You Must Remember This (WIP)

Chapter 27 - The beginning of a beautiful...

Brooklyn, July 4, 1941

The Strand wasn't considered an old building yet, but it was certainly a hallmark in Brooklyn. Home to the silver screen and vaudeville stage, the production house hosted many a talent over the years, including the escape artist Harry Houdini. With all the competition from the big productions on Broadway, it was little short of a miracle that it drew even the high and mighty from greater New York from the very moment it opened its doors in 1918.
But regrettably, vaudeville was near extinction. Short sketches with jugglers, magicians, comedians, and whatnot were good for a few laughs, but that was it. What seemed to interest most people nowadays was a story, easy to follow from start to finish. The Strand had the good fortune to have an affiliation with Warner Brothers, a big movie company from California. As long as their name was on the billboard outside, folks kept on coming, either to see a motion picture show or a live performance. 

Bucky had been to a few movies with some of his dates, over at the smaller theater in their neighborhood, and found he liked those well enough, as long as there was a little bit of action in them. Night Ride was still a favorite. But if he remembered those few times his pops made him take Rebecca to see one of those musicals, his eyelids already drooped. Man, were those a snooze fest!
The casual glance he threw Evelyn as they walked through the lobby of the theater told him she would enjoy it, though. There was a certain twinkle in her eyes as she took in the 30-year-old architecture, the dressed-up people, and the overall merriment going on around them. When they reached the bar closest to the doors leading to the hall, those twinkling eyes landed on Bucky. He gulped, dreading what would come next since he hadn't forgotten she saw right through her twin's scheme. 

Steve, if your sister doesn't kill you, I bloody well will!

"All right, here's how it's gonna go," began Evelyn. "I promise to be on my best behavior if you will too. But if you think I'm gonna let you off the hook, James Barnes, think again. You still went along with Steve's little ploy here, so the way I see it, I own your ass tonight. You can start by buying me a drink. White wine, please."

Knowing there was absolutely no point in arguing that he was as much an involuntary participant as she was, and keeping in mind that it was her birthday, Bucky nodded in consent, albeit reluctantly. He got the bartender's attention and ordered Evelyn's drink nothing for himself. There wasn't enough liquid courage out there to get him through the night. Besides, he would need all his wits to deal with his... companion for the evening (this was still not a date!).
Evelyn graciously accepted her glass from the bartender, throwing him a little wink. He beamed at her in return. The whole silent interaction made Bucky feel... oddly awkward. And a little peeved, too, actually. She was here with him, what the heck was she doing batting eyes at another guy?

"Anything else?" he asked in a piqued tone of voice, drawing Evelyn's attention away from the bartender.

"Not right now," she replied. "But the night's still young."

Bucky pinched his lips. The things this woman did to him...

"So, what's this shindig Steve coerced us into anyway?" Evelyn inquired after taking a sip from her wine. "I got a feeling he was lying about it being 18+, to be honest."

"Tickets say 'Greatest hits from cinema and Broadway', so pretty sure he was," said Bucky, reading the stubs in his hand before shoving them in his pocket. "Funny they ain't doing this on Broadway then."