Mother of the Bride

by Marita Conlon-McKenna

  ‘I love it,’ Amy cried. ‘I’ll keep it for ever!’

  Everyone took more photos as they each gave Amy their token hen gift, which had to come in under ten euros. There were naughty knickers, a muffin tray, a romantic cook book, a baby-doll nightie, a pink-patterned apron, a feather duster and matching slippers, a manicure set, a set of bowls and some lovely body treats.

  ‘Thanks, girls!’ said Amy, giving them all a big hug. ‘You’re the best.’

  Then they all made a big effort to look stylish for the big night out. Jess felt a bit self-conscious, as Amy had persuaded her to wear a bright blue dress of hers instead of the black V-neck top and ruffle skirt that she had intended to wear. Amy absolutely insisted that she try on the blue dress, which she had brought along as a spare.

  ‘I know it’ll suit you, Jess. Please try it,’ urged her best friend. ‘It’s different, but it will work, I promise.’

  Jess knew that she tended to play it safe with black: a dress or a top or a skirt, anything which she considered might make her look slimmer. She was sure that the blue dress wouldn’t go near her, but to her surprise it did. Amy usually wore it cinched in with a big belt, but Jess didn’t need one, and instead opened two or three of the top buttons to soften the neckline. She felt good in it, and with her strappy black shoes felt she did look very different from usual. Amy looked divine in a pretty pink-and-white dress with a little rose-coloured shrug to keep her warm.

  ‘Hey, girls, drink up! We need to get to the restaurant!’ urged Jess.

  Carew’s was literally perched on the riverbank, an old wooden restaurant from years back that was originally a café-cum-bar for local fishermen, and over time had become one of the best restaurants in the area. Fairy lights twinkled along the wooden railings and window shutters, and honeysuckle trailed over the walls. On the small jetty, four or five circular tables were perched where you could have a pre-dinner drink, but the girls’ table was ready and they were shown straight to it.

  ‘Oh, it’s lovely!’ murmured Amy, delighted, as they all trooped in.

  The table for twelve had flickering candles on it, and small glass vases of freesias, her favourite flower.

  ‘Wow!’ declared the girls appreciatively, as they sank into their seats near the windows overlooking the water.

  ‘Well done, Jess!’ cheered Mel and Orla. ‘This is just gorgeous.’

  The waiters in Carew’s danced attendance on them as they ordered wine and made their choices from the extensive menu. The restaurant was totally full, and Jess thanked heaven that she had had the foresight to book it eight weeks ago. Getting a table for twelve was tough enough at any time, but on a Saturday night nigh on impossible.

  Carew’s deserved its reputation, as the food was superb. They ordered bottle after bottle of wine, talking away nineteen to the dozen as the restaurant gradually emptied.

  ‘Where to next?’ asked Lisa and Sarah as they all settled their bills.

  ‘Hickey’s is only a few minutes away,’ said Jess, and they all gathered their bags and jackets and wraps, thanked the waiters and set off up the road.

  Hickey’s Hotel was caught in a time-warp with its seventies decor and style.

  ‘But that’s back in fashion again,’ declared Nikki as they hit the bar. The music was pounding in the nightclub and they were all in the mood for dancing. Everyone cheered Amy as she took to the floor and danced to ‘Venus’.

  ‘She’s got it,’ yelled the girls.

  Jess joined in the fun as the DJ spun a load of Motown hits followed by some Elvis Presley classics, the place jumping with a mixture of locals and tourists.

  ‘Hey, aren’t they the guys we passed on the boat today?’ gestured Tara, waving madly at the group of guys standing over on one side of the room with their pints.

  ‘Tara, stop!’ warned Orla. ‘You’ll have the crowd of them over on top of us before you know it.’

  ‘That’s the plan.’ She smirked as a tall guy in a black shirt came over to her.

  The ten German guys were on a stag outing! They couldn’t believe it. One of the guys, Marten Furtinger, was getting married in three weeks’ time to his long-term partner Martha, with the celebrations being held in a big wedding barn in a farmhouse forty miles outside Frankfurt.

  ‘My boyfriend Dan is going to Edinburgh for his stag next weekend.’ Amy laughed, telling them all about her own wedding plans.

