I’m not surprised. I’m reeling, myself. Bridget has been in and out of love so many times, and, even though she’s told me that it’s different with Charlie, that he’s unlike anyone she’s ever known, I didn’t really believe it. Now I know I underestimated their feelings for each other.
It’s funny, I always thought of my friend as an open book: warm, outgoing and the best person to be around. But there’s a side to her that I never got to know in the time that we lived together. She’s never struck me as a particularly maternal person – she and Elliot were alike in their desirenotto have children, I thought. But Charlie has a young daughter, April, and the way Bridget talks about her with such obvious adoration makes me wonder if I ever really knew her at all.
‘Where did he propose?’ I ask with a smile, determined to try to make up for my initial lack of enthusiasm.
‘At the beach,’ she replies. ‘The one with the sea glass.’
‘I remember. So you’re thinking next summer for the wedding?’
‘Yes. And, Bronte, please will you come?’
‘Of course I’ll come!’ The thought of returning to England feels surreal, but I’m awash with nerves at the reminder that Alex will be coming here, well before then.
‘I was kind of hoping I’d be able to persuade you to do the wedding photos,’ she adds with slight trepidation.
‘Oh… I haven’t done any weddings since I left the UK.’
‘I know.’ She sounds uneasy. ‘I still don’t really understand why.’
‘Work is so busy…’
‘You managed to squeeze them in before, when you had a full-time job.’
‘Anyway, I’m also a bit out of practice.’
‘You’ve got almost a year before I walk down the aisle.’
I can’t help but smile at her perseverance. ‘You really want me to start doing weddings again, don’t you?’
‘Yes,’ she states. ‘You loved it. You were great at it.’
‘It feels like a lifetime ago,’ I say sadly.
‘Itkillsme that he ruined it for you!’ she snaps.
‘Who? Alex?’
‘Yes, Alex!’ she cries.
Bridget is not Alex’s biggest fan.
I sigh heavily. I don’t really know what to say to that. I don’t want to blame Alex. Yes, photographinghiswedding set me back a bit, but it’s my own fault for letting that part of my life slip through my fingers.
‘He emailed me today,’ I tell her.
‘What?!’
‘Alex. He emailed me today for the first time in years to tell me that he’s coming to Sydney next month.’
There’s no reply from the other end of the line, so I keep talking.
‘He thought he should let me know in case we bump into each other in the lift, or somewhere. He doubts he’ll need to come intoVivienne, but he’s going to be in the building. You know he’s the Art Director for the whole of Tetlan now?’
‘Yes, I did hear that,’ Bridget replies quietly.
I don’t remember passing that information on.
‘Russ and Maria told me,’ she answers my unspoken question.
