Intro to Part 3

Driving later to the hall with her mother and Dee Silva, who was at the wheel, Lily said, "I can't believe you are calling aunt Patty a lesbian!"
Dee and her mother shared a knowing look.
"I know it's hard to believe Lily but it's true. She has just chosen not to get involved with anyone rather than to become something to gossip about. You know how proud she is."
"But mom, she has never talked about women in that way. She has never reacted to them in weird ways either."
"There is nothing weird about your aunt Patty, Lily. Hell, what's weird is a heterosexual woman not being affected by Rudy Valentino."
At that both Dee and her mom scoffed.
Lily was still arguing with her mom when they pulled up to the hall in the parking lot of the church. They took note that there were about dozen cars parked there already, and it was not even 5:30 yet.
Once inside Mrs. Bright said, "I don't know what to do, people have been calling about this movie all day. They want to reserve seats. I told them I couldn't because we don't have seat numbers to do that sort of thing, so I think they are all planning just to show up early."
"Yeah," Lilah said, taking off her black wool coat. "We saw some people out there making a line already." Lilah handed her coat to Lily who threw it over her's and Dee's and took them to the coat closet.
"I think we're going to have to maybe offer another show after." Lilah said.
"You mean show it twice?" Mrs. Bright said. "You'll be here until after midnight."
"Yeah, I think that's a good idea," Lily said. She liked the idea of sitting through two showings of The Sheik. The Sheik is what brought Rudy worldwide fame. He was a superstar after that and she remembered reading that a bunch of women committed suicide because of "this Sheik" from clippings in her mother's scrapbook. It was the one thing that stuck out when she first learned about Rudolph Valentino, giving the subject something of a cult-like following and loving dark literature, it made Lily curious then. Now, lovestruck, she was fervently curious about The Sheik and what powerful affect it would have over her.
"Yeah, but I think it's the best way to handle it. That way we won't disappoint so many. Last night, I think we turned away about 20 or so people. I felt bad about it."
Mrs. Bright put on her coat and smiled and said, "Just be sure to lock up. I came in this morning and the back door was wide opened."
"Oh wait," Lilah said, before Mrs. Bright left. Mrs. Bright stood in the door way, turned to Lilah's voice, with her hand on the door knob.
"Dee, Patty and I talked about what we want to do with the proceeds, we never thought it'd be such a success and we want to donate it to your orphanage, or I mean to the church's orphanage. We are awful grateful to you for letting us use the hall. We know the experience has been overwhelming."
"Why thanks Lilah, that's very kind of you. This news will make Father Bright very happy. Very happy, indeed."
Lilah smiled warmly, "You're welcome." She said. And as Mrs. Bright left and Lilah turned back to Dee talking about the evening ahead, Lily felt so lucky to have Lilah for a mother in that moment she felt her heart would burst from the sheer force of such prideful emotion.