by Miranda Lee
‘Oh, Ben,’ she said, the tears coming now. ‘I can hardly believe it.’
Ben was struggling now to retain his own composure. ‘Then your answer is yes this time?’
‘Yes,’ she choked out as she dashed away her tears. ‘Of course it’s yes.’
‘Thank God,’ he said, slumping back against the seat. ‘I was worried you might still say no. And so was my mother.’
Jess blinked in surprise. ‘You told your mother about us?’
‘But of course. She’s been at me to get married and have children for years. She’ll be over the moon when I tell her.’
‘You want children as well?’ Jess said, still in a state of shock.
‘Hell, yes. As many as you want. And if I know you, Jess, that will be more than one or two.’
‘Yes, I’d like a big family,’ she confessed. ‘So when did you tell your mother about us?’
‘Last night. I stayed at her apartment in Bondi. I flew in late, you see, too late to come up here. Though in the end, I stayed up even later, telling Mum everything. Then, would you believe it, I slept in. Didn’t make it up to the coast till after lunch. Like I already told you, when you didn’t answer your phone I rang Murphy’s Hire Car and your mum answered.’
Jess was still a bit dumbstruck by everything Ben had done for her. ‘I hope Mum was nice to you.’
‘Very nice. So was your dad, after I asked him for your hand in marriage.’
‘You actually asked Dad for my hand in marriage?’
‘I wanted to do everything right, Jess. I didn’t want anything to go wrong this time.’
‘Oh, Ben, you make me feel awful.’
He frowned. ‘Why awful?’
‘Because you’ve done everything for me and I’ve done nothing for you.’
Done nothing? Ben looked at this wonderful girl whom he loved and he thought of all the things she’d done. Firstly and most importantly, she’d loved him back, not for his money but for himself—Ben the man, not the heir to billions. She’d also made him see what was important in life. Not fame and fortune but family and community. Not a high-flying social life but a simpler life, full of fun and friends and children. Oh yes, he couldn’t wait to have children with Jess. What a lucky man he’d been the day he’d rung Murphy’s Hire Car and met her.
But Ben knew if he said all that she’d be embarrassed. So he just smiled and said, ‘Happiness is not nothing, Jess. You make me happy, my darling.’
‘Oh,’ she said, and looked like she was going to cry again.
‘No more tears, Jess. You can cry on our wedding day, if you like, but not today. Today is for rejoicing. Now, drink up your coffee and we’ll go buy you an engagement ring. There must be a decent jewellery store here somewhere.’
Half an hour later, the third finger of Jess’s left hand was sporting a diamond solitaire engagement ring set in white gold, not as large and expensive as one Ben would have chosen.
‘It’s not how much it costs, Ben,’ she’d told him firmly when she’d made her choice. ‘But the sentiment behind it. Besides, I wouldn’t like to make my very nice sisters-in law envious. They don’t have engagement rings with diamonds the size of Ayer’s Rock.’
Ben lifted his eyes to the ceiling. ‘Fine. But don’t go thinking I intend to buy a house with any constraints on it. I aim to have everything you and I want in it.’
‘Fair enough,’ Jess said, thinking to herself that that was fine by her. She wasn’t a jewellery person but she’d always wanted a truly great house.
‘Okay,’ Ben said. ‘Now that the ring business is all sorted out, take me along to that Fab Fashions store you used to work in.’
‘But why?’ she asked, puzzled. ‘You don’t own it any more.’
‘Ah, but you’re wrong there. When I sold Dad’s company, that’s the one asset I arranged to keep—the Fab Fashions chain. Dad’s partners were only too happy to let me have it for nothing. They all consider it a right lemon, but I reckon that with your advice we could make a go of it. So what do you think, Jess? Can you help me out here?’
Jess’s heart swelled with happiness. What an incredibly thoughtful man Ben was! And very clever. He knew exactly the way to her heart. And she told him so.
He grinned. ‘Andy always said that no one should get between me and the goal post.’
She smiled. It wasn’t every day that a girl liked being called a goal post.
