The Vintage Cinema Club

by Jane Linfoot

  ‘You could always text him something small and insignificant, as an opener.’ Luce shot Dida a grin. ‘Like “miss you so much it hurts”.’

  ‘Bloody hell, nothing as full on as that!’ Dida let out an appalled squawk.

  ‘Joking there, obviously.’ Luce knew Dida’s sense of humour going AWOL was another sign how much this mattered. ‘If he isn’t interested, he won’t text back.’ Luce softened the grin to a smile. ‘It seems a shame to throw it away. I mean, how many other people like opera?’

  Dida picked up the paper cups that had fallen over, and sent Luce a sideways glance. ‘So what about you? I take it Ollie hasn’t emailed back yet?’ She gave a thoughtful frown. ‘We could both text. Or we could both do nothing…’

  Luce sighed. If Ollie still had his phone, a text might reach him, when an email wouldn’t. She’d had six long weeks with no reply from Ollie, although no one else had heard from him either. He still didn’t know about the pictures, which were half his and half Luce’s, but she’d face that in the unlikely event they came good and were proven to be originals. But maybe a text couldn’t hurt…

  ‘Customer alert – those children are back.’ Dida picked up a jug, and waved it at the approaching group. ‘Four lemonades?’ She turned to Luce, talking through the clenched teeth of her smile. ‘You know, every time I look at Aidie, all I see is bloody Elvi, and her bloody minute tits, and personal trainer abs, and the “For Sale” sign over the cinema. Damn it, that settles it, let’s text.’

  71

  Friday Evening, 25th July

  LUCE

  In her flat

  A second thought

  Luce, curled up on her bed, late at night, clicked her phone on. She flicked onto messages, and began to tap on the screen.

  Wish you were here, Luce x

  That summed it up. Small, but perfectly formed. That was all she needed to say. She held her finger over “send”, and let it hover there for a second or two.

  What the hell was she thinking? However much she was missing Ollie, and however much she’d changed the way she was thinking, she refused to be “Ms Desperate of Matlock”.

  She moved her finger, and tapped delete.

  72

  Sunday Evening, 27th July

  *

  Text from Dida to Hamish:

  Had any nice gelato lately? Dida

  *

  Text from Hamish to Dida:

  Gelato in Morpeth is sadly lacking. Making do with Lidl Chocolate chip. Hamish

  *

  Text from Dida to Hamish:

  Eating Ben and Jerry’s Baked Alaska as I text. Tosca and the PIazza del Comune seem very far away.

  *

  Text from Hamish to Dida:

  The oregano isn’t the same here either. Ever tried Ben and Jerry’s Strawberry Cheesecake?

  *

  Text from Dida to Luce:

  Whoop. I did it, he replied! Now we’re talking ice cream and oregano. Thanks for pushing me over the cliff. How about you? XXXXXXXX

  *

  Text from Luce to Dida:

  Yay, brilliant news on H, see, I told you. I chickened out. Hugs on the H thing. Xx

  *

  Text from Dida to Ollie:

  When did you last check your inbox? You have v IMPORTANT email!!!! xx

  *

  Text from Hamish to Dida:

  Can definitely recommend Haagen Dazs salted caramel. Having Tosca withdrawals, so thinking of going to Arias in the Park, in York.

  *

  Text from Dida to Hamish:

  Sounds amazing. How wonderfully civilised. Haagen Daz mint leaves and chocolate is worth a try, if you haven’t already.

  *

  Text from Hamish to Dida:

  9/10 for HD mint leaves and choc. Short notice, but you could always come to York a week on Saturday. What would you give HD pralines and cream? If you’re free that is.

  *

  Text from Dida to Hamish:

  HD pralines and cream get a straight 10 :) Yes to York, but need to sort child care etc. – will get back to you on that. HD Baileys?

  *

  Text from Hamish to Dida:

  HD Baileys – will defo try that this week. York news: 12/10. Text me your email and I’ll send more details.

