A third spoon. A college romance movie.

"Banana split." Gary told the ice cream parlor waitress. "Two spoons."

The waitress turned to Lil. "What'll you have?"

"How about you add a scoop and make it three spoons?" Lil said. "We can all share."

Bernie giggled loudly. Her golden complexion turned pink. "Okay," she said.

Gary looked at Bernie. Clearly he wasn't getting something. He shrugged, looked at Lil and nodded. "Okay," he told the waitress. It was Lil's day, really. If his sister wanted a bite of his banana and Bernie was okay with it, she should go right ahead... Oh. Gary's chin snapped up. Was THAT what Bernie was giggling about? His ears felt warm. He laughed nervously.

Lil was caught up and started giggling too. They kept breaking out into giggles even after the banana split arrived.

Three spoons dived for the cherry at the top of the whipped cream. Lil captured it. She held it for a second, with a gloating grin. Then she fed it to Bernie. Bernie bit down on the cherry, swallowed, then broke out into giggles again.

Things settled down for a bit as the three spooned up whipped cream, nuts, chocolate syrup and ice cream. But as soon as Bernie saw Gary take a bite of the banana, she lost it and started giggling again.

Gary felt his face flush red. Bernie must be thinking of him sucking his friend Peter's cock, like the day she caught them together in the back of the Super Surf Van. The story he'd just told Bernie's mom Joyce. Part of the confession he still needed to make to Bernie. And Bernie wanted to be there next time, not peeking in the window. He froze with a second bite of banana still on his spoon.

Lil giggled. She knew something must be up. She leaned forward, grabbed Gary's hand and ate the banana off his spoon.

"Teach you to daydream over your ice cream!" Lil said.

Gary laughed. "Yeah. Ice cream is serious stuff," he said. The tense spot in his shoulders eased up. At least Lil was having a good time, and that was what counted.

They managed to make it through the rest of the banana split with more dignity. Though Lil and Bernie fed each other ice cream and giggled. And Gary fed Bernie a few spoonfuls. Fortunately the napkins were ample for taking care of the syrup-smeared chins after they finished.

The movie Lil had chosen was "That Love Thing", a college romance comedy. It seemed to be one of those things where there were secret admirers, mistaken identity, misrouted notes, overheard conversations, that kind of thing. Frenzied hilarity ensues, but BFFs are BFFs forever, and there are sad goodbyes but happy matchups at the end. Its saving grace for Gary was that Billy Royce had done the soundtrack. Gary and Bernie liked Billy Royce and had had a memorable night when his concert tour came through town. Lil was a rabid fan, but she hadn't been able to go that time.

They got popcorn and drinks. Bernie got Jordan Almonds. Bernie and Gary sat in the back row, while Lil sat at the front row of the back section. Bernie squeezed Gary's knee.

"Lil having a good time?" Gary asked.

"A great time," Bernie said. "I was doing this as a favor, you know, but Lil and I actually get along pretty well. We both laugh at the same silly things they're trying to get women to wear. Well, mostly we laugh at the same things."

Gary laughed. "Mostly," he echoed.

Bernie was wearing denim short-alls and a T-shirt today and sandals on her feet, while Lil was wearing bright pink shorts and a white top with rainbow glitter and pink-and-white exercise shoes.

The lights went down for the previews.

Gary swallowed and cleared his throat. "Got your note," he said. "Your mom helped fill me in."

Bernie took his hand and squeezed it. "Good," she said. She took a deep, even breath.

"My answer is yes," Gary said. He felt a little dizzy. "Yes. You can be with me and Peter if it's okay with him. Yes, I'll tell you who else I've been with. Yes." He took a deep breath and slumped back in his seat.

Bernie put her arm around Gary's shoulder and hugged him. She sighed. "That's what I wanted to hear. What I needed to hear." She took a quick breath. "But I have a confession too. I was with someone else while we were together."

"That's okay," Gary said. "Just tell me and we'll figure it out."

Bernie laughed. "So who goes first? Or do we not want to spoil the movie?"

Gary laughed. The last several rows were empty. Apparently even the heat wave hadn't been enough to fill the theater. "What, for us? No, we can talk."

There was a pause.

"Me--" "Me--" They both started at once.

They laughed.

"Rock paper scissors?" Gary said.

"We ought to make up a naughty one," Bernie said. "Cock, cunt, tongue?"

"But what beats what?" Gary asked.

"Dunno," Bernie said. She laughed.

"Okay, who first?" Gary said.

They sat in the back of the darkened movie theater and looked at each other.