Page 29 of Christmas at the Movies

Sean split his time between Ealing and the Cotswolds, helping out at the cinema and babysitting Holly, who adored her doting grandfather.

He’d recently been diagnosed with COPD – a lung condition caused by years of smoking and wood-dust inhalation.

He was on medication and had finally – on doctor’s orders – quit smoking.

As James handed out drinks, Sarah introduced Nora and Simon to everyone.

‘You look really familiar,’ said Simon, shaking Pari’s hand.

‘I don’t think we’ve met before,’ said Pari.

Sarah set Holly down on the floor. She toddled over to the coffee table and stuffed a crisp in her mouth.

Simon snapped his fingers. ‘I’ve got it! We saw you perform at the Edinburgh Festival.’ He turned to his wife. ‘Remember, honey – when we went up for the book festival and went to a comedy show at the Pleasance.’

‘Of course,’ said Nora. ‘You were hilarious. You did a whole bit on what to write in office birthday cards.’

‘And there was a bit where you described taking a boyfriend home to meet your parents.’ Simon smiled. ‘Are you still together?’

‘Oh, he was entirely fictional.’ Pari took the crisp Holly was holding out to her and popped it in her mouth. ‘I’m single as a Pringle.’

‘You didn’t tell me your best friend was a famous comedian,’ Nora said.

‘I’m hardly famous,’ said Pari.

‘So when can we see you perform again?’ asked Simon.

‘Well … never,’ replied Pari.

Sarah stared at her friend. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘I’m giving up comedy.’

Sarah was shocked. Comedy had been Pari’s dream for as long as she’d known her. She was the funniest person Sarah had ever met – bar none. ‘But why?’

‘There’s lots of reasons. I’m tired of being on the road,’ said Pari. ‘And I’ve got to be realistic – if I haven’t hit the big time by now, it’s probably never going to happen.’

A lot of her male contemporaries, who had been playing the same tiny venues as Pari ten years ago, were now regulars on comedy quiz show panels. Some even had their own shows. They were less talented but had something she didn’t have – a penis.

‘I guess this will make it easier to focus on your work at the BBC,’ said James. Pari was on the production team of a popular sitcom.

‘Actually … I’ve resigned.’

Sarah couldn’t help feeling a bit hurt. How did she not know any of this? Pari had made all these huge decisions – and she hadn’t discussed any of them with her. ‘What are you going to do instead?’

‘I’m going to be an agent,’ announced Pari. ‘I have loads of contacts in the industry, from the Beeb and from the comedy circuit. I’ve been on both sides of the fence – I know what it feels like to be the talent, but I also understand the business side of things.’

‘How exciting,’ said Simon.

‘I’ve already signed a few clients,’ continued Pari, helping herself to another crisp. ‘Some up-and-coming comedians, and a few actors I’ve met through work. I’m excited to help them build their careers.’

James raised his wine glass in a toast. ‘Here’s to new beginnings.’

‘New beginnings,’ mumbled Sarah. She was still trying to process Pari’s revelations.

Her initial hurt was beginning to turn to guilt.

She’d been so consumed with helping at the cinema and dealing with toddler tantrums, she hadn’t kept track of what was going on in her best friend’s life.

The long phone calls they used to share had been replaced with text messages and quick chats while Holly napped.

Nora laughed, catching sight of Holly’s face. ‘Oh my goodness! What have you done, sweet pea?’

Chocolate was smeared all over Holly’s face – and her pyjamas. While the adults had been chatting, she’d managed to break into the chocolate advent calendar and had crammed several days’ worth of chocolate into her mouth.

‘Come on, you little rascal,’ said James, picking Holly up. ‘Let’s get you cleaned up and into bed.’

A timer went off and Sarah hurried into the kitchen to check on the lasagne.

The cheesy top layer was browned to perfection and the filling was bubbling away.

She pulled the dish out of the oven and set it on the table with a big green salad and homemade garlic bread.

She lit a few candles, then went back to the living room. ‘Dinner’s ready.’

Everyone gathered around the wooden table. James refilled wine glasses, while Sarah served up the lasagne.

Ian rubbed his hands in anticipation. ‘This looks delicious.’

‘It’s my mum’s recipe,’ said Sarah. Geraldine’s lasagne had always been the hit of any faculty pot-luck supper.

‘What’s she up to these days?’ asked Pari, breaking off a piece of garlic bread.

‘Mum’s working on a new book.’ Geraldine was as busy as ever with her academic research but was a devoted grandmother. She visited regularly, telling Holly stories from world mythology and bearing age-inappropriate gifts – the latest being a doll from South America with an intricately beaded dress.

