Friday Night Senegalese Memory

LOST boomed across the Forsythe computer screen like a cannonshot.  Holly groaned at the typical cliffhanger ending.  Ethan kept eating the piece of pizza he'd been working on for the last half hour.  I patted Melody on the head and disentangled myself from her.  No one watched me as I moved to the doorway, so I stretched my arms high over my head and yawned obnoxiously. 

"Man, I'm tired!"

Liz looked up at me quizzically.  I saw understanding flash across her face, and she burst into uproarious laughter.  Kim was not pleased to be in the dark.  "It's only nine o'clock.  You can't be tired."

"Yeah, but....things."  I hadn't thought about excuses.

Liz was already at the door, pulling the bright blue helmet onto her head.  "Sorry, Kim!" she called as she snapped the buckle under her chin.

Kim entered the foyer on the prowl.  "Why are you guys leaving so soon?"

"Well...okay, fine!  We want to watch Buffy!"  I never could lie to Kim.

"What!?  You're leaving our Friday Night Pizza to watch a TV show?"  She was hurt.  I should have lied.

"You don't understand.  It's Buffy.  We're getting to the really good seasons."

"Yeah, girl.  Let's go!"  Liz palmed her keys.

Kim changed tactics.  "Fine, then.  Go!"

Liz and I shared a grin.  "Okay!  See you Sunday!"  We bounded out the front door, giggling at our abrupt exit and at the future prospect of finishing season 6.  Once we were through the gate, Liz started the moto and turned it toward the road.  I adjusted my panja for maximum leg movement and straddled the seat behind her.  I waved to the Forsythe's guard as we zig-zagged through the sand.

Once we hit the road, I tipped my head back and let the night breeze cool my face.  I leaned toward Liz's helmeted ear and yelled, "Do you think we hurt her feelings?"

There was a pause.  "But...it's Buffy!"

I laughed.  "Yeah, it is."

A few minutes later, Liz stopped outside our gate.  I reached through the metal latticework and unlatched the door.  She drove through while I locked it back up.  Once we got through our doors and locked them as well, we both paused.

"Popcorn and M&Ms?"

"That is exactly what I was thinking!"

Liz ran to the kitchen, pulling off her panja as she went.  In shorts, she danced to the cupboard and pulled out the popcorn.  I changed into my pajamas and pulled Liz's computer into the middle of our coffee table.  By the time the popcorn was popped, salted, and candied, Buffy's theme song had played about twenty times.

We burrowed into the couch with the popcorn between us and watched all hell (nearly) break loose.  The power went out halfway through the second episode, but we lit the candle that we keep on the coffee table for popcorn-light.

When the season ended and the credits rolled, I looked over at Liz.  She was already staring at me.  "Soooo, should we start season 7?" she asked.

"YES!"