Читать книгу Mother of the Bride - Kate Lawson - Страница 11

‘Mum, we are not turning my wedding into a radio feature, all right?’

‘I know, I know,’ said Molly, holding up her hands. ‘And that’s exactly what I told Rob.’

Jess shook her head. ‘Max would be horrified. His family are – well, I’ve only met them a couple of times but they’re…’ Jess hesitated, trying to find the right words. ‘They’re really old-fashioned and a bit posh. His mother is in the WI, his father’s retired and on the committee at the golf club. He was something big in the city.’

‘I know, but Rob just thought it would be a great programming idea. He was suggesting that we do a weekly segment for my show. You and Max building up to the big day, going to see people – the florists, caterers, that sort of thing, you and me going to look at dresses – right up to the ceremony. It’d just be me and maybe a sound guy.’

‘No,’ said Jess incredulously.

But Molly pressed on. ‘Okay. I have to say it wasn’t my idea, but you can see where Rob’s coming from?’ Jess sniffed. ‘It’s all a bit tacky.’

Molly nodded. ‘Actually it could be a lot tacky but I did tell him that I’d ask you. What Raf said – he’s the station’s advertising whiz kid – was that you’d probably be able to negotiate a discount if you bought something from any of the suppliers we featured.’ She paused. ‘I’ll take that as a no then, shall I?’

Jess groaned. ‘You won’t tell Dad about this, will you, please? You know what he’s like when people start mentioning discounts. I don’t want a bargain-basement wedding, Mum. We want something special and lovely.’

‘I know, and so do I, but I had to ask,’ said Molly. ‘And I promise, not a word to your dad.’ She mimed zipped lips. ‘And I’ll prime Nick not to say anything either. Anyway – let’s get down to business, shall we?’ She pulled out the great sheaf of papers that she’d printed off.

Jess’s eyes widened as Molly spread them out on the kitchen table. ‘Bloody hell, what’s all that?’

‘It’s a list of things we need to do,’ sighed Molly.

‘Really? So what do we need to do?’ asked Jessica.

‘First two things, it says here,’ Molly began, slipping on her glasses, ‘you need to decide what kind of wedding you want and then pick two or three dates – to give yourself a bit of flexibility just in case the place you want isn’t free. And after that there are the caterers, cakes, cars, flowers, photographers, maybe video, dresses, invitations, music. It’ll be all fine though – once we’ve got the place booked.’ When Molly looked across at Jess, her daughter was ashen.’ Are you all right?’

‘I suppose so.’ Jess nodded and then smiled. ‘Yes, I’m really, really excited and also really, really nervous. Is that normal?’

Molly reached out and touched her hand. ‘I think so. Me too. I’ve never organised a wedding before other than me and your dad’s. We’ll do it together and it will be just perfect, I promise. We need to talk to your dad about money and Nick and I will help too.’ Molly paused. Max was the first of Jess’s boyfriends that Molly didn’t feel she knew, and here he was taking her away. ‘Have you talked to Max about what he’d like?’

‘I have.’ Jess rolled her eyes. ‘And he told me he wasn’t very good at that kind of thing.’

‘I don’t think any of them are but he’s got to have some input. After all, it’s his wedding day as well.’

‘He said I could have what I like.’

Molly laughed. ‘So we’re saying what exactly? That we organise it all and he just shows up?’

‘I think that probably just about sums it up,’ Jess said and then waved the words away. ‘Trouble is, Max is really busy at the moment and I think he just wants to get on with it. I thought what we could do is come up with two or three ideas and run them past him, and then let him help with the final decisions. Guided by me, obviously.’ As she spoke Jess reached down into her bag and pulled out a pile of bridal magazines. ‘I bought these. It’s like a total bloody minefield. What man in their right mind wants to sit down and flick through these lot with someone saying, “Do you like this and what do you think about this?” every thirty seconds? No – I reckon we should whittle it down to the final few ideas and then I’m sure he’ll be happy to look.’

Molly nodded. ‘How about we work out how many people you want to invite and that will help you decide on a venue?’

‘Okay. People and venue,’ said Jess, opening up a pad and pulling out a pen.

‘Church, registry office or some sort of wedding venue? A hotel or something?’ said Molly.

‘Max is divorced.’

‘So?’

