Page 51 of Merrily Ever After
Merry
1 DECEMBER
I let out a massive yawn as I pressed my friend Cesca’s doorbell. It was only eight o’clock at night, but I’d been up early to make a batch of Midnight Forest candles ready for a weekend event and after that I’d dashed up to Manchester for my slot onThe Retail Therapy Show. My busy day, coupled with the tossing and turning I’d done last night after my shopping trip with Harley and Freya, meant that I was tired and emotional, and shaky from not having eaten properly.
The sensible thing to do would be to postpone this evening for another night. But spending a few hours with Cesca and her sister, Fliss, would be a chance to let my hair down – literally in this case, they were going to give me some ideas on hair and make-up for my wedding day – and besides, empty slots in my diary were as rare as hens’ teeth.
‘Ta-dah!’ I dug deep for a smile and waggled a bottle of pink Prosecco as Cesca opened the door.
‘My favourite fizz and my favourite bride-to-be!’ she said, beaming. ‘A winning combo if ever there was one. Come on in, my love.’
I stepped inside the hallway and Cesca enveloped me in a hug. She was a great hugger. I felt emotion rise inside me and my throat tightened. Tears weren’t far away. Although at least I’d managed to hold it together this time while I was live on air this afternoon. I hugged her back tightly.
‘I’ve brought you some candles too,’ I said, my cheek crushed to hers. I held up the Merry and Bright gift bag in my other hand.
‘No way!’ she gasped and pushed back, holding me at arm’s length. ‘The new ones you were selling on TV today?’
It had been my last sales slot of the year and as well as completely selling out of the Christmas gift sets, we’d also taken huge orders for the Home candles. It had gone very well – too well, if that were possible. I was going to have to put in some long hours over the next couple of weeks if we were to meet all the orders before the cut-off date for pre-Christmas delivery.
‘Yep. Sold out online, but I kept a few back for you and Fliss,’ I confirmed, blinking away any potential tell-tale tears.
Too late; Cesca’s eyes narrowed shrewdly.
She peered in the bag and inhaled the scent. ‘Divine, thank you. Now, let me take your coat,’ she said firmly, ‘and then you can tell me why I feel I’ve just been hugged by a boa constrictor.’
‘I like your Christmas decorations outside.’ It was a feeble attempt to change the subject, but it bought me some time. I set my bag down and slipped my coat off. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many light-up reindeer on one lawn.’
‘Ben’s appalled.’ Cesca gave a mischievous smile. ‘He keeps muttering that we’ll end up with a Boeing 747 in the garden, mistaking us for the airport landing strip.’
I gave a muffled snort of laughter, imagining her poor husband losing the battle over excessive Christmas ornaments.
I followed her into the warmth of the hallway and Cesca took the bottle from my hand. ‘Come in and let’s get set up. Fliss won’t be long. The kids are in bed and Ben’s out with his mates, so we won’t be disturbed.’
Cesca’s house was lovely. Right now, it was decorated to within an inch of its life: wreaths on doors, garlands on mirrors, lights, candles and a massive tree in the open-plan kitchen/dining room. But even stripped back, it was beautiful; all light wood, and glass and acres of granite worktop. I was biased, of course, because Cole had built it, but even so, it was a dream family home. As was Fliss’s, who lived next door. They had made their gardens into one so that the cousins could easily play together, and the two families were in and out of each other’s homes so much it was basically like living in their own little commune. I would have loved to have been surrounded by family like this when I was a child.
Cesca fetched three glasses and set them on the kitchen table beside a large mirror and a selection of hair paraphernalia.
‘It’s ages since I’ve had an excuse to mess about with hair,’ said Cesca. ‘I used to have a Girl’s World styling head when I was little, until I got obsessed with G. I. Jane and shaved her poor head with Mum’s razor. She went mad when she found out.’
‘About the doll?’
Cesca shook her head. ‘The razor. She cut her shins to ribbons on the blunt blades. So, sit yourself in the hot seat and tell me everything.’
I knew she was referring to my little wobble at the door. I’d been mired in doubt since my shopping trip with Harley and Freya. He wanted to move back to Whistler and she wanted Cole to move back to be with Lydia. Bothmy future stepchildren were unhappy and I was worried about them. Although I knew I wasn’t to blame, Iwaspart of the problem and felt that I should therefore be part of the solution. I couldn’t help thinking that maybe it might be a good idea to postpone the wedding – just for a few months – to allow everyone some breathing space. It hadn’t helped that Cole hadn’t come home for ages when he took them back to Lydia’s. My feverish mind had imagined all sorts of scenarios, mostly involving the two of them having an amorous reunion.
‘Hellooo, is anyone there?’ Cesca waved her hand in front of my face.
‘Sorry.’ I blinked and suppressed another yawn. Now I was here I’d rather put my worries aside for an hour. ‘I was thinking for my wedding hair that I want to look like me, but on a good day,’ I said, eyeing up all hair rollers, curling tongs, straighteners and cans of hairspray warily. There was even a pair of scissors glinting in the light. ‘A natural look that I can recreate myself easily enough.’
Cesca plopped down in a chair beside me heavily. ‘Oh bum,’ she said sulkily. ‘I knew you were going to say that.’
As she popped the cork out of the Prosecco, the front door opened, and her sister arrived.
‘Just in time!’ Fliss said, slipping her boots off and helping herself to a pair of her sister’s slippers.
‘As usual.’ Cesca grinned. ‘She was the same when we were kids. Mum only had to pull a tray of flapjacks out of the oven and her beaky nose would appear around the door.’
‘Beaky?’ Fliss punched her sister’s arm playfully. ‘Thanks a lot.’
