Chapter 136
The Movie Marathon
Sunday
Alexa and Luke both didn’t quite know what exactly happened, nor how they got to this point. But somehow both Alexa and Luke had been roped into a pack wide movie marathon in honor of Jim, their father. Mother was still on a plane, likely flying back through customs even as they spoke, there was nothing they could do. School had been cancelled for the week, granted it was only two and a half days more before Thanksgiving break would officially start so the two days of remembrance was nothing for the school. The viewing would be on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and the actual funeral would be on Sunday. This of course meant Alexa’s original plans of having her class awakened by Thanksgiving were null and void. Or they might be, Tuesdays trip to the hospital had been cancelled, which was probably for the best, all things considered. This meant that if Alexa wanted to, if she truly wanted to she could force her way through and pull off Stage IX and X of her trials on back to back sessions before Thursday, but all of those plans were to take a back seat to today. Everything else could stop for a moment, while Alexa and Luke both took a moment to rest and remember their father.
“How is it a movie marathon?” ‘Lecia found herself asking. They had once again taken up residence in the women’s lobby. Everything had still been set up from yesterday morning, so it only made sense to continue using the same set up for today.
“Apparently, Mr. Jim was a huge movie fan.” Kylie added.
Mr. Jim, that was as formal as anyone was allowed to get when speaking about their father. No Mr. Thyme, not Warder, just Jim, or if they wanted to show some respect for the former teacher and mentor, Mr. Jim.
“How is this a Christmas movie? I mean all we see is a sweaty Bruce Willis in an air ventilation shaft,” Lily asked.
“Just wait, you saw the message in the elevator, the one that read ‘Ho ho ho, now I have a machine gun.’” Luke protested.
“Didn’t Bruce Willis himself even say that this wasn’t a Christmas movie?” Lily asked.
“He’s right, everyone knows Die Hard II is the first true Christmas movie of the series.” Alexa said.
“Not this again.” Luke said, as he sighed and felt like he was about to enter into an argument that had happened so many times by now that the two twins were just going through the motions.
“It’s true. The first one is just a Christmas party, which was held at work and often happens days before the actual event. Die Hard II happens to fall on Christmas, officially making it a Christmas movie.” Alexa said, her tone making it so there was no argument that could be had.
“Fun fact, did you know that Die Hard II used the airport in Alpena Michigan for the filming of the final landing.” Fun Frank, or Luke’s roommate offered.
“Let me guess, you are from northern Michigan?” Gina asked, her powers of observation kicking in. She had to speak around the large Alexa, to even look at Frank, but it was clear that she was trying to understand what her powers were telling her.
Frank just paused for a second and with a slight sense of shock, just paused. Then after a moment he answered, “yeah originally, but then my parents obviously moved out here. But how did you know?”
At that Gina just smiled coyly and preened a little, “call it women’s intuition.”
“She’s been doing that a lot recently.” Julie added, coming over and offering a drink cup to Luke.
Alexa scanned the two, Julie and Gina, and noticed how the two kept giving each other glances from time to time. It was clear, at least it was clear to Alexa that the two had set this all up. In her mind, Alexa wondered how they remembered that her father was a huge movie nerd, but then remembered the time they both came to her house. The time they met her parents, the time when they even showed the photo album. Shaking her head, Alexa tried to focus, to be here, to enjoy this moment for what it was. This wouldn’t fix anything, but it was a fun way to remember their father. Even with only her rational mind in place, Alexa knew that this was well needed, not just for Luke, but for her pack as well. It was clear that Jim’s loss had a profound impact on everyone here, even though they all tried to hide it. Well not hide it, but to deal with it as much as possible. It was clear some of the girls would have to leave and then come back after some time, the red eyes, and puffy cheeks clear signs that they had been crying, but they made sure to do so away from her and Luke.
It was nice.
Finally, after the first two movies were over there was a question that was asked. “So do we continue the Christmas marathon, or do we go with a new movie?” Julie said, holding up a case for Die Hard III, or pointing to an ensemble of other movies.
The question was clearly posed to Luke, but he looked at Alexa and asked, “what about the Princess Bride?”
“No, that is most definitely for the end.” Julie said.
“We need to save the best for last.” Gina added.
“Fine.” Luke said, somewhat defeated. “I don’t know, you choose.” Luke said, turning first to Alexa, only for Alexa to shake her head. Then turning, Luke looked to Frank, “fine Frank, you have seen the collection. You choose.”
The collection that Luke spoke about was the stack of movies that were still in the cases, yes very uneconomical for a male dorm, but Jim had been insistent that they have the cases to remind them of what they had.
“I don’t know, there are just so many.” Frank said, as he got up and began going through the pile that had been taken from Luke’s side of the room. “Why do you have the cases anyways? Why not just stream them?”
At that Luke and Alexa both just let out synchronized sigh and shook their heads in an odd display of twin unification. Seeing the act, everyone paused for a moment, though Luke and Alexa both seemed to have missed the joined act and the subsequent reaction of everyone else.
“It was a dad thing. He wanted work to be done on the computer, and play.” Luke began, and grabbed the movie case with his hand when he emphasized the word play, “to be a separate action.”