‘So, how about we have some more champagne and start looking through all these?’ said Jess, pushing the magazines into the centre of the table to join her mother’s pile of papers.

‘And then there’s the Internet,’ said Molly.

‘Okay,’ said Jess. ‘Who is going to say, “do you like this” and “what do you think about this?”’

‘We’ll take it in turns and if we get too overwhelmed Nick can give us a hand. Let me get my laptop. There’s a notebook and some post-it notes,’ Molly said, sliding them across the table. ‘Presumably now you’re getting married you’ve cancelled the house hunting?’

‘What?’

‘Presumably you’ll be moving in with Max?’

Jess looked uncomfortable. ‘Well, no, actually. We’ve talked about it but his house is full of stuff. It really needs clearing out and redecorating.’

‘That’s half the fun.’

‘I know, but we’re going to wait. I mean, obviously I’ll move in after we’re married, but I’m still looking for somewhere at the moment.’

‘If you want to move back here for a few weeks you know you’re really welcome.’

‘Thanks. One the girls in the office said I could have a room at her place too, so hopefully I’ll find somewhere just for two or three months. Trouble is, I’m used to my own space.’

‘Well the offer’s open. I’ll get the laptop.’

When Molly got back from her office Jess had refilled their glasses and had found some nachos in a cupboard. As Molly slipped back into her seat she noticed a little blue notebook on top of the pile of magazines and was about to pick it up when something about the expression on Jess’s face stopped her.

‘You want me to make notes in this?’ Molly asked casually. And then she looked closer and realised that it was an old exercise book. Written on the front in a rounded childish script it said, Jessica Alice Foster. Medthorpe High School. English Composition.

‘You’ve had that a long time,’ said Molly.

‘First year at High School. It’s my wedding book,’ Jess said in a funny, self-conscious little voice.

‘Your wedding book?’

Jess nodded. ‘The very same.’

‘Can I look?’ said Molly.

‘You promise not to laugh?’

‘At your wedding book? Of course I won’t laugh.’

Jess picked it up and thumbed through it. Molly watched, catching a glimpse of the round, young handwriting as the pages flickered by and wondered wistfully where all those years in between had gone. ‘It’s not just my wedding book, obviously,’ said Jess. ‘We had to write about our hopes for our future, for homework. I really liked my teacher and once I got going it was hard to stop. I wrote about wanting to have a dog of my own and learning to scuba dive and getting this amazing job as a designer and flying all over the world, and having my hair dyed purple.’

‘And getting married?’

‘Yes, but not just that. Anyway, when it came to handing it in I didn’t want anyone else to read it. I’d said too much – you know what I mean? There was too much of me showing in it. And I was afraid my teacher might read it out. So I wrote something else and handed that in instead.’ Jess opened the book again, this time to the place where she’d left a slip of paper. ‘Here,’ she said, flattening the pages out with her hand, and sliding it across the table. ‘My wedding, by Jessica Alice Foster.’

Molly leaned closer. On one page was a pencil drawing of a girl with plaits in a long cloak, holding hands with a tall, dark-haired man. It had all been very carefully coloured in. The happy couple stood under a stone arch festooned with creepers.

Touched, Molly looked up. ‘Oh, Jess. It looks just like you. How come I’ve never seen this before?’

Jess laughed. ‘It was way too secret and embarrassing. I’ve hidden it for years, in the bottom of the shoebox along with my plaits. Remember when I made you take me to have them cut off? I wanted to look grown-up and sophisticated, but you know, I never regretted anything so much in my life.’ She ran a carefully manicured finger over the face of the girl. The little picture captured the naïve charm of an eleven-year-old with all of her life ahead of her. ‘You think it looks like Max?’ said Jess, peering at the man.

‘A bit, although I’m not sure about the wooden leg and the patch.’

Jess laughed. ‘I was going through a pirate phase. And no, before you ask, I wasn’t planning to have a pirate-themed wedding.’

Molly grinned. ‘Shame really. Nick would look great with a cutlass and a parrot. So what else does it say about your wedding?’ She was anxious not to pry into the book that Jess had kept hidden for so long.

‘Well, I want something romantic – I was thinking maybe medieval-looking – a romantic heroine, with a cloak rather than a train.’

‘And a hood?’ Molly pointed to the drawing.

