And it’s probably just the thought of coffee, or it could be the specially chosen ‘This is a date so it’s time for a love song!’ playlist brought along by Nemmie, but as I stretch my legs out in the front of the Silver Meadows vehicle, watch the sculpted shadows of Lando’s cheekbones, and listen to Beabadoobee singing ‘Beaches’, I realise I can’t remember when I last had an hour this rosy and perfect.
I know it can’t last, but for a tiny blissful slice of time, I give in and let myself enjoy it.
SEPTEMBER
42
Brides by the Sea, St Aidan, Cornwall
Big reveals and desperate measures
Thursday
By next Thursday two more happy and grateful couples have been married at the beach hut, and Tia and I are back in the shop waiting for Athena. We’ve brought her wedding dresses out of the bridal store and hung them in the main fitting room, and we’re just coming back with her shoes when Lando appears in the doorway.
I smile at him. ‘If you’re here for your sister, she shouldn’t be long.’ I’m shaking my head at Tia. ‘She’s cutting it fine. Most brides don’t leave their final try and collect until two days before their wedding.’
Lando winces. ‘Poor, Fi, it’s all been very rushed.’ He lowers his voice. ‘Our parents had the wedding of the decade pencilled in for her for next year, but things went awry, and now she’s desperate to do it before her bump shows.’
I think of faking shock, then I remember it’s Lando. ‘She looked like a ghost at her first appointment, but she didn’t say why.’
Lando looks at the ceiling. ‘She was probably still in shock, but I thought I’d better mention it.’ He raises his voice again. ‘I mainly came to warn you that since Fi heard about our outing to see the seals, she’s insisting you all come to the wedding, and she’s impossible to say “no” to.’
A face pops up beside Lando. ‘Too right I am.’ It’s the woman herself, and she grins. ‘As you get to know more of us, Maeve, you’ll find it’s a family trait.’
Lando laughs. ‘You can’t use the excuse you’ve got another wedding either, because Fi’s booked the beach hut out all day.’
I turn to Tia for help, but she only shrugs, then the truth hits me.
‘Apart from anything else, what would I wear?’ I have nothing to lose by admitting the truth. ‘There is no time or money for me to get stately-home-wedding ready before Saturday. End of story.’ And thank Christmas for that.
Athena pushes my excuses aside. ‘We always pass party dresses around. I’ll lend you whatever you need. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s a designer something no one’s seen before.’
I pull myself up to my full height. ‘If your wedding is the day after tomorrow, you do not have time to find dresses for random guests!’
Athena narrows her eyes as she looks at me. ‘Of everyone on the guest list, you are probably the one I want to see there the most.’ She pats Lando on the back. ‘He always ducks out of weddings. If he’s finally consenting to come to one, we have to get him the partner he wants.’
Lando turns. ‘Great! And Jess is happy for the kids to wear whatever they want from the shop. So now we’ve got that sorted, I’ll leave you to get on.’
As we head towards the fitting room, Athena’s looking at me. ‘I’m guessing Lando prefers you in mini dresses?’
I laugh as I pull back the curtain. ‘Nothing too short, please.’
She pulls the curtain closed, and calls from the other side, ‘I’ll send you a few, then you can choose. And don’t worry about damage, if the party gets out of hand, everyone’s dresses will be write-offs.’
I mouth ‘what the actual eff?’ at Tia and wonder what kind of world they must inhabit. Then we put our customer faces back on again and I hurry to do Athena’s dress up. I hand her the flat sandals and she slides her toes in.
She twirls around, pulls back the curtain then looks down at the embroidered cut work on the hem. ‘It’s as gorgeous as I remember– very simple, but everything I want in a dress.’ She shakes out the layers of muslin. ‘It’ll be beautiful in a breeze, and if it rains it’ll be fully transparent, but I’ll take that.’
Tia’s looking at the hem. ‘How is the length?’
Athena laughs. ‘It’s exactly how I want it, which is good because I haven’t factored in time to bring in a seamstress.’ She pulls a face. ‘I can’t wait to wear it! Onto my next favourite!’
When she pulls back the curtain the next time, she’s in her shimmery evening shift with the bow on the back, sitting on the chair, doing up her block heeled sandals. She springs to her feet and I pull the zip, which flies up like a dream. She does a few dance moves and sits back down again.
‘Excellent. Now for the last.’
Emotions run high with brides, so the whole process can go to pieces at any moment, but outside the fitting room Tia and I put both our thumbs up. It’s been high speed, but two dresses down and with Athena being such an easy-going bride, we’re coasting to the end here. However, we also know the last dress is the super expensive elaborate one, and I sense it’s the one she likes the least.
