Page 28 of Christmas at the Movies

Much as he liked his wife’s best friend, he was secretly pleased that it would be just him and Holly tonight – she was usually too busy with school and friends to hang out with her dad.

They decided to walk to Pari’s house in Notting Hill. Festive lights twinkled in the dark. The pavements bustled with Christmas shoppers and a man in a Santa suit clanged a bell, collecting for charity.

‘I feel like I’m in a Christmas movie,’ said Holly, as snowflakes dusted her hair. ‘I keep expecting Hugh Grant to step out of one of these houses.’

James smiled, making a mental note to propose Love, Actually as one of the film-festival movies. Sarah loved a Richard Curtis romcom.

They turned onto Pari’s road. She lived in a row of brightly coloured houses – hers was pastel pink. James located a key, hidden in a plant pot, and opened the door.

The kitchen was like something out of a luxury interiors magazine. With its marble island, sleek cupboards and special tap that dispensed boiling water, it couldn’t have been more different to the cosy but rustic kitchen at home.

‘I’m going to live in a house like this one day when I’m a rich and famous actor,’ announced Holly, dropping her shopping bags on the granite floor.

James chuckled. ‘You should have seen the house Pari and your mum shared in their twenties. Mice, mould and pants drying on the radiators …’

He opened the massive fridge. It was empty apart from a bottle of Prosecco, a shrivelled lemon, a lump of cheese and a half-eaten container of takeout sushi. Some things hadn’t changed …

‘Let’s order in some food for dinner,’ he suggested, scrolling through a delivery app on his phone.

When their noodles arrived, they settled down in Pari’s living room, which had an orange velvet sofa and wallpaper with parrots on it.

‘Oh, my God – is this Mum?’ said Holly, spotting a framed picture on the bookcase.

In the photo, Sarah’s arm was slung around Pari’s shoulder in a crowded field. She was wearing a short slip dress, Doc Martens and sunglasses, and holding a pint glass.

‘OMG. She had a nose ring,’ said Holly, peering at the photo. ‘And purple hair.’

‘I took that photo. We went to a music festival shortly after they both started working at the BBC – that was actually the first time I met Pari.’

‘They look so young,’ commented Holly.

It was Sarah’s smile that struck James, more than her youthful appearance.

He’d seen that smile again this morning, when she’d told him about her new gig.

She was so happy, she’d been practically glowing.

Seeing her fizzing with excitement had made him realise how much she needed this.

The film director’s sudden appearance in their lives did truly feel like a Christmas miracle.

Though, if he was being honest, he hadn’t loved the fact that she’d spent all night alone with him.

The Aussie director had a reputation as a ladies’ man.

It had been bothering him all day, even though he knew his reaction was ridiculous – Sarah had never given him any reason not to trust her.

He supposed he was just feeling a bit jealous because a stranger had found the solution to the cinema’s problems, instead of him.

‘Let’s watch a Christmas movie,’ said Holly, slurping up some noodles.

James switched on the television and browsed through the streaming services. ‘They’ve got Home Alone. That’s what your mum was watching the night she went into labour with you.’

‘Really? You guys never told me that.’

James didn’t like talking about it because it had been the most scared he’d ever been.

But Holly was sixteen now. She was old enough to hear the story.

Old enough to know what her mum had gone through to bring her into the world.

‘When Mum was in labour, I thought we were going to lose you. And her.’

Holly put down her chopsticks and stared at him. ‘What happened?’

‘You didn’t want to come out. That should have been our first clue that you were going to be stubborn.’

‘Ha ha.’

‘And then when they finally got you out, your mum suffered a post-partum haemorrhage.’ James could still remember every detail of that horrible moment as if it were yesterday – the heart-rate monitor beeping, doctors rushing in, blood gushing.

‘What’s that?’ Holly asked. Her face looked so innocent, it was hard to believe she was nearly grown-up.

‘Bleeding after giving birth,’ he explained. ‘Luckily, the doctors managed to get it under control, but it was touch-and-go for a while. Your mother was such a trooper – all she cared about was whether you were OK.’

Holly’s blue eyes welled with tears. ‘Poor Mum.’

‘Hey,’ said James, giving her a hug. ‘She was fine in the end. And it was all worth it because we got you.’

Holly snuggled up next to James and he put on the movie. He’d have been happy to watch anything – he just felt lucky to share this precious moment with Holly. It impossible to imagine a world without his daughter in it.

When Home Alone was over, Holly switched off the telly. ‘That movie is so funny.’

