by Nikki Ashton
“You know I’m not really sure where the church is you know.”
“Charlotte!” Kerry screamed. “We’ll never find it; do you know how many churches there are in South Manchester?”
“I know which village it’s in, there can’t be that many churches in one village, can there?” she asked, a look of concern developing on Charlotte’s face.
Although she felt frustrated, Kerry patted Charlotte’s knee comfortingly. “Of course not, I’m sure that we’ll find it easily.”
“You’re cross aren’t you?” Charlotte asked, her eyes pleading with Kerry to disagree.
“I’m not cross, but I sometimes think that you and Bets will be the death of me.”
“I’m sorry; I just wanted to come and didn’t think about knowing which church it was at.”
Kerry sighed deeply. “No silly, it has got nothing to do with knowing which church we are going to. You both think you can kid each other, and everyone else, that you are both okay, but anyone can see that you’re not.”
“Is Bets still down then? I feel awful I didn’t realise, she didn’t say anything when I spoke to her yesterday. She was a little fed up about having to cancel our shopping trip, but otherwise, she seemed fine.”
Kerry moved her eyes from the road to smile at Charlotte. “That’s my point she thinks that you are fine as well. You are both so busy trying to hide how you are really feeling that you are both missing out on some good old fashioned girly advice from each other. I tell you something, it’s a lucky that I came home to sort you two out.”
Nearly an hour later Charlotte had successfully guided Kerry to the village where the wedding was being held. Driving through the village, they had noticed little groups of people, dressed for the occasion, making their way up to a small hill, towards the sound of bells announcing that it was someone special day. They parked in a pub car park at the bottom of the hill.
“What do you want me to do, stay here or come with you?” Kerry held Charlotte’s hand in hers, slowly rubbing the back of it with her thumb.
“Erm, come with me please,” whispered Charlotte, tears pricking her eyes, and the feeling of nausea rising to her throat. She shot a hand to her mouth. “I feel sick Kerry, what if he sees me?”
“He won’t, He'll be too preoccupied, and we won’t be in church; will we?” A look of horror suddenly spread across Kerry’s face. “You don’t want to go into church, do you?”
Charlotte grinned through her tears. “No stupid, although it would be funny to stand up when the Vicar asks if anyone has any just reason.”
Kerry giggled softly. “What would you say?”
“That he can’t marry a scrawny, miserable old boot that got herself pregnant on purpose, to trap him.”
“Hmm, good one.” Kerry nodded solemnly.
“Come on then, let’s get this over and done with so that I can get on with my life,” said Charlotte, rubbing her eyes and sighing heavily.
As they stepped out of the car, onto the gravel, another group of people rushed past them. They were holding onto their hats and jackets, as they flapped around in the March winds.
Kerry nudged Charlotte conspiratorially. “Wouldn’t it be funny if this wind whipped her veil away,” she said.
“Don’t be so awful, but yes it would,” Charlotte laughed.
They made the short walk up the hill in silence, milling with the other guests moving to the sound of the bells. At the top, they could see the church straight in front of them, but they didn’t cross over; Charlotte pulled Kerry behind a large oak tree.
“If we stand behind this, he won’t see us, but I can see him quite clearly.” Her voice trailed off as across the road a large silver and grey Bentley drew up and out stepped Niall, his best man and surprisingly Grant.
All looking very dapper, they moved away from the car as Niall, and his best man stood a distance from Grant. Charlotte took an intake of breath, and a step back behind the tree as Niall turned towards her and scanned up and down the road, before Grant nodded towards the church, indicating that they should perhaps go in.
“What has he come in the car with them for, just like him getting in on the act? I’m surprised that Niall allowed it. I thought that they had fallen out” Charlotte murmured, shaking her head.
“Well they didn’t seem to be talking very much, and considering it is his wedding day he did look rather stern. Anyway, you kept it quiet how handsome he is madam. He's lovely.” Kerry playfully punched Charlotte’s arm.
She smiled weakly. “I know. Do you think that he saw me?” she asked anxiously.
“No, I’m sure that he didn’t.” Kerry put an arm around Charlotte’s shoulder, and hugged her tightly. “He did look like he was looking for someone though, maybe he’s hoping that you will do the old just reason bit.”