Jess nodded. If there was anyone who could carry off the romantic heroine it was her; she was tiny with creamy white skin, huge blue eyes and a cascade of dark brown, wavy, shoulder-length hair shot through here and there with copper. She looked as if she had walked straight out of the pages of a Daphne du Maurier novel.

‘I’m going to ring Helen.’

‘Helen, you mean Helen you were at college with?’

Jess nodded. ‘Uh-huh. She’s based in London now but she’s been working with a repertory company. Helen does all their costumes, and so I was going to ask her to be my bridesmaid and make our dresses. We can look around as well but she’s really good and they’d be extra special if she makes them.’

‘So maybe we should go with the pirate theme after all – you know, something a bit romantic hero for Max –’

‘Frock coat and knee britches, like a highwayman. And me in a scarlet velvet cloak trimmed with white fur.’

They giggled, the champagne playing havoc as it bubbled through Molly’s bloodstream. She glanced across at Jess and smiled; even as a little girl her daughter had always liked dressing up.

‘Oh, talking about frock coats and highwaymen, I’ve found this fantastic place in Scotland,’ Jess said, tapping out a web address on Molly’s laptop. The image of a fairytale castle on the edge of a loch appeared through some computergenerated mist.

‘Sleeps Fourteen,’ said Molly, reading the blurb.

‘Oh, bugger. Does it? Maybe we could find somewhere else for the rest of the guests,’ said Jess, scanning down the rest of the screen.

‘The way this reads it sounds as if it’s way out in the back of beyond. I don’t want to be a killjoy but how are people going to get there? I suppose you could just have close family and friends and then have a big party when we get home.

‘No, Max wants everyone there.’ Jess pulled a face and tapped in another address. ‘I’ve found this fab place in Norway – you get to be taken to the chapel in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. I was thinking about the ice hotel but apparently it’s below zero all the time in all the rooms. I mean how sexy are chilblains?’

By lunchtime, Molly and Jess had a mass of pages bookmarked on the computer and dozens of post-it notes stuck on magazines, and definite plans were emerging. Although it was fun looking at different styles, places and prices, Molly could see that she could very soon die of boredom, whereas Jess looked as if she could go on for ever.

Nick came through to help them sort out lunch. ‘How’s it coming along?’

‘Good,’ said Jess.

‘We need to talk to Jonathon and Max,’ said Molly, clearing away the champagne glasses.

‘Even though I love him dearly, trying to plan all this I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m marrying a man I know nothing about,’ Jess hiccupped. ‘I don’t even know what religion he is.’

‘In that case he is most probably Church of England,’ said Nick, sliding a plate piled high with buttered slices of freshly baked bread onto the table. ‘Otherwise you’d probably have heard something about his Jewish roots, his Catholic guilt or his minority oppression. Here, you should eat some of this and soak up some of the alcohol.’

Jess nodded. ‘I’ve only had a couple of glasses. Maybe I should ring him and ask him? After all, it is lunchtime. Surely even Max stops for lunch?’

‘Maybe it’s not a good time, not if he’s at work,’ said Molly.

‘Oh no, he’ll be fine, he won’t mind,’ said Jess, waving the words away. ‘Besides, I want to tell him that I love him and I ought to let him know how we’re getting on. And anyway he said it was all very casual today, all hands to the pumps, installing this new system, everyone mucking in. I’m sure he won’t mind. Really.’ She pulled her mobile out of her bag.

While Molly set about helping with lunch Jess and Bassa went outside for a bit of privacy and a better signal.

‘How’s it going?’ asked Nick, picking over the last of the nachos.

Molly groaned. ‘It’s fine. The trouble is in my head Jess is still three, running around in her wellies with a net curtain on her head, a sword in one hand and a water pistol in the other.’

‘Feisty bride?’ said Nick.

Molly laughed. ‘You better believe it. Jonathon used to say we’d have to pay some man to take her off our hands.’ Molly’s gaze moved instinctively to the kitchen window to watch Jess walking across the grass.

‘She’ll be fine,’ Nick said.

‘She’s still my baby,’ said Molly, voice tight with tears. ‘And why isn’t Max here helping her? He should be here. We don’t know anything about him.’

Nick slipped his arm around her. ‘No, but we will. And Jess is sensible – we have to trust her.’

