‘You seem to have forgotten that I can’t put my head under the water, never mind swim under water,’ sighed Marcie. ‘It seems to have slipped Sam’s mind too although he would probably say anything is possible if you have the right attitude, then arrange for me to have diving lessons before the wedding.’
I had forgotten. Marcie can swim but she’s never liked it. Some stupid boy dunked her head under when she was in junior school and she gets panicky in the water. Maybe Sam didn’t know how much it freaked her out, but then maybe she hadn’t let on. It seemed that she wanted to please him so much that she didn’t always tell him what she was feeling about things.
‘So are we going to go along for a demo or not?’ I asked. I wondered if Nessa would show up with one of her planet colleagues. I had noticed on my Zodiac phone that one of them was called Captain John Dory – aka Neptune. Neptune was the king of the sea so, out of all of Nessa’s colleagues, he was the one I’d expected to see today.
‘Demo?’ asked Marcie. ‘Demo? I’ll give that Sam Hendy a demo he won’t forget in a hurry when he gets back.’ The sharpness in her voice took me by surprise. She very deliberately got out a pen from her bag and with a dramatic flourish, she crossed out number four on the list. ‘There. That’s what I think of your aquarium wedding, Sam Hendy. You can take your wedding list and shove it—’
An old lady on the next table glanced up.
‘Marcie,’ I warned before she said anything embarrassing. ‘We’re in public.’ Part of me was glad that Marcie was at last seeing sense, but I do hate it when people make a scene.
Marcie clocked the old dear and rolled her eyes. ‘Sorry. I got engaged to the world’s greatest IDIOT and I’ve only just realized!’
‘Lucky you,’ said the lady. ‘Better to realize now than in twenty years when it’s too late.’
‘Exactly!’ said Marcie. ‘Now then, who’s for a big piece of that chocolate fudge cake I saw at the counter before? It’s about time us girls had some real fun!’
Now what’s happening? I wondered as she got up and ordered four huge pieces of cake. As she stood at the counter, my Zodiac phone bleeped that I had a message from Nessa. An encounter with Pluto means transformation, it said. I was about to text back and ask what she meant when Marcie reappeared with our fudge cake.
‘When the going gets tough, the tough eat chocolate cake,’ she said.
‘Good plan,’ said Demi.
‘Best one yet,’ said Maryam and as we all tucked in, I thought that the main transformation was going to be on our waistlines.
‘Sam can’t accuse me of not trying out everything,’ said Marcie when later the same day she parked outside Jungle Jamboree, a shop that had gorilla costumes in the window. After our cakes had been eaten and the rain had ceased, Marcie had insisted that we try out the last option on the list.
‘She is joking, isn’t she?’ whispered Demi as we got out and followed her into the shop.
‘I think so,’ I said. ‘I’m not sure.’ I glanced at Marcie. Something had happened this morning and she had a determined expression on her face – like she’d made up her mind about something and there was no going back.
‘Option number five, the Bridezilla wedding,’ Marcie pronounced once we got inside to find an empty shop. She dinged a bell on the counter to alert whoever owned the place that they had customers. ‘The idea is that Sam and I wear gorilla outfits. You girls would be chimps.’
‘Are you serious?’ asked Demi.
‘I’m not but Sam was, and how ridiculous is that?’ said Marcie. ‘But as we’re here, we may as well explore all the fancy dress options so that when I report back, he knows that I did the job thoroughly and he can’t blame me for . . . well, for what I’ve decided.’ There was something in her tone that made me think that Sam was in for a telling off. A big telling off.
A few moments later, an extraordinary looking man came out of the back. He was tall and pale and looked every inch a Goth prince – he was dressed in a purple velvet suit with dark hair tied back in a ponytail. He gave us a small bow.
‘Hello, ladeez, and how can I be of help?’ he asked in an accent that I couldn’t quite place – maybe Russian?
‘Great Dracula costume,’ Demi said.
The man looked affronted. ‘Dracula? But zis iz not ze fancy clothes. Zis is how I am normally dressing.’
Demi grinned. ‘And you have a great accent too.’
The man bowed again. ‘PJ’s ze name, transformation ze game.’ He indicated the rows and rows of costumes
‘Ah. You’re Pluto, aren’t you?’ I asked. ‘Nessa said we might see you.’
