Summer at Rachel's Pudding Pantry

by Caroline Roberts

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘And you, you’re all fine? Sounds as if you and Tom have had some last-minute dramas too. And I’m sorry if I could have prevented all that. I’d heard about Eve from Brenda but I didn’t realise the whole thing had spiralled so badly out of control. Seems like I’m the last to know, eh? Perhaps because I’ve had my head down getting all the baking done for the wedding.’

  ‘Don’t worry, Mum. But let me fill you in, I wasn’t even sure if there was going to be a wedding a couple of hours ago. Tom had got it into his head that the rumours were about me … and Jake.’

  ‘You what?’ Jill pulled a shocked face.

  ‘Yes, I know, it’s laughable really. But I’ve explained it all to him and, luckily, we’re fine now.’ She couldn’t help but smile. ‘Better than fine, in fact. Oh Mum, I can’t wait until tomorrow. It’s going to be just brilliant. Getting married to Tom. But …’ She paused, ‘It’s still going to be hard too. Tonight, this is it: my last night here on the farm. It feels so strange.’

  ‘I’m sure it does. But this is a gorgeous new start for you, Tom and Maisy. Life has a way of working out.’

  ‘But Mum … I’m worried you’ll be lonely here on your own,’ Rachel confessed.

  ‘Now don’t you be fretting about me in all this. I’ll be fine, love.’ Jill was happy to put on a brave face. ‘You just be sure to keep popping by. We’ll be working together all the time anyhow, and Maisy can stay for sleepovers whenever she likes. And hey, I’m looking forward to you spoiling me over at Tom’s place too.’

  ‘Of course. Oh … I so wish Dad could be there tomorrow.’

  ‘I know pet, I know.’ Jill gave a heartfelt nod. ‘We’ll be fine though. Dad wouldn’t want to be spoiling your big day.’

  ‘No.’

  They both had misty eyes at this point.

  ‘Oh, I’ve just had a thought. I wonder … yes, there’s something Tom might like to have … for the wedding. Hold fire … I’ll just go and find them.’ And with that, Jill was up and out of her seat and dashing off up the stairs.

  Rachel took a sip of the prosecco and sighed as a happy-sad feeling tugged inside.

  Rachel listened to some rummaging sounds and drawers being pulled in and out, before hearing footsteps on the stairs once more.

  ‘Found them.’ Jill gave a proud beam, bearing a small, navy-blue box in her palm. ‘You might remember them.’

  Rachel opened the box to reveal a pair of tractor cufflinks made of silver.

  ‘Oh, yes … they were Dad’s!’ Rachel remembered pulling up his shirt cuffs to play with them, sitting there on his knee. The years suddenly melted away.

  ‘Yes, I bought them as a gift for your dad on our tenth wedding anniversary. He loved them, brought them out on special occasions. He’d have definitely been wearing them tomorrow …’ Her voice trailed off. ‘Well then …’

  ‘Oh, Mum.’

  ‘Anyway, I wondered if Tom might like them. What do you think?’

  ‘I think that’d be absolutely wonderful. I’m sure he’ll say yes if he knows they were Dad’s.’

  ‘Umm, it’s a bit late to go over now, but I’ll pop around first thing and see what he thinks.’

  The wedding service at the church in Kirkton wasn’t until twelve noon, so they had a few hours to get organised in the morning.

  ‘I’ll send him a message, let him know about them,’ said Rachel.

  ‘Good thinking.’

  ‘That’s so lovely, Mum … are you sure, though, about giving them away?’

  ‘Absolutely; they’re only getting dusty in the drawer there. About time they were worn again. And yes … I’d like it if Tom kept them. He’s a part of our family now.’

  With that, Eve came down carrying her make-up box. ‘Thought I’d left that pink one at home for a minute. I must have taken it out ready, found it on the side in your room, Rach.’ She looked up. ‘Ah, are you two okay? Thought it was just me with the misty red eyes?’

  ‘Yes, we’re fine. Just found something of Dad’s,’ Rachel explained.

  Jill opened the box once more.

  ‘Aw, bless. Yes, I remember seeing those.’

  Rachel explained Jill’s idea.

  ‘Aw, that sounds lovely. It’s going to be such a beautiful day, Rachel. I know it’ll have its emotional moments. We all miss your dad, bless him, he was such a character, but we’ll make it the best day we can. You and your mum, Maisy and Tom, you all deserve it to be special.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Okay, nails. You need to look the part, Rach, a glamorous, gorgeous bride, not like you’ve just walked out of the cowshed. So, let’s soak your hands first and get some lotion on them, then you’re going to be buffed and polished.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am,’ Rachel laughed.