‘Does Andy know about your dad dying?’ she asked on a more serious note.
‘Not yet. They’re still on their honeymoon. But they get back next week. Perhaps we could drive up and visit them one weekend soon, now that we’re engaged. Stay in that nice little cottage for a night or two before they knock it down. Andy’s planning on building a family home on that site in the New Year. Till then, they’re living in the main house.’
Jess’s heartbeat had quickened at the mention of the cottage, which immediately evoked the most wickedly exciting memories.
‘That would be nice,’ she said rather blandly. Wow, what an understatement! She could hardly wait.
He gave her a narrow-eyed look. Then he laughed. ‘You don’t fool me, Jess Murphy. You liked those fun and games as much as I did.’
‘Yes,’ she admitted. ‘But I think they should be kept for special occasions, not an every-day event. I like the way you made love to me that night in New York, Ben. I thought you liked it too.’
‘I did. Very much so. Okay, we’ll keep the fun and games for special occasions, and weekends in nicely private cottages. Now, take me to Fab Fashions.’
* * *
Helen was surprised when Jess walked in on the arm of the most handsome man she’d ever seen. He reminded her of a young Brad Pitt.
‘Hello, Helen,’ Jess said, looking oddly sheepish. ‘This is Benjamin De Silva, the American businessman who took over Fab Fashions.’
‘Please call me Ben,’ the American said and extended his hand. ‘Jess has been telling me about the difficulties you’ve encountered since my order came through for you to make a profit before Christmas or be closed.’
Helen shook his hand whilst wondering what on earth was going on here.
‘I just wanted to personally deliver a new order to you. There will be no closing down, and come the New Year there will be huge changes to Fab Fashions. A new name and brand-new stock, plus an extensive advertising campaign to go with it. Till then, I’d like you to put all of your current stock on sale at fifty-percent off. Get rid of it all. Oh, and one more thing—Jess has just agreed to become my wife.’
Jess was still smiling when Ben steered her out of the shopping centre ten minutes later.
‘Did you see the look on Helen’s face when you said we were engaged?’ she said.
‘She did seem a little shocked.’
‘Shocked? She couldn’t speak for a full minute and that’s not like Helen at all.’
‘Well, she soon made up for it. What do you think of her idea of stocking more accessories for the clothes?’
‘It’s a good one. Ladies love accessories. We already had a few bits of jewellery, but that could be increased, and I think some scarves, handbags and even shoes could do well.’
‘We’ll have to invite her to the wedding,’ Ben said. ‘She’s nice.’
‘She is. And so is her husband.’
‘Then we’ll invite them both.’
Jess’s heart swelled with pride at the man by her side. He’d changed in so many ways. Still a ‘take charge’ kind of man, but she liked that about him. Still charming too. But there was more sincerity behind his charm. More depth of feeling.
‘So, where have you parked your car?’ she asked once they were out on the pavement. ‘You do have a car this time, don’t you?’
‘Yes, I rented one till I knew whether I was going to actually buy a car or a plot in Wamberal Cemetery in anticipation of my throwing myself off a cliff after you turned me down again.’
Jess sucked in sharply. ‘You wouldn’t have do
ne that, would you, Ben?’
‘Nah. I would have gone back to New York, become a movie producer and made millions.’
‘You’re not going to become a movie producer here, are you?’ Jess said, horrified at the thought.
‘Are you kidding me? I’m going to buy myself a place on the beach, have half a dozen kids and take up golf.’
‘You’re not going to work?’
‘Well, I do have Fab Fashions to sort out. I also might go into business with your dad, doing up vintage cars. I was very impressed with what he’s done with that Cadillac. I could be the money man and he could do the actual work.’
‘Sounds good to me, provided you’ve got enough money left to support me and all those children.’
‘I have more than enough. Now, whilst we’re making serious plans here, when can we actually get married? I’d like to do it asap.’
‘Ben De Silva, I’m going to have a proper wedding. And I aim to plan it all myself. That takes time.’
