The Vintage Cinema Club. Jane Linfoot

to France this summer Izzy?’

      There was a long silence. Luce knew this was something Izzy usually did with Ollie.

      Her friend pulled a face. ‘I hadn’t thought of going on my own…’ She hesitated. ‘But I’ll see what I can do. In the meantime I promise to keep my motor mouth under control with the customers, although the swear box takings might drop.’ She sent Luce a wry grin.

      Luce drew in a breath. Pushing the business was going to mean them all pushing themselves out of their comfort zones. It was going to be a challenge, but wasn’t challenge supposed to be good for you?

      ‘One more thing…’ Dida turned to Luce. ‘I know your clothes and textiles do really well, but it would be brilliant if you moved the bridal side out of your flat, and into the cinema. Wouldn’t the projection room work brilliantly as a Vintage Bridal Studio?’

      Luce opened and closed her mouth without any sound coming out. Her bridal sideline had been growing, but she wasn’t sure she was ready for such a big step.

      Izzy cut in. ‘That’s a fabulous idea. It would be great for the business, and for you too Luce.’

      ‘I’m not sure.’ Luce was hesitating, although she didn’t know why. It was a great opportunity, and another step back towards being a real person, and not just a mum. ‘I have some “vintage look” wedding dress designs that are almost ready too, but…’ There were times when she kicked herself for not daring to be more ambitious and confident. So much for moving out of their comfort zones.

      ‘I know your bedroom is bursting with wedding dresses, you’ve definitely got enough.’ Izzy grinned at her. ‘There’s only one way to beat Aidie, and that’s by being bloody marvellous, and that’s what your vintage bridal line will be Luce. Seize the day, spread your wings, you know you can do it.’

      Luce blinked. Maybe she could do it, for the team.

      Dida, typing furiously on her iPad, came to the end of what she was writing, and her lips curved into a smile. ‘So you could say we’ve got a plan then.’

      ‘Too right.’ Izzy sounded jubilant. ‘All we need now is a name.’

      Dida’s head jerked up. ‘For the three of us here, fighting to save what we love?’

      ‘Exactly.’ Luce smiled. ‘We’ve been a team for years, but a title would make us stronger somehow.’

      Izzy pushed one paint splattered thumb against her chin. ‘At half past five this morning, when I was stirring my Farrow and Ball Cinder Rose, it hit me that three of us really are a club.’

      Luce grinned. Izzy and her paint colours. But it was a fab idea.

      Dida’s lips curved into her first smile of the morning. ‘It’s obvious. We’re The Vintage Cinema Club aren’t we?’

      ‘That’s it.’ Izzy thumped her fist on the table so hard the Susie Cooper tea set rattled.

      Luce chimed in. ‘And we’re not going anywhere.’

      Dida’s mug was already in the air. ‘Let’s drink to that. Here’s to us, here’s to The Vintage Cinema Club, and here’s to a battle we’re going to win…’

      There was a clunk as their mugs clashed, and they all shouted.

      ‘To The Vintage Cinema Club!’ ‘To saving the cinema!’

      Luce only hoped they could.

       8

      Subject: RED ALERT

      As if we don’t have enough problems, there’s another home shop opening in the spray tan place. If anyone hears/knows/discovers any info please shout IMMEDIATELY. Forewarned is forearmed. As for “the other problem”, Izzy Luce and I, a.k.a. The Vintage Cinema Club are working on “a plan”.

      Dida xx

       9

      Thursday Morning, 5th June

      IZZY & LUCE

      Vintage at the Cinema.

       Flapjacks and post mortems

      ‘That’s the outside displays set up, and the geraniums sorted. Oh, and there’s no change in the shop along the road.’ Izzy wandered back into the old cinema, watering can in hand, wincing slightly as she caught her bad foot on the step, and looked around to see what job to tackle next. ‘But as I was saying before, it’s just such a waste.’

      Izzy knew she was repeating herself, but as Luce seemed miles away, sorting through a huge pile of buttons, the repeating part probably didn’t matter too much today. They were still in shock about the cinema, but throwing themselves into work seemed like helping the cause. Izzy had blurted out last night’s skip story to Luce when they’d first opened up, but a customer searching for the perfect vintage summer dress came in before Izzy got past the main headlines. Then two elderly ladies had come for coffee whilst they deliberated over which of two art deco lamps to buy. In the end they’d bought both, more power to Dida’s chocolate and banana cake, and high five to the free coffee idea.

      Izzy moved over to dust a dresser full of plates, and tried another tack. ‘Are we going out tomorrow tonight then?’

      Luce looked up at last. ‘Ruby’s going to Dida’s, so I’d say that’s a yes.’ She gave a slow smile. ‘So long as I can summon up the energy.’

      Now Izzy examined Luce more carefully, she was definitely lacking something in the sparkle department, and it was more than just worry about the cinema. Luce had been flat even before the birthday party.

      ‘That’s not like you.’ Izzy flicked her duster. ‘Whatever happened to Lucy paint-the-town-red Morgan?’

      Luce being reluctant to go out had Izzy’s alarm bells clanging. This was the girl who’d been dancing on a table as she went into labour, but she was taking pale to a whole new level this morning. Izzy admired the way Luce embraced single motherhood, yet still managed to treat herself to some no strings fun on her fortnightly Friday nights out. Izzy steadfastly refused to follow her friend’s lead, as her own disillusion with men, which had begun with her dad, was pushed off the scale by Awful Alastair. And whereas Izzy was short and curvy, edging towards dumpy on a bad day, Luce rocked the whole blonde and delicate thing, despite being five eight and rising. She had the kind of totally uncalculated appeal which had men falling over each other to try to do things for her, and that didn’t stop at buying her drinks and taking her to bed. They would literally fight to open doors, carry her shopping, put petrol in her car, and if they put sugar in her tea, they invariably stirred it for her too. Frankly Izzy had never known anything like it. Anyone else with Luce’s looks and fan hoards would have been totally insufferable, but Luce’s saving grace was her older, even more attractive sister, who had gone on to have a super duper career as a model, and who had given Luce the impression as they were growing up, that Luce wasn’t that pretty. As far as Luce was concerned she was just another ordinary girl, who barely noticed the trail of gawping guys she left in her wake.

      Luce gave a shrug. ‘Too much sewing, and working Saturday morning is what happened…’

      Izzy shook her head. ‘Jeez, that’s what the rota is for. We should never need to come to work after a big night out.’

      ‘True, and ideally I don’t work weekends, but I’ve got two brides booked in for this Saturday, so my mum’s having Ruby. Great for business, but…’ Luce gave a long sigh.

      Izzy jumped in, to ensure Luce didn’t wriggle out of what they’d planned earlier. ‘I’ll help you move your dresses over tomorrow, then you can take those appointments here in the