Page 36 of Christmas at the Movies

‘Oh, I’ve barely done anything.’ Sarah brushed away the compliment, but she was glowing at his praise. ‘Just made what was already there better.’

‘Stop being so modest,’ said Noa, his hand still on her back. ‘I’d be lost without you, darling.’

Darling. James suddenly had a horrifying thought. Was Sarah cheating on him with Noa Drakos? Who would blame her if she was having an affair with the director? He was rich, successful and charming – and, more importantly, new. Everything James wasn’t.

Stop being so insecure! James told himself sternly. Sarah would never betray him.

‘Were you at the screening just now?’ asked Sarah.

‘Oh, no, I’m too busy for that,’ said Noa. ‘I’ve got a business proposal for you. We’d like to hire the cinema as our location base while we shoot at Merricourt Manor and around Plumdale.’

Sarah and James exchanged confused glances.

‘Why here?’ asked James.

‘We’d like to use the café as our warm area,’ continued Noa. ‘But mostly we’re interested in using your car park and the side alleyway, where we can park our trailers and electricity generator.’

‘We would need to get permission from the local council, of course,’ said the assistant.

‘Our local MP might be able to help,’ said Sarah. ‘She’s a big supporter of independent businesses.’

Noa snapped his fingers and his assistant handed James a contract.

James scanned the document. The production company were offering a substantial sum to use the car park and lobby for two weeks, while they filmed in and around the village.

He passed the contract to Sarah. Her eyes widened as she read it.

‘Can we think about it for a bit?’ James wanted a chance to mull the offer over. It seemed too good to be true.

‘I’m afraid we need a decision tonight,’ said Noa. ‘We’re also looking at the polo club as a possible location – but of course we’d prefer to use the cinema. Sarah mentioned it’s been struggling.’

James didn’t like being pressurised like this. And he also didn’t like being made to feel like a charity case.

‘Please say yes, Dad,’ begged Holly.

Noa smiled at her. ‘Your mum says you’re an actor?’

Holly nodded.

‘Would you like to be in the film?’ asked Noa. He looked at his assistant. ‘Surely we can find something for her to do – maybe she can be a carol singer?’

‘If she’s under eighteen she’ll need a chaperone at all times,’ said his assistant.

‘That’s fine. Sarah will be there,’ replied Noa. ‘I need her on set in case we need any last-minute rewrites.’

James felt his hackles rising. He didn’t like how Noa seemed to be staking a claim on his whole family.

‘The cinema needs to stay open,’ insisted James. ‘We’ve got our customers to think about. We can’t just shut in the middle of our film festival.’

It wasn’t just for the customers’ sake – he needed it to go ahead so that Sarah could see all of the films. So she could see how important their relationship was to him.

‘We’ll be sure to keep disruption to a minimum, and to repair any damage,’ said Noa. ‘We’ll be out of your hair well before Christmas.’

Everyone was looking at James now. He knew what they wanted him to say. This was clearly the answer to their prayers. So why was he hesitating?

Sarah turned to James. ‘It sounds good to me. We can plough the money back into the cinema and pay back some of the loans.’

James pushed his misgivings away. Sarah was right – they needed the money to keep the cinema going. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘Let’s do it. As long as it doesn’t interfere with the festival.’

‘Of course, of course,’ said Noa breezily. ‘We can add in a clause about that.’

‘And can I be in the movie?’ asked Holly, turning to her parents with pleading eyes.

‘Yes,’ said Sarah. ‘As long as you make up the schoolwork.’

Holly let out an ear-piercing shriek. ‘Oh my God! This is so cool!’

James stared at his wife in surprise. When Holly had asked to go to the open casting call, they’d both agreed that she shouldn’t miss school.

Why hadn’t Sarah even consulted with him before saying yes?

Come to think of it, she hadn’t asked him before accepting the scriptwriting job either.

Obviously, he would have told her to go for it.

But it would be nice to be asked. They were supposed to be a team.

It’s because you’re irrelevant, thought James. That was how he felt right now. It was Noa who was turning his family’s fortunes around, not him.

Holly squealed and threw her arms around her mother’s neck. ‘Thanks so much, Mum.’ She hugged James. ‘And Dad.’

Aaron stepped forward nervously. ‘Um, hi, I’m Aaron. I just wanted to say what a fan I am.’ He shook Noa’s hand. ‘ANZAC is, like, a total masterpiece. We watched it in my film studies class. I want to be the sort of director you are – an auteur.’

‘How would you like to do work experience on the film?’ said Noa. ‘We can always use an extra runner.’

Aaron’s eyes lit up. ‘Seriously?’

‘Naturally,’ said Noa. ‘We film-makers of colour need to support each other.’

