30
After a Disney-style fireworks display, the whole place is ablaze with twinkling lights and the party is showing no signs of slowing down, even though it’s very late. I’ve taken myself off to Ged’s cabana because it’s empty and I need to message Luke to tell him that his life is no longer in danger and that it never was and that he should carry on with his life as planned because it was all simply a horrendous case of mistaken identity. I’m sure he’ll see the funny side eventually. I’ve just pressed send when Cherry, a veritable sweaty mess, grabs my arm. ‘I’m going to go get ready. I’ve only got half an hour to get changed.’
I check the time. ‘Where is everyone?’
‘God knows,’ she says. ‘Can you remember what floor we are on?’
‘I’ll come with you. Hopefully, Matteo will be in the room.’ I haven’t had any messages, and I haven’t messaged him because I don’t want him to think I’m clingy, now that we are married. We battle through the crowds. There must be at least three thousand people here. Bumping up against each other, grinding away, arms flung around shoulders, swaying this way and that, two-stepping on tables as the DJ creates different moods with a selection of brilliant tunes. We reach the patio area, and the emptiness of the lift is a nice relief.
As we make our way along the corridors, Cherry clings to my arm. ‘This has been a life-changing trip.’
‘It certainly has.’
‘I’ve realised how much I love my family,’ says Cherry unexpectedly as we walk along.
Must have been when she gambled their house away and won it back a few minutes later.
‘I’ve also realised how much I love my friends,’ she says, stopping to look at me. ‘Thank you, Connie.’
We share a moment of deep emotional connection. I’ve seen every side of her over the last few days. Some of the sides were not pretty.
Cherry’s soft expression is short-lived. ‘Don’t you dare tell anyone I said that. And by the way…’ She rummages in her bag and pulls out a wad of notes. ‘That’s to pay off your credit card.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Of course.’ She gives me one of those rare smiles that reaches her eyes, and she bleeps the key card against her door to unlock it.
‘I love you, too, my friend.’ As soon as the words leave my mouth, a visceral feeling sweeps over me. It feels awkward in a way. As though the words have been stuck inside me, gathering dust. That’s when I remember why.
* * *
As I continue along towards my room, I realise that I haven’t spoken those words since my mother died. I told her that I loved her, and she basically died in my arms. I’ve never been able to say those words since.
I need to tell Matteo that I love him. I speed up and rush into the room, half expecting Matteo to be there. Instead, I get a text from him. It says he is running late and will meet me at the love sign. A wave of disappointment floods through me.
Where is my husband?
I check the time. I will jump in the shower, make sure I smell divine and quickly throw on some clothes. As I’m putting the finishing touches to my barely-there make-up and dragging a brush through my hair, there’s a knock on the door.
Cherry is standing outside. ‘I can’t find anyone. So, I thought we might as well go together, seeing as…’ She stops speaking. ‘Connie, you look gorgeous, pet. Absolutely gorgeous.’
I immediately blush at the compliment. I’ve only had time to do a flick of mascara and throw on a knee-length summer dress I found at the bottom of the suitcase.
‘Here, let me finish your hair for you.’
By hair, Cherry means a full face and an updo. She spends ten minutes swishing brushes over my face, fiddling with my eyebrows and talking about her children as she takes clips from between her lips and digs them into my scalp.
‘The oldest one insists on a French plait every day for nursery. Even though I’ve told her she doesn’t have the right face shape for it.’ She chuckles to herself. ‘But being a mother is nice, I suppose.’ Cherry has a peaceful, faraway look on her face as she lifts and backcombs strands of my hair. ‘I’m going to try and spend more time with them when I get back.’ She sprays a whole can of hairspray over me. ‘There you go. It’ll take a hurricane to budge that.’
Cherry has transformed me into an elegant version of myself. She has given me a gentle smoky eye, full plum-coloured lips in matte and lashings of mascara. Tendrils of hair frame my face while my thick hair has been swept up into a stylish knot.
‘I’m afraid the hair has upped the game dress-wise,’ she says, inspecting her handiwork. She marches over to the wardrobe and yanks the door open. ‘Oh. My. God. What’s this?’ she says, pulling it from the hanger. ‘Put it on immediately.’
‘It’s my wedding night underwear,’ I say, my voice tinged with regret. ‘He didn’t even get to see me in it properly.’
‘Well, he will tonight.’ Cherry flicks through the few clothes I have hanging up and grimaces before settling on a floral blue shift dress and flings it over to me. ‘That’ll have to do.’
I slide into my wedding underwear easily. I’m not even sure I’ve eaten today. The shift dress hangs off me too.
