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He’d insisted they called a cab so he didn’t have the humiliation of walking past the photographers at their front gate. Now they were outside Sam and Jolie’s home in the centre of Mayleaf.
‘I’m freezing,’ he complained as they waited on the doorstep for someone to arrive.
‘I did say you should wear tights but Mr Macho wasn’t having any of it, was he? If you go down with the flu, don’t blame me. Are we expecting snow? I thought snow didn’t exist in Hollywood,’ Freya said, pulling her surgical rubber gloves further up her arm.
‘I don’t believe they didn’t have a nurse costume in your size.’
‘Nick, you know if you’re bigger than Barbie here, you don’t count. It’s just a knock-on effect. You should campaign,’ Freya told him.
‘Nick! Freya! You made it! My God, Nick, you’re certainly making a statement with that costume,’ Jolie announced, opening the door. She was dressed in a cowgirl outfit.
‘Is it OK if I carry on with the statement-making in front of your fire?’ he asked, stepping past Freya.
‘Sure, come on in guys,’ Jolie invited, making way for them to enter.
Jolie was thirty-five and a mother of two six-year-old boys, Michael and Adrian. She and her husband, Sam, ran Mayleaf’s convenience store and were an integral part of town life. Jolie took the minutes of the town meetings and Sam was a member of the Town Festival committee.
‘Jolie, I’m sorry we’re late. I got talking on the phone and Nick was having a prima donna moment over his outfit,’ Freya said, entering the house.
‘That’s OK, you’ve only missed Brian trying to rescue the boys’ football from the tree and falling head first into the compost.’
‘Oh you’re kidding me? I missed the “Brian Episode”! How could that happen so early on in the evening? Nick, I missed the “Brian Episode”,’ Freya announced, disappointed.
‘I have no doubt it won’t be the only one of the evening. Hey, where’s the birthday guy?’ Nicholas asked Jolie.
‘Straight through, into the den. He’s set up a bar in there. We were thinking of going out in the garden but boy, it’s gotten cold.’
‘Drink, Freya?’ Nicholas asked her.
‘Yes please.’ She followed Jolie into the kitchen.
‘I’m so glad you two could come tonight. I know how busy you both are,’ Jolie said, picking up some napkins and glasses.
‘We wouldn’t have missed it for the world. You and Sam have been so great to us since we moved here,’ Freya said, taking some of the glasses from Jolie.
‘Come through and have some food,’ Jolie said. She led the way into the large family room at the back of the house.
‘Hey, Freya, I like your costume and as for Nick’s, well, I’ve suggested to him he ought to think about taking on a different role in his next movie. Maybe a sequel to Tootsie. What do you think?’ Sam called. The store owner was dressed as Dracula.
‘Now do you see what you’ve done, babe? I’m the town clown,’ Nicholas said. He straightened his face and then broke it with a laugh.
‘If only your millions of adoring fans could see you now,’ Freya said, taking the beer Nicholas was offering her.
‘I think you look great, Nick. Take no notice of the old man,’ Jolie said, smiling.
‘Ha! She’s been calling me “the old man” since I got up this morning. You would think I’d turned fifty, not forty.’
‘Well, I don’t think you look a day over thirty-nine and this is a little gift from us. Happy birthday,’ Freya said. She passed Sam a gift-wrapped box and kissed him on the cheek.
‘Oh thanks, guys. You didn’t have to get me anything,’ Sam said.
‘What is it, Dad? What is it? Get off me, Adrian. I want to see!’ Michael (Krueger One) shouted, pushing his brother out of the way in order to watch his father open up the present.
‘The boys bought him a remote-control jeep, which of course they both wanted to play with. Sam liked it so much, they haven’t had a chance to have a go yet,’ Jolie told Freya.
Sam unwrapped the present, opened the box and revealed a watch.
‘Whoa! Is that real gold?!’ Adrian (Krueger Two) shouted out loudly. He tried to grab the box from his father.