  *

  Text from Dida to Luce:

  You will not believe this…H asked for a) my email b) opera appointment in York!!!!! :D XXXX

  *

  Text from Luce to Dida:

  Whoop, you got a date. XXXX

  *

  Text from Dida to Luce:

  It’s an appointment, not a date. There’s a big difference. H is a friend X

  73

  Monday, 28th July

  Subject: Back in the room

  Hi Luce and Ruby,

  Great to hear from you, pleased you like the cards. I have got lots of panda ones you’ll like too. Pleased to hear you like falabellas Ruby. I made a little metal pony the other day. Been hanging round the local forge – can’t keep away and the craftsmen here are incredible. I’ll give the pony to you when I come home

  *waving from Koh Samui* Ollie x

  p.s. sorry it took so long to reply - was off the radar for a while, but I’m back online again now

  74

  Monday Morning, 28th July

  LUCE & DIDA

  At the St Nic’s holiday club

  Only a friend

  ‘So, you got your date then, Mrs Compton?’ Luce who always ran two minutes later than Dida in the mornings, regardless of whether they were heading for school or holiday club, did a mad dash across the playground, and caught up with Dida by the kissing gate. Getting Ollie’s email had supercharged Luce’s legs, and pushed her face into a full time insane grin, which she attempted to minimise.

  ‘It’s definitely not a date.’ Dida’s nose in the air went with an aloofness that exactly matched the pale teal linen trouser suit she was wearing this morning. ‘We’re simply two opera enthusiasts, going for an afternoon in the park.’

  If that was her story, good on her.

  ‘Brilliant.’ Luce was still surprised how up front she was being. ‘But aren’t you worried about Aidie?’ Who would no doubt spin off the proverbial fan with all the decorum of an inflight cowpat, when he found out.

  Dida’s nose flared as she drew in a long breath. ‘I’ve nothing to hide, I’ll tell Aidie nearer the time. Thanks to Ms Spicy Sport AA Cup, he’s only gracing us with his presence here every other weekend, and then only for a night and usually, a fight. Still not wanting sex at home. He’s hardly in a position to complain.’ She jumped in her car, and whizzed down the window. ‘And thanks for saying you’ll have the kids for me. The kids and Alport Towers are way too precious for me to get into adultery, but this is simply civilised company. Life with Aidie is such a cultural desert.’

  Luce, realising her beam was too radiant for the comment, toned it down. ‘Mrs GI Joe is coming in on Saturday morning to pick up her dress, but she can come to the flat.’ Seeing as Jules had been round before, Luce knew it wouldn’t be a problem. ‘And then my Mum’s volunteered to take all the kids for a picnic up at Carsington Water in the afternoon.’

  ‘I owe you for this, Luce. Hamish is only a friend, and it’s still twelve days away,’ Dida scrunched up her face, ‘but bloody hell, my heart is banging every time I think about it – which is a lot.’

  Luce nodded enthusiastically. She knew all about thumping hearts. ‘You need to check this out.’ Luce had to agree, and damn that the elation from one little email from Ollie had her encouraging Dida for all she was worth.

  Dida’s bright red lips pursed, then she tapped her tooth with one peachy nail. ‘So is it my imagination, or are you looking extra happy this morning?’ She tilted her head, narrowing her eyes at Luce. ‘Have you heard from Ollie?’

  Luce might be transparent, but there was only one reason why Dida might be straight onto that. ‘Did you text him?’

  ‘I might
have done.’ Dida’s lips spread into a smile. ‘Step one of The Vintage Cinema Club, getting us all back on track. The whole disaster with Izzy has made me realise it isn’t only the business we need to strive for. We need to look after ourselves too.’

  ‘That’s so true.’ Luce gave a grateful shrug. ‘And thanks for starting with Ollie and me.’ Since the email this morning, alongside the elation, a strange calm had spread through her. Only a few words on a screen, and not many lines to read between, but the break between her and Ollie had somehow been mended. Suddenly, after six weeks of silence, the idea of emailing their news to each other across the world wasn’t so bad.

  ‘February isn’t so long.’ Luce’s smile wasn’t out of control any more. If she said it fast, she could pretend she wasn’t feeling like her chest was full of stones, because when she thought about not seeing Ollie until then, February seemed like a lifetime away.

  Dida’s eyes wrinkled with her smile. ‘That’ll be one big homecoming. Checking out the sparks and all that.’

  Luce’s stomach hit the pavement, and at the same time her cheeks began to burn.