‘That’s what I said to Jonathon.’

‘And?’

‘I didn’t believe it then either.’

Outside the rain had stopped, so Jess headed over to the swing that Nick had fixed up under one of the big apple trees at the bottom of the garden. Bassa bounced alongside her, tail wagging, glad to be out. As Jess walked the phone rang and rang, and she was about to ring off when someone picked up.

‘Hi, honey,’ said Jess. ‘Not working too hard, are you?’

‘Oh, hello,’ said a very polite female voice. ‘This is Max Peters’ phone. I’m terribly sorry but he’s not here at the moment. May I take a message?’

‘Oh,’ said Jess, totally wrong-footed and almost instantly sober. ‘Oh, sorry – where is he?’

‘He’s left his phone on the table. I thought I’d better answer it.’

‘Oh, right,’ said Jess. ‘Well, if he’s busy could you give him a message for me? Can you tell him –’

But before she could finish the woman’s voice warmed. ‘Jessica, is that you?’

‘Yes, yes it is,’ she said, still not quite able to place the voice.

‘Oh, I’m so glad you rang. Max told me you were terribly busy at work this weekend, which is such a shame. We would have loved to have seen you and congratulate you both on your wonderful news. We are so pleased. But I do appreciate things are a little busy at the moment. I just wanted to say that we couldn’t be more delighted for you both, my dear. Congratulations.’

‘Mrs Peters?’ Jess began, the penny having dropped.

‘Do call me Mummy, or is that too old-fashioned? I’ve never been terribly keen on Mum, or Mother come to that. Maybe you should just call me Daphne.’ Max’s mother laughed. ‘Anyway I was telling Max that the two of you really must come down as soon as possible. I was wondering if you would like me to arrange the cake? We can obviously discuss the design but I have a very good friend. Marjorie. Cordon bleu – fabulous cook. She did the cake for – well, what I’m saying is, if you’d like me to arrange it then I’d be absolutely delighted to call her.’

Jess didn’t know what to say, so she settled for, ‘That sounds wonderful, and I’m sure we’ll be down to see you soon.’

‘Lovely. We were all just planning to go out for lunch at the Lion. Which reminds me, perhaps you and your parents might like to come down for lunch? Max said you were busy next weekend and I know Hampshire is a terribly long way from Norfolk, but it would be lovely if we could all get together – maybe the weekend after? Do let me know.’ She laughed, the sound like the tinkling of cut glass. ‘After all, there is so much to organise and we haven’t got that much time. I’ll tell Max that you rang, shall I?’

‘Yes, please,’ said Jess, totally dazed. ‘That would be lovely.’

And then Daphne was gone and Jess found herself staring at the phone. It rang in her hand seconds later.

‘Jess,’ said Max.

‘What is going on, Max? You told me you were working all this weekend.’

‘I was, I am,’ he blustered. ‘Well, I am tomorrow.’

‘That isn’t what you said when you dropped me off at my place last night. You said you couldn’t stay because you had to be up early to get some system in. And your mother said you’d told her that I was working.’

‘Jess, I’m really sorry.’ His voice was barely above a whisper. ‘The thing is, I wanted to talk to my parents on my own. They’re a bit old-fashioned when it comes to this sort of thing. I just wanted to break it to them gently, that’s all.’

‘You make getting married to me sound like bad news.’

‘That isn’t what I mean at all – but it was just something I needed to do. Please try and understand.’ He paused, presumably waiting for a reply, but Jess couldn’t find the right words. ‘You’re upset,’ he said.

‘Of course I’m upset! I’ve just spent most of the morning trying to organise a wedding without you, with no idea what you like or what you want. I wanted to talk to you about it and you’re over at your mother’s.’

‘I told you what I wanted, something special, I want everyone to see us – a wonderful, perfect day with all our family and friends. No sneaking off to some secret location.’ He paused. ‘Please don’t be upset that I wanted to tell Mummy and Daddy my way. On my own.’

‘I’m not upset that you wanted to tell them on your own, I’d have understood that. What I don’t understand is why you didn’t tell me the truth.’

‘May we talk about this later? We’re all about to go out to lunch.’

Jess wondered what she could possibly say. ‘I’ll call you later,’ he continued. ‘How are all the wedding plans coming along?’