‘I think I’ll put this aside until she’s a bit older,’ Sarah had said, spiriting the doll away. It was a full-blown choking hazard.

They didn’t see much of Sarah’s dad. His second marriage to Tiffany had ended in divorce.

He’d taken early retirement and moved to Spain, where he spent his days golfing.

‘I knew it wouldn’t last,’ Geraldine had crowed when she’d heard the news.

‘His child bride didn’t want to spend the rest of her life with a boring old git. ’

‘It’s so nice to have a home-cooked meal for a change,’ said Pari. ‘Instead of a ready meal for one.’

Ian patted his belly. ‘I love to cook, but the problem with living on my own is that I eat it all up myself. I need someone to cook for.’

Sarah suddenly had a horrifying thought – did Ian and Pari think she was trying to set them up? The president of the Plumdale Beautification Society was a lovely guy but not really Pari’s type.

‘Where’s your agency going to be based?’ Sarah asked.

‘I’ve rented a small office in Soho,’ said Pari.

‘If you need any furniture, I can sort you out. I’m in the antiques business.’ Ian slid his business card across the table to Pari.

It seemed that Ian was mostly interested in Pari as a potential customer.

Pari slipped Ian’s business card into her pocket. ‘Did you hear about Jack?’ she asked Sarah. ‘He’s leaving the BBC too. He sold a script to a small indie studio.’

Feeling a pang of envy at her former colleague’s success, Sarah took a big sip of her wine. She hadn’t written much since Holly’s arrival. She tried to work on The Ghost Writer while Holly was napping, but after she’d tidied up the mess she created while awake, there was hardly any time left.

‘I’m going to reach out and see if there’s a part for one of my actor clients,’ said Pari, helping herself to more salad.

‘How’s business at the bookshop?’ Ian asked Nora and Simon.

‘Slow,’ admitted Nora.

Stock markets had crashed around the world and even here in the Cotswolds, unemployment was at a record high.

‘Am I crazy to be setting up an agency in the middle of a global recession?’ asked Pari.

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ said Roger. ‘People always want entertainment, especially when times are tough. During the Great Depression, cinema boomed. Movies helped give people hope.’

James and Sarah exchanged glances. Hollywood might have been recession-proof in the 1930s, but not today.

Their ticket sales were down. These days, people were less likely to buy cinema tickets when they could watch a DVD at home for less money.

Plus, over the past year, more and more cinemas had converted to digital projection systems. It was hard not to worry that their traditional projector was soon going to be obsolete.

‘We’re lucky because we own the bookshop outright,’ said Nora. ‘But lots of other businesses in Stowford have closed down because they can’t afford the rent.’

‘It’s the same in Plumdale,’ agreed James.

‘One of our customers told me he lost his job at the BMW factory last month,’ said Simon. The car factory outside of Oxford had recently laid off over a thousand people.

‘At school, we’ve noticed an increase in children receiving free school meals,’ added Omar.

Sarah felt sad that so many local people were struggling. Although relative newcomers to the village, she and James felt like part of the community. The other local business owners had been incredibly supportive.

After having Nora’s delicious apple pie for dessert, they returned to the living room with coffees and a box of chocolates.

‘We showed Charlotte The Muppet Christmas Carol for the first time last night,’ said Nora, stirring her coffee.

‘Oh, that’s such a great Christmas movie,’ replied Sarah. She couldn’t wait to share classic Christmas films with Holly when she was older.

‘My favourite Christmas film is Die Hard,’ said Simon.

‘That’s not a Christmas movie,’ scoffed Sarah.

‘That’s what I always tell him,’ remarked Nora. ‘See, Simon – Sarah agrees with me.’

‘I’m with Simon. Die Hard is set at Christmastime,’ said James. ‘It’s about a man trying to get his family back. Isn’t that what Christmas is all about – family?’

They had a lively debate about what constituted a Christmas movie – and what the best one was.

‘I like all the oldies,’ said Roger. ‘Holiday Inn and White Christmas.’

‘For me, the perfect Christmas film is It’s a Wonderful Life,’ said Sarah.

‘Is it terrible that I’ve never seen it?’ asked Pari.

Roger gasped in mock outrage.

Pari popped a chocolate in her mouth. ‘What’s it even about?’

‘It’s about a guy named George Bailey,’ explained James, ‘who wants to go travelling and become an architect. But he has to take over his family’s bank instead.’

‘My heart bleeds for him,’ said Pari sarcastically.

‘At beginning of the movie he’s planning to commit suicide,’ continued Sarah.

Pari pulled a face. ‘It sounds super depressing.’

‘Oh, but it isn’t,’ Omar assured her. ‘An angel comes down and helps George see how his small acts of kindness to friends and family have made a huge difference in people’s lives.’