  But Dida was straight onto her. ‘Oh my god, you already did, didn’t you?’

  ‘If Izzy knew any of this, she’d throttle me.’ Luce was sure of that. She’d throttle herself too, if she were in Izzy’s shoes. Messing her brother about, hurting him to the point she’d driven him away. That’s exactly why best friends’ brothers should stay off limits.

  ‘When was this?’ Dida’s surprise sent her voice and eyebrows skywards.

  Luce was dying here. ‘Only the once. Completely by accident.’

  From the times had she replayed it in her head, her mental tape should have worn out by now. Ollie coming round to say goodbye to Ruby the night he left, but Ruby was asleep, and Ollie wouldn’t let Luce wake her. How Ollie’s one goodbye peck on Luce’s cheek had ended up in bed, with the most explosive chemistry ever, and the sex had been incredible, as if everything they’d put off for months had ended up in one humungous orgasmic hour of bliss. And then he’d left for the airport. Except it had been more than bliss. Bliss was too gentle for what she’d been trying to blot out of her head ever since. And when he’d sent her an email to talk about it, she hadn’t been able to bring herself to reply.

  Luce turned back to Dida with a long sigh. ‘It’s so damned stupid that you only come around to realise what you want when it’s too late to have it.’

  ‘It’s never too late.’ Dida stuck her hand through the car window and gave Luce’s arm a squeeze. ‘We’ll make sure Izzy only gets to know the good bits, and then only if she needs to.’ Dida wrinkled her nose, and gave a smile. ‘On balance that stint on the healthy drinks stall didn’t work out too badly did it?’

  75

  Wednesday Morning, 6th August

  Subject: ALL HANDS ON DECK

  THE SECOND DELIVERY FROM FRANCE IS COMING MONDAY AFTERNOON 2PM.

  PLEASE BE THERE TO HELP IF YOU CAN,

  Dida x

  76

  Thursday Afternoon, 7th August

  Text from Ollie to Luce:

  Fancy a walk in the park?

  *

  Text from Luce to Ollie:

  Which park?

  *

  Text from Ollie to Luce:

  Matlock park?

  *

  Text from Luce to Ollie:

  What, are u booking early for next February?

  *

  Text from Ollie to Luce:

  No, I mean now ;)

  *

  Text from Luce to Ollie:

  OMG is this a joke?

  *

  Text from Ollie to Luce:

  Meet you by the swings in seven…minutes not months :)

  *

  Text from Ollie to Luce:

  Is that a yes?????

  *

  Text from Luce to Ollie:

  Oooops, YES YES YES YES

  77

  Thursday Afternoon, 7th August

  OLLIE & LUCE

  By the swings in Matlock park

  Wind, puffa jackets and straggly hair

  In his head it hadn’t been pouring with rain, it had been sunny. For twenty six solid hours, since he left Bangkok, Ollie had been imagining lounging on a park bench, his rucksack thrown on the ground, the sun beating on his face as he waited. Hell, for the best part of five months he’d imagined watching the kids splashing in and out of the fountains as he searched the horizon to see Ruby and Luce running towards him, their dresses streaming out behind them, all set against an orange sunset, not an iron grey sky. And in his head he’d forgotten the noise of teatime traffic too, and the lone duck, strutting under the slide.

  As it was, he was under the eaves of the toilet block, squatting on his bag, with the rain sluicing down in a sheet over the edge of a blocked gutter, counting down the minutes, and suddenly they were there, struggling with the latch on the child proof gate. Ruby in wellies, stomping in the puddles, galloping from one to the next shouting, her yellow cagoule shorter than it was when he’d left, with that spotty ladybird umbrella he’d bought her, looking up at Luce as she ran. And Luce. Luce in her puffa jacket and jeans, with the hood up, hands thrust deep in her pockets, shoulders shrugged against the wind squalls, and her hair all wet and straggly, blowing across, sticking to her cheeks. Suddenly he knew it was good it was raining, rain was the best weather he could have hoped for, because tears were streaming down his cheeks.

  And then they saw him, and Ruby was shrieking, and running towards him across the tarmac, hurling herself at him as he stood up. ‘Olls? Mummy, is it really Olls?’

