on my list.

I'm sure it sounds sad now. Wanting to work at a movie theatre your entire life, but when you grew up with a world built up of movies the way I had, it was inevitable. I'd been too afraid to apply before... Actually, I'd been too afraid to apply anywhere in Kensington until now.

Wringing my hands together, I took in deep breaths and let them out slowly; just like my brother taught me. I would have tried anything to calm my nerves at that point. They were making my brain go all fuzzy. My head snapped up when the sound of a ringing phone filled the space. I automatically reached for my back pocket even though I knew my phone was on silent.

Behind the counter, Willow shushed everyone and picked up the wall phone with a bright smile. I paused for a moment before shaking my head and turning to the girl next to me. From what I could see peeking out from underneath her grey beanie, her hair was chopped into some sort of messy pixie.

Everything about the girl seemed muted; from her clothes to her blank expression. She simply stared forward as if she couldn't care less whether she was sitting here or sitting on a train headed anywhere else.

She didn't come off as the friendliest person in the world, but did that stop me from opening my big mouth? Absolutely not. I was in shock. What else was a girl to do? I had no one else here to witness this with me, "They have a phone here?"

For some reason my brain couldn't quite process the idea that a place like this would have a phone at all. Maybe it was the nerves. We were in the age of technology after all. I don't know why I was so surprised. Even the shop had a telephone.

The girl next to me chuckled lightly to herself. I hoped it was simply because she didn't want to embarrass me in front of everyone, but in all honesty, I was already doing a pretty bang-up job of that all on my own. No help needed there.

"Of course, they have a phone here." She really laughed then. After her words soaked in the air a moment, "Where do you get the times of the movies?"

I glanced up at a man walking by. He had to be in his mid-twenties, maybe early thirties. His blonde hair was cut short and he had these dimples on either side of his mouth. They were just big enough for you to notice. He laughed to himself and shook his head.

After he passed, he looked over his shoulder, the world's tiniest smile stuck to his mouth. My face instantly flushed. I couldn't help but start laughing at myself. Because if you can't laugh at yourself, who could you laugh at?

"You're right," I pushed up my glasses, "I always call to get the showtimes."

"Honestly," the girl smiled and although her teeth were crooked, her entire face lit up. I couldn't understand how someone with a smile like that wasn't grinning constantly, "I wasn't having the best day and you just made it so much better."

I smiled and tipped a metaphorical hat, "Glad to be at your service."

"Januarie?"

Jumping up at the sound of my name, I grabbed the strap of my purse for dear life. I wobbled on my feet and somehow felt like a robot all at the same time. People wondered why I never applied for a job before. My hands shook like crazy when I moved towards the man.

You'd think with my family and its history with business, I'd be a pro at this whole interviewing and job thing. The truth was, I'd only ever worked for my mom up to this point. Thanks to her, I could probably tell you the biggest selling authors of the last few decades and make one killer cup of coffee, but I didn't see how that was going to help me in the situation at hand.

He smiled and stuck out his hand, "Lucas."

I smiled, looked him in the eye, and shook his hand with a firm grip; the same way my mom taught me, "Januarie."

He had a round, clean shaven face, and teeth that weren't exactly straight. A well-worn, button-up, clung to his shoulders and a black tie hung loose around his neck.

When my eyes actually focused on his face for longer than a split second, I froze. It was that smile, with those dimples. Instantly, my face went warm and I dropped his hand. I moved my hair from my face and wiped the palm of my hand against my pants. Was it possible to turn to stone and be struck by lightning all at once?

I wanted to seem confident, but all I could think about was how the man about to interview me for a job was the same one to overhear me be a complete idiot only moments earlier.

"Januarie, that's an interesting name." His shoulders relaxed when I laughed, but how could I not? It was a strange name after all. Most people thought it was and I couldn't help but agree with them. Hated it since I was a kid. Twenty-two years later and nothing changed.

"Well, my dad wasn't the most creative person in the world and it was pretty much the only one my mom didn't absolutely despise," I said, following him into the back.

He glanced over his shoulder, "Don't tell me you were born in January?"

I laughed, red curls moving all around my face, "Close. I was born in June, but they did find out about me in January. So, there is that."

He looked down, his lips twitching up; barely allowing himself to smile this time as someone passed by. I wondered why. If he wanted to smile, he should be able to without hiding it. His face seemed too young, but there was something in the back of his hazel eyes that told a different story. I'd seen that look before in Joshua.

