Page 7 of Four Weddings and a Funeral Director
She locked the door to Eternal Elegance (Wedding Edition) behind her, feeling a sense of pride as she did so. Her own business, in her own building. And what a building. She couldn’t think of a more perfect location to help people plan one of the most special days of their lives. After all, Mirage-by-the-Sea was one of the most romantic places she’d ever set foot in. The tiny storybook buildings, the hot pink clouds of bougainvillea, the tiny brook that twined its way beneath the promenade, gleaming with wishing coins and delicate glass beads. If she were a fairy godmother, this was precisely the type of place she’d magic a beloved godchild off to.
Lily joined a chatty trickle of people heading uphill towards the theatre, which was a stately blue and white art decobuilding with a scalloped façade and a bold marquee sign that showed the movie of the day on one side, and personalised notes on the other. (Today’s readHappy Smurfday, Charlie, which was a bit confusing, but the world was a diverse place, after all.)
A small crowd had gathered out the front, sipping on giant ice-cream-topped drinks and watching the sun slink down over the distant bluffs and into the spangled ocean. Digital camera shutters clicked over and over, with Lily’s among them. She was completely taken with how the setting sun played across the sky, creating an astonishing contrast with the village’s fairy-tale buildings, which grew somehow even more magical as the shadows stretched and the fairy lights, twined around the bougainvillea hedges and over the garden arches, glimmered to life.
Angela waved with her free arm – her other arm was looped through the arm of a svelte woman in an incredible polka dot gown. ‘You made it!’
‘I was never going to miss it. I mean, I haven’t seenVice Versa, but IhaveseenFreaky Friday, which seems like it’s in the same vein, and I’m a fan.’
‘Idolove a switcheroo,’ said Angela. ‘Misery. Confusion. It’s what I strive to leave in my wake.’
‘She fails miserably,’ said the woman in the polka dot gown. She had a low, warm voice – perhaps that of a singer.
‘I bet.’ Lily held out a hand to her. ‘I’m Lily, by the way. Great dress.’
‘I’m Martinka. I mostly go by Tink. And thanks, I got it on sale at Pat’s Consignments. It has pockets.’ Tink showed off the bag of M&Ms she was smuggling into the theatre in said pockets. ‘I hear you’ve set up shop next to the funeral home. Lucky you. Great space, though.’
Lily grinned. ‘It is. If you two are planning a wedding, let me know.’
Tink chuckled. ‘And not shy on the sales front, I see.’
‘I just know true love when I see it.’
‘Speaking of …’ Angela nodded at a slimy-looking guy in tight trousers and a half-unbuttoned shirt chatting on the phone. A gold chain gleamed around his neck. (Lily had dated enough to know the dangers of guys who wore gold chains.) ‘He just had a whole conversation with someone called Amber in which he dropped the words “baby” and “sweets” and “hot tub” a lot. But he’s here with another girl.’
‘Ooh, putting the “mess” into “mezzanine seats”.’ Tink rubbed her hands together.
Angela groaned. ‘No. Babe. That was bad.’
Triumphant in her terrible humour, Tink pulled open the bag of M&Ms and picked out a handful of blue ones. She pointed. ‘There’s the other girl.’
A tall, curvy brunette in a gorgeous satin skirt was waving at Slimy Guy, urging him to come into the theatre. ‘Nate! Show’s about to start!’ she called.
Slimy Guy/Nate held up a finger. ‘Just on a work call.’
Lily shot the brunette an urgent look, trying in one glance to communicate everything she’d overheard. But apparently all she managed was a solid dose of crazy eyes, because the brunette blinked and turned away.
‘You tried.’ Angela patted her arm. She passed Lily a small paper ticket shaped like the retro movie tickets of old, but with some lovely embossing. ‘Our treat. We’re going in!’
‘Cute ticket.’ Lily thumbed the embossed projector image on the ticket as she queued up.
‘Thanks,’ said Tink, popping another M&M. ‘Want one?’
Lily did indeed.
‘The ticket is one of Tink’s designs,’ explained Angela.
Lily was impressed. She wiped M&M stickiness off her hands so that she could examine the ticket against the light of the art deco chandelier overhead. ‘Oh, Ineedyou as a vendor.’
‘You should stop by the studio.’ Tink took a flyer for the month’s theatre showings from the student worker handing them out. ‘It’s just around the corner: Estellita Lane, off the bit of the promenade with the bodega and the thrift store. It should be on the treasure map that Angela gave you.’
With a flourish, Lily pulled the treasure map from her handbag.
‘That’s the one.’ Tink was impressed.
‘The Chamber of Commerce works overtime here, huh?’
‘We look after our own,’ said Angela, with a grin.
