by Lucy Clark
‘Thank you.’
‘Well, things seem to be coming up roses over here,’ Reggie said, giving them a knowing wink, her smile bright as she handed Mackenzie and John an ice cream each.
‘Why was you kissing Mummy?’ Ruthie wanted to know.
‘Er…’ John looked at Mackenzie, who shrugged a shoulder. He returned his attention to Ruthie. ‘Because…’ He stopped and then surprised Mackenzie by kneeling down and whispering something in Ruthie’s ear. As she watched, the smile on her daughter’s face became big and bright, her eyes shining with excited delight.
‘Now?’ Ruthie asked.
‘Very soon,’ John confirmed as he stood up.
‘Very soon what?’ Mackenzie wanted to know.
‘Ahh.’ John tapped the side of his nose, indicating he had a secret. ‘You’ll find out soon enough, but first let’s finish our ice creams.’
It must have been the fastest ice cream Mackenzie had ever eaten and she almost gave herself a headache. John took his time then offered to take Ruthie to the nearby tap so she could wash her hands, leaving Mackenzie alone with Reggie.
‘Do I congratulate you?’ Reggie asked, hugging her friend close.
‘I don’t know.’ Mackenzie was still a little puzzled. John may have opened up to her, may have accepted her love and discussed a future together, but beyond that she still wasn’t sure what it all meant.
‘But you do love him?’
‘Yes. Oh, yes.’
‘And he knows that?’
‘Yes.’
Reggie breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Good.’
‘Hey, Mummy!’ Ruthie called to her, waving brightly, John still by her side. ‘The macaw’s over there again. Come on. I want to say hello to my friend.’ And with that, she ran across the grassy area to where a crowd was already gathering near the brightly coloured bird and its trainer. John grinned widely and beckoned them over, falling behind to whisper something in Reggie’s ear.
‘Ooh!’ Reggie squealed but quickly composed her face into her usual smile when Mackenzie turned round.
‘What’s going on?’ she asked.
Reggie shrugged and linked arms with her. ‘Let’s get a good view of this macaw. I haven’t seen it up close in ages.’
Mackenzie allowed herself to be led by her friend to the front of the group but then looked back for John and Ruthie, finally spying them on the other side of the crowd, Ruthie safe and secure in John’s arms. She relaxed a little as Reggie pulled out her camera, ready to get some shots.
‘And today,’ the ranger was saying, ‘we have a very special treat that Marvin…’ he stroked the macaw ‘…might be able to help us with. Now, can I have a volunteer, please?’
Many people put up their hands and, of course, Ruthie’s was one of them. The ranger looked around at the eager faces then pointed to Ruthie. She smiled brightly and clapped wildly, and as she was still in John’s arms, instead of putting her down, he carried her out to the front. The ranger asked their names and they supplied them for the gathered crowd.
Ruthie couldn’t resist gently stroking Marvin again but this time, instead of getting the macaw to eat some food from Ruthie’s hand, the parrot dipped his head into a special feed bag and came out with something round and shiny in his beak. He tilted his head towards Ruthie, who dutifully held out her hand nice and flat. Marvin dropped the shiny thing into Ruthie’s hand and the little girl squealed with delight.
Reggie was madly taking photos and from their choice position in the front Mackenzie could clearly see what the shiny thing was. A stunningly beautiful solitaire diamond ring. Then John put Ruthie down and stepped forward, going down on bended knee in front of her. Some people in the crowd started clapping and whooping but the ranger held up his hands for silence.
‘Mackenzie,’ John said, and when he took her hand in his, she only then realised she was trembling. Her heart began to pound in double time as she looked from the shiny ring in her daughter’s hands to the man before her. ‘I am addicted to you and I hope you’re equally as addicted to me because I need you, Mackenzie. Not only that, but…’ he placed his free hand over his heart, his gaze more intense than she’d ever seen before ‘…I love you. Most passionately. And I hope you’ll consent to become my wife.’
He paused, waiting for her answer, but Mackenzie was just too stunned to speak, unable to believe just how happy she felt.
‘Mummy!’ Ruthie prompted in a loud whisper as she gave the ring to John. ‘You’re supposed to say “yes”.’