They were the kind of eyes you couldn't hide. The kind that had known of something tragic.

Stepping aside, he let me walk into the office first. There seemed to be just enough space for two desks on opposite walls from each other and one rolling chair. Somehow, they managed to squeeze in two other chairs.

An older gentleman sat opposite the door. He had a head full of white hair, a slim frame, and the kindest eyes I think I'd ever seen. He wore all black, except for a silver tie clip and not a single wrinkle in his clothes.

When I walked in, he looked up and automatically smiled. I had a feeling he did that a lot, but his smile was so warm and inviting that it made me want to smile too. He stood and offered me his hand. I didn't even hesitate in taking it and he shook my hand as if we'd been friends for years, "George."

"Januarie."

His brows knitted together, "As in the month?"

"Exactly like that month, just spelled differently," I settled in the foldable chair. It was cold and hard to get comfortable in, but I was determined to make it work.

Lucas sat catty corner from me. If I had thought the space was small before. I was wrong. With the door shut it felt like we were all trying to fit inside a cardboard box with not much luck. This must be what it was like to be a sardine.

Crossing one leg over the other, Lucas grabbed a clipboard from the desk next to him, "To start off, you are aware that we're open all year around and that includes holidays."

"Yes." I nodded and laughed, "It actually gives me an excuse to be a little anti-social with my family which I kind of love."

"And you're willing to work the upcoming Valentine's Day?"

"Yes, of course."

Lucas shifted in his chair, "You're sure you can work Valentine's Day?" He looked up for the clipboard and waited.

I glanced at George for help, but that seemed to be out of the question currently. Was this their normal interviewing tactic? Or was there something I was missing, "Well yeah. Valentine's Day is usually only celebrated by happy couples, which I'm not."

Lucas raised a brow in my direction. My eyes grew wide when my brain finally caught up with my mouth, "A couple, I mean," I added quickly as if that was going to help my case in any way, "I'm happy, just not in a couple; a pair, a duo. I'm single, so Valentine's Day doesn't really mean that much to me."

I stopped myself and took in a deep breath, trying to calm the zoo going rampant in my chest, "What I'm trying to say is that I'd be more than willing to work Valentine's Day. Is it particularly busy?"

The pair glanced at each other before laughing and all I could do was look at them. Folding his hands neatly on his lap, George spoke, "Let me ask you this, when you think of the traditional date idea, what comes to mind?"

"Oh. Well, I guess, that would have to be dinner and—" I stopped and laughed, how could I not see that, "And a movie."

Lucas nodded and glanced at me for only a moment, "Exactly, it's one of the busiest days of the year for us. Although I'm thinking we'll get more groups of women this year with the last Fifty Shades movie releasing on that particular day."

I pulled my legs underneath me to sit cross-legged and leaned forward. My sisters Jessica and Jordyn couldn't get enough of the books when they came out. The one thing they actually had in common with my best friend, Victoria. They usually butted heads on everything imaginable, that is except dragging me to watch the first two Fifty Shades movies and gushing over the elusive Christian Grey.

A large smile spread across my face, "I could see how that would bring in groups of women. The shop sold out of each book at least twice when they were released."

Lucas fought back a smile with a clear of his throat and quickly turned his attention back to the clipboard, "It says here, you had a previous job at Corner Store Books on Main Street. Your resume states you worked there for six years before leaving for college. What is it that made you stay for so long?"

At that point, there was nothing that could have spared the two men from what I was about to say, "The people. The atmosphere. It was extremely family oriented."

I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from laughing. I'd say working for my mom and brother definitely counted as family oriented. The only thing that would have made it any better was if Jordyn and Josie were still there, but they were smart enough to get out much sooner and find jobs elsewhere in town.

Corner Store Books was kind of like a rite of passage for any Robinson kid; a starting point to jump off into the world of business.

I'd never felt so completely at ease in the company of strangers before. Normally, it consisted of sweaty hands and uncontrollable word vomit about movie statistics and trivia which most people didn't necessarily appreciate. It was like I'd known these two my entire life and we were just getting reacquainted. As if we didn't have at least a decade of an age difference between each of us.

We spoke more about hours and schedules, but most importantly we talked about our favorite movies; George's being The Bodyguard released in 1992 and Lucas' being Fatal Attraction released in 1987. I knew then that I could work with the two of them for a very long time.

"I get it now," I laughed. The two men look at me with confused expressions, "Your names are Lucas and George and you work at a movie house. It's funny."