‘And you must be ze Zodiac Girl, yah?’
I smiled. ‘Chloe’s ze name –’
‘Being bonkers ze game,’ Demi joined in.
‘Do you know this man?’ asked Marcie.
I shook my head. ‘No, but he’s in the wedding business with Nessa, right?’
‘I am in ze business of change, transformation, like a caterpillar to ze butterfly and yes, for zis month, we iz doing the wedding. Other times I do interior design or makeovers.’
‘Fab,’ said Demi.
‘We’re here to look at the gorilla costumes,’ said Marcie. ‘For my wedding.’
PJ smiled. ‘Now zat I can help with,’ he said and pointed us in the direction of a rack of furry costumes at the back of the shop. ‘Ze Bridezilla wedding iz very popular. Help yourselves to anyzing else you vould like to be trying,’ he said. ‘I ’ave some jobs to do while you iz dressing.’ He fluttered his hands at us as if to say that we should get on with the business of dressing up.
Dutifully, we looked through the rack, found our sizes, then went to put our monkey costumes on.
Demi and I were ready first. We looked at each other and burst out laughing. We stood in front of the mirror while we waited for Marcie. We looked totally silly.
‘Not exactly what I had in mind for my first bridesmaid outfit,’ I said as I did a twirl.
‘I know it’s not,’ said Demi. ‘You’re taking this very well, Chloe. For someone who wanted to dress in silk and lace.’
‘It’s not over yet,’ I said. ‘If I thought this madness was going to happen for real, I think I would be freaked out of my mind but Nessa has been so brilliant – telling me to chill and see what happens – and you know what? If I am honest, it has been a fun week.’
‘And it looks like you won’t have to do a crazy wedding in the end,’ said Demi. ‘After this morning, I think Marcie has finally seen sense.’
‘Maybe,’ I said. ‘Nessa was so right. She said that if I didn’t resist it would be OK, and it does seem that has happened. Like she’s come to the conclusion by herself that this isn’t her dream wedding. It’s weird, isn’t it? Like we’ve both changed our minds. She thinks the list is bonkers now and I actually think some of the options have potential.’
We high-fived each other just as Maryam came out of the changing room. She made a noise like a chimp and immediately Demi and I joined in and started aping around doing funny monkey walks and noises and having a great laugh, although it was hard to breathe with the costume heads on. PJ didn’t seem to mind us messing about. He looked over at us and gave us a thumbs up. Inside, I felt a huge sense of relief about Marcie’s turnaround. The Bridezilla option was the one that I had worried about the most. It wasn’t dangerous or scary, just funny and different, and it might have appealed to Marcie’s sense of mischievousness and love of a practical joke. There had been a distinct possibility that she might go for it before her change in mood today.
‘Least we won’t have to worry about having our hair done,’ laughed Demi as she pretended to try and climb up the dressing room curtains.
‘OK, I’m ready, girls,’ said Marcie from behind the curtain.
I began to sing the wedding march. ‘Dah dah da dah, dah dah da—’ I whipped back the curtain of the dressing room and there, moving very slowly as if walking down an aisle, was a large gorilla. A gorilla weari
ng a white veil and a dinky tiara and carrying a bunch of white roses. We burst out laughing and then Marcie began to lark about with us as if we really were a family of chimps. Demi started to groom me, then I pretended to pick bugs from her fur and eat them, and it wasn’t long before we were on the floor laughing.
Demi made us line up so that she could take a group photo on her phone.
‘So, what do you think, Marcie?’ I asked after Demi had taken her shot.
‘Bit hot,’ she replied and she pulled the gorilla head off. ‘People must be insane to consider this as a wedding option. I mean, apart from the fact that we all look totally stupid, it’s roasting in these costumes.’
Maryam, Demi and I did the same. ‘Phew!’ said Maryam. ‘Yeah. It is kind of hard to breathe in there.’ We did look flushed from wearing so much fur.
‘There are endless possibilities,’ said Marcie as she looked around the shop, ‘not just gorillas.’
‘Go right ahead,’ said PJ. ‘Try everyzing. Be transforming yourselves!’
