Page 28 of Christmas at the Movies
‘It’s really good,’ babbled Holly. ‘Lin-Manuel Miranda’s a genius. He, like, wrote the songs inEncantotoo – which was why I was thinking about him.’
OK, you can stop talking now.
Mum went into the office and came out with a list. ‘Holly – can you check the bathrooms. Aaron, I need your help decorating the lobby for Christmas.’
Holly glowered at her mother. Was she actively trying to ruin her life? OK, Mum didn’t know Holly was secretly in love with Aaron. But still – bathroom duty was the worst.
She went over to the cleaning cupboard and got out rolls of toilet paper and an industrial-sized bottle of hand soap. She refilled all the cubicles and soap dispensers, and then sighed. After Kids’ Club, it would be a complete mess in here – kids seemed incapable of aiming their weeinsidethe toilet bowl.
Holly checked her make-up in the mirror, then went back out into the lobby. A woman with a black bob approached, pushing a baby in a buggy. There were dark circles around her eyes, her coat was buttoned up wrong and it looked like she hadn’t brushed her hair.
‘Is Sarah here?’ asked the woman.
‘I’ll get her,’ said Holly. She went over to the office, where Mum was standing on a footstool, handing boxes of Christmas decorations down to Aaron. ‘Some lady is asking for you, Mum.’
Her mum got down and they went out to the lobby.
‘Oh, hi, Iris,’ said Holly’s mum. ‘Is everything OK?’
‘Henry left his favourite toy behind when we were at the Baby and Me screening the other day. I wonder if you found it?’
Mum went behind the counter and pulled out the lost-and-found box.
Iris rummaged through the collection and pulled out a rubber giraffe toy. ‘Oh, thank goodness!’ She handed it to her son. The baby kicked his legs gleefully and immediately began to gnaw on one of the giraffe’s ears.
‘Are you all right?’ asked Mum. ‘You look a bit tired.’
‘Last night was rough,’ admitted Iris. Tears glittered in her eyes. ‘I feel so low.’
‘Oh, honey.’ Mum gave the lady a hug. ‘It will get easier – I promise. I wish I could grab a coffee with you, but I’ve got to decorate the cinema or the Plumdale Beautification Society will tell me off.’
‘I’ll do it!’ Holly seized the opportunity to be on her own with Aaron. ‘I’ll decorate.’
‘Are you sure?’ her mother asked suspiciously.
‘Absolutely.’ Holly smiled, hoping that her eyes were conveying innocence. ‘I’m sorry I was such a brat earlier.’ She waved her hands, shooing her mum and Iris away. ‘Go hang out with your friend.’
‘Oh, OK…’ said her mum. ‘Thanks.’
As Mum and her friend went over to the café area, Holly smoothed down her top, her hands trembling with anticipation.Don’t mess this up, she told herself.
Holly went into the office and coughed nervously.
‘Hey,’ said Aaron, who was wrestling with the artificial Christmas tree. ‘Can you grab the other end?’
She helped Aaron carry the tree out of the office and, working in silence, they set it up in its stand.
Say something,Holly told herself.
‘So, um, have you put up a Christmas tree at home yet?’
‘Not yet,’ said Aaron. ‘Sometimes we don’t even bother. We usually go to Jamaica to visit my granny over Christmas.’
Holly nearly said ‘I know’ but remembered she only knew that from her online stalking. ‘That’s cool – I wouldn’t mind Christmas on the beach.’ Actually, though, she loved Christmas in the Cotswolds. Every shop in the village was beautifully decorated and all the houses twinkled with fairy lights.
‘This year, we’re staying home because I’ve got to work on my uni applications and study for my A levels.’
Uni applications sounded so grown-up. No wonder Aaron barely paid her any attention – she hadn’t even done her GCSEs yet, and he was getting ready to go to university.