‘Oh…uh…of course.’ Mackenzie smiled down at the man of her dreams, love shining brightly in her face. ‘Yes. Yes, John.’
The crowd began to clap and cheer and whoop and after John had placed the ring on Mackenzie’s finger, Reggie still taking photos of everything, he gathered Ruthie into his arms and stood between his girls.
‘I love you,’ he said again, softly, quietly, intimately.
‘I love you, too,’ she replied.
‘And what about me?’ Ruthie demanded, and both adults laughed, each placing a kiss on the little girl’s cheeks.
‘We love you the most!’ they said in unison, all of them the happiest they’d ever been in their lives.
EPILOGUE
‘IT’S YOUR WEDDING day! I can’t believe one of us is finally getting married!’ Reggie was jumping around in the small room of the church reserved for the bride to make last minute adjustments.
‘You’re worse than Ruthie,’ Bergan said, as she smoothed a hand down her bridesmaid dress before turning to look at the bride. ‘I cannot believe how stunning you look,’ she said, giving her friend an air kiss. ‘The beautiful, blushing bride.’
Mackenzie laughed, looking at her three best friends, all dressed in a dress of their own choosing because she wanted them to be as comfortable as possible on her wedding day. The dresses reflected their personalities. Bergan’s sleek and sexy burgundy dress fitted her like a glove. Reggie had opted for a knee length pale pink tutu dress with loads of tule and lace, and Sunainah had chosen to wear a stunning sari of deep emerald.
Ruthie’s dress, though, was the best as far as Mackenzie was concerned. She’d insisted on having the exact same wedding dress as her mother. ‘So we can be twins,’ she’d told her when they’d started discussing the wedding two months ago and so the dressmaker had been tasked to make two brides’ dresses, one adult size and one for a growing five-and-a-half-year-old girl. The white raw satin with big medieval long sleeves and a flowing train fitted Mackenzie perfectly, her hair swirled into loose curls, piled onto her head with a lovely crown of flowers as a finishing touch. And Ruthie was her exact replica.
‘I think John’s going to like me the bestest,’ Ruthie said, staring at her reflection in the mirror. ‘Because I look like a fairy princess!’
Reggie had laughed, Sunainah joining in as they joined Ruthie in front of the mirror.
‘What are we going to do with them?’ Bergan asked rhetorically as she came to stand beside Mackenzie.
‘I do not know.’ Mackenzie turned to face her oldest friend. ‘Bergan, I need to thank you.’
‘No. No. Don’t start.’ Bergan held up her hand to stop her friend. ‘We’re all wearing make-up and if I start to cry, I’ll have to do the whole thing again and we don’t have time.’
Mackenzie breathed out, knowing what her friend had said was true but also needing to let her know just how much she loved her. ‘I’m so glad we’re friends.’
‘I said, stop!’ Bergan sniffed, her stern words belying the love Mackenzie could see reflected in her honey brown eyes. ‘Yes I love you, too. Yes it’s good we’ve been friends for such a long time and blah blah blah. Let’s go get you married to that impatient man waiting at the front of the church.’ Her words were brisk and matter-of-fact and as per usual, made Mackenzie laugh which was just what she needed right now.
‘It might be your turn next,’ Mackenzie said and Bergan’s shout of laughter could no doubt be heard right throughout
the church.
‘You are funny, Kenz.’
‘I do try.’
‘Right.’ Bergan clapped her hands and handed out floral bouquets so that when the wedding planner opened the door, they were all lined up and ready.
‘The groom is beginning to get rather impatient,’ the planner said and Mackenzie couldn’t help but smile widely.
‘He’s waited a long time for this day,’ she replied and as they started out of the room, Reggie leading the way, followed by Sunainah and then Began, Mackenzie stayed at the back of the packed church and reached for her daughter’s hand. ‘Ready?’
Ruthie nodded. ‘I’m really, really, really, really, really happy, Mummy.’
‘Me, too,’ Mackenzie laughed and together, they set off down the aisle to marry John.
*
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ISBN: 9781460313060
Copyright © 2013 by Anne Clark & Peter Clark
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