by Mel Sparke
“Poor Cat,” Sonja soothed as they walked slowly towards the park exit. “And on your big night, too.”
“I know,” snivelled Cat, giving her nose a final wipe before screwing up the tissue and stuffing it into her coat pocket. “I know he’s different from the type of guy I normally go for, but there was something about him I liked. He was really solid and dependable, y’know? Always there for me in a crisis…”
Of which you have more than most. Maya thought affectionately.
“Are you sure that’s it?” Sonja asked. “You don’t want to call him? You never know - maybe he’s regretting it now.”
“No way!” Cat was adamant. “I’m not crawling back to him. Not after the way he spoke to me. No way!” She grew a few centimetres and her chin went up defiantly.
Oh, Cat, thought Maya. You’re on the mend already.
Cat began rifling through her bag for something. “Oh, heck,” she tutted, blinking at the girls through mascara-streaked eyes. “Do either of you have any tissues? Can’t find mine.”
“I think I have…” Maya broke off and her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh no! I’ve left my jacket behind.” She turned to retrace her steps. “You guys go on. I’ll have to go back.”
Maya jogged back to the bench by the lake where she found her jacket safe and sound. Folding it across her arm, she hurried back towards the others.
As she passed the avenue of conifers near the park’s entrance, she was distracted by the sight of a small cluster of girls partially hidden by foliage. They were standing huddled together several metres away from Maya but she instantly recognised the distinctive canary-coloured bomber jacket of her sister Sunny.
Can’t I ever get away from her? Maya thought. I hope they’re not heading for the café too. As she got closer, one girl spotted Maya and nudged Sunny in the ribs.
Maya’s sister turned her head, then yelled out, “Quick, run!” With that, the lot of them scattered in every direction. Maya stood for a few moments replaying the scene in her mind. Sunita had looked as guilty as anything when she’d seen Maya. And Maya was sure she’d seen Sunny pass something to one of her friends before they’d all run off. But what?
CHAPTER 12
THE BIG DAY
“Joe - you look great!”
Kerry ran up the path towards the church door and grabbed Joe by both hands. Holding him at arm’s length, she looked him up and down once more and nodded approvingly.
“I hardly recognised you. I’ve never seen you look so smart,” she gushed happily. “Don’t you agree, Ol?”
“Er, thanks.” Joe looked at the ground, hugely embarrassed by the enthusiastic greeting, but also pleased that she hadn’t burst out laughing. Maybe the navy suit with the hideous waistcoat tucked away underneath isn’t so bad after all, he thought.
“Yeah, mate, it even looks like you’ve had your hair cut for the occasion. Not!” quipped Ollie as he took in Joe’s unusually neat appearance. “Hello, Mr Gladwin,” he added to Joe’s dad who stood next to his son.
“Nice you see you both,” said Robert Gladwin, holding out his hand and shaking Kerry and Ollie’s in turn. “Well, it’s been a long time since I saw you,” he added, turning to Ollie and smiling. “Love the suit. I had one like that first time round.”
Ollie gave a little twirl in his mod suit. He only ever wore it on special occasions, but cherished it for the fact that it was a sixties original. He always felt very grown-up in it, which was one of the reasons he didn’t wear it very much.
“It might well have been yours.” Ollie grinned.
“It’s certainly old enough,” added Joe. “Shall I escort Sir and Madam inside?”
He led them into the church which was already full of smartly-dressed friends and relatives of Gillian and Robert.
“So how’s the best man feeling on The Big Day?” asked Ollie.
“Uh, surprisingly calm at the moment. But as soon as I start thinking about my speech I practically pass out. So I don’t think about it.”
“It’s best to take one step at a time, I suppose,” added Kerry helpfully, “you know, get the service out of the way before you begin worrying about anything else.”
“Yeah, for all we know Gillian might not show, then I won’t have to do it at all,” Joe laughed then slapped his hand over his mouth as he realised a couple of people on the bride’s side of the congregation had overheard. “Just joking,” he announced loudly to the stricken faces staring intently at him.
