"Was Lil really flirting with you?"

Gary and Bernie hugged each other in the corridor by the bathrooms.

"Let's get back to Lil," Bernie told her boyfriend. "This is her trip."

"Yeah," Gary said. "And we've got dinner at your place." He looked up and to the side, remembering. "Huh."

"What?" Bernie asked.

Gary looked back at Bernie. "Back at the ice cream parlor, it looked Lil was flirting with you. I mean, like, way flirting," Gary said. "Was she just teasing, or does she really have a crush on you or something?"

Bernie's face went blank. "Some stuff happened in the lingerie shop," she said. "There was a cute clerk, and she was hitting on me when she did my measurements, and it kind of got Lil and me started. And in the bathroom later, well," Bernie swallowed. "I made out with your sister."

"Whoa," Gary said. He swallowed. "Like, seriously made out?"

Bernie nodded. "I jilled her off," she said.

"Wow," Gary said. "Pardon me while I pick up the pieces of my blown mind."

They looked in each other's eyes, almost expressionless. Their ears and cheeks were pink with embarrassment.

"Well, that's one way to get that dickhead Steve off her mind," Gary said.

Bernie and Gary giggled nervously at each other.

"I see why you didn't tell me when we were sitting behind her," Gary said. "Huh." He looked closely at Bernie. He let his shoulders fall. "You know, this is exactly the same kinda thing I used to walk into, and you know what?"

Bernie watched Gary's face closely as he spoke.

"I love you. I love Lil. Lil's looking happy. Sex is good. Let's have more of it. A-fucking-men."

Gary's face still looked confused, like he was going to break out in a frown or tears or something.

"You gonna be okay, Gary?" Bernie asked. "I mean, you know."

Gary took a breath. "Yeah," he said. His face seemed calmer. "It's like that song, you know, 'you laid it out for all to see'. It's okay. Just don't let my sister steal you."

"I won't, I never will," Bernie said. "You love me like nobody else ever did."

"Yeah. You care about me more than anyone ever did," Gary said. "And not just me."

They hugged each other tight. Bernie sniffled a bit, then Gary did too.

"Let's go up and sit next to Lil," Gary said.

They returned to the theater where "That Love Thing" was working towards its climax and sat down next to Lil in the front row of the rear section.