‘Thanks,’ we chorused. Brill, I thought. I loved dressing up and there were loads of lovely looking costumes as well as the comedy ones.
Marcie picked through a rack to the front of the shop. ‘We could all dress as Superheroes. How about Spiderman?’ she asked as she held up a Spiderman outfit. ‘Sam could swing in from the building opposite the church. Or we could dress as Batman and Robin. That should make it special.’
I took a long look at her to try and gauge if she was serious. She was still looking flushed from wearing the big monkey head but there was something in her tone that was worrying. I wasn’t sure if she was sad about Sam or mad with him.
‘Or we could do Victorian or Goth or Vampires or cavemen,’ she continued as she held a club up in the air. ‘I could bash Sam over the head after I’ve taken the vows.’
Hmm, maybe mad with him, I thought as she swished the club through the air with some force.
I could have agreed with Marcie about how stupid the fancy dress option was but I was determined not to crack now, having got so far. It looked as if Marcie was working it all out on her own. I picked up a horned helmet. ‘Or what about Vikings?’ I asked.
‘Yeah, brilliant,’ said Marcie. ‘Or Robin Hood and Maid Marion? Or Star Trek characters?’
‘Are you two on drugs?’ asked Demi. ‘What is going on?’
Another costume caught Marcie’s eye and she rushed over, picked out a long white dress and held it up against her. ‘A Princess Leia outfit. We could have a Star Wars wedding.’ She looked at her reflection holding up the white dress. It was as close to a normal wedding outfit as there was in the shop.
‘Ve have ze vedding dresses,’ said PJ. ‘You iz coming upping ze stairs. All by ze Nessa. She iz up zere making, creating, sewing ze dresses.’
We all looked at each other.
‘Wouldn’t do any harm to just try,’ I said.
‘Just a little look,’ said Demi.
‘It is best to consider all options,’ said Maryam.
‘And I vill do ze hair and ze make-ups,’ said PJ.
Up we went without any persuasion. It was like walking into a fairy grotto with silver, white and mirrored walls, little lights strewn everywhere like at Christmas, and it smelt divine – of tuberose. Rows of beautiful white and cream dresses hung on rails along the walls, with a couple of examples on dummies towards the back of the shop. On a counter to the left were tiaras in mother-of-pearl and diamonds, one of white leaves and another made from what looked like silver leaves, and on the wall to the right were shelves of fabric: silk, satin, velvet. It was wedding heaven. We ooh-ed and aah-ed. I felt like I had found my true home.
‘Nessa, ve have ze customers,’ said PJ.
We heard a rustle, and a moment later Nessa appeared. She was wearing one of her creations, a sheath in gossamer silk that fell from her shoulders to her feet. Her hair was up and she had on a tiny crown. She was one hundred per cent goddess.
‘What do you think?’ she asked. ‘This is a new dress that I’ve been working on.’
‘Divine,’ we chorused.
‘Ta,’ she said. ‘Now then. ’ow can we ’elp? First of all though, PJ, let’s ’ave some bubbly for the bride to be, and are you ’ungry? Bring some chocolate for the girls.’ She glanced over and winked. ‘I do think that planning a wedding needs to be fun on every level, don’t you? Let’s ’ave some music too.’
PJ disappeared down the stairs while Nessa put some upbeat music on. The next hour went by in a happy blur as each of us tried on the prettiest dresses and quaffed sparkling elderflower while Marcie drank champagne with peach juice. We ate scrumptious chocolates with fudge centres and boogied around to the music. Marcie tried on loads of different outfits and every shoe that Nessa showed her, from stunning high-heeled silver sandals to dinky ballet shoes made from the softest leather. Everything looked good but then Nessa insisted that Marcie try on the new dress that she’d been wearing. She and PJ took her away and left Demi, Maryam and me to continue trying on the accessories and flick through Brides magazines.
‘This is what it’s all about, isn’t it?’ I said as I popped another chocolate in my mouth and sat back in one of the chairs near the counter. ‘Great fabrics, lovely smells, good music. It’s a whole experience of loveliness.’
Demi did a spin. ‘Loveliness,’ she repeated.
Maryam got up to join her then stopped and stared. ‘Oh my God!’ she said.
