“Mum, you look amazing! Have you done something to your hair?”
“Maureen put some highlights in,” she says, looking pleased. “And I popped next door to Janice this morning, so she could do my face. You know, she’s taken a course in professional makeup. She’s a real expert!”
“I can… see!” I say feebly, looking at the lurid stripes of blusher and highlighter painted on Mum’s cheeks. Maybe I can manage to wipe them off accidentally on purpose.
“So, is Luke here?” says Mum, looking around with bright eyes, like a squirrel searching for a nut.
“Somewhere around,” I say — and Mum and Dad exchange glances.
“He is here, though?” Mum gives a tense little laugh. “You did fly on the same plane, didn’t you?”
“Mum, don’t worry. He’s here. Really.”
Mum still doesn’t look convinced — and I can’t honestly blame her. The truth is, there was this tiny incident at the last wedding we all attended. Luke didn’t turn up, and I was completely desperate, and I resorted to… um…
Well. It was only a tiny white lie. I mean, he could have been there, mingling somewhere. If they hadn’t had that stupid group photograph, no one would ever have known.
“Jane! Graham! Hello!”
There’s Luke, striding through the front door. Thank God for that.
“Luke!” Mum gives a relieved trill of laughter. “You’re here! Graham, he’s here!”
“Of course he’s here!” says my father, rolling his eyes. “Where did you think he was? On the moon?”
“How are you, Jane?” says Luke with a smile, and kisses her on the cheek.
Mum’s face is pink with happiness, and she’s clutching onto Luke’s arm as though he might vanish in a puff of smoke. He gives me a little smile, and I beam happily back. I’ve been looking forward to this day for so long, and now it’s actually here. It’s like Christmas. In fact, it’s better than Christmas. Through the open front door I can see wedding guests walking past on the snowy gravel in morning dress and smart hats. In the distance, the church bells are pealing, and there’s a kind of excited, expectant atmosphere.
“And where’s the blushing bride?” says Dad.
“I’m here,” comes Suze’s voice. We all look up — and there she is, floating down the stairs, clutching a stunning bouquet of roses and ivy.
“Oh, Suzie,” says Mum, and claps a hand to her mouth. “Oh, that dress! Oh… Becky! You’re going to look—” She turns to me with softened eyes and for the first time seems to take in my dress. “Becky… is that what you’re wearing? You’ll freeze!”
“No, I won’t. The church is going to be heated.”
“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” says Suze. “So unusual.”
“But it’s only a T-shirt!” She gives a dissatisfied tug at the sleeve. “And what’s this frayed bit? It isn’t even finished properly!”
“It’s customized,” I explain. “It’s completely unique.”
“Unique? Don’t you have to match the others?”
“There aren’t any others,” explains Suze. “The only other person I would have asked is Tarquin’s sister, Fenny. But she said if she was a bridesmaid again she’d jinx her chances of marriage. You know what they say, ‘Three times a bridesmaid.’ Well, she’s been one about ninety-three times! And she’s got her eye on this chap who works in the City, so she doesn’t want to take any chances.”
There’s a short silence. I can see Mum’s brain working hard. Oh God, please don’t—
“Becky love, how many times have you been a bridesmaid?” she says, a little too casually. “There was Uncle Malcolm and Aunt Sylvia’s wedding… but I think that’s it, isn’t it?”
“And Ruthie and Paul’s,” I remind her.
“You weren’t a bridesmaid at that,” says Mum at once. “You were a… flower girl. So it’s twice, including today. Yes, twice.”
“Did you get that, Luke?” says Dad with a grin. “Twice.”
Honestly, what are my parents like?
“Well, anyway!” I say, trying quickly to think of another subject. “So… er…”
“Of course, Becky has a good ten years before she needs to worry about anything like that…” says Luke conversationally.
“What?” Mum stiffens, and her eyes dart from Luke to me and back again. “What did you say?”
“Becky wants to wait at least ten years before she gets married,” says Luke. “Isn’t that right, Becky?”
There’s a stunned silence. I can feel my face growing hot.
“Um…” I clear my throat and try to give a nonchalant smile. “That’s… that’s right.”
“Really?” says Suze, staring at me, wide-eyed. “I never knew that! Why?”
“So I can… um… explore my full potential,” I mumble, not daring to look at Mum. “And… get to know the real me.”
“Get to know the real you?” Mum’s voice is slightly shrill. “Why do you need ten years to do that? I could show it to you in ten minutes!”
“But Bex, how old will you be in ten years’ time?” says Suze, wrinkling her brow.
“I won’t necessarily need ten whole years exactly,” I say, feeling a little rattled. “You know, maybe… eight will be long enough.”
“Eight?” Mum looks as though she wants to burst into tears.
“Luke,” says Suze, looking perturbed. “Did you know about this?”
“We discussed it the other day,” says Luke with an easy smile.
“But I don’t understand,” she persists. “What about the—”
“The time?” Luke cuts her off neatly. “You’re right. I think we should all get going. You know, it’s five to two.”
“Five minutes?” Suze suddenly looks petrified. “Really? But I’m not ready! Bex, where are your flowers?”
“Er… in your room, I think. I put them down somewhere…”
“Well, get them! And where’s Daddy got to? Oh shit, I want a cigarette—”
“Suze, you can’t smoke!” I say in horror. “It’s bad for the—” I stop myself just in time.
“For the dress?” suggests Luke helpfully.
“Yes. She might… drop ash on it.”
By the time I’ve found my flowers in Suze’s bathroom, redone my lipstick, and come downstairs again, only Luke is left in the hall.
“Your parents have gone over,” he says. “Suze says we should go over too, and she’ll come with her father in the carriage. And I’ve found a coat for you,” he adds, proffering a sheepskin jacket. “Your mother’s right, you can’t walk over like that.”
“OK,” I agree reluctantly. “But I’m taking it off in the church.”
“Did you know your dress is unraveling at the back, by the way?” he says as he puts it on.
“Really?” I look at him in dismay. “Does it look awful?”
“It looks very nice.” His mouth twitches into a smile. “But you might want to find a safety pin after the service.”
“Bloody Danny!” I shake my head. “I knew I should have gone for Donna Karan.”
As Luke and I make our way over the gravel to the tented walkway, the air is still and silent and a watery sun is coming out. The pealing bells have diminished to a single chiming, and there’s no one about except a sole scurrying waiter. Everyone else must already be inside.
“Sorry if I brought up a sensitive subject just then,” says Luke as we begin to walk toward the church.
“Sensitive?” I raised my eyebrows. “Oh, what, that. That’s not a sensitive subject at all!”
“Your mother seemed a bit upset…”
“Mum? Honestly, she’s not bothered either way. In fact… she was joking!”
“Joking?”
“Yes!” I say, a little defiantly. “Joking.”
“I see.” Luke takes my arm as I stumble slightly on the matting. “So you’re still determined to wait eight