“Compartmentalizing actions.” Alexa said.
“Yes, that, or some other word he would seemingly make up out of nowhere.” Luke added, while pointing to his sister.
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“Oh.” Was all Frank said, as he didn’t quite know how to react to the two twins seemingly getting along so well now. Then not wanting to distract any further, he looked through the stack of videos, and then found one. “How about this one.”
“Oh, Man on Fire, that is a great movie.” Angelica said, grabbing the video from the underclassman and all but running to the projector. What she and Frank both failed to notice was the nearly synchronized wince that Luke and Alexa both let out. While Alexa’s was small and likely would have been missed entirely, if not for the fact that her brother who had been sitting next to her had the same but more exaggerated response to the movie.
“Wait,” Gina said, holding up a hand to stop the fellow Junior.
At that, everyone turned to see that Luke still had a bit of wince on his face, while Alexa had mostly recovered her emotions.
“What is it? Did he not like this movie?” Julie asked, a hesitant note in her voice as she continued. “I mean, it was in the collection.”
“It’s not that.” Luke responded, though he was still wincing.
“It was angry dad movie.” Alexa said.
“Angry dad?” Gina asked, trying to ever imagine Jim Thyme getting angry.
“He wasn’t angry, he would just get a little clingy.” Luke responded.
“He broke the couch, twice, while watching it.” Alexa said.
“That was only when you watched it with him.” Luke said defensively.
“He would also hold me tight and cry into my hair, telling me, he wouldn’t ‘let her take me again.’” Alexa said, her deadpan voice doing wonders for explaining her own personal memories of watching this movie with her father.
At that Gina and Julie both had a look of recognition cross their eyes, as they both knew the premise of the story, of how a young girl befriends an old operative, and then is kidnapped, and how that one operative did everything they could to bring the girl back. Realizing that and the parallels to Alexa’s own life, it was not too hard to imagine how an overprotective father would draw ties to the small girl and a small Alexa.
“Yeah, probably for the best we skip that one.” Gina said, reading the room and realizing that while it was a great movie, it might change the outcome of what today was supposed to accomplish. Gina jumping up, reached out and waved her hand over the stacks of movies. As she moved her hand, her mind instantly analyzed different percentages. For a moment her hand touched Big Fish, but then she quickly moved her hand back as while it was a fantastic movie, it was not the movie to show now. Moving on, she had her hand stop on a movie she had never seen before, “The Prophecy? Is this any good?”
At that both Alexa and Luke gave yet another synchronized reaction, if only for a second as they both looked at Gina with confusion and incredulity.
“You have never seen the Prophecy?” Alexa asked.
“With Christopher Walken?” Luke added.
Gina wanted to go ahead and put in the movie, but then decided to wait, as she felt there was something more to the way the two twins seemed to be bonding on a deeper level. Realizing this, she felt one more question would be warranted. “Is it good?”
With that she got a reaction from both, as they almost both seemed to jump in incredulity. Of the two though, only Luke spoke, “yes, it is freaking fantastic.”
Hearing that, Gina just let out a sigh, and said, “okay, if you say so.”
Then with that the third movie started.
Seeing the reaction, Gina gave a quick nod to Julie. Julie of course nodded back. The two had joined forces for today, to make sure both Luke and Alexa knew that people were here for them.
Seeing the movie, there was a silence for a bit as the story began to play out, then at the right time Julie asked the obvious question.
“Oh wait, isn’t that Aragorn?”
“Yes, before he was Aragorn.” Luke added.
Alexa of course had more that she could say but had spent the last few minutes watching for subtle cues between Julie and Gina. While they were never enemies, they seemed to have come together in a way that was unexpected. One time, when Alexa had been staring at Gina for a particularly long time, Gina acted. Smiling coyly she shimmied for a second and spoke with an evil smile, “what? Like what you see?”
Alexa opened her mouth to respond, but then quickly closed her mouth as she didn’t quite know how to answer. “I, uh..” Alexa began.
With that Gina leaned forward so that she was almost staring eye to eye with Alexa, of course most of this was because Gina was slightly standing in her seat, while Alexa had been hunched over, but the effect was the same. They were almost eye to eye, and that is when Gina smiled brightly, “there you are. I thought I lost you.”
“Wait, what?” Alexa said, as she felt a slight surge of heat coming to her face. Then in a moment of panic Alexa looked like she was about to back down, but Gina stopped her with a finger, one that she gently tapped against Alexa’s lips.
“No.”
“No?” Alexa responded, before Gina’s finger was firmly planted on Alexa’s lips.
“No. You don’t get to doubt yourself. Not today. Not while I’m here.” Gina said as she locked eyes with Alexa. There was a moment that passed between the two, before Alexa finally let out a long sigh and relaxed. Only once she relaxed did Gina remove her finger from Alexa’s lips and let herself also relax. There was a slight awkward moment, before Gina squirmed her arm under Alexa’s and then snuggled up next to her. The whole thing happened so quickly that Alexa barely had time to react before she knew what was happening. At first it looked like Alexa might complain, but then eventually just relaxed and accepted Gina’s overly personal antics. She didn’t mind, especially as Alexa could tell that they were working, if only slightly.