Demi and I looked in the direction she was staring. ‘Oh my God!’ we echoed.
Marcie was standing by the door in Nessa’s dress. PJ had done her make-up just perfectly, not too much, just enough to give her face light and a touch of gloss. Her hair was up and Nessa had threaded some pearl beads through the back. Around her neck she had a stunning freshwater pearl choker. My eyes filled with tears. Here was my sister Marcie, the bride. This was how she was meant to look. ‘Oh Marcie,’ I said. ‘You look beautiful.’
Marcie stepped forward and looked at herself in the mirror. She caught her breath and her eyes glistened. ‘I do, don’t I?’ she whispered.
Behind her, Nessa and PJ appeared. ‘Every inch the beautiful bride,’ said Nessa, then she turned and ushered PJ away. ‘Let’s leave them alone to talk about it,’ she said.
As soon as they’d gone, Marcie’s eyes filled with the tears she’d been holding back. I went over and put my hand on her arm. ‘You all right?’ I asked.
She nodded but she didn’t looked all right.
‘You look so beautiful, Marcie,’ said Demi.
She looked at her reflection and nodded.
‘Is this what you really want, Marcie? Is this the sort of wedding outfit that you would really like?’ I asked.
She sniffed back a tear and nodded. ‘I would. I’d like to look beautiful on my day. Not in Velcro or on roller skates or underwater. I just want to look like a bride.’
‘Princess for a day,’ I said.
Marcie nodded. ‘You guys are the best, you know. You’ve been so brilliant this week and gone along with everything without complaining and you, Chloe . . .’ she began to sob, ‘you even tried to roller-skate for me.’
‘It’s your wedding, Marcie,’ I said. ‘You should have what you want. You were right. I was just being selfish in the beginning, trying to make you have my perfect wedding when of course, it’s your day.’ I really meant it too.
I put my arms round Marcie and she sobbed harder and blubbed into my neck. I let her cry for a while. ‘Can I do anything? What is it? What’s made you so upset?’
Marcie sighed. ‘You. You have, Chloe. The way you’ve been this week has been amazing and it’s shown me, that’s what love is, true love. It’s giving up what you want to make someone else happy, the way you’ve done. I know, I know you’ve had your dream of your day when you get to be bridesmaid ever since you were little and I know how much it’s meant to you but you let it all go for me. For me, your big stupid sister with my mad ideas.’
Marcie shook her head. ‘Yes. It is. And Sam’s, more Sam’s wedding. I . . . I’ve been so busy trying to please him and accommodate what he wanted that I didn’t even tell him what I wanted and . . . he didn’t ask. Hasn’t asked! You were right yesterday. Sam should have been here with me. He should have been going through this important time with me, not you guys, and he should have also been asking me what my ideas were. I have to have a say too.’
‘I’m sure he was going to get round to asking you and he’ll be here for the wedding,’ I said. ‘That’s the most important time when it comes down to it.’
Marcie shook her head again. ‘No. No. I need him now. Or at least I did.’
‘What do you mean, you did?’ I asked. ‘Have you decided to go ahead with a traditional wedding after all?’
‘No,’ said Marcie. ‘I have changed my mind about the list and about the wedding. I know that’s usually your thing, Chloe, but this time, it’s me. There isn’t going to be a wedding, not any more. I’m through with this whole charade. I’ll tell Sam tonight. I have decided, the wedding’s off.’
Chapter Eleven
Doghouse
‘What on earth have you done?’ asked Jane when she came over later that night. Clare had arrived over an hour earlier and was in the kitchen with Mum, who was trying to comfort Marcie by making her endless cups of tea.
‘Me? Nothing,’ I replied. Mum had asked the same question just after we’d arrived home and she’d seen Marcie’s red eyes. And so had Jane when she’d arrived soon after Mum had called me. It so wasn’t fair.
‘You must have said something. Mum said that Jane said that Marcie said that you’d said something.
‘Me? No. Honest. I asked her what she wanted for her wedding, that’s all, and . . . and I might have asked where Sam had been while we’d been doing this wedding research, like it seemed to me that he should have been the one trying out all the mad ideas with her.’
Clare clucked her tongue with disapproval. ‘That will be it then.’
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