Chapter 9

Manrick

He couldn't remember the last time he had actually gone to a movie theater. The pull of the dark room, the big screen, and buttery movie popcorn had made him say yes. Well, the movie itself sounded good, too. Claudia had said it scared her elderly neighbor, and Manrick figured that woman had been around the earth long enough nothing should scare her.

He hadn't agreed to meet Claudia at the movie for a date. Not that she had phrased it that way. Still, Manrick was relieved when he approached the marquis sign and noticed her standing there in plain blue jeans and a white t-shirt. Never mind that she looked natural and attractive dressed that way. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail; she wore no makeup, other than the glamour for being around humans.

He, too, had dressed in denim, though he was wearing a collared shirt. Not to impress Claudia, but because he didn't own any t-shirts. Archer had all sorts of band and concert t-shirts, but Manrick would rather die than ask to borrow one from his master. Borrowing a t-shirt would lead to questions. About Claudia. Which would lead to questions about the app and if he had any swipes. He had, but no, he didn't want to discuss it with Archer.

He might have swiped right on a few profile pictures, but he didn't want to discuss that, either.

Inside the theater, he and Claudia paid for their own tickets and snacks. He got the biggest tub of popcorn they had and a large diet Cola. He wasn't watching his figure, simply preferred the taste of diet to regular. Claudia, on the other hand, raided the candy counter like a human child might. Manrick watched her stash her licorice and chocolates in her purse as they headed into the darkened viewing room.

"This okay?" She nodded at a row near the back. The last time Manrick had gone to a movie, he sat too close to the screen, and he'd had to go to the chiropractor for his neck.

"Yep."

Claudia dropped into the third seat in the row; Manrick took the seat next to her. On the occasions he had seen movies with ghouls of the same sex, when he was much, much younger, they had all skipped seats between them. They hadn't wanted to give the girl ghouls the wrong idea. Manrick wasn't here as Claudia's date, but he wasn't looking for a date, either, so he didn't give a damn what anyone might think.

"You like baseball?" she asked him as she dug through her purse and selected the licorice.

"Eh." He nodded his head back and forth and shrugged.

"Not a sports guy, huh?"

"I like bowling," he told her.

"Bowling."

"Yeah." He nodded. "Used to bowl in a league. Good times."

"Yeah?" She smirked. "Ever have to buy in the beer frame?"

Manrick laughed and shoveled a handful of popcorn into his mouth. He nodded as he chewed.

"Of course."

"I could never pick up a seven ten split," she mumbled.

"You bowl?"

"Been a while." She chomped a bite of the licorice.

"You know Archer, right? My boss?" He couldn't bring himself to say master. Even if Claudia knew damned well Archer was his master, it felt emasculating to say it out loud.

"Yeah. Know of him."

"He's into horse racing."

"Like he owns a horse, or he likes to bet?"

"Loves to bet," Manrick explained. "He's looked into investing in a racehorse."

"What's stopping him?"

"Well, Trixie, right now."

"Trixie?" Claudia's face lit up at the name. "That's his girlfriend?"

"She is."

"What's she like?"

Manrick laughed as he relayed the story of how Julian had messed up Archer's information on the Love Bites dating app. Interestingly enough, he was enjoying himself talking to Claudia, and he found himself embellishing little bits of the story of Trixie, dressed very Goth, coming to Archer's place to meet him.

"Do you like her?"

"I do," Manrick admitted. "Wasn't sure it would work out at first. She's a brash little witch, but she's good for Archer, I think."

"Nice." Claudia nodded. She sounded a bit dreamy, which struck a chord of warning in Manrick. "See? I don't want to date. I don't want romance and flowers. Even a bouquet of dead roses wouldn't do much for me anymore. I just want…" She jerked her gaze away from the blank movie screen and looked him in the eyes. "Companionship, I guess?"

"Someone to hang out with," he offered.

"Exactly. I like Mrs. Funke. Irene. I do. But I mean, she likes to crochet and knit. You should see all the little black booties and blankets around her house. And the house!" She shot up straight in her chair, apparently excited about something in the woman's house. "I think it's stuck in 1970s mode."

"Oh." Manrick frowned. He couldn't blame Claudia for not wanting to spend time in a house stuck in the 70s.

"Pea green shag carpet. Avocado appliances. She even has a rotary phone on the wall."

"But how were the biscuits?"

Claudia's laugh was contagious. "Delicious, actually. Homemade. She loves to cook. And bake."

"Well, help a guy out, Claudia." Manrick settled back in his seat. "You know when the last time someone baked for me was?"

"Nope."

"Probably around 1490. I was living in France. Little brick and tile thing. It was before I met Archer."

"Okay, well then, expect a call tomorrow at the latest." She finished off a piece of licorice and pulled another from the package. "You can come keep me company."

"Maybe I should call you Misery."