“Nope, I don’t think so; he was obviously looking for her. Oh God, he’s coming back out, quickly get behind here.” Charlotte grabbed Kerry and dragged her out of sight.
“What’s he doing now?” she asked.
Kerry started to giggle. “Charlotte just because your eyes are closed it doesn’t mean he can’t see you.”
“He can’t, can he?” Her eyes sprang open. She sighed as she could see that Niall had his back to them.
Grant hovered in the background, not looking at anyone, except his shoes or occasionally down the road in the direction that their car had arrived. Niall was speaking with a lady dressed in lilac with matching hat; Charlotte recognised her as the lady from the supermarket – Niall’s mother. Niall did appear to be thinner, but she couldn’t see his face clearly, but she could tell that it was quite an intense conversation that he was having with his mother. Her head was inclined towards him as she listened, and all the time her hand gently rubbed his elbow. After five minutes of staring at the back of her darling Niall, out of the corner of her eye Charlotte noticed Niall’s best man move. He went towards Niall and whispered into his ear and nodded toward the road. Charlotte glanced at the direction of his nod and saw a Rolls Royce, matching the Bentley, appearing around the bend. Niall moved quickly inside the church with his mother and best man, leaving Grant a few strides behind.
The Rolls Royce pulled up in front of Niall’s car, with the driver getting out and running around to the back door to let Ingrid and her father out. There was quite a crowd of onlookers gathered now as Ingrid stepped out onto the path, followed by a small Flower Girl.
“Huh, no older bridesmaids then, she probably hasn’t got any friends to ask!” snorted Kerry making Charlotte smile.
Ingrid moved away from the car, to shake out her full organza skirt, and then she smoothed down the tight, sleeveless laced bodice, before arranging her short veil carefully over her face.
“That’s right love, cover up your ugly mug.”
“Kerry,” scolded Charlotte. “You can’t deny that she looks lovely.” She leaned her head on Kerry’s shoulder.
They watched Ingrid glide down the church path, her father and Flower Girl trailing behind, desperately trying to catch her up.
“Bloody hell, she’s eager isn’t she?”
“So would I be,” sighed Charlotte.
“I wonder how she got into that bodice though, you know if she is a few months expecting. I remember my boobs were like barrage balloons almost post-coital when I fell pregnant with Esme,” commented Kerry.
“Well obviously Ingrid is going to be one of those bloody sickening women who don’t even have a bump, never mind an arse full of piles. Anyway, come on we should go home, the show is all over.” Charlotte took hold of Kerry’s hand and led her back to the car.
“You okay Charlotte?” Kerry asked.
Charlotte nodded and smiled weakly. “Yep, at least now I can get on with my life.”
They walked in silence for a few minutes, before Kerry stopped and turned to Charlotte.
“I tell you what, seeing as we are over this way, I’ll take you to John Lewis’s for lunch, and then we’ll go to Alderley
Edge and do a bit of Wayne and Colleen spotting, what do you reckon?”
Charlotte grinned widely. “Urgh no thanks, but you never know who else we might see.” She hugged Kerry tightly, grateful for having such good friends who knew exactly what she needed, and when she needed it.
After spending the afternoon with Kerry, constantly cracking rubbish jokes to try to cheer her up, Charlotte was grateful for a few hours peace and quiet back home before everyone arrived to take her out for the evening. She had been submerged in steaming soapy bath water for nearly an hour, wondering how the ceremony had gone, what the reception had been like; flash probably with all the money Ingrid’s daddy had. Charlotte had a little cry for about ten minutes, but soon realised that crying wouldn’t change anything. She had to get on with her life, so she washed her face and tried to relax in the water. Finally, the time arrived for the hordes to descend upon her to go to the pub for lots of mind numbing, memory losing alcohol.
“Right, what is everyone having?” Dave asked, as they quickly sat down at two available tables.
“I’ll give you a hand Dave.” Kelvin started to take the order. “Tom?”
“Lager please.”
“Girls?”
“Red Wine.”
“White wine.”
“Brandy and Coke.”