***
The movie marathon had been going on for a number of hours. Multiple times during the intermissions, or during particularly long scenes, Alexa would use her magic to Create food for the pack. Of course, Alexa still only had grandma’s chicken, and chocolate down, while everything else was either brought in from different dorms, or Alecia and a few others would go out on periodic food runs.
By now they were onto the Prophecy 3, where an older Christopher Walken was playing the trumpet one handed while driving with the other.
“This is the best of the three.” Alexa said.
“No way, two was much better.” Luke said.
“No, in this one we get to Gabriel get redeemed.”
“Spoiler. Gods, Alexa. You can’t just say that mid movie.” Luke chided, though it was clear that most either looked up the ending already, or had asked enough questions of the two to figure out what would happen.
Everything was going well, or at least as well as could be expected. Which was why they were surprised by an unexpected guest.
Ding.
Hearing the bell to the dorm, everyone paused.
Gina, who was already up getting drinks, was the first to go over and answer the door. Standing there in a nice silky black dress, and large black sunglasses was Alexa’s mom, well Alexa and Luke’s but seeing Judy now, it was clear to Gina what Alexa would look like when she was older. Maybe Alexa would be a slightly taller version of this, but there was nothing wrong with a taller woman, that was her first impression. Then there were a few tell tale marks, the puffy cheeks, the tear stains on her otherwise perfect skin. The way she almost seemed to tremble. Seeing her, Gina did what came naturally to her, she reached out and hugged the stoic woman tightly.
Within seconds, Judy felt her resolve crumble, as she let her façade crack if only for a moment. Gina held her, using her body to try to shield others from seeing her.
“Sorry, I just came to see what you all were doing.” Judy asked, “I wanted to see…” Judy began, but then was instantly hugged by Luke and Alexa both, and this time she completely lost control of her emotions.
“Sorry, what are you doing?” Judy asked.
“We are having a commemorative wake for Jim.” Gina began, answering for the twins.
“That’s right, we have been having a movie marathon in his honor.” Julie added, then holding out a plate of chicken, Judy looked like she was about to decline, but then saw the meat.
“Is that?” Judy asked.
Alexa nodded, while Luke answered. “Grandma’s secret recipe. Apparently, Alexa knew it all along.”
“What? You did?” Judy asked, turning to Alexa and then the plate. Gingerly her trembling hands reached out for the plastic plate. Seeing the way her hands were shaking, Gina reached out and grasped them for a moment, then once Judy turned to look at her, Gina smiled brightly.
“Relax, and join us.” Gina said.
“I, I couldn’t…”
“Nonsense. We have been waiting for you.” Luke began. “Besides, we have your movie up next.”
“My movie? Which one is that? Don’t tell me I have to watch Die Hard again?”
“No, we already watched that one. No, we have Breakfast At Tiffany’s up next just for you.” Gina added.
At that Judy looked torn between not wanting to be a bother, and wanting to be with people, even if they were younger. In the end, she decided to stay. A quick change in seating was made as an extra seat was added in between Luka and Alexa both, for her to sit.
Only once everyone had settled down did Judy ask her daughter a question that had been on her mind since she entered. Taking a bite of the chicken her thoughts were confirmed, forcing her to ask.
“I thought you said you didn’t know the recipe?”
Alexa shook her head. “You asked if I could make it, and I promised Nana I wouldn’t make it for you.”
At that Judy let out a long sigh, “that woman, hated me even in death.”
Alexa shook her head, “she didn’t hate you. She just thought you were too stubborn for your own good.”
Having overhead everything, Gina burst out laughing.
“What?” Judy asked, as both she and Alexa turned their full attention to Gina.
“Oh, I can just imagine her now. She must have been just like the two of you.” Gina said.
There was a momentary pause as Alexa and Judy stared at each other for a moment, then turned back to Gina. “What?”
Seeing her Judy and Alexa both shook their heads in disagreement at the exact same time, which prompted yet another round of giggling from the energetic girl. Seeing that there was nothing they could do but move one, Judy finally asked, “so why did you make it now?” Judy said, holding up the chicken leg.
Hearing the question, Alexa shook her head, “I didn’t make it, I Created it.”
Judy just stared at her for a moment, as if trying to interpret what her daughter meant by this.
“You might as well show her.” Gina prodded.
With that, Alexa held out her hand and first created a metal cooking tray, that she then covered with piece after piece of delicious chicken.
Judy watched in awe, at her daughter who was able to create food out of thin air.
“Food!” Gina yelled.
“On it.” Kylie said, as she raced over to grab the tray so it could be taken and heated up. The wolf pack was more than happy to continue eating away.
“Oh, wow.” Judy said, pausing for a moment. “I never thought my little girl would be the life of a party.”
Alexa just stared at her mother not quite knowing how to take that comment.
“Well, we are glad to have her.” Gina said, once again hugging Alexa’s arm tightly.
Seeing Gina’s antics brought a smile to Judy’s face. “Well then, let’s watch some Audrey Hepburn.” Judy said, and with that, the night went on, and the pack grew that much closer together, as they all came together to shoulder the grief of what they had all lost in some way.