Page 101 of Christmas at the Movies
Sarah didn’t want to be the one to break the news, but he was going to find out sooner or later. She took a deep breath. ‘The shoot is running behind. Mateo says they’re going to be shooting here right up until Christmas Eve,’ she said.
James stared at her incredulously. ‘You cannot be serious.’
‘But hey – they’ll have to pay us more money,’ said Sarah, trying to put a positive spin on it. ‘So that’s good.’
James slammed the lid of his laptop down in anger. ‘That is out of order. That’s not what we agreed.’
‘I know it’s really inconvenient, but just think of the money,’ said Sarah. ‘I’ll speak to Noa. Hopefully the problem with the power won’t happen again.’
‘Yes, you speak to Noa,’ said James. The twitch in his cheek was going wild. ‘I know the two of you make agreat team.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ asked Sarah warily.
‘You know what I mean.’ His blue eyes stared at her accusingly. ‘When were you going to tell me that he asked you to go to LA?’
How did he know about that? She and Noa had been alone when they’d had that conversation. Sarah studied her husband suspiciously. ‘Were you spying on me?’
James looked insulted. ‘Is that how little you think of me? No, I overheard you talking to him in my office. Which Noa has taken over, just like he’s taken over the rest of the cinema. It would appear he’s also trying to take over my wife.’
Sarah didn’t like what he was implying. Sure, Noa was a flirt. But she’d never given him any encouragement in that area.
‘Firstly, it’souroffice,’ she said, her tone icy. ‘Secondly, he’s paying us handsomely for the privilege. And thirdly, he’s been good to me, James. Noa actually believes in my writing.’
James gave a dismissive laugh. ‘Are you sure he’s not just trying to get into your pants?’
Sarah inhaled sharply. Did James really think that was the only reason Noa was interested in her? That it had nothing to do with her talent?
‘Why are you doing this?’ she said, her voice trembling. ‘Why are you trying to ruin the best thing that’s happened to me in for ever?’
‘I’m not,’ said James. ‘I’m just trying to look after the cinema.’
‘That’s right,’ said Sarah bitterly. ‘The cinema always comes first with you.’ She shook her head sadly. ‘For years, I’ve had to put my dream on hold because of this place. I thought the problem was the cinema. But maybe the real problem is … you.’
5th November 2020
Holly and her family were gathered in the living room in front of the television watching the evening news. The reporter wore a plastic visor and was standing in front of a hospital. Behind her, an ambulance pulled up, sirens wailing, and paramedics in protective suits unloaded a stretcher. The patient on the stretcher had a breathing mask covering their face.
‘As Covid-19 cases continue to rise across the nation, England today enters a second lockdown until the second of December,’ intoned the reporter solemnly. ‘The prime minister is announcing new measures to tackle the spread of this new variant.’
The broadcast cut to the prime minister, his blonde hair looking characteristically dishevelled. ‘To protect the vulnerable, everyone must stay at home, except for education and essential travel.’
‘Well, here we go again,’ said Mum, sighing wearily. ‘Another lockdown.’
Holly’s dad took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, which had dark circles underneath them.
The Picture Palace had been shut from March to August. Audience numbers had been low since reopening. Evenwith socially distanced seating and masks, people felt nervous about sitting together in a confined space and had largely stayed home. Now the cinema was being forced to shut again.
‘This sucks,’ moaned Holly. She had been overjoyed to go back to school in September, after being stuck at home with her family all spring and summer. At first, it had been fun not to have to go to school. They had baked banana bread, played cards, taken long walks in the countryside and watched classic movies together. Once the novelty had worn off, though, it had just been boring. Holly was a social butterfly. She missed chatting to her friends at lunch and on the bus. There was nothing to gossip about because everyone was stuck at home.
Jonesy butted his head against Holly’s hand, demanding that she scratch behind his ears. Holly obliged him and was rewarded by a rumbling purr.
That was one good thing about the first lockdown – they’d got a pet, after years of her and Nick begging for one. Dad had found a litter of kittens abandoned in the cinema car park. They’d adopted the runt of the litter, a tiny ginger ball of fluff, and rehomed the rest. Dad had named their kitten Jonesy, after the cat in some science-fiction movie. (Holly had wanted to call him Alexander Hamilton, but had been overruled).
‘I know, sweetie, it’s very frustrating,’ said Mum. ‘Just when we thought things were finally getting back to normal.’
‘Maybe thisisthe new normal,’ said Dad.
Holly stared at him in horror. Was she going to spend her teenaged years doing jigsaw puzzles and playing games with her parents and little brother?