  ‘Cheers for the bride! Cheers for the groom!’ everyone roared, pushing on to the dance floor together. Amy lapped up the attention as Marten swung her around in his muscular arms.

  Marten insisted on buying them even more drinks, and Jess found herself being chatted up by a tall blond guy called Erik who was a pharmacist.

  ‘I love Ireland and you Irish girls.’ He smiled as he asked her up to dance.

  They had such good fun, and the German guys were a laugh. They had spent most of the weekend drinking on their boat, and were out to ensure Marten remembered his last few days of freedom on the Shannon. Tomorrow afternoon they were all flying back to Frankfurt.

  Jess had never been to Germany, and the only thing she really associated it with was beer, sausage, and BMWs, but Erik paid her so much attention, buying her drinks and dancing with her, that she began to enjoy his company. He was pretty nice, and she just wished he didn’t live so flipping far away.

  As the dancing ended and the nightclub lights went up Hickey’s began to empty. Marten was footless drunk, and Jess thought it was just as well his fiancée wasn’t there to see the state of him. Amy was at least standing up straight and in giggly form. Erik held Jess’s hand and she hoped the night wouldn’t end too soon.

  ‘Hey, guys, thanks, we all had a great time,’ slurred Nikki, who had started drinking cocktails about three hours earlier.

  ‘Come on, Cinderella, let’s get you home,’ sighed Mel, grabbing her handbag.

  ‘Can we walk you down to the jetty? We are moored there, too,’ offered Dieter, who was in a serious clinch with Tara.

  The girls fell into step with the guys, everyone singing as they linked arms and made their way down to the waterside.

  It looked so beautiful with the lights reflected on the water, the clear sky above them speckled with stars. Jess sighed. It had been such a perfect night. She would never forget it.

  Amy and Marten were involved in a big sentimental bear hug, wishing each other well with their wedding days!

  Erik tilted Jess’s face to his and they kissed. It was so lovely. Jess wished that they could stay on the jetty for ever.

  ‘It was good to meet you,’ he said, serious.

  ‘Good to meet you, too.’ Jess giggled.

  ‘Come on, girls! Back on the boat!’ yelled Orla.

  ‘Hey, can’t we come on board, too, for a nightcap?’ pleaded Marten and a few of the guys.

  ‘Of course they can!’ beamed Amy, arm in arm with Marten as they got back on to the deck of The Emerald Princess.

  Erik had his arm around Jess as they climbed on deck, and she was delighted to have more time with him.

  Orla, Nikki and Tara were linking arms, singing Abba’s ‘Dancing Queen’, weaving their way along the jetty and trying to balance themselves as they stepped on deck, when suddenly they all heard a huge splash and a stream of curses.

  ‘Tara’s fallen in!’ Orla giggled, almost falling in herself.

  Tara was soaking wet and roaring with laughter, as three of the guys bent down to help drag her out of the river. Luckily the water wasn’t too deep, and she was safely on board in a jiffy, dripping all over the deck as they wrapped her in towels and blankets.

  ‘I’m fine,’ she protested. ‘I hadn’t planned a midnight swim but it’s sure woken me up!’ Giggling, she raced to her cabin with Aisling to change into some dry clothes. Emerging in tight jeans and a warm knitted sweater she demanded another drink to steady herself.

  ‘I’ve had a big shock, you know!’ she said, as she cuddled up to her German friend.

  ‘Y
ou’ve given us all one, too,’ said Amy as they raided the bar.

  It was very late, and dawn was beginning to creep over the horizon when they finally got to their bunks and the last of the German guys went.

  Jess had reluctantly said a final goodnight to Erik.

  ‘I’ll email you, Facebook you,’ he promised, as they kissed.

  ‘Great,’ she smiled, knowing that despite seeming nice and being the kind of guy she could really fancy she was unlikely to ever hear from him again. For all she knew, he probably had a wife and two children back in Frankfurt!

  She looked around the living area. Orla and Mel and Lisa were snoring in the two double beds, wrapped in the duvets, fully clothed. There were bottles and glasses and shoes everywhere. She couldn’t even think about it!

  ‘It was the best night ever, Jess.’ Amy hiccupped, weaving her way to their cabin. ‘The best hen night ever!’

  Jess grinned. It certainly had been.

