Space for Rent: December Blog Chain-One for the memories

Tweet of the Day: From “Santa Dijinni”

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You know is that time again.

Time for what, you say?

Time for ye olde blog chain again:

Starting Date: Monday, December 5, 2011
Open to all forum members, even after it starts!

This month’s prompt:
Home for the Holidays (not associated with the real Holiday).

This one is broad: write about a holiday memory. It can be fiction or non-fiction, and the choice of holiday is yours (fictional holidays are okay too). Perhaps you can invent an annoying relative. Maybe you knew someone who got an actual lump of coal in their stocking. Or there’s always the tale of Nilatir, Sword-Hero of Evinrude, and the Feast of Sam’x.

Instructions:
Simply post your blog’s URL in this thread to join. Each post should be less than 1000 words if possible. Read and comment on other participants’ posts if you possibly can–they’ll be doing the same for you!

Another Xmas themed story coming your way.

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Startstrucks was packed with people seeking shelter from the snowstorm that plastered London. Outside shoppers clutched bags and coats with equal determination.  Even my usual table by the window was taken. It was none other than Geoffrey Thomas, an actor that played the younger version of the main character in the program I was working on.

“Merry Xmas, Geoffrey,” I said.

“Oh, hey Roberto,” he got half way up to shake my hand and then landed on his chair with a heavy thud. His eyes went back to watching the people outside.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

“Nothing,” he said.

“Really?”

“Well, if you must know, I saw her?”

“You saw who where?”

“I saw Marie in the studio. You know, doing the interviews for the Xmas special,” he said with a heavy sigh.

Marie played the role of Geoffrey’s character romantic interest. I should have left it there. It had nothing to do with me, but, “And?”

“And what?”

“What’s with the sad puppy eyes?”

“Nothing. Well, not much really, its just that… I sort of told her I loved her,” he said.

“In the studio?”

He waved his hands about as if to coach my mind into an unseen space, “Yes, well no, not in the TV studio, we didn’t have time to talk. She had her interview, I had mine in some other programme. No I mean, in the studio, back when we filmed the Xmas episode.”

“In the summer,” I said.

“Yes. We had the big dance thing going and between takes we got to talking and it sort of slipped out,” he said without a single breath between words.

“Oh. So what happened next?”

“She…she laughed,” he said. Now he stared down at his cup of tea, as if the answer lay at the bottom of the cup.

“Well, you both are actors, playing, or played, a romantic couple so…I’m guessing it would be hard for her to tell if you were being serious. You were serious, right?”

He exploded, “YES!” Every one in the cafe turned toward our table. “Sorry, sorry…”, said Geoffrey to the crowd. “I think so. I mean, yes. But….”

“But what?”

“I never got chance to explain. She got back to France to do some other projects. An album I think and I….”

“…didn’t call her or emailed her or try to keep in contact, right?”

“And tell her what?”

I shook my head. On set romances were not unheard off, but telling the difference between on screen chemistry and backstage attraction was nigh impossible. Again, a part of my brain whispered that I should stay of this. He was nineteen, she was twenty, things like this were bound to happen, not mention that if it got out to the tabloids, it would hell for both of them, but….

“Listen Geoffrey,” I said. His eyes snapped up at me. “You know I have house by the Forest of Dean, right? Well, we are having a little get together, you know, a Christmas Eve viewing party with some members of the cast, my family, etc.,” I switched to a whisper, “As the producer I have the whole series on DVD, and I’ll be showing the three episodes back to back. Since she still here, I could extend an invitation to her, to drop by, you know. And if…if she agrees, I could call you, and as YOU to stop by.”

He wrote his number on a napkin and handed it to me.

“Merry Christmas, call me if you need anything!” he said.

Calls were made, people came by and as I came to get more drinks from the kitchen I spotted a couple standing in the conservatory. His hands on her hips, her arms around his neck, and eyes locked in wordless conversation.

“Daddy?” asked my little munchkin, Ginny. The pair broke off their embrace. I picked my daughter off the ground, nodded to Geoffrey and went back to the kitchen. I think I heard the word, “love” somewhere behind me, but between the holiday music and my daughter’s constant babbling half finished stories, I can’t really say that I did.

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That’s my contribution to the blog chain. Next up!

pyrosama – http://matrix-hole.blogspot.com/ (link to this month’s post)
AbielleRose – http://stainedglassinthenight.wordpress.com/ (link to this month’s post)
writingismypassion – http://charityfaye.blogspot.com/ (link to this month’s post)
Domoviye – http://lets-get-happy.blogspot.com/ (link to this month’s post)
Areteus – http://lurkingmusings.wordpress.com/ (link to this month’s post)
Alynza – http://www.alynzasmith.blogspot.com/ (link to this month’s post)
SuzanneSeese – http://www.viewofsue.blogspot.com/ (link to this month’s post)
kimberlycreates – http://www.kimberlycreates.com/ (link to this month’s post)

Claire Gilliam –http://clairegillian.com (link to this month’s post)

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