I close my mouth and force it into a really bright smile and make myself concentrate.
‘Hey up, Pix, how’s it going? Milla’s here. She can’t wait to say hello.’
As I watch her face on Nic’s phone screen, there’s a moment where she’s just like her picture. Then she moves and immediately she’s a living, breathing, talking, feeling person, with a real personality and an unlimited number of dimensions.
‘Hi Milla.’ She does a little finger wiggle to the camera then does a three-sixty swivel on her wheels, throws back her nut-brown waves, screws her face up, and groans. ‘It’s all happening so fast and I’ve no idea how I’m going to get through a whole day when all the focus is on me! I’m really not a limelight person, I’m much more of a team player.’
In two seconds flat, she wipes out three months of preconceptions and becomes a strong, determined woman who has the same dark grey eyes as Nic and who is having a minor wobble. As for her whirling around the floor, there’s very little to tell that she’s in a wheelchair and not an everyday executive office one.
I don’t stop to think I might be going through exactly the same for her. ‘Don’t worry, Pixie, most brides feel exactly the same as you.’
She puts her hands over her ears. ‘Go easy with the wedding jargon. Every time I hear the “B” word my tummy drops through the floor.’
Nic’s rolling his eyes. ‘Stop being such a drama queen.’ He turns to me. ‘Hang on in there, we might get some sense in a bit.’
And Nic’s changing in front of me too, getting new layers. Because here he is, kidding around with Pixie. And where before we’ve just assumed he must really love his sister because of the lengths he’s going to, now I’m watching the reality. How he is with his family isn’t something he can put on or pretend. Right in front of me, there’s the living proof of what a kind, deep, caring, genuine, funny, loving, tender guy he is.
Pixie wrinkles her nose. ‘So long as you don’t tell me anything in advance, I reckon I’ll be able to turn up on the day.’ When her face breaks into a grin, she has the same dimples as Nic. ‘I bet he’s driven you crazy with his prevaricating, Milla. Don’t take any shit and watch him like a hawk! Given half a chance, he’ll sail off into the sunset and leave us without a best man.’
Nic lets out a shout of protest. ‘I gave you my word that I’ll be in St Aidan until your big day is over.’ He turns to me. ‘And in case you’re worried about your parking permit, that’s safe too.Snow Goosewill be here well into next year.’
It’s one small sentence, but the ripples from it set my mind racing. It isn’t until my body suddenly relaxes that I realise I’ve even been worried about the time when Nic will sail out of the harbour for good. It’s inevitable there will come a time when there’s a gap on the dock where the hull is and an empty space in the sky whereSnow Goose’smast and rigging should be. How it’s totally crazy that I’m really hoping it will be later rather than sooner.
As I pull my eyes back to Pixie, I can’t help laughing at how well she’s summed Nic up. ‘After four months racing around the whole of Cornwall, I reckon I’m getting the measure of him.’
Despite the time lag I can tell her eyes are twinkling. ‘It’s lucky he likes you so much, or we might have lost him already.’ She laughs. ‘You’re even prettier than I gathered.’
Nic lets out a cry of protest. ‘Shit, Pixie, why not spill all my secrets?’
Even though I love the way she’s winding him up, I’m hurrying this on before it turns into a full-blown family barney. ‘Nic may have said—’ it doesn’t sound like he’s been holding back on the information exchange ‘—I thought a quick a chat about the dress might be useful before he goes shopping?’
Pixie’s shaking her head. ‘He hasn’t told you, has he? I’m avoiding the obvious clichés. A friend is lending me a navy satin dress she wore for her prom.’
I’m stifling my surprise for so many reasons – that it’s sorted at all when I’d expected it to be outstanding, but most of all the colour. ‘Brill. That covers yourborrowedand yourbluethen.’
She pulls a face. ‘It’s a lovely dark indigo, perfect for me to blend into the background.’
I’m letting out a silent phew that it fits with the Seashore Castle Rainbow Garden plans. ‘And are you having … ahem—’ I’m finding a way to say bridesmaids that won’t put the wind up this very uncertain bride. ‘—close girlfriends in coordinated outfits?’
Her face splits into a smile. ‘I seriously doubt it. Ordering them around the basketball court is one thing, telling them what to wear is something else entirely.’
Lucky for me we’ve got the word rainbow in the theme then. ‘So you won’t need to come to the shop then?’
‘Which shop is that?’
I think how best to put it. ‘It’s near the beach, it sells clothes and – er – other items for people in your position.’
Pixie sounds intrigued. ‘What, wheelchair users … or sailors?’
Nic lets out a sigh. ‘No numbskull. Milla’s talking about Brides by the Sea. It’s a wedding shop, for people getting married. Obviously not anywhere you’ll be visiting any time soon.’
Pixie’s enjoying his frustration. ‘Oh, right. So what does that sell, then?’
Nic looks at me. ‘She’s a total wedding virgin. She knows even less than I did when I started.’
Pixie gives him an indulgent smile. ‘Listen to you – how hilarious is my big brother the wedding expert!’
I bite back my smile at the double act and give her a short version. ‘The shop has wedding dresses, obviously, but you don’t need them, bridesmaids’ stuff, you don’t need that. Nic’s sorted the styling and I take it the guys have chosen their suits. Flowers are already sorted.’