  Chapter Sixty-one

  Helen was out dabbling in the garden. She was trying her best to get it into some shape before Amy’s wedding. With all that had happened over the past few months, the garden had been sorely neglected. Paddy would normally have kept the lawn and the hedge in good shape, but since his heart operation it had been too much for him. His recovery was slower than either of them had expected, but he was definitely making progress day by day. His energy and strength were gradually returning. Ronan had been so supportive, and to their surprise had taken a huge interest in what was going on in Paddy’s firm, keeping an eye on his father’s interests and making sure that the staff kept Paddy informed of the work coming in and how it was being dealt with. To see her husband and son’s heads bent together discussing work and the company did Helen’s heart good.

  Last night when she had mowed the grass she’d noticed the weeds and moss were beginning to take a foothold. Paddy would know what to do, she hoped, to get it back in good condition. The flower beds were full of colour, but a serious bit of deadheading was needed if she wanted things to continue to bloom for the next few weeks. She fed the roses and trimmed back some of the delphiniums to encourage them to flower again, noticing that blooms were tumbling from all her pots and containers, despite infrequent feeding and watering.

  The garden was Helen’s retreat from the world, and as she worked in a baggy T-shirt and her old beige linen trousers she could feel her cares and worries slipping away. She was busy weeding when she heard the front door bell ring.

  ‘I’ll get it,’ called Paddy, who was inside reading the paper.

  She kept on, concentrating on weeding out a patch of dandelions, which were the bane of her life. She dug and attacked them with her trowel.

  ‘Carmel’s here!’ announced Paddy, opening the patio door.

  Helen jumped up, wondering what in heaven’s name Daniel Quinn’s mother was doing here on her doorstep, and why Paddy was bringing her out to the garden to see Helen literally covered in mud and dirt.

  ‘Hello, Helen,’ called Carmel, coming towards her in an immaculate pair of white trousers and a pale-blue cotton top. ‘I was in the area and I thought I’d call in and see how the wedding plans were going.’

  Helen scrambled to get the clay off her hands and push the hair off her face, conscious that she was hot and sweaty and certainly not looking her best.

  ‘I’ll be with you in a minute, Carmel,’ she shouted, rushing over to rinse her hands under the garden tap.

  ‘I’ll make a pot of tea and bring it out to you,’ called Paddy.

  Honestly, Helen thought, some days she could kill that man!

  ‘Would you like to sit down, Carmel?’ she asked, leading her over to the garden table and chair set. Thank heaven she had scraped all the bird shit off it a few days ago.

  ‘This place is beautiful,’ said Carmel admiringly. ‘I didn’t realize you had such a big garden. And it’s south facing, which is perfect!’

  ‘It’s a sun trap.’ Helen smiled as she pulled up a seat.

  ‘I’m sorry to disturb you when you are gardening, but I wondered if there was anything that I could do to help. Do you or Amy need any extra assistance with the wedding?’

  Helen sat flabbergasted. She had not expected this at all, Carmel being kind and generous!

  ‘As you know I’m doing the flower arrangements for the church, and if I’m not treading on any toes I’d love to be able to do other things for you as well.’

  Helen studied Carmel’s long thin face, realizing that there was no trace of sarcasm or cynicism on it, and that Carmel genuinely wanted to help. ‘It must be wonderful planning a wedding for a daughter,’ Carmel said enviously. ‘So different from when it’s your son! Daniel is the best in the world, but he’s a boy! Boys don’t tell you anything, as I’ve discovered since having my three sons. The family dynamics are very different.’

  ‘I suppose you’re right,’ said Helen.

  ‘Eddie and I would have loved a daughter. We lost a baby girl at twenty-seven weeks,’ Carmel said softly, looking at the big pink hydrangeas growing near them. ‘The hospitals didn’t have all the fancy equipment they have nowadays for premature babies. We baptized her Jennifer Elaine after my mother.’

  ‘Oh, Carmel, I’m so sorry.’

  ‘I don’t know how Eddie and I got through it!’ she confided. ‘It was before Dan and Dylan were born so they don’t remember her. They say time heals, but sometimes I’m not sure. She’d probably be married with a family by now. I’d be a grandmother, maybe. Who knows!’

  Who knows? thought Helen to herself, seeing the regret still etched in the other woman’s face as Paddy carried the tea tray out to them.

  ‘Here you go, girls!’

