“Please don’t call us matrons of honour?” Amber begged. “I can’t bear that word ‘matron’.”
“Absolutely not,” Tessa said. “You’ll be my handmaidens, which means you have to wait on me every second and give me my heart’s desire.”
“Forget it,” Rosie said with a deadpan face. “We’ll settle for matrons,” which cracked everybody up.
Chapter 50
It was an unusually warm sunny Monday in April that saw the four women meet up at Dublin Airport for their trip to Rome. They had thought that Lesley would be joining them but she had seemingly gone totally off the rails and packed the job in. The latest word was that she had run off to England with a married man, thirty years her senior. Nobody expected that that would last very long. Obviously, living with her husband and Val had driven her quite crazy so she’d had no other choice. Pete was still working with the company and deeply involved with one of the new managers whose husband had walked out on finding out about the affair. Plus ça change!
The girls were flying out to Rome on the company jet which meant being whisked past all the queues of ordinary passengers and into the VIP lounge where Carlo greeted them with champagne. Tessa had her wedding dress over her arm and the girls their bridesmaids’/matrons’ dresses too.
“Before we board, may I just say congratulations to you all on winning this trip and I promise it will be a trip you’ll never forget,” he smiled at them. “It will be first class all the way.”
They all cheered.
Taking Tessa’s hand he added, “Can I also say that I’m the happiest man alive that this wonderful woman will be my wife in one week’s time and how honoured we both are that you will be with us to celebrate our love.” He reached over and kissed Tessa, making her blush as her friends roared and cheered again.
Kate, her husband Kevin, Luke and Gavin would all be joining them the following Friday, for Tessa’s wedding. The company jet was going to transport them, along with Jeffrey and Bart whom Tessa had asked to give her away.
“Two men to give you away?” Amber had teased her.
“Well, I couldn’t ask one without the other,” Tessa had explained. “Either way, one of them would never have forgiven me.”
The two men were tickled pink at the idea of a limousine coming to whisk them to a private jet.
“Did we ever think we’d see the day when Edward’s little lass would be taking us to Rome on a private jet?” Bart said, thrilled at the idea.
“What a shame he isn’t here to give her away himself,” Jeffrey sighed.
“Well, we’ll do a damn good job in his place,” Bart said, “for his sake.”
“Her mother, God rest her, would be very happy to see her daughter getting married in Rome,” Jeffrey said.
“Yes, Tessa told me that it’s always been a special place for her.”
In the VIP lounge, as the girls sipped their champagne and nibbled on Beluga caviar, Carlo continued.
“Before I forget, I did promise a car to the manager with the highest sales and it will come as no surprise to any of you to learn that the winner is Niamh.”
Niamh could hardly believe it. “Oh my God, Gav is going to love this!” she cried, to the cheers and clapping of her friends.
“The choice is yours, Niamh,” he said handing her a brochure. “You can choose between the sports car, the family saloon, or the larger people-carrier.”
“Thank you so much,” she said, kissing Carlo on the cheek. She looked at the brochure. “Gav would love the sports car and the family car is lovely but I’m afraid it will be too small for my family soon,” she blushed. “Gav and I are expecting another baby in late September.”
The others fell on her, whooping and cheering. “Congratulations!” they cried, hugging her.
“I guess that means the people carrier,” Carlo smiled at her.
“I guess so,” she replied, laughing. “I’d like to propose a big thank you to If the Shoes Fit. I am so grateful for it. It has changed my life completely.” There were tears in her eyes.
“Hear, hear!” echoed, Amber, Tessa and Rosie whose lives had also been greatly changed for the better.
“The shoes certainly fit!” Amber said, raising her glass to her friends.
“And she has them in every colour!” Tessa cried, as they all dissolved into laughter.
If the Shoes Fit Page 33