“Another white wine here, please.”
While everyone gave their order to Kelvin and Dave, Tom made himself busy, collecting chairs from other parts of the pub, desperate to create a distraction from gazing at Bets who looked stunning.
When she had finished getting ready Bets had known that she looked good, yet funnily enough tonight she hadn’t really tried. She normally took hours on her naturally curly hair, but tonight she had just blasted it with the hairdryer, and now it was cascading in shiny ringlets over her bare shoulders and down her back. Having not bothered to do any ironing for the last couple of days, Bets pulled on what was available, a pair of extremely tight skinny jeans and a leather bustier top, finished off with some extremely pointed, black Faith shoes, all coming together in a truly sexy outfit. Testament to this was the number of male heads that turned when she slipped off her jacket.
“Bloody hell, you look good tonight.” Amanda smiled at Bets. “Is it for anyone in particular?”
Bets shook her head, and frowned questioningly. “No, it’s all that I had got that wasn’t either dirty or creased.”
“Right.” Amanda nodded knowingly.
Kelvin and Dave arrived back with the drinks, followed by Tom carrying two pints of lager and a glass of wine. His search for chairs completed, he went to help at the bar.
Kelvin plonked himself down next to Kerry. “Well a toast I think.” He raised his glass in the air, mirrored by the rest of the group. “To Charlotte, here is to a happy birthday, and an even better forthcoming year; Charlotte!”
“To Charlotte,” echoed around the tables, before everyone took a hefty slurp from their respective glasses.
Despite what most of them had been through over the last few months, the conversation was quick and easy, even Bets, and Tom had struck up some banter with each other at one point, arguing good heartedly over whose round it was.
Suddenly, Charlotte screamed and pointed to the bar, at a tall dark man.
“Bets look, its Willy Wonka!”
Bets and Kerry burst into laughter as they looked at the direction that Charlotte was pointing.
“Oh God, fancy seeing him here,” cried Bets, covering her eyes with her hand.
The men looked perplexed, and looked over to the bar. Dave turned to Charlotte.
“That’s Chris Simpson, I went to school with him. Why Willy Wonka?”
Charlotte turned and grinned at a slightly pink Bets.
“You may as well tell him,” cried Bets, taking a large sip from her drink. “You are going to anyway.”
“Bets got off with him once, when we were about nineteen. She went back to his place, and they started to get all passionate. You were all for it Bets, weren’t you, until he whipped his boxer shorts off?” Bets buried her head in her hands as Charlotte carried on. “He threw them on the floor and said to her “have you ever seen anything this big before?” So Bets had a look at it, as you would, and then burst into laughter, and fled through the front door. She left so quickly that she left a brand-new pair of six denier stockings behind. Of course that was another of Bets' romances down the drain.”
“Yes, but why the name Willy Wonka?” Amanda, and Dave chorused.
“Oh sorry, because he had a wonky willy. It has got a bend in the middle,” explained Charlotte.
“Get lost,” Amanda exploded.
“True as I’m sitting here. Isn’t it true, Bets?”
Bets nodded her head, her shoulders shaking as she started to giggle. “Yes, it’s true,” she sighed. “It was just like a banana, except it wasn’t yellow; actually, it was more like a boomerang now I come to think of it.”
Everyone started to laugh, except Tom, who stood up suddenly, making the drinks shake on the table.
“Who wants another?” He took the order, and made his way to the bar followed by Kelvin and Dave.
“What is the matter with him?” Charlotte asked of her older sister. “He’s not said much, but mum reckons that he has been a really moody beggar for weeks now.”
Amanda shrugged her shoulders as she finished the last few drops of her drink. “Don’t know, love sick maybe. Anyway, Bets how is your love life?”
Bets smiled nervously at Amanda. “Me, oh I haven’t got one,” she replied, feeling herself going red.
“Really, only Charlotte told me about some mystery man.”
“Amanda!” Charlotte stormed. “I told you not to say anything. Bets, but Kerry and I think that you are hiding something, well a man actually.” Charlotte grinned widely at Bets, hoping that Bets wouldn’t blow her top.