  ‘And Jill, you’re next. The mother of the bride needs lots of attention too.’

  ‘Well, in that case, I’ll get topping up the prosecco before I can’t touch anything.’

  ‘Sounds a plan. What happened to Mrs Sensible there a minute ago?’

  ‘Well, I’m sure two glasses each won’t send us into hangover mode. I’ve enjoyed that first one, I must say. May as well finish the bottle.’

  They raised their glasses with a ‘Cheers!’

  Suddenly, there was a feeling of fizz and anticipation all around them.

  43

  The morning light crept in, warm and golden, through the gap in Rachel’s curtains. She opened one eye, guessing it was early. Oh, someone else was in her bed … she focused, to find Eve slumbering there beside her …

  Eve – her maid of honour.

  It was today! Her wedding day!

  Ah yes, it was coming back now; after all the emotions of yesterday, they’d both piled into Rachel’s double bed, slightly tiddly on prosecco, memories, and a nightcap of Baileys on ice with a couple of Jill’s rose-petal wedding cupcakes for good measure. The girls had decided they needed to taste-test them ready for the reception. They passed with mouth-wateringly, meltingly sweet flying colours.

  Rachel was only just coming to when the bedroom door blasted open and a very excited six-year-old came bouncing onto the bed.

  ‘Mummy … Auntie Eve … it’s today!’ She tumbled onto them in a rush of pyjama-clad limbs, sunny smiles and blonde curls.

  Rachel bundled Maisy into her arms. ‘I know, petal.’

  Eve was a little slower on the uptake, it still being far too early. ‘Ahh, hi Maisy … what time is it?’

  Rachel glanced at her watch. ‘Six thirty.’ She was used to being up with the lark with all her farmyard chores. Farmhand Simon had offered to do this morning’s jobs, thank goodness.

  ‘Oooh,’ Eve moaned softly, ‘I think I need a huge cup of tea.’

  ‘Come on Mais, let’s go get the kettle on. We’ve a big day ahead.’

  ‘Yay. And my pretty dress is all ready. Grandma has it in her room. Can I go see it?’

  ‘Ah, let’s just give Grandma a few more minutes, yet. It’s still pretty early.’

  ‘O-kay. Can we have pancakes for breakfast like you promised? Chocolate ones.’

  ‘Ah-hah. With strawberries on the side?’

  ‘Yum.’

  ‘But … we need to wait just a little while longer.’

  Rachel wondered then what Tom was doing … fast asleep still, probably. Or going over his speech, polishing his best shoes …? Maybe he’d be out checking his livestock on his quad, like on any normal day. He had ages until the service, after all, and no hair or make-up to do. A thought struck her: tomorrow, she’d be there with him at his house, waking up with him, and all the days after that. And she found that, yes, that was a very good thought indeed.

  ‘Will there be lots of people at the church? And at the big party after?’ Maisy was racing on with a gazillion questions.

  ‘Yep. Well over a hundred.’

  ‘Wow. And lots of cake?’

  ‘Absolutely tons of cake.’

  Hmm, exc
ept for the trashed wedding cake, that was. But hey ho, they’d make a pretty impressive stack of Jill’s cupcakes on a cake stand, and once they’d added a few of the wedding flowers, it would look fine. The most important thing, after all the twists and turns of the past couple of weeks, was that she would be getting married to Tom. Today they were about to start a wonderful journey as man and wife, with gorgeous Maisy by their side.

  ‘Good,’ declared Maisy.

  Rachel started to sing ‘I Gotta Feeling’ as they skipped out of the bedroom holding hands, whilst Eve buried herself back under the covers for just a while longer.

  Rachel arrived in the kitchen to find an array of mini muffins and pretty cupcakes on display. Aw, Jill had stayed up baking even more last night, bless her. After a pick-me-up cup of tea, with Jill’s and Eve’s cuppas delivered bedside as a thank you, there was a Maisy-style special breakfast of homemade pancakes stacked with strawberries and chocolate sauce.

  And then, Primrose Farm turned into a swarm of frenetic activity. The flowers arrived with Wendy, who began to turn the tipi and Pantry into a floral wonderland; cakes, pastries and scones were delivered en masse by the Pudding Clubbers and the fabulous WI-ers, a team who’d also agreed to dash back from the church service and get it all plated ready for the afternoon tea wedding reception.

