‘Dad, you know you’ve missed your chance? She’s with a man-child called Marco now.’
Colin laughed. ‘Don’t worry, I’d never want to be married to the woman again, I’m just saying she’s not as bad as she can seem. I don’t want you ever to feel you have to take sides.’
‘I don’t. Now pick up that tray, will you? We’ve got over a hundred hungry guests out there who’ll storm the kitchen if we don’t feed them soon.’
*
The food was a roaring success. As Sarah mingled with guests at the evening do, her face lit up like a beacon each time someone complimented her on her cooking. She’d enjoyed some pleasant small talk with Mark and Gary, surprised at the ease with which the conversation flowed.
Sarah’s eyes scanned the room, looking for Felix, but she could see no sign of him. She was about to give up her search when he appeared at the door of the tent. He signalled to her to meet him and Sarah weaved her way through the hordes of merry guests.
‘Is everything OK? I’ve been looking for you.’
‘Yes, everything’s fine. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.’ Felix took Sarah’s hand and led her outside into the field. Her eyes struggled to adjust to the dark, punctuated only by strings of fairy lights. From the shadows, a woman stepped forward. Her head down, she lifted her eyes to meet Sarah’s.
‘Hello, Lily,’ said Sarah, smiling at the young girl.
‘Hi.’
A moment of awkward silence filled the space between them. ‘Do you fancy joining the party?’ Sarah asked. ‘We could get a drink in there and find a quiet-ish corner for a chat. There’s still some food left at the buffet.’
‘I dunno…’ said Lily, looking up at Felix.
‘I’ve told you already, Kate said it’s fine.’
Lily shuffled her feet and Sarah took charge. ‘Come on,’ she said, offering a hand to Lily. ‘Everyone’s getting plastered in there, so no one’s going to notice an extra body. I don’t know many people, so you’d be doing me a favour coming in.’
‘OK,’ said Lily, taking Sarah’s outstretched hand and allowing herself to be pulled into the festivities.
Sarah helped Lily load a plate with food, then found them a space on a straw bale away from the dance floor. At first, the conversation was stilted, but as each of them relaxed, Sarah found a natural affinity with the teenager beside her.
‘You’re nice,’ said Lily after they’d been talking a while.
‘You sound surprised,’ said Sarah, laughing.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound surprised, it’s just Felix warned me you could be a bit…’
‘Of a cow sometimes? Don’t worry, it’s true, but I’m trying to be less of one these days.’
‘Did I feel my ears burning?’ asked Felix, walking up to them with a glass of wine for Sarah and a Coke for Lily. ‘Do either of you lovely ladies fancy a dance?’
‘No,’ said Sarah and Lily in unison.
‘Oh, come on, it’s a wedding. Someone needs to join Bob on the dance floor.’
They looked over to where Bob was sliding down into the splits.
‘Isn’t he old to be doing that?’ asked Lily.
‘Don’t let him hear you saying that,’ said Sarah.
‘Lily, come and meet some of my other friends.’ Felix took Lily’s hand and led her to where Joy and Fran sat giggling like schoolgirls. Sarah watched their faces light up as Felix introduced them to his sister. Returning to Sarah, Felix sat down on the hay bale beside her. ‘Now Lily’s taken care of, will you dance with me?’
‘I’m not sure…’
‘Come on.’ Felix pulled Sarah to her feet, and they joined Bob, who was surrounded by a group of older ladies who’d taken pity on him.
‘I remember your dancing from when we went to watch that band,’ said Sarah. ‘Are you sure I won’t sustain an injury?’
