Page 99 of A Wedding in Tuscany

‘Are you okay?’ I sit on the bench next to Cat.

She sighs and sniffles. ‘Did I mess up my makeup?’ She turns her face towards me so I can inspect it, though in the moonlight it’s difficult to see.

‘You’re still gorgeous,’ replies Jaelee.

‘Cat, if you want, I’ll go and ask Cécile and Louis to leave,’ offers Lins.

‘Tempting,’ say Cat. ‘But that will probably make it worse.’

‘Hmm, maybe.’ Lins seems to be champing at the bit to send Cécile packing?we’re in total agreement there.

‘Honestly, why does nothing anyone says sink into that thick skull of hers?’ asks Cat. ‘I mean, Jae, you’ve told her off. Sarah, you have. Jean-Luc has. How does she go through life being this much of a bitch? It’s my fucking wedding day. Can’t she just be decent for five fucking minutes? What’s it going to take?’

‘We could sic Mum on her,’ I suggest.

‘Last resort,’ says Cat.

‘That’s what I was thinking about Jean-Luc,’ I reply.

‘Does he …?’ Cat’s eyes widen.

‘No,’ I say, hurrying to reassure her. ‘I don’t think he’s noticed you’re gone yet, but he will, Cat. You’ve got to come back to your reception.’

‘I know.’ She stands and smooths down her dress, sighing loudly in resignation. ‘Come on. We still have to cut the cake and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let that woman stop me from dancing at my own fucking wedding.’

‘There’s my gal,’ says Jaelee.

We’re walking across the courtyard when something occurs to me. ‘Hey, what were you and Bianca talking about?’ I ask.

‘Family.’ She gestures for us to follow her down the steps and when we’re out of earshot, she stops. ‘Apparently, she lost both her parents recently.’

We all reply at once.

‘Oh, god,’ says Jaelee.

‘That’s so sad,’ says Lindsey.

‘Oh no, what happened?’ I ask.

‘Her mum died a few months ago?a heart attack?and her dad was so heartbroken that he died a few weeks later. Totally healthy, just a broken heart.’ I lift my hand to my mouth in shock.

‘That’s terrible,’ adds Jaelee and Lindsey’s lips flatten into a line. None of us have lost even one parent. I can’t imagine losing both Mum and Dad in the space of a few weeks.

‘And,’ says Cat, ‘her mother’s favourite room …’

‘Ohhh,’ says Jaelee, just as it also occurs to me. ‘The great hall.’

‘Yes.’

‘That’s why she didn’t want you to use it,’ says Lins.

‘She said it was too soon. She couldn’t bear it. And that broke my heart,’ she says, raising a hand to her chest.

‘Is that why you were crying when we arrived?’ I ask.

She nods. ‘By the time I got down here, I’d worked myself into quite a lather and I was pacing the courtyard when Bianca came out. She asked what was wrong and I started on this whole tirade about Cécile … When I mentioned that she was family … that’s when Bianca asked me to come and sit. She said that family can be difficult but that I should make peace.’

‘She hasn’t met Cécile,’ quips Jaelee.

---