Chapter 9 Love Actually Is All Around

At the end of the school concert, Karen said goodbye to some other parents while Harry waited for her. Then she turned to her husband.

`Tell me,' she said. `What would you do, in my situation?' `What situation is that?’

`Imagine your husband bought a necklace with a gold heart on it at Christmas and gave it to somebody else.!

'Oh, Karen.’

`Would you wait to find out if it's just a necklace - or if it's sex and a necklace - or, worst of all, if it's a necklace and love? Would you stay, knowing that life will always be a bit worse now? Or would you get out?’

`Oh God, I've been such a complete fool.’

`Yes, but you've also made a fool of me - and made my life foolish too.’

Daisy and Bernie ran up to them, pleased with themselves after the success of the concert, and Karen became a mother again.

`Bernie, darling, you were wonderful,' she told her son. And then, to Daisy, `And my little lobster, you were so... orange. Let's go home.’

`There.’

*

Daniel found Sam. `Sam! Great show. You were wonderful on drums, son.’

`Thanks,' said Sam. `The plan didn't work, though.’

`So tell her,' said Daniel.

`Tell her what?’

`Tell her you love her.’

`No!' said Sam. `And they fly home tonight.’

`Even better,' said his stepfather. `You've got nothing to lose. I never told your Mum enough that I loved her. Not every day, and she was perfect every day. You've seen the films. There's always a chance at the last moment.’

Sam thought for a moment. `OK - let's do it, Dad. Just give me one second.’

He ran off. A mother and her son walked into Daniel.

`Sorry,' said the mother, who looked exactly like Claudia Schiffer.

`That's OK. My fault,' said Daniel.

`No, really, it wasn't.You're Sam's dad, aren't you?’

`Yes. Well, I'm his stepfather. Daniel.’

`I'm Carol.’

They looked at each other.

'OK, I'm back,' Sam said. `Let's go.’

`Yes... er... I hope we meet again, Karen.’

`Carol. I'll make sure we do.’

`Yes, good.’

As they walked away, Sam said, `Tell her.’

`Tell her what?’

`You know' He made a kissing noise.

`Don't be so silly,' Daniel told him.

Outside in the school car park, they looked around them.

`There she is,' Sam said.

`Where?’

Joanna was getting into a big car, which then drove away.

`Oh no,' Sam said.

`Don't worry,' said Daniel. `We can get to the airport before them. I know a way.’

They ran to Daniel's car and drove off fast.

When they finally arrived at Heathrow Airport, Daniel and Sam ran inside and looked up at the board.

`New York - Gate 36 - last call,' it said.

`Oh, no!' Sam cried.

They ran to the entrance to the departure area. `We're not actually flying,' Daniel explained to the airport official.

`You can't come through here without a boarding pass,' the man told them.

`Not even for the boy to say goodbye to the love of his life?’

`No.’

`I'm sorry, Sam,' Daniel said sadly.

A passenger appeared beside them.

`Boarding pass, sir,' the official said.

The passenger started looking for his pass. Just a minute. I know it's here somewhere. Could you hold my coat and bag? Thank you.

Now perhaps...’

`Do you want to try?' Daniel whispered to Sam. `Should I?' Sam whispered back.

The airport official was watching the passenger now, and his hands were full. Sam ran past him unnoticed.

`I'm sorry,' the passenger was explaining. `Perhaps I left it in the coffee shop.’

Sam ran past the machines where passengers' bags were checked and jumped over another official, who was examining the bottom of a man's trousers. A guard tried to stop him, but failed. Sam ran past the shops.

 

At Gate 36, Joanna was just preparing to board the plane. There were guards between Sam and her, but their eyes were on a television screen. On it, Billy Mack was singing `Christmas Is All Around' while taking all his clothes off.

Sam ran past the guards.

The guards turned and ran after him.

Joanna!' Sam called.

`Sam?' said Joanna.

`I thought you didn't know my name,' Sam said.

`Of course I do.’

The guards had arrived.

`I've got to run,' Sam told her.

The guards led him out of the departure area towards Daniel, who was waiting anxiously.

As Sam waved at Daniel, he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned. Joanna kissed him on the cheek and then ran back to her plane.

Sam went happily to Daniel, who lifted him high into the air.

*

In a poor part of Marseille, in the south of France, Jamie's taxi stopped in a narrow, dirty street. He got out and knocked on a door. A big man of about sixty opened it.

`Good evening, Mr Barros,' Jamie said, in Portuguese. `I would like to marry your daughter. I hope that you will give me your permission.’

`You wish to marry my daughter?’

`Yes.’

