Page 53 of Christmas at the Movies
James gazed at his wife in admiration. ‘You’re a superhero.’
‘No, I’m just a mum,’ said Sarah.
Mum.She loved how that sounded.
‘Same difference,’ said the midwife, smiling at them. ‘I’ll go and make you a cup of tea and a snack.’
The baby opened her blue eyes and gazed up at her mother in wonder. Sarah held out her finger and the baby gripped onto it.
That’s right, little one,thought Sarah.I’m here for you – and always will be.
Chapter 6
Present Day
‘Meow!’ A ginger paw batted Holly on the head.
‘Stop it, Jonesy,’ groaned Holly, pulling the duvet over her head. ‘It’s my birthday – I want a lie-in.’
Determined to get some affection, the cat changed tactics. He strutted along the length of Holly’s body and pounced on her toes.
‘OK, OK,’ Holly grumbled, throwing off the duvet and giving the cat a cuddle. Jonesy was more effective than any alarm clock. Holly needed to get up anyway – she and her mum always spent her birthday in London, shopping and going for a fancy afternoon tea.
Dazzling light streamed in from the window, as early-morning sunshine reflected off the freshly fallen snow.
I hope the trains are OK …
Although Mum was still in her bad books, Holly was looking forward to their day out. She liked having her mother’s full attention for a change, without her fusspot brother kicking off about something or other. They were seeing Auntie Pari, too. Holly’s godmother never treated her like a kid. She usually bought Holly a new outfit, too, from somewhere cool, like Urban Outfitters or Brandy Melville. There weren’t any good clothes shops in Plumdale, unless you liked waxed jackets, flat caps and wellies.
A delicious scent was wafting out of the kitchen as Holly descended the stairs in her pyjamas. Nick was already at the table, doodling in a sketchbook. Mum was humming as she spread icing on a freshly baked chocolate cake. She seemed suspiciously cheerful given the early hour.
‘Happy birthday, sweetheart.’ Mum came over to give her a hug, but Holly ducked away.
She looked critically at her mum’s clothes. God, she really had stopped making an effort. ‘Didn’t you wear that yesterday?’
‘I stayed at the cinema last night because of the snow,’ explained Mum. ‘But I hurried home in time to make your cake.’
‘You didn’t need to do that,’ said Holly. ‘I’m not a kid any more.’ At sixteen, she was old enough to get a full-time job, drive a moped, order a glass of wine at the pub (as long as she also ordered a meal) and get married (with her parents’ permission). Not that she particularly wanted to do any of those things. But the point was shecould, if she wanted to.
‘We always have birthday cake for breakfast,’ said Mum, looking hurt. The birthday-cake-for-breakfast tradition had only come about because one or other of her parents often had to work at the cinema in the evening. They celebrated birthdays in the morning, with cake and presents, so everyone could be there.
‘Yeah, that’s the tradition,’ added Nick, looking up from his sketchbook. ‘That’s how wealwayscelebrate birthdays.’
Holly wasn’t planning to spend her birthdays in Plumdale for ever, no matter how delicious her mum’s cakes were. (She always put a bit of coffee in the batter, to enhance the chocolate flavour.) In two years, she’d be out of here. Hopefully at drama school, but even if she didn’t get accepted, she’d work as a waitress and go to auditions.
‘By the way,’ said Mum. ‘Aaron asked me to wish you a happy birthday.’
‘Oh,’ said Holly, trying to sound unbothered as she poured herself a cup of tea from the pot on the table. ‘That’s nice.’ Inside, her heart was doing star jumps in her chest. She hadn’t told him it was her birthday, so the only way he would know was if he had been looking at her socials.
Or unless her mum had mentioned it at work … Holly sipped her tea. Out of the kitchen window, she saw her dad shovelling the garden path. She pulled out her phone and, ignoring all the birthday messages from friends, checked whether the trains were running.
Phew!They were.
Mum carried the cake over to the table. She’d piped SWEET SIXTEEN in white icing. ‘Ta-da.’
Holly’s mouth watered as she inhaled the delicious scent of Belgian milk chocolate – Mum always used the good stuff for their birthday cakes. The top layer was slightly wonky but Holly knew it would taste amazing. She took a photo and added it to her Instagram story. Her heart soared when – straight away – Aaron liked it. She grinned. So hehadbeen checking out her socials.
‘Here,’ said Nick, handing her an envelope. Holly opened it and took out a handmade card with a manga-style illustration of a dark-haired girl with bunches holding a sword.
