Page 14 of Merrily Ever After
Nell had always been brutal when it came to telling me what she thought about my boyfriends, but she’d liked Cole from the beginning. I’d been hesitant to move in with him – although technically he’d moved into Holly Cottage with me – because living together had sounded the death knell for my last relationship. I didn’t want the same thing happening with Cole and me; I was too in love with him to take the risk. But in the end it hadn’t been a risk, the opposite in fact.
‘True,’ I conceded. ‘I’m glad I listened to you.’
‘I do give good advice,’ she said with a grin. ‘I gave Cole some too. You’ve got me to thank for the wedding being in the not-too-distant future.’
I frowned. ‘What did you say?’
‘That Christmas hasn’t always held the best of memories for you,’ she said with a gentle smile. ‘Let’s make this the year that changes all that. I suggested he phoned the registry office and see if they could squeeze you in.’
‘Oh Nell.’ I felt tears well in my eyes. ‘You’re right. This will change how I think about Christmas forever.’ Christmas had lost its magic for me when I was eleven. I’d spent a few weeks staying with foster carers, which was something I’d had to do every so often because my mum had had a history of mental health issues. But she’d promised me that I’d be home in time for us to spend Christmas together. I’d never forget the day I was called into the headteacher’s office, where a social worker was waiting to tell me that Mum had passed away. I later learned that she’d taken her own life. I think about her all the time but especially at Christmas.
‘Besides, I look better in winter colours than spring, so I wasn’t being entirely selfless,’ she confessed, making me laugh. ‘Look, I’m just glad you said yes. Now we can get started on the fun bits, like your wedding dress.’
I beamed at her. ‘My wedding dress – I still can’t believe I’m getting married. I did have a quick look online last night and I’ve seen a couple I might order.’
‘Oh no, no, no.’ Nell looked appalled. She opened the diary on her phone. ‘This is the most important shopping experience of your life! You need to try on dozens of dresses and twirl around to see how they feel, and I need to watch you come out of the changing rooms and cry at how beautiful you look. We’re going to make a specialoccasion of it. How about one afternoon next week? I’ll close the stall and you can close the shop early.’
‘Are you sure?’ She’d normally have to be bedridden with illness not to go to work because she had no one else to run it for her. And she wasn’t open today either. Very odd.
‘Absolutely sure,’ she confirmed. ‘Please indulge me. We’ll make some appointments and go from shop to shop like royalty. They give you champagne, you know. Probably not the good stuff, but even so.’ She paused, registering the expression on my face. ‘What is it?’
‘Nothing.’ I swallowed the lump in my throat and did my best to smile. ‘Or at least nothing new. I miss my mum, that’s all. I wish she could be part of it. Mothers love this sort of thing, don’t they? Organising their daughter’s wedding? We could have had such fun together.’
‘Oh love.’ She placed her hand on top of mine. ‘I know I’m a poor substitute, butwe’llstill have fun and if you want someone older with us to get all emotional and take a million photos of you wearing a hideous meringue dress, we could always bringmymum along. Remember how well that worked out for me?’
We both laughed. Mrs Thornbury had somehow managed to make wedding dress shopping all about her and when Nell had stepped out of the changing room wearingthedress, she’d fainted and given herself a nosebleed. Nell had been left without an audience and ordered not to get blood on her dress, while her mother had lapped up all the attention — and the champagne, I seemed to remember.
‘Just you and me will be enough,’ I said softly. ‘And I know I’m lucky to have so many lovely friends, but there are times in your life when family means the world.’
‘Soon you’ll be Mrs Robinson and officially part of Cole’s family with more relations than you can shake astick at. You’ll have a father-in-law. Stepchildren. You’ll even have a sister-in-law! And, of course, though we’re not real family, you’ll always, always have me.’
‘You’re better than real family,’ I said, giving her a hug. ‘And on that note, you will be my maid of honour, won’t you?’
Nell tilted her head to one side, considering my offer. ‘I was thinking more along the lines of best woman. How does that sound?’
‘Perfect.’ I grinned at her. ‘Best friend, best woman. Consider yourself hired.’
Chapter Five
Merry
10 NOVEMBER
‘The problem with you,’ said Nell, as we entered Wedding Belles bridal boutique in Bakewell, ‘is that you look good in everything.’
‘Thanks,’ I replied, ‘I think.’
‘It’s true.’ She leaned on the marble counter and massaged her aching calf muscles. ‘You haven’t looked bad in a single dress you’ve tried on. And you’ve tried ona lotof dresses.’
I did think she was being a bit daft wearing high-heeled boots for an afternoon of traipsing around shops. But she had insisted, claiming that we needed to look the part if we were to get the VIP treatment. This was our fourth shop, and we were beginning to flag.
‘What your friend means,’ said the proprietor, who introduced herself as Abigail, ‘is that you’re blessed with a wonderful figure with perfect proportions and that you have the pick of the store: style, length, fabric … the choice is yours. I’m sure you’ll find your dream dress amongst our designs.’
‘Gosh.’ I puffed my cheeks out, taking in the rails and rails of bridal gowns. ‘I don’t know where to start, there’s even more choice here than in the last place.’
‘Do you have a budget?’ Abigail asked, guiding us to a silver velvet sofa in the middle of the floor.
Nell flopped down gratefully, while I hovered at a display of tulle veils and tiaras.
