Page 79 of The Happiness Project

‘Do you think I’d get elected?’ asks Poppy, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow towards me.

‘Well, I was just thinking we’d get the best of both worlds,’ Mum says. ‘If you have to deal with tough nuts you can channel Margaret Thatcher, and if it’s a cosy chat people need then you could probably don a sweater and pipe for Harold Wilson. Then when you’re visiting the US president you could wear this — they wouldn’t be able to resist you.’

‘You’ve got a point there,’ says Poppy, ‘but I’m not sure about the old man get-up. There haven’t been any truly stylish male prime ministers, have there?’

‘You could be the first,’ Mum continues. ‘I’d vote for you.’

And with that she walks off, leaving us all bemused.

‘You have a lovely family,’ says Poppy. ‘They’re all slightly crazy.’

‘But that’s the best sort, isn’t it?’ adds Michael and we all raise a glass to that.

I watch Michael as he makes Poppy laugh with stories about his own family and I marvel at how well he’s fitting in. I shouldn’t be making comparisons but I can’t help it, and I know that David would not have enjoyed today. Some guests approach and ask Poppy for a selfie so we leave them to it.

The music changes from jive tunes to a slow dance and the band starts playing one of my favourites from the movie — ‘She’s Like the Wind’.

‘Oh, I love this,’ I tell Michael, pulling him into the centre of the floor. ‘And Patrick Swayze, but you’ll do for now.’

He smiles and says he’s very thankful for that. He pulls me close and we sway together for three blissful minutes. Although the room is full of lively chatter, a quiet stillness descends over me and I realise it’s contentment. I don’t know what will happen next for Michael and me but in this moment, surrounded by my family and friends in all their glory, I am completely happy.

Over by the band there’s movement and as our song finishes I see Patty standing with them behind a microphone.

‘Okay, everyone, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for,’ she shouts with a huge smile on her face. ‘Please clear the dance floor.’

We all move to one side and the intro to that song starts up; I am delirious with excitement. Patty starts to sing the words that were in Charlie’s vow. A spotlight beams into the centre of the stage, where Marianne stands. She’s joined by Felipe and together they do the mambo moves from the final scene of Dirty Dancing. Their footwork is spectacular, rocking forwards and back with little toe kicks, and the way they hold their upper bodies is so strong and defined. Felipe’s muscular arms are accentuated even more by the lighting.

‘I’ll have him sent to my room gift-wrapped,’ says Poppy from behind me.

‘Join the queue,’ I reply.

It gets to the part of the song where Felipe jumps off the stage and dances down the aisle then turns back to the stage followed by the whole dance school. Now Peter is up front with him and he’s changed into a Patrick Swayze style tight black T-shirt and he looks buff. He has evidently been rehearsing, as he does all the right moves and reaches the stage, where Charlie now stands with Marianne. He saunters down the steps to Peter and they twirl together for the finale.

Patty tells everyone to get up and we don’t need much encouragement. In moments, we’re a frenzy of all dance techniques and none. Felipe and Marianne move between the guests, leading them through some moves and making everyone feel like a superstar. The chorus reaches its crescendo and the room links arms, forming a circle around the happy couple, bellowing out the lyrics, and like everyone else, I truly am having the time of my life.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Au Revoir

‘To Patty.’ I raise my glass and the rest of the table does the same. We’re gathered for a goodbye meal and now toast the wonderful woman who leaves us bright and early tomorrow morning. It feels like more than a fond farewell. The first quarter of this year has had so many ups and downs, it’s almost like a reboot for all of us. When Patty comes back, Jack will be with her, I’ll be moving on and we’ll have newlyweds among us. I hope that the rest of the year runs at a much slower pace.

‘Thank you,’ Patty is saying. ‘I know how much I’ll be missed, but it’s only for a short time. I’ll be back and checking up on you all before you know it.’

We cheer and beg her not to go.

‘I must,’ she says with the back of her hand to her forehead in mock dismay. ‘For my audience awaits.’

‘And more importantly,’ shouts Kath, ‘so does Marti Pellow.’

She gets a playful dig in the ribs from Sheila.

‘Oh, I don’t think I could ever look at that man again.’ Mum grimaces. ‘I’ll have to switch the telly off when they’re doing those eighties shows.’

‘It taught you a lesson though, didn’t it?’ says Patty. ‘You already had the man of your dreams.’

‘Oh, I always knew that,’ Mum says, snuggling into him.

‘Especially when I’m in the Stetson,’ adds Dad.

‘TOO MUCH INFORMATION!’ yells both Zoe and I in unison, getting a laugh from everyone.

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