The woman with the flask was still in the foyer. She had stopped to look at next week's programme, and when Eli came out behind June, she stared at him instead.
“You're the man,” she said.
Eli stopped with his hand still on the door.
Ruby came through after him. The woman's glance moved between them, and her expression became pleased, as if the film had included a scene she hadn't expected to see.
“From her video. Aren't you?”
“I'm in a video with Ruby,” Eli said.
The woman lifted her flask against her chest. “Well. I hope you've said sorry.”
Ruby gave a little laugh. “We're having a nice afternoon.”
June looked at her. Eli let the door close.
“I enjoyed your film,” the woman told June, then looked at him again. “I suppose people make mistakes.”
“We do,” he said.
She nodded with the air of someone who had supplied a necessary lesson, and went out. Through the glass, June watched her put the flask in a bag before taking out her phone.
Ruby turned toward Eli. “That went fine.”
“She thinks we were together and I need forgiveness.”
“She didn't shout at you.”
Nina called from the counter that the coffee was getting cold. June went to collect a cup. She needed somewhere for her hands to go. Behind her, Ruby was talking softly to Eli, but June could hear the tightness in her voice.
“Could you not do this here?” Ruby said.
“I didn't begin it.”
June turned back. “He answered a question.”
“I know.” Ruby saw Nina looking over and smiled. “We're just working something out.”
Nina went into the office. Ruby stepped nearer the posters and took out her phone.
“Actually, this might help. A quick thing, all of us. Look, we've been to the cinema, nobody's fighting.”
She held it up to see where they would fit.
“No,” June said.
“Not a statement. Just a friendly clip.”
“People will think we've made up after a relationship.” Eli kept his hands at his sides. “I haven't agreed to that.”
“It's an ordinary afternoon.”
“Then let it be ordinary.” June stepped out of the phone's frame.
Ruby lowered it a few inches. “You're both making this much harder than it has to be.”
She looked at the screen. June could see their little figures in it: Ruby bright at the front, Eli farther away, June mostly a shoulder. Ruby locked the phone.
The foyer was suddenly quiet enough for June to hear a door latch upstairs.
“I came to support you,” Ruby said.
“You did. You helped me. It was good.”
“Well, it doesn't feel very good now.”
June hated that she couldn't return to the room before the woman spoke. She had been in the middle, with Ruby laughing on one side and Eli warm on the other. Now Ruby wanted her to move.
“I'm having this coffee,” June said.
Ruby picked up her bag. “Fine.”
“You can have one too.”
“I need to go.”
June stayed by the counter while Ruby put on her coat. She would usually have taken the bag from her to make it easier. Ruby caught the lining in the sleeve, pulled it out herself, and went to the door.
“Tuesday?” she asked June.
Their terrible-film night. They had bought the cheap tickets a month ago, before the video, before Eli had a name June knew.
“Yes,” June said.
Ruby looked at Eli once more. Then she left.
June put her cup down. Eli picked up his but didn't drink.
“I can leave,” he said.
She turned toward him. “Do you want to?”
“No.”
“Then have your coffee.”
They sat on the bench under the old poster. For a minute neither spoke. Then Eli asked whether she thought the woman with the flask had enjoyed the introduction.
“She answered me.”
“That's her style.”
“She laughed at the coat.”
“Excellent coat material.”
June smiled. “Ruby's very good when she isn't trying to make everybody agree about her life.”
“She is.”
Outside, a girl walking with her friend looked through the window and slowed. She held her phone low, pointing at them, then went on. June couldn't tell if she had taken a picture. She felt the impulse to move away from Eli and disliked it.
She stayed on the bench. They drank the coffee Nina had made and talked about the film's ridiculous second job interview.