  He winced as Ruby thumped into him, and accidentally elbowed him in the groin as he scooped her up.

  ‘Hey you.’ Luce arrived next to them, smiling, putting a hand up to his cheek, and making his shivers turn to shuddering.

  His gut contracted like a spring, as she held his jaw between her splayed thumb and finger, then her lips landed on his, and for a split second his mouth burst like popping candy, as her lips brushed over his. Then, she pulled away gently, leaving her taste behind. Just like he’d imagined. Just like he’d remembered, every single day since he left.

  ‘Hey, you’re soaked through, and you’re so thin – I can feel all your ribs.’ She stood back and gave him the once over. ‘No wonder you’re freezing, in a T shirt. You aren’t in the tropics now you know.’ She shot him a grin.

  ‘Just a minute.’ He dug into his pocket, almost losing his denims. ‘I brought you something, Ruby.’ When the hell had his jeans got so slack? He’d dragged them on in the toilets at Heathrow, it had to be five months since he’d last worn them. His fingers closed around something small and hard and spikey, and he pulled out the tiny horse that had brought him all the way around the world, and shown him the way back home.

  ‘It’s a pony.’ Ruby’s lips curved into a smile, and she settled herself onto his hip. ‘How did you know I liked ponies Olls?’

  ‘Good question, Rubes. I’m guessing I just kind of knew somehow.’ He’d made the pony for her the week before he picked up the email about falabellas.

  As she squirmed against his grip to be free, he let her slide down to the ground.

  ‘I’m taking him for a gallop.’

  As Ruby belted off, Luce’s hip bumped against his, as she slipped her arm around his waist. ‘Rubes and I were just about to have tea, you look like a good meal would warm you up.’ She looped a finger through his belt loop. ‘Beans on toast okay for you?’

  Beans on toast, like he’d never been away. Except he already knew it wasn’t the same as before, it was definitely very different. There was something about the way Luce had held his chin, and something about the way one of her hands was touching his chest, the way her shoulder was wedged under his armpit, and her other arm was wound around him. Maybe she was pleased to see him, but the way her fingers had locked onto his belt like she was never going to let go, made him feel it was more than that. Whatever, now he�
�d been without her, and found her again, he was happy to take whatever she was offering, big or small, however she wanted to offer it.

  ‘Sounds great.’ Beans on toast? If he’d thought of that when he’d been sitting on a tropical beach, he might have come back sooner. Beans on toast with Luce and Ruby? ‘I can’t think of anything I’d rather have.’

  78

  Friday Lunchtime, 8th August

  IZZY & OLLIE

  In Izzy’s kitchen

  Is there any flapjack?

  ‘Ollie?’

  Izzy, stumbling across a rucksack covered in Far Eastern airline stickers in the hall, on her way downstairs, belted down into the kitchen and did a double take. ‘What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were away until Christmas at least.’

  ‘Nice to see you too.’ Ollie looked up from his bowl of crunchy nut cornflakes, and inclined his head to the pizza boxes and piles of washing up. ‘So, what happened here, a zombie apocalypse?’

  Izzy shook her head, and tried to get her brain around the shock. As for a male in their family, commenting on a messy kitchen, that had to be a first. ‘I haven’t caught up after France yet. You know I’ve been to France?’ She watched him nod and wave his spoon. ‘So how come you’re back so early?’ France was a long time ago now, but her house cleaning fetish had been lost in transit. Since she’d been back she hadn’t had the energy or the heart to sort out the house. The mess was just a blur on the edge of the confusion in her head.

  Ollie grunted into his cereal. ‘Turns out I’m less of a globe trotter than I thought. I decided there was more for me here than there.’ He gave a wide grin. ‘Don’t look so worried, you can use Chou-fleur, and you can keep my space so long as the cinema lasts.’

  Izzy shuddered to hear him talking about the cinema as if it was already lost, but given her fast come backs were yet another thing that had deserted her, she simply stared at him.

  ‘So what’s new here, apart from Vintage at the Cinema being under threat, and battleship grey being your new favourite paint colour, which matches the circles under your eyes by the way?’ Ollie got up, and threw his dish into the sink, but left the cereal packet on the table. Brothers knew just how to flatter a girl, didn’t they?