‘How much time? It only takes a month to get a licence.’
‘It’ll be Christmas in just over a month, which is a big celebration in our family. No way can our wedding be organised before then.’
‘What about January? Or February?’
‘I don’t like January or February for weddings either. It’s way too hot. How about March?’
‘I can live with March,’ Ben said. ‘Just.’
‘March it is, then,’ Jess said happily. Now, let’s go and tell Mum and Dad the good news.
EPILOGUE
March, four months later…
THE LIGHTNING AND THUNDER started around ten in the morning. Jess and her parents rushed out onto the back veranda and stared up at the suddenly leaden sky, which had a rather ominous green colour.
‘Murphy’s Law,’ Joe grumbled. ‘You’d think it would leave me alone on my only daughter’s wedding day.’
‘It’s not Murphy’s Law, Dad,’ Jess said, despite feeling disappointed. They’d been going to have the wedding ceremony at a picturesque open-air spot overlooking Toowoon Bay. ‘It’s just a storm.’
‘No, it’s bloody Murphy’s Law!’ he growled.
‘I’m not going to let a little bit of rain spoil my big day, Dad. We have Plan B, don’t we, Mum? We decided when we booked the Shelley Beach golf club for the reception that if it rained we could always have the ceremony there. They have some lovely balconies with nice views of the ocean and the golf course. If needs be, I’ll give the club a call later. Everything will work out, Dad.’
It was at that point that it started to hail, denting even Jess’s positive spirit.
‘The wedding’s not till three,’ Ruth pointed out. ‘It will probably have passed over by then.’
The hail was gone quite quickly but heavy rain continued all morning, resulting in several panicky phone calls from Jess’s bridesmaids, who were all at the hairdresser’s. None of them had stayed at Jess’s place overnight, but were due out there as soon as they’d had their hair and make-up done. Jess reassured them that they had a Plan B, and told them to stop worrying, after which she went upstairs to do her own hair and make-up.
Just after midday, the rain finally stopped. The girls arrived around one, looking gorgeous, the sun making its appearance shortly before the bride and her four bridesmaids were due to leave.
Jess beamed her happiness at Catherine, whom she’d asked to be her matron of honour. They’d become good friends over the last few months. Andy, of course, was Ben’s best man. Catherine was pregnant, but only two months gone, so hopefully there would be no last-minute dramas. Jess’s three sisters-in-law were her other bridesmaids, thankfully none of them pregnant at the moment. Pete’s wife, Michelle, had given birth to a baby girl two months earlier but had got her figure back very quickly. Jess had made the dresses for the wedding party, all of them strapless and full-length. Jess’s bridal gown was in ivory silk and the bridesmaids’ in a pale-yellow shantung.
The bride’s bouquet, made from yellow and white roses, reached from her waist to just above the hem of her dress. The other bouquets were smaller with just white roses. Jess had chosen a white rose for Ben’s lapel and yellow ones for the other men.
Ruth hadn’t let Jess make her dress, however, choosing a lovely blue mother-of-the bride outfit from Real Women, which now had an excellent range of elegant clothes for the more mature lady. After an Australia-wide marketing campaign during January, the chain of stores was beginning to do quite well. No great profit as yet, but it was early days.
‘See, Joe?’ Ruth said a little smugly. ‘I knew the sun would shine on our daughter’s wedding. She’s a lucky girl. Now, I must get going. See you all soon at Toowoon Bay.’
Jess watched her mother drive off in the family sedan whilst her father escorted her over to the first of the gleaming white wedding cars.
‘Your mother’s right,’ he said to Jess once they were settled in the roomy back seat. ‘You are a lucky girl to snare yourself a man like Ben. But then, he’s a lucky guy to have a girl as special as you for his wife. Not to mention so exquisitely beautiful.’
‘Please don’t say things like that to me, Dad,’ Jess said, her eyes pooling with moisture. ‘I don’t want to cry and ruin my make-up.’
‘You won’t cry, darling daughter. You’re too sensible for that.’