“Well, that’s your first blunder,” laughed Ollie, slapping his friend on the shoulder. “I expect you’ve forgotten the rings as well, haven’t you?”
Joe’s hand went automatically to the breast pocket of his jacket and a look of panic came over his face.
Kerry looked horrified. “Joe, you haven’t…?”
“Naah.” he grinned, pulling out the two gold bands. “Nearly had you though, didn’t I? I’ve only checked them about a zillion times today. Ouch.” His hands flew to his head to protect himself from Kerry’s black-beaded box bag which she had swung at him.
“You rat!” she shrieked. “Forget the sympathy - you’re on your own from now on!”
“Hee hee, sor-rey. Couldn’t resist,” laughed Joe. “Anyway, I’d better get back to Dad. Stop him from doing a runner.”
Once again several heads whisked round to stare at Joe, who hastily backed out of the church, giggling hysterically as he went.
Cuddling up close to Ollie as they sat down, Kerry suddenly shuddered. “Brrr, I always feel a bit funny in church,” she said. “They’re such awesome places.”
“Are you sure it’s not because they’re always so blooming cold, even in the height of summer?’ said Ollie, his teeth chattering.
“You know this is the first time we’ve ever been inside a church together,” Kerry went on. “It feels funny, doesn’t it?”
“Mmmm.” The irony of the situation suddenly struck Ollie. There he was just days ago thinking about asking Kerry to get engaged, and here they now were, in church together, holding hands, witnessing the very wedding that had put the idea into his head in the first place.
It’s such an adult thing to do, Ollie thought soberly, and much as I love Kerry, it’s not something either of us are really ready for.
His ponderings were interrupted by the thunderous noise of the organ cranking up. Joe and his dad were now standing at the front of the church. All around, people were getting to their feet and turning to look behind them.
“Get up,” Kerry hissed to him, “it’s starting.”
Ollie leapt to his feet and watched as Gillian and someone he assumed was her father made their way slowly down the aisle.
Kerry turned to him and he saw her eyes had welled up. “Doesn’t she look beautiful?” she said, her voice wobbling a little. “Sorry, Ol (sniff) I think I might have to cry. How weird. I thought only old ladies cried at weddings.”
Ollie chuckled to himself and gave her hand a little squeeze. He was tempted to say how he hoped she wouldn’t be like this on their wedding day, but thought better of it.
Standing proudly next to his father, Joe Was paying careful attention to the ceremony, anxious not to do anything wrong. It was hard to believe that less than a year ago he could hardly bear to think about his father or the new life he’d built for himself. Joe had hated even the name Gillian then, and the fact that his father had left his mother for her.
How time moves on, he thought. Who would have thought I’d be Dad’s best man and dead chuffed for them both?
“Doesn’t Joe look great?” Kerry whispered to Ollie at one point. “Really handsome and confident.”
“Yeah, considering the fuss he made when he first tried that suit on, he looks fairly comfortable in it after all.” Ollie said, watching his friend handing over the rings at the altar.
“He’s on such good form too,” Kerry added. “I thought he’d be much more nervous.”
“It’s suppressed hysteria,” grinned Ollie. “I be
t he’ll be a complete wreck by the time his speech comes round.”
“Poor Joe.” Kerry giggled. “I think you might be right.”
CHAPTER 13
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
“I feel sick.”
“You’ll be fine.”
“I look like a prat.”
“You look great.”
“I’m going to forget everything.”
“You’ve got notes - it’ll be a cinch.”
“No one will laugh at my jokes.”
“They will.”
“I’ve forgotten her name.”
“Whose?”
“The woman Dad just married. I keep thinking it’s Susie but that’s Mum’s name.”
“It’s Gillian. Think Gillian, Gillian, Gillian. For God’s sake don’t say Susie!”
“I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Quick. Let’s get you outside.”
