Every Monday, I witnessed an old man purchase two tickets yet always sat alone. Curiosity prompted me to discover his secret, so I purchased a seat next to him. When he began sharing his story, I had no idea that our lives were about to intersect in ways I could never have predicted.
The ancient city cinema was more than just a job for me. It was a location where the hum of the projector could temporarily drown out the world’s troubles.
Every Monday morning, Edward appeared, as consistent as the sunrise.
Edward carried out himself with quiet dignity, his tall, thin figure dressed in a perfectly buttoned gray coat. His silver hair, carefully combed back, caught the light as he approached the counter. He consistently requested the same thing.
“Two tickets for the morning movie.”
Nevertheless, he always arrived alone.
I attempted a courteous grin while my mind raced with silent queries.
Why two tickets? Who are they for?
The following Monday was different. Today was my day off.
What if I follow him? It isn’t spying. It is… curiosity. Almost Christmas, after all—a season of wonder.
When I entered the dimly illuminated cinema, Edward had already taken his seat. His gaze shifted to me, and a slight smile crossed his lips.
“You’re not working today,” he observed.
I moved into the seat beside him. “I thought you might need a company. I’ve seen you here so many times.”
He chuckled, yet the tone had a hint of sadness. “It’s not about movies.”
“Years ago,” he began, his gaze fixed on the screen, “there was a woman who worked here. Her name was Evelyn.”
“She was beautiful,” he continued, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “She’d been working here. We met here, and then our story began.”
“One day, I invited her to a morning show on her day off,” Edward said. “She agreed.”
He stopped, his voice wavering slightly. “But she never came.”
“What happened?” I whispered, leaning closer.
“I found out later she’d been fired,” he said, his tone heavier now. “I didn’t understand why. She was just… gone.”
Edward sighed, his gaze falling to the unoccupied seat next to him. “I tried to move on. I got married and lived a quiet life. But after my wife passed, I started coming here again, hoping… just hoping… I don’t know.”
I swallowed hard. “She was the love of your life.”
“She was. And she still is.”
“I’ll help you find her.”
At that point, the realization of what I had pledged hit me. Evelyn worked at the cinema, but the manager who fired her was my father. A man who scarcely acknowledged my presence.
Edward stood quietly by the entrance, hat in hand, appearing both nervous and composed. “You’re sure he’ll talk to us?”
On my way to the cinema office, I found myself opening up to Edward, possibly to relieve my anxiety.
“My mom had Alzheimer’s,” I explained, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. “It started while she was pregnant with me. Her memory was… unpredictable. Some days, she’d know exactly who I was. Other days, she’d look at me like I was a stranger.”
Edward nodded solemnly. “That must have been hard for you.”
Edward said little, but his presence was calming. When we got to the movie, I paused before unlocking the door to Thomas’ office.
“Hi, Dad. This is my friend, Edward,” I stammered.
“I need to ask you about someone who worked here years ago. A woman named Evelyn.”
He froze for a little moment before leaning back in his chair. “I don’t discuss former employees.”
Thomas’s gaze turned to Edward, narrowing slightly. “I don’t owe him anything. Or you, for that matter.”
Edward spoke for the first time. “I loved her. She was everything to me.”
Thomas’ jaw stiffened. “Her name wasn’t Evelyn.”
“What?” I blinked.
“She called herself Evelyn, but her real name was Margaret,” he admitted, his words cutting through the air. “Your mother. She made up that name because she was having an aff:air with him,” he gestured toward Edward, “and thought I wouldn’t find out.”
The room went silent.
Edward’s face paled. “Margaret?”
“She was pregnant when I found out,” Thomas continued bitterly. “With you, as it turned out.” He looked at me then, his cold expression faltering for the first time.
Thomas sighed heavily. “I knew I wasn’t your father.”
Edward slid onto a chair, hands trembling. “She never told me. I… I had no idea.”
“I think,” I said, “we need to visit her. Together.” I glanced at Edward, then turned to Thomas, holding his gaze. “All three of us. Christmas is a time for forgiveness, and if there’s ever a moment to set things right, it’s now.”
We drove to the care facility silently. Edward sat beside me with his hands folded securely in his lap. Thomas sat in the back car, his posture straight, his gaze fixed out the window.
“Mom,” I said gently, but there was no response.
“Evelyn.”
“Edward?” she whispered.
Tears welled in her eyes, and she took a hesitant step forward. “You’re here.”
“I never stopped waiting,” he replied, his own eyes glistening.
The snow began to fall gently outside, enveloping the world in a beautiful, calm silence.
“Let’s not end it here,” I said, breaking the quiet. “It’s Christmas. How about we go get some hot cocoa and watch a holiday movie? Together.”
That day, four lives became entwined in ways none of us had anticipated. We walked into a story that had taken years to reach its conclusion—and a fresh beginning.
