Marge’s shadow passed beneath the gap under the door. For a moment, Peter thought she was crossing the office ready to join him. But she wasn’t. Her shadow didn’t move again. It just lay there. Peter felt a sting in his stomach and stepped back. Marge was just standing on the other side of the door waiting for him to go away. Peter glanced back across the lobby to the path of bare carpet between the entrance and the auditorium where feet had worn the pile down over the years. The auditorium. How he’d longed to see inside an auditorium. Ever since his dad first told him about the movies. Every time Cooper told him one of the stories. Every time other than now.

Peter’s stomach started to ache. He didn’t know he was so annoying that people would choose to hide from him. He didn’t know he was one of those people. He didn’t know he was a Teddy.

The kettle clicked.

Someone might be waiting to buy a ticket.

Peter made his coffee, hurried back to the booth and drew the curtain aside.

No one was there and Mainstreet was empty. He took his seat and sat a while beneath the ripple of the marquee lights, quietly watching the steam rising from his mug, and waited for a customer.

Shoulder deep, the canoe drifted among the tall grasses at the lake’s edge. Peter drew the paddle up and water beaded down the length of the wood to gather in sparkling baubles at the blade. He plunged the paddle back down and pushed on.

Sunlight glittered across the golden water.

Warm winds whispered among the trees.

At the middle of the lake, where the air was thick with gossamer and purring dragonfly wings, something stirred. Cooper’s bare buttocks and toes breached the surface and Peter pushed on into open water.

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