Ollie and Kerry grabbed a deathly-white Joe by the arms and steered him firmly through a glass door of the smart-sounding but slightly shabby banqueting hall and into the cobbled courtyard beyond. They always knew getting him through his best man speech was going to be difficult, but now that the moment had arrived, it was worse than they had imagined.
Joe heaved in a few deep breaths then sat down on a stone seat and let his head fall into his visibly shaking hands.
“I can’t do this,” he wailed, “I really can’t. It’s worse than an exam. It’s a nightmare. What am I going to do?”
Ollie and Kerry gave each other helpless glances.
“It’s perfectly understandable,” sympathised Kerry. “Just keep taking deep breaths and try not to think about it.”
“You’ve got to remember everyone’s on your side,” Ollie went on. “They’ll be willing you to do well.”
“I bet once you’ve got past the first line, you’ll be fine,” continued Kerry.
“Yeah, once you get going we won’t be able to stop you!”
Joe groaned. He knew what they were trying to do and it wasn’t working. He was feeling worse by the minute. Only a giant meteor falling on the hotel could save him from the humiliation he knew he was about to suffer. Or perhaps his father would come out and say it was all a big joke and he didn’t want him to make a speech.
At that moment, his father did come out and Joe fleetingly wondered if he was the unwilling participant in a really bizarre dream. Seconds later his notion was dashed.
“Ah, Joe, there you are,” Robert Gladwin beamed. “I wondered where you’d got to. Can you give us a hand? We’ve got to get Buck’s Fizz down all these people, as well as getting them to sit down in the right places.”
“Sure, Dad,” said Joe resignedly, standing up and forcing a smile. “I was just on my way.”
The four of them trooped back inside.
“Oh, well, at least that’ll take his mind off the speech for a little while,” Kerry whispered to Ollie, holding his hand once more.
Ollie shook his head. “I wouldn’t bank on it.”
“Should we go and help him?”
“To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if we were making him feel worse,” said Ollie. “I think we’re better off just leaving him to get on with it in his own time.”
An hour or so later, once the meal had been eaten, the coffee served and the champagne poured for the toast, Joe stood up from the head table and cleared his throat.
“Ladies and Gentlemen…”
Cat spotted him first. He was weaving his way slowly around the tables towards them, a helpless grin plastered all over his slightly flushed but vastly more relaxed face.
“Ooh-ee!” she called, waving her hands frantically, in the unlikely event that he hadn’t seen or heard her. “Over here, Joe. Quick!”
The gang were huddled together in a corner of the banqueting hall. While Kerry and Ollie had been invited to the church service and sit-down meal, Sonja, Cat, Matt, Maya and Anna had been asked along for the evening. And as Joe’s dad had asked The Loud to play a short set, Billy and Andy were there too.
“Mate, at last,” Matt hollered as Joe reached them. “We’ve been waiting for you to stop chatting up all your aunts and cousins and get over here. We’ve all heard how brilliant you were, man.”
“Yeah, you were top,” said Ollie, thumping Joe heartily on the back. “You must be dead chuffed.”
“Uh… relieved, more like.” Joe smiled, embarrassed but pleased. “But, yeah, once I got going it wasn’t as bad as I thought. Glad it’s over though.”
“You were fantastic,” enthused Kerry. “And you could see your dad was really proud of you.”
“Aw, thanks, Kez. I was shaking inside though.”
“So you’ll be available for after-dinner speaking at all the swanky ‘do’s from now on, eh?” Cat grinned wickedly.
“In a word, no. Waiting for a Loud gig to start will seem like a picnic after that.”
“Talking of which,” said Ollie, “we’d better get ourselves sorted. Your dad wanted us on at eight o’clock. Oh and his parting words were, ‘You’ll keep a bit of a lid on the noise, won’t you, son?’”
“Oh dear.” Joe tittered. “I’m not sure what he’s expecting, but I think he’s hoping we’ll be a bit like The Eagles. It’s a good job we’re only doing four songs. I’m not sure that my ageing relatives are going to appreciate us.”
