Page 50

A Few Months Later

Tess walked slowly through the aisle of the empty cinema, her fingertips grazing the worn velvet seats.

The silence in The Eclipse was deeper than usual, holding a kind of finality that made her heart ache.

She took a deep breath, letting the familiar scent of popcorn and aged fabric fill her senses one last time.

‘I’m going to miss this place,’ she said aloud, her voice barely a whisper.

At the sound of footsteps, she turned to see Fi leaning against the doorway, arms crossed. ‘Would you stop the drama? You’ll be back in two weeks. A cinema doesn’t fall apart that fast,’ she laughed.

Tess brushed off a fleck of dust from a seat. ‘I don’t know, Fi. Leaving you in charge? I’ll be lucky if it’s still standing.’

Fi rolled her eyes. ‘If anything, I’ll have this place running better than ever. You might even be obsolete by the time you get back.’

Tess managed a wry smile, but there was a nervous twist in her stomach.

She hadn’t left The Eclipse for more than a day or two since her mum had passed, and certainly not for anything as frivolous as a holiday.

She didn’t even know if she still remembered how to be on holiday. You just relaxed? And then what happened?

‘It’s not like I’ve got a choice,’ Tess muttered, almost to herself. ‘Zara’s booked everything. I couldn’t stop this thing if I tried.’

Fi let out a snort. ‘Stop acting like you didn’t suggest it.’

Tess threw her sister a shocked look. ‘How did you know that?’

‘She told me.’

‘What a bloody narc!’ Tess said.

‘I think she just wants me to know there wasn’t coercion. You want to take a break.’ Fi shook her head. ‘Still sounds weird.’

Tess gave her sister a soft, grateful look, relaxing just a bit. ‘All right. But don’t make any improvements while I’m gone.’

Fi held up her hands in mock surrender. ‘I’m letting this ship run itself. It can do that, you know.’

‘I guess it kind of can,’ Tess admitted.

‘Because your staff knows what to do. Even Dylan.’

‘He’s seemed a lot less constantly baked lately, have you noticed?’ Tess noted.

‘He met a girl,’ Fi explained.

‘How does that affect his weed consumption?’

‘I think he’s decided reality does have some stuff to offer after all,’ Fi elaborated.

‘Must be something in the air,’ Tess said.

‘Does that mean it’s my turn next?’ Fi asked.

‘Could be,’ Tess said.

‘Good, because I’m so horny at the moment. I might start banging Jerry if this drought goes on much longer.’

Tess shuddered. ‘Please don’t sexually harass him. You’ll give him a heart attack. Real Reel Club is sold out this week, and he’s the only one who knows how to operate the old projector.’

‘Well, Dylan’s too young. Maybe Simon?’

‘Don’t bang the staff. It’s rule one of management,’ Tess told her.

‘You’re one to talk,’ Fi smirked.

‘Fair point,’ Tess smiled. She felt that little knot reappear. ‘You’re sure you’re going to be alright?’

‘Things are easier than they’ve ever been. Accept that. This is a chance to stop worrying and have a life,’ Fi said, aggravated.

There was truth to that. Now the bank had backed off, the pressure had eased considerably.

Less than a week after the protest, the CEO of Heritage herself, Sandra Burke, had rung Tess (with barely concealed desperation in her tone), assuring her that in light of recent events, Phillip and a few other managers were out. ‘Taking early retirement.’

Then she’d offered a reduction on the loan’s interest rate, apparently ‘motivated by the overwhelming community support’ for the cinema. She didn’t ask not to be sued, but she didn’t need to. Tess understood what the deal was.

She went in the next day and signed a new deal that was a hell of a lot less strain on The Eclipse's profit margin.

Oh, and since Phillip was sacked, he was in no position to sack anyone else. Zara still had her job. She’d actually been offered a promotion, Phillip’s position. But she’d turned it down. She liked her job exactly as it was.

The relief for them both had been heady, mixed with disbelief at how quickly the tables had turned.

‘Zara said it was strategic empathy,’ Tess told Fi. ‘But honestly, I think they just caved to the noise.’

‘Damn right,’ Fi said with a satisfied smirk. ‘They couldn’t handle the bad press.’

Tess’s lips quirked at the memory. ‘The crazy thing is that Deborah, of all people, might have helped us. Her little scheme ended up bringing in all that support. I didn’t realise how many people cared about The Eclipse.’

Fi’s smile softened, and she wrapped an arm around Tess’s shoulders. ‘That’s the thing, Tess. Movies bring people together—whether they’re inside the cinema or outside protesting. Even Deborah didn’t stand a chance against that.’

Tess leaned into her sister’s embrace for a moment. After a second of schmaltzy emotion, they both jumped back like a fart had ripped.

‘If you’re gonna start crying, I’m leaving you to it,’ Tess said.

‘I’m not the soppy one. You’re the soppy one,’ Fi said, looking away.

Tess pushed back some annoying tears that were trying to escape from their ducts. ‘Just… keep the doors open, all right?’ she said.

Fi gave her a mock salute. ‘Doors open, popcorn hot, and Dylan slightly less high. The Eclipse is in good hands.’

Laughing, Tess glanced around the cinema one last time. It no longer felt like a goodbye, just a pause—one that, for once, she was willing to take.

Tess stepped through the large double doors. Outside, idling at the curb, was a cab. Zara was leaning out the open window, sunglasses perched on her head and a barely contained smile tugging at her lips.

Tess approached the cab, feigning a dramatic sigh. ‘Is this necessary? I could just stay in the projection booth and watch foreign films for the next two weeks.’

Zara rolled her eyes. ‘Go ahead. Pretend you can’t wait to get me to yourself.’ She handed Tess a sheet of paper. ‘I printed this, and there’s a digital copy in your emails.’

Tess read it, pursing her lips, trying not to smile. ‘I don’t think the Olympics is this organised.’

‘That’s for you as much as me,’ Zara said. ‘I don’t trust you to relax without a full itinerary.’

‘Your itineraries scare me,’ Tess said, tossing her small suitcase into the trunk before sliding into the cab beside her.

‘My itineraries turn you on,’ Zara said with a twinkle in her eye.

Tess was about to argue and then stopped. ‘Shit. You’re right. They do,’ she said, realising it in real-time. Tess was mad about Zara’s Type A hotness. She could deny it no longer.

As the cab pulled away from The Eclipse, Tess glanced back out the window, catching a final glimpse of the cinema. A brief pang of nerves hit her.

Zara seemed to sense her hesitation and reached for Tess’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. ‘It’ll be here when you get back,’ she said softly. ‘Promise.’

Tess looked over at her, a wave of warmth replacing the nerves. ‘I know. And… I think I’m ready to let it go, just for a little while.’

Zara grinned, settling back into her seat. ‘Then let’s get this holiday started. You cannot imagine how much incredibly well-coordinated fun it’s gonna be.’

Tess laughed, squeezing her hand back as they sped toward the airport, already feeling a new kind of excitement creeping in. For the first time in years, the only thing she needed to manage was the next moment.

As the cab turned the corner, Tess couldn’t resist a final look over her shoulder. There, in front of the cinema, she saw Gloria striding toward the entrance, scanning the building with a critical eye.

As their eyes met for a fleeting moment, Gloria offered Tess a quick nod, one that held a hint of the quiet promise they both understood: The Eclipse wasn’t going anywhere.

But Tess was. She was swimming for the shore with Zara.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the book and you have a moment, the author would very much appreciate it if you'd leave a review on 1okepub.