Charlotte was about to get stuck into her next beer but stopped mid-air.
‘Ah, how romantic.’
Maddie reached for another bottle too.
‘Does Grace actually want to get married again?’
Sofia did a double take.
‘Have you seen the way she looks at him?’
‘I’m not disputing that she loves him. But marriage?’
Sofia frowned.
‘Don’t spoil the mood. There’s more.’
Sofia leaned in further, although no one could possibly hear what they were saying over the music.
‘He’s been planning it for a while. There’s going to be a wedding as well. They have to do the formal bit at the town hall first, but he’s fixed it for them to get married on the beach below their house at sunset the day before we leave.’
Charlotte slumped down onto one elbow.
‘Aaaahh. How cute.’
‘Grace hates fuss, so it had to be something simple, just a few friends. They’re off to Australia the day after anyway for an extended trip to see her daughter and grandson, so that will double up as a honeymoon. Her other daughter and her wife are flying there too as a surprise.’
Charlotte was now resting her head on the table and mumbling softly.
‘I always wanted a beach wedding. Mine was terribly formal, in a church… Horrible big meringue of a dress. My parents organised it all. No one asked me what I really wanted.’
Sofia exchanged a worried glance with Maddie, before clapping her hands together.
‘Well, you’ll be part of this wedding now as we’re all invited, and… I’m going to be the one and only bridesmaid! Grace promised me that if she ever got married again, I’d be her bridesmaid. I don’t think she thought it would happen in her wildest dreams, after Phil died, but she can’t change her mind now. I’ve never been a bridesmaid before.’ Sofia pointed at her friends. ‘And you’re both a little bit to blame for that.’
Charlotte sat up.
‘I did ask you! We had the dress and everything. It wasn’t my fault your appendix burst the day before the wedding. Not yours either I know…’
‘Oh yes, I think I’d sort of blanked that out… I missed the whole thing didn’t I, stuck in hospital?’
‘You did, and we were all worried sick about you. You were mentioned in the speeches.’
‘Aaah, that’s nice.’
Sofia turned her attention to Maddie, who put her hands up.
‘You know we eloped the day Tony graduated. We didn’t have anyone there, let alone bridesmaids. It was just the two of us.’
Maddie closed her eyes for a moment, remembering the happiness on Tony’s face in the registry office when he’d said I do.
‘I didn’t want my mum to have to worry about the cost of a wedding either.’
Sofia smiled at her friends.
‘Fair enough. You’re both excused.’
‘Thank God for that.’ Maddie leant forward. ‘Since you’re quizzing us, why weren’t you asked to be a bridesmaid at Grace’s first wedding?’