Mr Barros called back, into the house. `Come here quickly! There is a man at the door.’

A very large Portuguese girl came through a plastic curtain from the next room.

`He wants to marry you, Sophia,' Mr Barros told his daughter.

`But I've never met him before,' Sophia replied.

`That doesn't matter,' her father said.

`You're going to sell me to a complete stranger?'

`Sell? Who said "sell"? I'll pay him to take you.'

A neighbour, an old lady, appeared on the stairs to listen.

`Ah, excuse me,' said Jamie, still in Portuguese, but making mistakes now.

`I mean your other daughter, Aurelia.'

`Aurelia is not here,' Mr Barros told Jamie. `She's at work. I'll take you.'

He turned to Sophia. `You! Stay here!'

`No!' said Sophia.

All four of them, including the old lady, started walking down the street. They passed a small restaurant where a family was having dinner.

`Father is going to sell Aurelia to this Englishman,' Sophia informed the family. The family left their dinner and followed. They didn't want to miss this. More and more people joined them, as the story of Jamie and Aurelia grew and changed.

`They say he is going to kill Aurelia,' one child told another.

About forty people were now walking through the streets of Marseille.

`Great!' the second child said happily.

A fruit-seller at the side of the road stopped selling fruit and joined them. Finally, the whole crowd followed Mr Barros into a small Portuguese restaurant.

Mr Barros spoke to the owner. `Where is Aurelia?'

`Why should I tell you?’

`This man wants to marry her.’

`He can't do that,' said the owner. `She's our best waitress.'

At that moment Aurelia appeared, holding plates of food. She saw Jamie and her eyes widened. She put the plates down.

`Good evening, Aurelia,' Jamie said, in Portuguese.

`Good evening, Jamie,' she replied.

There was silence. The whole restaurant was listening now.

`Beautiful Aurelia,' Jamie began in slow, careful Portuguese. `I have come here to ask you to be my wife. I know I seem mad because I don't really know you, but everything is clear to me. We can live here or you can live with me in England.’

`Choose England,' Sophia advised. `You might meet Prince William, and then you can marry him instead.’

`Ssssh!' Mr Barros told her crossly.

Aurelia said nothing.

`Of course I don't expect you to say yes,' Jamie continued. `But it's Christmas and I wanted to... check.’

`Say yes, you undersized fool,' said Sophia.

`Thank you,' Aurelia said, very slowly, in English. `That will be nice. "Yes" is my answer. Easy question.’

`What did you say?' Mr Barros asked his daughter.

`Yes, of course,' Aurelia replied in Portuguese.

`You learnt English?' Jamie asked.

`I thought... maybe...’

They kissed. Then Sophia pulled Jamie away from her sister and kissed him loudly on the mouth. Their father did the same.

*

A month later, at Heathrow Airport, a lot of people were leaving the Arrivals Hall.

As Billy came through the gate with a beautiful, tall girl, Joe stepped out of the waiting crowd to meet him.

`Hello, Daisy,' he said.

`This one's Greta,' Billy told him.

`Hello, Greta.’

Jamie arrived next, with Aurelia. He introduced her to Peter and Juliet. `Oh, and Mark!' he said. `Hi! I didn't see you.’

Mark was looking at the floor. `Yes... I thought I'd come too.'

`Jamie's friends are so good-looking,' Aurelia said, in English. 'He didn’t tell me this. I think now maybe I have made the wrong choice - chosen the wrong Englishman.’

`She can't speak English very well. She doesn't know what she's saying,' Jamie said.

They all laughed and walked away.

Harry came out and looked around. Yes, Karen was there, with Daisy and Bernie. The children held a big sign with `Welcome Home Dad' on it.

Harry looked shyly at Karen. Then he kissed her. 'How are you?’ he asked.

`I'm fine, I'm fine,' she said. `Good to have you back,' she said formally. She turned to the children. `Come on - home,' she said.

Joanna arrived, with her family.

`There she is!' Sam cried. He ran up to her, then stopped and shook her hand.

`Hi,' Joanna said.

`Hello’

`Why doesn't he kiss her?' Daniel whispered to Carol, who was standing beside him.

`They've got time,' Carol reminded him.

Suddenly, there were journalists and cameras everywhere. The Prime Minister came through the gate, surrounded by bodyguards. Natalie ran through the crowd, put her arms round him and held him tightly. Then she jumped up into his arms and put her legs round his waist.

`You're so heavy!' the Prime Minister told Natalie.

`Oh, shut your mouth!’

They walked happily away. And all around them, people were smiling and kissing their friends and relatives. Love, actually, was all around.