  Farmhands Simon and Mark were now setting out bales of hay as outdoor seating areas, and Mick, the landlord from the Black Bull, was positioning table stands that were cleverly converted from wooden kegs of beer. Jake was even giving a hand setting out large feed buckets, ready to add ice so that the bottled beers for later could be chilled. Tom had texted Rachel to say he’d apologised to Jake, so at least they were on steadier ground. She just hoped there’d be no more fisticuffs once the beer keg was running.

  Eve and Charlotte were up ladders, festooning the tipi with Eve’s handmade bunting, while Hannah and Kirsty were setting out white tablecloths, vintage teacups and saucers and tea plates – some from the Pantry and some borrowed from the WI – along with Emma’s mini boxes of chocolate favours. With the bridesmaids and her friends sporting shorts and T-shirts with a pair of wellingtons, it looked as though they’d turned up at some fabulous countryside festival.

  It really was a community affair, and as Rachel went out with a tray of teas, coffees and choc-chip cookies to keep the workers going, she stood for a second or two taking it all in. Ooh, she had a bit of a moment then, watching the villagers, her friends, rallying like an army of ants. She knew full well that her dad would have been out there among them, proud and practical, helping to get everything set up for his daughter’s big day. He was going to be sorely missed.

  The grass was still dewy beneath her wellingtons, but the sun was warm as it rose higher into an azure sky, with the odd puff of cotton-wool cloud. It looked to be a lovely day, though the forecast said there was a chance of showers this afternoon. But hey ho, they could cope with that: a little rain never hurt anyone. With Tom now back firmly by her side, and her family and friends all round, nothing was going to spoil their big day.

  Maisy dashed up, happy among the hubbub. ‘It looks like magic, Mummy, like a unicorn palace tent.’

  ‘Hah, yes, sweetheart. Well then, let’s give out these drinks and biscuits, and we’ll see if anyone needs a hand.’

  Drinks delivered, Maisy took Rachel’s hand and tugged her across to the far side of the tipi. ‘Look, have you seen the pretty flowers, Mummy? Me and ’Melia have got special baskets to hold. Come on … I’ll show you.’

  Florist Wendy was high up a ladder, twisting ivy and delicate white gypsophila around the wooden support posts of the tipi. In a shaded area of the tent nearby, in large cardboard boxes, lay the wedding bouquets and two little baskets. Maisy gingerly took up one of the baskets, holding it in front of her. Rachel picked up her own bouquet; it was beautiful, a gorgeous circular posy with all the colours she had asked for. It looked like a countryside summer, circled with a pale cornflower-blue satin bow and a thin twist of hessian twine, and it smelt delicately divine.

  ‘Yours is pretty too, Mummy,’ Maisy shouted out. ‘When’s Amelia coming? I want to show her hers.’

  ‘Not quite yet.’ Rachel checked the time, almost ten a.m. With the wedding service at twelve noon at Kirkton Church, just a five-minute drive away, the two girls were going to get ready much nearer to the wedding time when there would be less chance of spoiling their dresses. Ben was due at ten thirty with Amelia, and Rachel well knew that Eve would be feeling a little nervous about her husband’s arrival. Eve was holding it together well this morning, though, bless her.

  ‘Wendy, these are just beautiful, thank you,’ Rachel called out, still clutching her bouquet.

  ‘Oh, I’m so glad you like them, pet. They do look pretty. I loved making them up this morning.’ Wendy smiled down from her perch. ‘And I’m sure they’ll go wonderfully with your dress that I’ve heard so much about.’

  It was all coming together beautifully, and Rachel felt a mounting sense of excitement. After the wedding vows were made in church, what a party they were going to have!

  With the tipi and the field next to the farmhouse mid-transformation, it was time for Rachel to go and get a bit of prepping and pampering herself. Eve was to do her hair, and Hannah her make-up. It was all happening ‘in-house’ to help with the budget, but she trusted her friends to do a great job. They knew that she wanted a natural look, and they’d had a practice run with prosecco just over a week ago – she’d been delighted with the results.

  ‘Rachel, time to get out of the shorts and T, hun!’ Eve called across, stepping down from her bunting and fairy-lights mission. ‘We need to turn you into a wedding belle. Much as he loves you, I don’t think Tom will want you turning up to the church like that.’