  ‘Paddy, you are looking so well,’ Carmel complimented him. ‘Are you joining us?’

  ‘No, I’ll leave you two lovely ladies in peace to have your chat about the wedding,’ he excused. ‘I’ll take that yoke Barney out for a walk. I’ve to do three miles a day, and the dog makes sure I keep going.’

  ‘Good for you!’ praised Carmel. ‘I wish Eddie would take a bit more exercise.’

  Helen started pouring tea, unsure as to what to say.

  ‘Paddy looks really healthy,’ Carmel went on. ‘He’s made such a great recovery.’

  ‘He’s trying to write his Father of the Bride speech,’ admitted Helen. ‘Though, to tell the truth, I didn’t think a few weeks ago that we’d be planning any wedding.’

  ‘Neither did we!’ agreed Carmel. ‘I’ve never seen Dan so unhappy. It made Eddie and me both think how important the right life partner is and how awful the consequences are if you do not marry the one you love. Dan adores Amy, and he missed her so much. It’s so good to see them together again. They are so happy and obviously meant for each other.’

  ‘That’s exactly how we feel, too.’ Helen smiled. Feeling emotional, she changed the subject. ‘I’m sure that Amy and Dan have filled you in on most of the plans, as nearly everything is well in hand. Our local church is perfect for a wedding, and Father Tom, our parish priest, is a really nice man. He’s been very good to Paddy since he got sick. Amy and Dan are arranging all the readings and prayers and the music. Amy told me that you are doing the flowers for the church and making the girls’ bouquets.’

  ‘Yes, I’m delighted to do it,’ Carmel said, eyes shining. ‘I have to admire the way Amy and Dan have got us all more involved in their wedding.’

  ‘I know that the celebration is much smaller than they had originally planned, and Glebe House very different from Castle Gregory, but I guarantee you that Eve Hanlon is wonderful, and she will make certain that everything runs smoothly. I’m sure that everyone will enjoy it.’

  ‘It has a wonderful reputation,’ remarked Carmel. ‘Eddie and I tried to book in there for a weekend last year, but it was full. The food is meant to be great.’

  ‘It is,’ said Helen. ‘Paddy and I try to escape there whenever we can.’

  ‘So it’s quite a coup for you to get it
for the wedding,’ Carmel said admiringly.

  ‘I suppose.’ Helen laughed, surprised by the compliment.

  ‘And I believe Amy’s wearing a Judith Deveraux dress, after all,’ Carmel said, obviously impressed.

  ‘Yes. And the bridesmaids are wearing a fabulous shade of purple.’

  ‘And Helen, what about you? What are you wearing?’

  ‘Oh, I’ve a beautiful peacock-blue suit by Celine Conroy, and I got a lovely headpiece from the hat shop in South Anne Street to go with it.’

  ‘Well, I’m wearing a Paul Costello silver-colour shift dress with a matching coat, so at least we’re in different colours.’

  ‘Well, as I said, the dresses are all organized and, as you know, Dan’s friend Jeremy is shooting the DVD of the wedding. Then, Ronan’s girlfriend Krista is taking the photographs. She studied photography in Dun Laoghaire and does a lot of fashion work. A friend of mine, Bibi Kennedy, is making the cake, and my brother Tim collects vintage cars and has offered to drive them in his old green Bentley.’

  ‘Well done. I know how much work goes into organizing events,’ said Carmel. ‘Things don’t just happen – people make them happen.’

  ‘I didn’t realize you did flower-arranging,’ Helen admitted.

  ‘I love flower-arranging. It’s one of my hobbies.’

  Helen realized how little she actually knew about the woman who was going to be Amy’s mother-in-law and a part of their family.

  ‘A woman has got to do more than just play golf.’ Carmel laughed. ‘I’ve done a few courses over the years, and decorated churches and shows, and made all kinds of arrangements for charity and raffles and gifts. Poor Eddie says the house is always full of flowers! But I’m really pleased to be involved with the flowers for the wedding.’

  ‘Carmel, I know Amy is delighted you are doing them, as they both really want their wedding to be as personal as possible.’

  ‘I’ll call into St Mary’s on my way home to see the size of the altar and the doorway, and how many pews there are, and check what kind of arrangement Amy wants running along the aisle as she walks up.’