Page 91 of The Suite Life
She’s back at the top table, sitting with our mum and dad, so Donnie and I drift over there.
‘Here he is, the man of the hour,’ my dad announces with a cheeky wink. ‘Well, after Rick, of course.’
We all laugh.
‘You really did save the day, Donnie,’ Lucy adds. ‘I really hope we get to see a lot more of you.’
‘I think you might,’ Donnie replies with a smile, taking me by the hand, squeezing it tightly.
‘So, come on then, are you taking his name?’ Dad presses Lucy.
Lucy, sighing in good-natured resignation, nods.
‘I am,’ she tells him.
Our dad claps his hands together, laughing to himself.
‘Giving you the world’s funniest initials,’ he announces proudly. ‘Lucy Olivia Leeming. Aka: LOL.’
‘Oh, God, I’m never going to hear the end of it,’ Lucy tells us all with an exasperated chuckle. ‘It was almost worth keeping Marsden, just so that he couldn’t crack that joke for the rest of my life.’
‘There are worse surnames to have,’ Dad continues. ‘Just imagine – Donnie’s last name could be Trump. It isn’t, is it?’
Donnie laughs wildly. I don’t think he was expecting that.
‘Er, no, actually,’ he replies. ‘It’s Marsden.’
‘Really?’ Mum squeaks in disbelief.
‘You never told me that,’ I say to him.
‘It never came up,’ he replies, shrugging it off.
‘Donald Marsden, that’s a strong name,’ Dad reasons. ‘You sound like a Scottish laird.’
‘I’m not a Donald, actually,’ Donnie tells him with an amused chuckle. ‘I’ve always gone by Donnie, because the kids at school never let me forget what an uncool name they thought I had.’
‘So, what’s Donnie short for?’ I ask.
‘He’s not short, he’s well over six foot,’ Dad jokes.
‘Gordon,’ Donnie manages to say, as he laughs at Dad’s non-stop jokes. ‘Gordon Graeme Marsden.’
My jaw is on the floor.
‘Yeah, we’ll stick with Donnie,’ Dad says with a chuckle, oblivious to the huge secret that he has just inadvertently unearthed.
I look at Donnie, who just grins at me. He knows that I know.
Suddenly I think I might know the secret that Donnie has been keeping and I laugh to myself. It’s funny, because no one will know, but I may have brought the most impressive date to the wedding after all.
42
13 JUNE 2025
It’s Friday the 13th – unlucky for some so, naturally, the perfect day for a big wedding.
I wouldn’t say I was a superstitious person, but I’mnotnot a superstitious person either, if you know what I mean. Well, why chance it?
