Читать книгу The Sporty Bridesmaid - Diane Redmond - Страница 4

Chapter One

Jessie Coles loved athletics. The two things in the world she most wanted was to win an Olympic gold medal and to be a bridesmaid. When her athletics teacher, Debs, asked her to be a bridesmaid at her wedding Jessie was thrilled.

“I can’t give you an Olympic gold medal but I can make you a bridesmaid,” said Debs with a smile.

“There’s one big condition,” added Jack the groom. “We’re all running to the registry office!”

Jessie laughed. She thought Debs and Jack were teasing.

“Running to a wedding? That would be funny!”

“We’re serious,” said Debs. “On Saturday April 14^th Jack and I want to do three things. One, get married. Two, run in the local half marathon and three, raise money for the children’s new hospital.”

Jessie stared at Jack and Debs.

“How are you going to do all of those things in one day” she gasped.

“We’re having a sponsored wedding run!” laughed Jack.

“We plan to run to the registry office,” Debs explained. “We’ll ask our guests to sponsor us and all the money we make will go to the children’s new hospital!”

Jessie couldn’t believe her ears. She desperately wanted to be a bridesmaid and wear a floaty silk dress with satin slippers and flowers in her hair. She couldn’t run a half marathon in fancy, frilly clothes!

“What will you wear?” she asked.

“My running kit of course,” laughed Debs.

“What will I wear?” Jessie added nervously.

“The same, running kit and trainers,” Debs replied. When she saw Jessie’s disappointed expression she quickly added. “We’ll change into wedding clothes after the run – promise!”

Jessie smiled with relief. “YES!” she cried excitedly. “I’d love to be your sporty bridesmaid!”

The wedding arrangements were very complicated. First, they had to check the exact route of the half marathon run, particularly where it started and where it finished. Debs was thrilled when she found out that it ended in the town centre, quite close to the registry office.

“That’s perfect!” she cried. “We could leave our wedding clothes at the registry office and change there.”

“We’d better check that with the registrar,” said Jack.

Luckily the registrar was a big supporter of the children’s new hospital and volunteered to give up his own room for the bridal party to change in. He also became their first official sponsor.

“I’ll sponsor you a pound for every mile you run,” he said.

“That’ll be thirteen pounds if we finish the course,” gasped Jessie,

The registrar smiled.

“Worth every penny. Can I have a sponsor form?”

“We haven’t got any yet,” Debs told him.

“Well, now you’ve fixed the date and booked the wedding I think you should sort out who’s going to collect the sponsor money,” joked the registrar.

Debs turned to Jessie and laughed. “I think that will have to be my sporty bridesmaid!”