‘Classic – you’ll have to ping some across to me. I could do with a laugh.’
‘Be prepared, they’re eye-popping. And Henry says he has some other plans for the day itself. He’s making me really stressed to be honest. I’ve threatened him with some serious repercussions if he does anything awful.’
‘Yeah I can understand that. Henry’s idea of entertainment would be to get Zach’s ex-girlfriend to give a speech or something ridiculous.’
‘Don’t! He won’t, will he?’ She’s really agitated now.
‘Of course not – I’m only kidding. Are you sure you’re happy with my dress?’ I had plucked up my courage and shown Jess yesterday and she really liked it; in fact she took it all remarkably well.
‘Yes it’s beautiful; you look amazing in it. I’m so glad you’re going to be my bridesmaid.’
‘I know. It’s really exciting now. It’s going to be the most amazing wedding ever.’
‘I hope so.’
‘Seriously, it’s not often I say stuff like this, so put it in your diary, but you have done an incredible job and worked really hard. You’re pretty amazing.’
‘Thanks, hon,’ she says, glowing. ‘You’ve been helping me all the way.’
‘I’ve loved it.’ I wave a couple of bridal magazines at her.
‘Your turn next!’ She laughs, but her words hit home. The old hurts lurk ever near the surface. I can’t help thinking that in another perfect world where there really are happy ever afters, I would be marrying Ryan now.
‘Definitely not,’ I reply, shutting that line of conversation down at once.
‘I wish you would let Ollie be your virtual date for the wedding.’
‘I think I can do better than that, although I’m sure he’s a nice guy. I might even have a better option than Benny!’
‘I’m never going to live that down, am I?’
‘Absolutely not! Never.’
‘So who’s the guy?’ Jess asks, obviously dying from a mixture of curiosity and disbelief. ‘Am I going to get to see him?’
‘No he’s not going to be on the call but he’ll be really close.’
‘Don’t go all mysterious on me, Soph. Come on, spill.’
‘Okay, it’s Jack.’
‘Jack?’ She sounds really shocked.
‘From the flat upstairs.’
‘Oh my gosh, he’s your date? Sophia, there is a whole load of subplot I’ve missed here.’
‘There is, but you’ll have to wait. I’ve got some stuff to prepare for the kids tomorrow.’ There’s no way I want to give Jess a sniff of the fact this is kind of a fake date.
‘You can’t leave me like this …’
‘Bye, Jess, sorry – got to go. And stop worrying, it’s going to be amazing.’
I get off the call smiling to myself. Sometimes I quite like the fact Jack hasn’t met Jess, or anyone else for that matter. It’s easier somehow, less complicated.
I am really busy as in spite of Jess’s micromanaging of the perfect ceremony, there are a few things she doesn’t know about this wedding. I’ve been in touch with Zach and Henry and we have managed to collect some prerecorded messages from people who mean a lot to her. She knows our dad is giving a speech from the States, where he now lives with his family, but she doesn’t know her godmother is playing her favourite song on the violin, along with the other musicians in her quartet who are all going to join together on the video call. She wasn’t actually going to be able to make the original physical ceremony, so I’m hoping this will be even more special. I’m really excited about this wedding. There’s going to be surprises all round.
Another part of my plan takes place the next day.
‘Can I paint whatever I like?’ asks Alfie.
‘Of course, as long as it’s something nice. The idea is to wish my sister Jess and her fiancé Zach a happy wedding day,’ I say. ‘And you’ve all worked so hard at your maths this morning, you deserve some fun time doing arts and crafts.’
‘I’ve got an idea,’ Alfie says dipping his brush in the paint and starting to make bold brushstrokes on the paper. I watch him, fascinated. I can’t believe how he’s come out of his shell the last few weeks; he really isn’t the same lad as he was as part of a class of thirty-two.
‘I’m going to paint some roses. Everyone loves flowers at a wedding,’ announces Freya.
‘Can’t we do something more interesting like cars, or my cat?’ Milo asks, looking disconsolately at Freya’s brightly coloured page.
‘Yes of course – you can do anything you like.’ I walk at a distance round Zane’s