The boys moved down to the end of the hall where their instruments were already set up, followed by the rest of the crowd who gathered round in front of them to lend their support - and carefully timed applause.
As Anna tagged along at the back, Matt tapped her on the arm and motioned for her to stay behind. “I just wanted to say how gorgeous you look,” he said, almost shyly.
Anna’s heart melted.
He’s so sweet, she thought. Maybe I’m being too careful. Maybe we should go public - just take the plunge and see what happens?
“Come with me,” she whispered, grasping his sleeve and heading towards the little cobbled courtyard she’d noticed on her way in. Empty of people, it was lit with hundreds of fairy-lights, winking as they bobbed in the gentle evening breeze.
Anna turned to Matt and put her arms around his neck.
“Romantic here, isn’t it?” she said, her whole body tingling.
“Mmmm.” Matt leaned towards her and began kissing her, melting her heart all over again.
Kerry realised she needed to go to the toilet now, before the band started playing, or she wouldn’t make it to the end of their set. As she walked past the door, she was struck by how pretty the courtyard outside looked - she’d been too preoccupied with helping to encourage Joe to notice it earlier.
Pausing for a moment, she spotted the outline of a couple standing alone out there.
Hold on, she thought, that’s Matt. But who’s he with? When she realised who it was she stood stock still and held her breath…
That’s when she saw them kissing.
CHAPTER 14
BRIEF ENCOUNTERS
Cat was out to turn heads. She’d recovered from the dramas of the last twenty-four hours and was determined to have a good night. Although she hadn’t admitted it at the time, she acknowledged that Maya had a point when she’d said Zac wasn’t right for her.
She knew they were very different - he was quiet, shy, maybe a bit boring even, and when she really analysed their relationship (something Cat didn’t tend to do with a guy too often) she realised that the times she really fancied him were when he was being her hero, just like he’d said last night.
Once she’d plucked her eyebrows, rifled through her wardrobe for an eye-catching number to wear that evening and had a long soak in the bath, she felt much more cheerful. Now she was ready to knock ‘em dead in true Cat-fashion.
Cat cruised confidently around the main reception room in blue cargo trousers and a tiny pink T-shirt with a Playboy bunny motif picked out in rhinestones on the front. Skin tight and exposing her midriff, it left little to the imaginati
on. She turned heads as she walked, in particular causing a stir among the older generation, who made up the bulk of the guest list. Cat homed in on the only two guys of any interest to her at the bar and smiled to herself as they gawped.
“Wow! You look fantastic,” one of them said. Then he added cheekily, “How d’you get into that top?”
Cat gave him the critical once-over. He was tall, tanned and taut, with dark hair, smouldering eyes and an impish grin.
“You could start by buying me a drink,” she shot back, then roared with laughter as his mouth dropped open and his eyes bulged out in shock.
“Guess what,” she went on excitedly. “I’ve been waiting for someone to say that to. It’s from an Austin Powers movie - did you know that?”
The guy laughed, just a little uneasily, and asked her what he could buy her to drink.
“Orange juice please,” Cat replied, walking a few strides further and sticking her ample chest out at him. “I’m Catrina, by the way.”
“Nathan. And I like your bunny.”
Cat giggled and twirled her fingers round one of the twelve or so bunches her hair had been pulled into. “You can dance with him later if you like. So long as you don’t mind joining the queue.”
Cat chuckled again at the look of surprise on Nathan’s face. She loved playing one-upmanship with guys, especially those who didn’t quite know how to take her constant teasing.
The rest of the crowd watched gleefully from a distance.
“She seems to have got over Zac then,” Sonja commented. It was evident that Cat was in major man-catching mode.
“I think she’d already half forgotten him by her third chocolate milkshake and plate of fries in the End this morning,” said Maya. “She ended up ranting about how Zac didn’t understand her. Which is fair enough, I guess.”
“Yeah, it takes a long time to understand someone like Cat,” Sonja pondered. “It’ll take one heck of a guy to take the plunge and match her stride for stride.”