Bets cuffed her gently on the arm. “Well you got it wrong didn’t you,” she smiled, desperate to hide her discomfort. “There is no romance, I’m afraid.”
“Oh well, we got it wrong Charlotte,” sighed Kerry. “We were convinced weren’t we?”
“Funny that, you would have thought that you two know her well enough to get it right,” sighed Amanda, grinning widely. “I don’t know Bets, call themselves good friends.”
“Yes, anyway I need to go to the ladies, won’t be a minute.” Bets picked up her bag, and fled any further questioning on her love life.
As she walked away, pushing herself through the throng of people around the bar, Bets felt a pair of eyes upon her. Looking around, expecting it to be Tom, she was surprised to see that it was Willy Wonka.
“Hello Bets, long time no see.”
Back at the table Tom had spotted the meeting, and trying hard to look like he was listening to Charlotte, kept an eye on what was going on over by the bar. He watched as Willy moved closer to Bets, and stroked her hair, and as Bets placed a palm against his chest, and then he saw Bets laugh, just before Willy moved in for the kill and started to kiss Bets for all he was worth; this was all too much for him.
“Sorry Charlotte, I’m going to have to go outside for a while, I feel a little sick. I won’t be long.” He stood up and pushed past Charlotte and Kerry and made towards the door.
Over by the bar, Bets was also feeling a little queasy. “Urgh, get off me would you,” she cried as she pushed Willy away. “I told you once I’m not interested, particularly with someone with a boomerang dick, so get lost!” With that she strode off to the toilet.
“Lesbian!” he called. Bets turned, and gave Willy the one-fingered salute.
A few minutes later she flopped back down on her seat, and told the group all about her gross encounter.
“It was vile,” she shuddered, looking around at them all. “Where’s Tom, has he gone to get another drink, because I think I need a brandy after that?”
“He’s gone outside he said that he felt sick.” Amanda nodded toward the doorway. “Go
and find him would you Bets, only mum will kill me if I lose him.”
“He’ll be back soon,” chimed in Charlotte. “So Bets, you don’t think Willy will be bothering you again then?” Charlotte was eager for more gossip.
“Charlotte, you may not care about your little brother, but I do, please Bets go and have a quick look for him. If Charlotte or I go he will just think that we are being over protective.” Amanda smiled pleadingly at Bets, placing a hand on her arm.
Bets sighed, now she really did feel queasy; could she speak to Tom in a one on one situation? She had no choice because if she kicked up a fuss, everyone would want to know what the problem was. Anyway, they were just friends, so there was no problem.
“Right okay, I’ll go and retrieve your little brother for you.” She picked up her bag and smiled at Amanda, who, for some reason, gave her a little wink.
Outside Tom was sitting on the cold floor, leaning against the wall, people stepping over him as they used the side door. Bets only spotted him because she heard someone moaning about it being a silly place to sit. As she approached him, Tom’s head was hanging down, and his arms were resting upon his knees. Bets grabbed hold of one of his arms and tried to pull him to his feet.
“Tom get up, you shouldn’t be sitting on the cold floor, and you’re creating a hazard.”
Tom obediently did as he was told, and still holding onto Bet’s hand, followed her to the low wall surrounding the car park. They sat down and faced each other.
“Is it something you’ve eaten do you think?” Bets asked, trying not to look too intensely at his face. “Perhaps you’ve had too much to drink.”
Tom shook his head. “I’m not pissed, just pissed off,” he muttered grumpily.
Not able to help herself, Bets lifted his chin with her finger so that his gaze met hers; his beauty making her stomach lurch with excitement.
“What are you so pissed off about?” she asked, instinct telling her that it was probably connected to their “friendship” in some way.
“Willy bloody Wonka, that’s what!” Tom snatched his hand away from hers, and ran it across his head. “You kissed him and it made me feel sick, okay, are you happy now?” He groaned and dropped his head into his hands, making a groaning noise. “Aaw, I promised myself that I wouldn’t do this,” he scolded himself. “I promised you that we would just be friends, but I can’t Bets. I can’t watch you with other people.” He was gabbling now. “Especially when you look so bloody beautiful, I think that I’ll have to move away.”