Aaron looked at James and Sarah anxiously. ‘Is that OK?’

James forced himself to smile. ‘Why not.’ It would have been churlish not to let Aaron take up Noa’s offer, even though it was going to make things difficult for himself. With Sarah chaperoning Holly, and Aaron working on the movie too, James would be running the cinema single-handedly.

It’s only for a few weeks, James reminded himself. Maybe he could persuade Roger to come out of retirement and do a few shifts.

Everyone crowded around Noa as he regaled them with anecdotes about filming ANZAC.

Nick came over to stand next to James. ‘Mum looks happy,’ he said quietly.

‘Mmm,’ murmured James, putting his arm around his son. ‘She does.’

They watched Sarah laughing as Noa described how seasick several members of the cast had been. She did look happy. James just wished that he’d been the one to put that smile on her face.

‘What a brilliant night,’ said Sarah as she smoothed night cream on her cheeks.

James sat on the edge of the bed, taking off his socks. ‘Glad you enjoyed it.’

‘So what did you think of Noa?’

‘He’s very …’ James tried to find a neutral word. ‘Charming.’

Sarah laughed as she brushed her hair. ‘You didn’t like him.’

‘I didn’t say that.’

‘You didn’t have to. I could tell you and Nick weren’t keen. But Noa’s been very good to me.’

‘I was just surprised you agreed to Holly being in the movie,’ said James, throwing his socks in the hamper. ‘We never discussed it.’

Sarah set her brush down and turned to face him. ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I was kind of put on the spot. But I actually think we made a mistake by not letting Holly audition in the first place. She’s so talented. We shouldn’t stop her from doing the thing she loves. I don’t want to hold her back.’

As they got into bed, Sarah surprised him again by reaching for him under the duvet. ‘Hello, you,’ she whispered, slipping her hand under the waistband of his boxers.

James instantly forgot his grievance as their bodies found each other and moved together in a familiar rhythm. They both came quickly.

‘Sorry,’ said James, when he’d caught his breath. ‘It’s been a while.’

For months, his attempts to initiate sex had failed. Sarah never seemed to be in the mood.

‘That was great,’ said Sarah, rolling off him. ‘My libido is coming out of hibernation – the HRT must be starting to work.’

‘That’s good. I’ve missed this.’ He kissed her shoulder. ‘I’ve missed you.’

Sarah sighed. ‘I don’t know why – I don’t feel very desirable these days.’ There was an audible pop of her knee as she shifted under the duvet. ‘See what I mean – my body is falling apart.’

James propped himself up on his elbow. ‘Sarah, your body is just as attractive to me now as it was when we were young.’

Sarah snorted dismissively. ‘You’re just saying that to make me feel better.’

‘No, I’m not. It’s true.’ He tenderly caressed her belly that had carried Holly and Nick, tracing her C-section scar up to her navel.

His hand skimmed over her breasts that had nourished two babies.

Sliding up her long neck, his thumb stroked her beautiful lips, the lines at each side evidence of her ready smile.

His own body had changed plenty, too. Despite his long cycles, he could no longer fit into his old jeans with a twenty-eight-inch waist. His spine ached in the morning until he did a few stretches and the backs of his hands were dappled with sun spots.

But their bodies could still give each other pleasure – and that was something to celebrate.

‘Anyway, the part of you I find sexiest hasn’t changed a bit.’

‘Oh, yeah. What’s that?’ asked Sarah.

He kissed her forehead. ‘Your mind.’

Soon, Sarah was snoring gently on her side of the bed. But James couldn’t get to sleep. A troubling thought had crossed his mind. Was it the HRT that had revived Sarah’s libido? Or the attentions of a handsome Australian film director? Had Sarah been thinking about Noa when they made love tonight?

12th November 2011

The baby would not stop crying. Sarah checked his nappy – dry.

She tried feeding him – again – but he spat her nipple out, as if it offended him.

She put him on her shoulder to wind him, but he either didn’t need to burp or refused to.

She tried rocking him, swaddling him, bathing him, singing to him, cuddling him, bouncing him on her lap, jiggling him on her hip. Nothing worked. On and on he cried.

She felt like she was losing her mind.

‘What’s wrong, Nicky?’ she begged, on the brink of tears herself. ‘How can I make it better?’

Nick just wailed, his whole body going stiff with a rage that turned his face red.

Holly had been an easy, placid baby. She’d been happy lying on a blanket, kicking her chubby legs under a baby gym as Sarah cooed and sang nursery rhymes.

By four months, she was sleeping through the night.

That first year had been an idyllic time as Sarah bonded with her daughter, who grew more adorable and affectionate every day.