But he was wrong. Jess almost cried as soon as she saw Ben standing there waiting for her with a look of such wonder and love in his eyes. She came even closer to weeping when he promised to love her till his dying days. She definitely would have cried when the celebrant announced that they were husband and wife, but Ben saved the day by kissing her with such passion that she forgot all about tears.
After that she didn’t think about crying, being swept along with all the things which had to be done—first the photos at Toowoon Bay, then more at the golf club, followed by the greeting of the guests, pre-dinner champagne on the balconies and then the official part of the reception.
She smiled her way through all the speeches. Andy was suitably funny and Ben wonderfully complimentary about his beautiful bride. She smiled during the cake-cutting and the bridal waltz. She smiled and laughed with Catherine whilst she changed into her going-away outfit, a chic white linen dress with red accessories. She and Ben planned to spend their wedding night at the Crown Plaza at Terrigal and the following day they were setting off on that long-awaited road trip around Australia; Jess’s trusty four-wheel drive was already parked at the hotel. Not only was it parked but packed with every provision they could possibly need.
It wasn’t till Jess was saying her goodbyes to her parents that tears suddenly flooded her eyes.
‘Come now, Jess,’ Joe said in a choked up voice as he hugged her. ‘You don’t want to spoil your make-up, do you?’
Jess laughed, then wiped away her tears. ‘Absolutely not,’ she said. ‘But they aren’t unhappy tears. I was just thinking what wonderful parents you and Mum are.’
‘Oh, go on with you,’ Joe said, though he seemed pleased. Ruth, however, started to look a bit weepy.
‘Jess is right,’ Ben said, stepping forward from where he’d been saying goodbye to his own mother. ‘You are both wonderful. So we got our heads together and decided to give you both a little personal something. Here…’ And he handed Joe a rather large envelope which had a well-known travel agency’s logo on the outside.
‘What on earth have you done?’ Joe said as he opened the envelope and pulled out the printed itinerary of a very extensive trip around Europe.
‘Now, we don’t want to hear any objections,’ Ben went on as a very wide-eyed Ruth looked over her husband’s shoulder and read where they would be going. Knowing that they weren’t seasoned travellers, Ben and his mother had booked guided tours as well as a long cruise down the Rhine. It would take them a good four months to do it all, the various tours taking in almost every country in Europe, finishing in Italy.
‘Your departure date is not till late April. I
t’s not a good idea to holiday in Europe in the dead of winter if you don’t have to,’ he added. ‘As for Murphy’s Hire Car…Jess’s brothers will look after that till you get back. They assured me it’s not a busy time of the year, anyway.’
‘But it says we’ll be travelling first class,’ Ruth said, amazed.
Ben’s mother, who’d been standing nearby, suddenly came forward, her arm linked with Lionel’s. ‘Please don’t worry about the cost,’ Ava said. ‘I have more money than I need. Besides,’ she added, smiling coyly at her partner, ‘Lionel has decided to make an honest woman out of me and he has buckets of money himself, haven’t you, darling?’
Darling Lionel just smiled.
‘Now,’ Ava raced on, ‘I’ve been to all those places in Europe and it would be a real shame for you not to go whilst you’re young enough to enjoy it. Oh, and Ruth, you and I are going clothes shopping in Sydney before you leave. I know exactly what you’ll need.’
Ruth beamed at her. ‘I’d love that, Ava.’
‘And Lionel can take Joe clothes shopping at the same time,’ Ben suggested.
‘I’d be only too happy to,’ Lionel agreed. ‘If Joe wants me to, that is.’
Joe grinned. ‘Sounds good to me. Can’t have Mother showing me up, can I?’
‘That’s all settled, then,’ Ben said, looking pleased with himself. ‘Then, when we both get back from our holidays, Joe, we’ll get right to work on that vintage car idea I told you about.’
‘Too right,’ Joe said, clapping Ben on the back.
‘Hey!’ Jess exclaimed, pretending to be piqued. ‘Where does that leave me?’