Page 75 of The Moon Also Rises
A rectangular space surrounded by red-brick walls and glass windows, the courtyard is easily big enough to host a wedding party of a few hundred guests. Filled with pot plants of various shapes, sizes and styles, it has a jungle-feel to it, making it a veritable oasis from the hustle and bustle of the city outside. With all the greenery and flowers, I feel like I’m back in the gardens of the stately home where Lionel and Luigi got married. The gardens where Rami and I kissed for the longest, sweetest time.
“Wow, Wayney, look at this.” Alison yanks her fiancé by the hand into the centre of the space. She does what can only be described as a twirl – long copper-red hair blooming out around her – and beams a very bright and very white smile. “It’s amazing. Just think how good the photos will be.”
Wayne turns around taking it in. “Is it big enough? We’ve got two hundred and fifty people coming for the ceremony. Plus, photographers and the documentary crew.”
Elliot steps in, literally, as if we’re a circle of dancers and it’s his turn to jive or something. “Absolutely. Half of the plants and shrubs you see here now will be removed and the whole space will be cleared to seat 132 chairs on either side. That’s eleven rows of twelve in case you couldn’t do the maths.”
Oh, God, is he implying that our clients are dumb because one’s a model and the other’s a footballer.I resist the urge to slap my palm to my face.
“We don’t want all the plants to go though. They’d make such a lovely backdrop for photos, don’t you think Wayney?”
“I’d rather have enough space for all our friends and family, to be honest,” Wayne mutters in a way that suggests he is a little fearful mentioning this and I soon see why when I spot a slightly red tinge push its way through Alison’s flawless make-up.
“You know what we could do,” I say, seeing an opportunity. “We could turn the rear wall into a living wall.”
Alison blinks at me before her heavy lashed lids narrow on me.
“A live wall?”
“I mean, a wall of plants. It’s called a living wall. That would work to keep the aesthetic the same but also mean we can remove more of the potted plants and shrubs so Wayne doesn’t need to worry about space as much. And you will have the perfect backdrop for photos. We could even get one of those rotating platforms with a smartphone holder.”
“Now you’re talking! Such a great idea!” Ali shimmies her hip into mine, or rather, into my waist because she’s a good half a foot taller than me, in her ankle-breaking heels.
“Great idea, Jake,” Rami says and I practically purr internally at the praise in his voice.
“A rotating platform? How do you even know about these things, Jack?” Elliot asks with a sardonic tone.
“Oh, my sister’s sister-in-law is an influencer. I spent Christmas with her and she had one and we all had far too much fun with it. I also discovered that while my right side is nothing to be proud of, my left profile is a work of art,” I say with everyone’s eyes on me.
“Oh, is she famous?” Alison asks.
“Do you know Mae O’Martin?”
“Mae! Yes! We follow each other. She’s amazing. Gorgeous too. I love her content and she’s so brave, what with all the stuff she’s been doing recently about her—” Alison chooses to lower her voice at this moment and it also seems one side of her mouth has stopped working. “Her sexuality.”
I fight the urge to fold my face into a cringe because I don’t want to have a conversation like this about someone I consider a little sister and dear friend, especially as one of the key facets of Maeve’s recent content on this topic relates to her curiosity about her sexuality, rather than putting a fixed label on it, but Alison is our client, and arguably one of the most important – or rather, high paying – ones our company will work for this year so I manage to turn it into a smile.
“Maeve is a really special human,” I agree, and I risk tapping Alison on the forearm. “One day when we have more time, I’ll tell you a funny story about how she single-handedly saved my pert backside from getting fired in my first hotel manager job seven years ago.”
“Oh, I’d like to hear that story. What did you say your name is again? I’m going to message Mae to let her know I met you.”
“Jake,” I say with more than a fleeting glance at Elliot. “Jake Forester.”
My next thought is wiped away when a chemical scent fills my nostrils. Sergio and his hair gel have taken their turn to step into the centre of our group.
“Do you really have time to install a living wall? We don’t want false promises at this late stage in the game.” What Elliot’s tone has in slime, as he replies with overly enthusiastic reassurance, Sergio’s has in exhaustion. He reminds me of Tasha, our old Head of Events. Always a bit too busy to care that her tone was blunt and brusque. Thinking on this makes me realise how different Rami is. Rami doesn’t have that hospitality shine that is in reality anything but shiny, rather an over-buffed or over-waxed effect of always putting customers’ and clients’ needs before our own. Rami is much more relaxed, almost detached from the work. From the way he’s barely said more than twenty words in the last hour to how he is standing back, letting Elliot and Sergio argue over which plants should stay or go, Rami really is something of an anomaly in our industry.
“It’s pretty cool, huh?” Rami’s low, steady voice lands in my ear from behind me. I’d like to say I stop the shiver it pulls from my body but I’m not sure I do.
“Well, it’s no orangery,” I say a little slyly but it gives me the reaction I want, a quick but real laugh from Rami. “But it should do. For the happy couple, I mean.”
“You are much more relaxed about this wedding than the last one we were at.”
“This one is going to help pay our salaries.” I lean a little closer so only he can hear that. Yes, that’s why I lean in closer.
“It’s a really cool venue. You’d never know this was all here.”
I nod in agreement. “These are my favourite kind of places in London. It’s why I wanted to work for Status in the first place. You really feel like you’re looking after important pieces of history. I know it’s trivial to a lot of people but I think it really matters, having places like this that people can enjoy just for a night or two. And if they can do so for the happiest day of their life, or heck, even just a party, then it’s a very special honour. It’s pretty much why I got into hospitality.”