  ‘He might not mind, knowing Tom. But, o-kay.’

  Maisy came skipping up. ‘Mummy, when is Amelia here? We need to put our pretty dresses on, too.’

  ‘Not long now, petal.’

  After a last check on all the arrangements, Rachel, Eve, Charlotte and Maisy were ready to head back across to the farmhouse. Just as they set off, Ben rolled up, walking across the field towards them, holding hands with a beaming Amelia.

  ‘Hey, this all looks fantastic.’ He glanced around the reception venue. ‘And I’ve got one very excited little lady to deliver to you.’

  ‘Hi, Ben. Hi, Amelia,’ Rachel greeted them.

  ‘Hi … you two.’ Eve smiled at her family, fragile emotions coming to the surface.

  Rachel saw her friend take a breath, her body tense. Little Amelia was there beside her, giggling with Maisy. Now was certainly not the time to take this forward. And Rachel knew Eve too well; she’d not put her own desire to get things off her chest above Rachel’s happy day.

  ‘Wow, all your bunting and the table things you’ve made look great, by the way,’ Ben noted, taking in the decorations. He looked at Eve. ‘You’ve worked so hard on this. I can see how it’s all come together now.’ His tone was conciliatory, after having questioned and moaned about all the late nights, the hours spent by his wife on getting the details right for her best friend’s wedding.

  ‘Thanks,’ Eve whispered.

  Rachel looked from Eve to Ben to Amelia – this wonderful little family had to stay together. She prayed they’d make it through this emotional storm that was about to blast its way into their world. And, she also silently vowed that she’d be there for them all, whatever it took.

  ‘Thanks for bringing Amelia over, Ben. So, are you ready for your big day, sweetie?’ asked Rachel.

  ‘Yes.’ Amelia had the biggest grin on her face.

  ‘’Melia, come and see our flower baskets. They’re so pretty. And … there’s going to be cupcakes and big cakes, and puddings, and lemon fizzy drinks. And we get to dance, and stay up sooo late.’ Maisy was full of the day to come.

  Ben made to leave, ‘I’ll be off then. Unless there’s anything you need a hand with.’

&n
bsp; ‘I think we’re pretty well organised here, thanks. So, we’ll all catch up at the church soon.’ Rachel couldn’t hide the beam that spread across her face.

  ‘We will indeed,’ confirmed Ben, the best man raring to go.

  ‘How’s Tom, have you seen him yet today?’ Rachel couldn’t resist asking.

  ‘He’s good, Rach. Real good. I just called there to check on the rings and everything. And on that note, I’ll take Moss along with me now, shall I?’

  ‘Of course, yes. He’s just in his kennel. Mum’ll give you a lead. Oh, and his bow-tie. Can you please put that on him?’

  ‘Hah, no worries.’ Ben gave a lovely grin.

  Eve smiled too, but there was such a sad, scared look behind her eyes.

  Ben seemed pretty cheerful, so Tom had obviously kept schtum on Eve’s behalf – not that Rachel had doubted that. It was up to Eve and Ben to take this forward between them, when the time was right.

  ‘Come on then, my lovely bridesmaids, let’s get this party started. Race you to the farmhouse!’ Rachel set off with a gaggle of ‘hens’ in wellingtons behind her, plus some real chickens joining in the fun at the farmyard.

  Upstairs, Rachel’s bedroom had been transformed into a bridal boudoir. They had their satin ‘Bride-to-Be’ and ‘Bridesmaids’ dressing gowns on, and a small glass of fizz to hand, and Rachel’s favourite country music by The Shires was playing in the background. The makeovers had begun! Rachel sat on a stool whilst Eve brushed, curled and then weaved her hair. Two thin plaits were made from her long fridge, which were gathered to join at the back of her head, where loose dark-brown waves fell gorgeously in a boho style.

  ‘That’s so pretty, Mummy. Can I have mine like that, Auntie Eve?’

  ‘I think that’s a brilliant idea. Amelia, would you like yours done like that, too?’

  Her daughter gave a big grin and a nod, and Eve moved on to do the two little girls’ hair, whilst Hannah, who’d offered to help, set herself away with the bridal make-up. Charlotte was piling her hair into a soft up-do. The bridesmaids’ dresses in their cornflower-blue shade hung expectantly on the wardrobe door, and Rachel’s handmade bridal gown was next door in Jill’s room for safekeeping, kept to one side for its very own magic moment.