Page 50 of Christmas at the Movies
They’d made love throughout Sarah’s pregnancy. After their difficulties getting pregnant, it had been a welcome return to sex for recreation, rather than procreation.
When they finished eating the curry, Sarah started to clear the table.
‘I’ll do that – you put your feet up,’ said James, taking her plate.
‘I’ve been putting my feet up for weeks now. It’s getting a bit boring.’ She had been on maternity leave for almost a month. She’d tried to use the time off to do some writing before the baby came, but after just a few lines she usually needed a nap. Growing another human being was exhausting!
‘If you feel up to it, why don’t you come to the cinema with me tonight,’ suggested James. ‘Roger is going to see the school play with Omar, so I said I’d operate the projector.’
‘What’s on?’ The thought of going to see a movie was very tempting, although there was a very good chance that she’d fall asleep in the middle of it.
‘We’re kicking off the festive season withHome Alone.’
That sealed the deal. ‘Oooh,’ said Sarah. ‘I love that film.’
‘Sarah!’ cried Roger, when they arrived at the cinema. He gave her a hug. ‘You are positively glowing.’
It was lovely to be back at the Picture Palace, wherethe lobby had been decorated for Christmas. She’d missed the place, and her colleagues, more than she’d expected. ‘What’s new, Roger?’
‘Well, my friend over at the Bristol Odeon told me that they are going digital, just like the Regal in Cheltenham.’ He shook his head dolefully.
‘I suppose they want to be ready forAvatarwhen it finally comes out,’ said James.
The whole industry was eagerly awaiting James Cameron’s new film. TheTitanicdirector had used cutting-edge digital animation and the studio was pressuring cinemas to convert to digital ahead of its release.
‘The big cinema chains just want to save money,’ grumbled Roger. ‘If they go digital, they don’t need to employ projectionists any more. They can just press a button.’
James chuckled. ‘Don’t worry, Rog. Have you seen how much digital systems cost? We won’t be installing one any time soon. Not with a baby on the way.’
‘Well, I’d best be going,’ said Roger. He looked even more than dapper than usual, in a silk paisley waistcoat and a tweed jacket. ‘The curtain on Severn Valley secondary school’s production ofLittle Shop of Horrorsgoes up at eight p.m.’ He gave Sarah a hug. ‘Let us know when the bambino – or bambina – arrives.’
Sarah went over to the concession stand. ‘Hi, Harry.’ Sarah greeted the ginger-haired teenaged boy working behind it. He was studying creative writing at university and was back for the Christmas holidays. ‘Can I have a box of popcorn, please?’ Sarah looked at the array of cinema snacks. ‘And some Maltesers too.’
‘I guess you’re eating for two?’ joked Harry, scooping up the popcorn.
‘Right,’ said Sarah, rubbing her aching back.
All the pregnancy books said eating for two was a myth. But she was always hungry. Hopefully her snacking wouldn’t turn her baby into a junk-food addict.
‘We have no idea what we’re doing. We won’t mean to, but we’ll probably mess you up,’ Sarah murmured, caressing her belly.
Oops.That wasn’t what her mum had meant about scaring the baby out. Her little one was more likely to want to stay in her cosy womb for ever!
‘Are you OK, Mrs O’Hara?’ Harry held out the box of popcorn with a concerned look on his face.
‘Oh, I’m fine,’ said Sarah. ‘Just talking to the baby … all the books say to do that. She walked towards the auditorium. ‘Don’t be scared, baby,’ she whispered. ‘We love you. And we can’t wait to meet you.’
‘Don’t be scared, baby,’ she whispered. ‘We love you. And we can’t wait to meet you.’
Sarah went into the auditorium, waved up at James in the projection booth and settled into a seat. She opened the bag of Maltesers and poured them into the box of popcorn. She munched her sweet-and-savoury snack as the trailers played. She wondered if she’d get to see any of the coming attractions. She hoped to breastfeed, so it might be a while before she could go out. The books all warned about ‘bottle confusion’. It was weird to think that she might not be able to watch a movie here, until she could leave the baby with James or a sitter. Of course she could always watch DVDs, but it just wasn’t the same as seeing a film on the big screen.
Maybe we could start doing special screenings for parents and babies,thought Sarah. They could do a matinee once a week, when it was usually pretty quiet anyway. She made a mental note to share her idea with James later that evening.
Watching the movie, Sarah chuckled as little Kevin McCallister – accidentally left behind when his family went away for Christmas – rigged up the house with booby traps to stop two burglars from invading. She suddenly felt something wet on her seat. Had she peed her pants from laughing too hard?
No – her waters had just broken.
Grabbing the seat in front of her, she stood up awkwardly, knocking her popcorn and Maltesers all over the floor.