‘That was what I rang to –’

‘Sorry, sweetie, I’ve really got to go. My father’s in the car outside,’ and with that Max hung up.

Speechless, Jess stood with the phone in her hand, furious with Max and feeling horribly hurt. What the hell was he playing at? The phone rang again and without looking at the caller ID Jess pressed receive. ‘I really hope you’ve rung to say something nice,’ she snapped. ‘I’ve been here all morning going through these bloody wedding books on my –’

‘Jess?’

Mouth open, Jessica was caught mid-sentence.

‘It’s me. Remember me? Jack. Your baby brother? I was just ringing up to say congratulations. Bad timing?’ he joked.

‘No, no, not at all – just a misunderstanding,’ she hedged. ‘So how are you?’

‘I’m fine. More to the point, how are you?’

‘Good, great,’ Jess lied, nodding furiously despite the fact that he couldn’t see her. ‘Really well, just getting a bit stressed out by all the stuff we’ve got to do for the wedding.’

‘It’s months away yet.’

‘Yep, but not enough months apparently. According to this list Mum downloaded off the Internet we should have started booking everything about ten years ago. And we want some really special –’

‘That’s what I was ringing up about. I was talking to my boss, Bert, yesterday and he wondered if you might like to have the wedding here.’

‘At Vanguard Hall?’

‘Uh-huh, I mean you can at least think about it.’

‘Oh God, that would be perfect. It’s lovely there.’

‘I think you’d probably have to have the legal bit somewhere else but you could have the reception here if you wanted to. He suggested you come over and take a look round. He was thinking you might like to use the Tythe Barn – after all it’s got loos and fire exits and all that stuff for when we open the gardens up in the summer. Do you know the room I mean?’

‘The one they do tea and cakes in?’

‘That’s the one. Anyway, it’s something to think about. Bert’s been mulling over whether to go for the wedding trade. It’s big business – and I know he won’t be offended if you say no.’

‘Oh no, God, it would be wonderful,’ Jess murmured. ‘Did he say what it would cost? Only I haven’t spoken to Dad yet so I don’t have a clue what we’ve got to spend.’

‘It’s on the house. Bert is keen on family. And besides, because he’s toying with the idea of opening the hall up for weddings he wants to get a feel of what he’s letting himself in for.’

‘How many people do you think it would hold?’

‘No idea – come and take a look around and see what you think. I’d imagine you could easily get a hundred people in the barn, say ten tables of ten. I’ll ask him.’ Jack paused. ‘And well done you. Seems so grown-up. I hope you and Max are really happy.’

‘Thanks, Jack.’

There was a warm silence and then Jack continued, ‘I was going to ask, is he on some sort of medication? Only he must be mad taking you on, maybe I should warn him.’

Jess laughed; that was more like it. ‘Cheeky bugger. How are you anyway?’

‘Me, I’m fine – I can’t talk for long, me and Ollie are supposed to be working, or at least I am.’

‘Ollie?’

‘Yeah, head gardener and chief slave driver. I’ve got to water the walled garden. How about you ring me later to sort out when you’re coming over?’

‘Ok, I’ll talk to Mum.’

Jess didn’t really have much chance to think about the revelation that Max was down in Hampshire until she came off the phone, and then it hit her.

‘Bastard,’ Jess hissed as she wandered back into the house. Why on earth had he lied to her?

Molly looked up from the piles of lists. ‘Sorry?’

Jess waved the words away. ‘Nothing,’ she said.

Molly smiled back at her. ‘So how was Max?’

‘Absolutely fine, just off to lunch,’ Jess said, trying to sound matter of fact. ‘Now where were we?’

‘Lunch,’ said Molly, handing her a plate. ‘And how’s his work going?’

‘Just fine,’ lied Jess, sitting down at the kitchen table, not quite meeting Molly’s eye. ‘And it looks like we’ve got a cake and possibly a venue.’

‘Great,’ said Molly, peering at her. ‘Are you all right?’

‘I’m fine, just hungry,’ Jess said. The last thing she wanted was to talk about Max, because she knew that it wouldn’t take much to make her cry. What the hell was he thinking of? Old-fashioned or not, surely it wouldn’t have hurt for them to have gone down to see his parents together.