‘Yes, wonderful news,’ agreed the vicar, then turned to the newlyweds. ‘What fantastic pictures they’re going to have,’ he remarked, gazing across the sunlit bay with its glistening turquoise water.
‘They certainly are,’ agreed Felix. His affinity to Samphire Bay was growing stronger by the day. Never had he had such connection to a place.
As for Emma, she still had to pinch herself every morning. She’d always regarded Samphire Bay as a romantic, magical spot. To have her dad now living here as well was the icing on the cake, which promptly reminded her…
‘Oh, the wedding cake! I almost forgot,’ she hissed.
‘But I thought they didn’t want one?’ Felix frowned.
‘Yeah, well, watch this,’ chuckled Emma.
A little later she was carrying a silver tray containing a huge cake in the shape of a canal boat. The words ‘Just Married’ appeared down its side.
‘Oh, Emma!’ cried Perry with delight. ‘It’s marvellous.’
Bunty laughed and produced a knife. ‘Come on, let’s cut it.’
Everyone cheered as they jointly clasped the knife handle and plunged it into the cake.
‘A bit different to what we’re about to board,’ said Perry, tilting his head towards it.
‘Sorry?’ Bunty’s brow furrowed in confusion.
‘Our honeymoon,’ he replied.
‘What honeymoon? We haven’t planned a honeymoon.’
‘Ihave,’ stated Perry proudly.
‘You have?’
‘Yes, Mrs Scholar. You’ll be stepping onto a luxury yacht, heading for Saint Tropez.’
‘No!’ she gasped, hand over mouth in shock.
‘Oh yes,’ he replied, loving her reaction.
‘Oh, Perrywinkle.’ She kissed his cheek, then took a moment to simply gaze into his eyes, heart so full of love she could barely contain it.
As the sun shone down, the music played, the drinks flowed and the merriment continued. Everyone partied into the early evening until the tide crept it, the dusk set and a full moon illuminated the sky. Perry and Bunty stood by the shore, its incoming ripples lapping their bare feet.
‘Well, we did it, Perry.’ Bunty turned to face him.
‘Yes, we did.’ He held out his hand and together they walked up the beach together, after years of cruel separation, finally as husband and wife.
