“Anna K., let me introduce you to Johnny 5 from the movie Short Circuit. Beatrice became obsessed with this movie when she was seven, and always said she wanted Johnny 5 for a best friend. When her dad was trying out a trial separation from her mother, he did what any rich father does…”

“I know! I know!” Anna raised her hand like an overeager student. “He PEGG’d her!” She covered her mouth with her hands. “Oh, that didn’t sound right at all. He Pre-Emptively Guilt Gifted her with Johnny 5!”

“Very good, young lady. Someone’s been studying their Bea-speak vocab list. Gold star for you.” Vronsky pushed a button in the back of the robot’s head and Johnny 5 came to life. “Bea was sad when the prop arrived and didn’t talk or move, so her father had someone convert it into a stereo system and added a few lights. Johnny 5 plays eighties tunes via a well-hidden iPod.”

“Amazing!” Anna clapped her hands in awe as Madonna’s 1983 classic “Holiday” filled the room and she spontaneously started dancing. Vronsky waved her off and she grabbed her suitcase and skipped into the bathroom to change.

After Vronsky made her show him every outfit twice, he finally cast his vote that Anna should go as the star of Atomic Blonde. “With your face and that wig, you could have single-handedly brought down the Berlin Wall!” Anna agreed that the blond wig made it feel more like a costume. She stared at herself in the full-length mirror, almost not recognizing herself as the sexy secret agent looking back at her.

“I know how to make sure,” Vronsky said. “We have to test it out.” He hopped off the bed and started dancing toward Anna, and soon they were both showing off their best eighties dance moves in the middle of the room to Whitney’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” The next song that played was Foreigner’s 1984 slow-dance hit “I Want to Know What Love Is,” and the two teens froze momentarily, like a couple of nervous sixth graders at their first school dance. Vronsky recovered quickly, and pulled her into his arms before she had time to object. Anna closed her eyes and thought about resisting, but instead she nestled in even closer to him. When he put his hand on the small of her back, he shocked her, such was the electricity between them.

They danced for only ten seconds before a light knocking interrupted the moment. Anna turned her head and saw Lolly, dressed as a twentysomething Cher, standing in the open doorway holding a large makeup case. Anna and Vronsky separated quickly.

“Sorry!” Lolly squeaked. “I just came by because you asked me to help you with your makeup? I didn’t mean to interrupt…”

“You didn’t!” Anna said. “We were just goofing off. This song came on and…”