Lucas looked away and George shook his head, "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't follow."

I laughed before actually looking at them with my brows knitted together. He wasn't kidding. Lucas hid his lips behind his hands, but a dimple still formed in his cheek. George just stared at me, waiting for me to continue which I did, "You know, George Lucas; Star Wars."

Lucas ran his hand down his face. Whatever amusement had been there a second ago was now long gone and replaced with complete professionalism, "We've gone over everything on our part. Do you have any questions for us?"

Only one question came to mind, 'when can I start?'.

I shook my head, "Not that I can think of at the moment."

"Well, thank you for coming in," George spoke.

I stood up and shook both their hands again, "Thank you for the opportunity." Grabbing the handle, I stopped and thought of my mom before turning to look back at them, "Open or closed?"

Looking up from the clipboard, Lucas sent me a smile, but this was stiff. It was awkward, "Closed, thank you."

I nodded and slipped out the office door; making sure it shut securely behind me. Letting out a sigh, I couldn't help the grin from forming on my lips. I wanted this; now more than ever.

Holding onto the strap of my purse, I moved back into the lobby. It didn't seem as intimidating now. I felt practically at home and the smell of fresh popcorn made my mouth water. I had to convince myself not to stop and buy a bucket. My eyes roamed the space and found the girl on the bench. I immediately made a beeline for her.

"Hey," I said and she looked up a little startled, "I just wanted to say good luck and I hope you have a great interview."

A smile spread across her face, "Thank you."

Nodding, I left the building through the enormous double glass doors. I grabbed my phone from my back pocket and hesitated. In my hesitation, the phone started to ring. My heart leaped into my throat, but quickly faded when Josiah's name didn't scroll across the screen. Just a number I didn't recognize.

My lips turned down for only a moment before I forced them back into a smile. I heard once that if you smile before answering the phone, the caller can actually tell. Ever since I found that, I've never answered the phone without a smile first, "You've reached Januarie."

"Januarie, it's Lucas from the," he paused, the smallest chuckle coming through the phone, "movie house." About to step over the curb, I stopped in my tacks and turned around. I scanned the lobby, finding the blonde man standing at the end of the snack bar with a phone pressed to his ear.

If my life ever had one of those crazy movie moments it would have been this one. Both of us standing there, looking through the glass windows at each other. I felt like an idiot frozen in place like that, but there was just something I couldn't put my finger on. Something mesmerizing. It was like that moment in Moulin Rouge when Ewan McGregor's Christian sees Nicole Kidman's Satine for the very first time and he just stares at her for a moment before coming back to reality.

The smile I had grew, "How can I help you, Lucas?"

"We'd like to offer you a position. Are you free to fill out paperwork tomorrow? You'll need your I.D. and social security card."

"Yes, of course. Just name the time."

He turned away from me, "Does noon work for you?"

"Perfect," I cleared my throat, "it's perfect."

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow at noon then." I don't know if he could feel the light radiating from me, but I felt like the damn sun. Better put on some sunglasses because I was about to blind some people with how good I felt.

"Tomorrow." I confirmed with a nod of my head, "Have a great day."

Turning back to the window, he glanced at the floor and I watched his lips turn up, "Yeah, thank you. You too."

Hanging up the phone, I twisted around and jumped, throwing my fists in the air. I felt like Rocky when he ran up all those steps. At that moment, I could do anything in the world if I really wanted to. With my phone in hand, I pulled myself into the driver's side of the white Jeep I inherited from my brother Jacob, who got it from dad.

It had a peeling Star Wars jedi sticker in the back window and an Iron Man decal on the hood. My hand rested on the gear shift out of habit and I scrolled through my contacts until I found the person I was looking for. My partner in crime.

And...Voicemail.

"Josiah here, sorry I missed you. If you leave a message, I'll trying to get back to you, but you'll have better luck in just calling again later." That dreaded beep screeched in my ear. Honestly, I had better luck getting Joshua and Jacob to agree on something then I did getting Josiah to answer the phone lately.

"Dodging my calls again, I see." I laughed, but it held little weight to it, "Can't run away from me forever. You see, I have a very specific set of skills and I will find you." Pausing, I let my smile waver. It wasn't the same talking to his machine as it was talking to him.

"I just wanted to call. Tell you, I got it. I got the job. It was easy as pie. Just thought you should know, your sister. She's a miracle worker. Call me back. I miss you."