‘Apparently it only took John Hughes nine days to write the first draft of the screenplay,’ said James. ‘And speaking of screenplays – I’m going to call Mum and find out how she’s getting on.’

Kissing Holly goodnight, he rang his wife.

‘How’s it going?’ he asked when she answered.

‘Great!’ said Sarah. She sounded wide awake, despite the late hour. ‘I’m nearly done reworking the opening scenes. I just hope it’s OK; it’s been such a long time since I’ve done this …’

‘I’m sure it’s fantastic.’ He was determined to be supportive. He could tell how much she needed this – and not just because of the money.

‘What have you two been up to?’

‘We just watched Home Alone,’ said James. ‘I was thinking maybe that should be one of the Twelve Films of Christmas. And maybe Love, Actually too.’

‘About that …’ said Sarah, worry creeping into her voice. ‘As much as I want to do it, I just don’t see how I’m going to have time to plan the festival this year. Not with this deadline.’

Here was the perfect opportunity to step up, to give Sarah the space she was craving and let her shine. To show her that he wanted to help.

‘Leave it to me,’ James volunteered quickly. ‘I’ll manage the film festival. We’ve left it a bit late, but I’m sure I can sort it out.’

And hopefully, in doing so, he could also sort out their marriage …

30th November 2009

‘Come in,’ said Sarah, opening the door to let their friends Nora and Simon Walden inside the cottage.

Nora handed her an apple tart, still warm from the oven.

‘Oh, this looks delicious,’ said Sarah. ‘Thanks so much.’

The couple owned a bookshop in Stowford.

Fellow film buffs, Nora and Simon had been thrilled to have a cinema in the area again.

Their bookshop always posted the week’s cinema listings on their noticeboard and when a film based on a book came out, the cinema promoted the book on behalf of the bookshop.

As parents of an eight-year-old daughter, Nora and Simon had also been an invaluable source of parenting advice.

James came downstairs holding Holly, whose second birthday it was tomorrow. Sarah felt a rush of love as she saw her daughter in her Winnie-the-Pooh pyjamas, chubby cheeks flushed pink and dark brown curls damp from the bath.

‘Someone doesn’t want to go to bed yet,’ said James.

‘Da da,’ said Holly, looking pleased with herself – and wide awake.

‘Oh, I remember those days,’ said Nora, smiling fondly.

‘To be honest, bedtime doesn’t get much easier,’ remarked Simon. ‘Charlotte wants us to read at least two chapters of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows every night.’

‘We brought something for the birthday girl,’ said Nora, reaching into her bag. She handed Holly a copy of The Gruffalo and a chocolate advent calendar.

‘Thank you so much,’ said Sarah.

‘Charlotte loved that book when she was little,’ explained Simon.

‘Let me get you a drink.’ James passed Holly to Sarah.

Holly wrapped her little arms around her mother’s neck.

Sarah delighted in the squidgy solidity of her daughter and her intoxicating baby smell – better than any perfume.

Caring for a headstrong toddler was exhausting, but Sarah loved every minute of it.

She couldn’t believe Holly was two already.

Every day, more of her personality revealed itself.

Their little girl was lively, strong-willed and quick to laugh.

She loved any sort of music, bobbing her head to anything with a beat.

It was exciting to watch her become a little person, but Sarah already felt nostalgic for the baby days.

Maybe we should start trying for another one …

She and James hadn’t discussed having another baby yet.

They were both frightened of another difficult birth.

But Holly was such a delight that it hadn’t put Sarah off her desire to have another child.

She wanted Holly to have a sibling. Growing up, Meg had been Sarah’s constant companion.

Being an only child had to have been lonely for James.

They went into the living room, where Pari was sitting on the sofa, chatting to Roger and Omar.

Ian from the antiques shop was there too.

Pari had come for the weekend, to celebrate her god-daughter’s birthday with a trip to the Cotswolds wildlife park.

Sarah hoped her best friend wouldn’t find the gathering too provincial, or too couple-y.

Ian was studying their framed poster of Diamonds are Forever. ‘Is this signed by Sean Connery?’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ replied James, opening a bottle of wine.

‘Oh, I love Sean Connery,’ enthused Roger. ‘Now he’s what I call a film star.’

‘I thought Daniel Craig was your favourite Bond, mon amour,’ said Omar.

‘It would fetch a few bob, if you ever want to sell it,’ said Ian.

Sarah shook her head. ‘We could never sell it. James’s father gave it to us as a wedding present.’