26
The day of the wedding was hot and sunny. Nancy was checking her dress looked ok when there was a knock on the apartment door.
‘That must be Hans,’ Olivia shouted from her bedroom. ’I forgot to tell you Pierre’s going to meet us there. He’s been helping his brother set up his new restaurant.’
Nancy opened the door. Hans was standing on the landing, looking very suave in a new medium blue suit. It enhanced the colour of his eyes.
‘At this risk of making a terrible pun, it suits you,’ Nancy said.
‘As the best man, I thought I should make an effort.’ He smiled as he walked in. ‘Dieter’s gone on ahead to make sure everything is ready.’
‘You’re looking hot, Hans,’ Olivia said as she emerged from her bedroom.
‘Really? I’m feeling just right. This lightweight material is perfect for this warm spring weather.’
Nancy decided not to explain. It might make him embarrassed. But Olivia was right, he was looking hot. The better-fitting suit emphasised his broad shoulders. She remembered admiring him in his swim shorts at the toga party, and blushed at the thought.
Hans must’ve noticed her face going red. ‘You are also looking hot, Nancy.’
‘Yes, it is quite warm in here,’ she said, fanning herself with the wedding invitation.
‘Are you both ready?’ Hans asked. ‘I have a taxi waiting outside. I thought it would make for a more pleasant journey than using the Metro. My treat.’
‘Hans, you’re an angel. That’s really considerate.’ Olivia gave him a peck on each cheek.
He looked at Nancy.
‘I better show my appreciation as well,’ she said. She noticed him gulp as she pecked him on his left cheek. For a moment, she thought he was going to go in for a full kiss, but he changed his mind.
He coughed uncomfortably. ‘Shall we go?’
‘Just a minute, I almost forgot their present.’ Olivia grabbed the bag containing the bottle of champagne she’d bought that morning. ‘Ready now. Lead the way.’
Dieter and Pierre were already waiting outside as the taxi drew up outside the wedding venue. Pierre embraced Olivia as if they hadn’t seen one another for weeks rather than a few hours.
‘Nervous?’ Nancy asked Dieter.
‘A little,’ he said. ‘I will be happier when Ingrid arrives.’
No 18 was a narrow four-storey 19th-century building. ‘It looks like someone’s house,’ Nancy said.
Dieter looked uncomfortable. ‘I am a member of a small Danish Lutheran sect. We do not have a big church in Paris. We use the living room here for our ceremonies.’
‘I thought you were German?’
‘I am, but my mother was Danish. She wanted me to follow her religion, so she took me to her church every Sunday.’
‘Will she be here today?’
‘Sadly not, my family home was bombed during the war. I am an orphan.’
‘Like Hans. I’m so sorry.’
‘You have no need to apologise.’
Another taxi pulled up, this time carrying Ingrid and Christa.
Hans was looking uneasy now. Nancy reached out to hold his hand to help him relax, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. ‘Do you wish it was you and Christa who were getting married?’ she asked him.
He looked surprised. ‘No, of course not.’
‘If you’re sure.’
‘I’m very sure,’ he said. ‘Let go inside.’
He led her up the stairs to the front door. His hand felt hot in hers. Something was bugging him.
Nancy glanced across at him. Beads of sweat were forming on his brow. ‘You don’t look well. Is there anything I can do to help?’
‘It’s nothing, I’ll be fine in a moment.’ He kept holding her hand, though.
A man in a long black cassock was waiting to greet them all. He motioned toward the door into what would’ve been a living room overlooking the courtyard at the back of the house. Ten chairs were laid out in two rows of five, facing an altar that looked like a dining table covered in a plain green cloth.
‘Is anyone else joining us?’ Nancy whispered to Hans.
‘No, this is everyone. Apart from the um … priest and his assistant.’
‘It’s very plain, isn’t it?’ Nancy said, looking around the room.
‘I think the church is, how do you say … It does not like to show off its wealth.’
‘I would say “it’s not ostentatious”.’
Hans didn’t try to use the new word like he usually did.
‘Are you feeling worse?’ Nancy asked
‘I am just nervous on Dieter’s behalf.’
Nancy looked at Dieter, who was standing next to Ingrid in front of the priest. Dieter didn’t look worried at all now Ingrid was here. In fact, he looked delighted. He couldn’t keep his eyes off Ingrid, who seemed equally besotted with him.
‘I don’t think you need to worry about Dieter. He’s doing what we should all do: taking the opportunity to be happy now without worrying too much about the future. If it doesn’t work out, what has he lost? At least he’ll have some good memories to look back on.’
‘You’re very wise.’ Hans squeezed her hand.
‘You’re the first person to ever say that to me,’ she whispered in his ear.
The ceremony started. Nancy had no idea what was happening. Everything sounded like it was in German, which was odd for a Danish religion, but as both the bride and groom were German, perhaps that was normal. She was going to ask Olivia about it, but with such a small congregation, it would be too noticeable. She’d consult her afterwards.
They moved on to a hymn, which the priest’s assistant played on a small upright piano in the corner. Nancy thought she vaguely recognised the music, but either the piano was out of tune, or the church needed to invest in more piano lessons for the assistant. Olivia joined in with the singing, somehow matching the notes of the appalling piano. Nancy winced at the unholy noise. Ingrid and Dieter didn’t appear to be concerned, though. Thankfully, after one verse and one chorus, the ordeal was over.
The priest moved nearer to Ingrid and Dieter, holding an open bible. Hans stood up, pulled two rings out of his jacket pocket, put them on the bible and sat down beside Nancy again.
The priest started speaking with Ingrid and Dieter taking turns repeating what he said. It was just like Church of England marriage but in German. The priest raised his hand to bless them, and they started snogging one another’s faces off. The priest had to cough to grab their attention again. He indicated the book on the table.
After they’d signed the register, the priest made a short announcement.
‘What did he say?’ Nancy whispered to Hans.
‘The ceremony is over. They are now husband and wife.’
‘Doesn’t someone have to witness their signatures?’
‘I don’t think they’ve thought of that,’ Hans said.
Olivia, ever the organiser, had bought a bag of rice. She got up and distributed a handful each to the rest of the guests. ‘We’ll throw this outside,’ she said. She turned to Ingrid and Dieter. ‘You two stay here while we line up on the steps.’ Ingrid grinned at her new husband, who seemed more than willing to comply.
‘Right, everyone. Remember to throw the rice up and not at the bride and groom.’ Olivia said. The newlyweds walked down the steps together through a perfect shower of rice.
Christa pulled a small camera from her handbag. ‘Photo time!’ she said.
Nancy noticed Hans and Dieter exchange a glance. ‘That’s not a problem, is it? Surely, we’ve got time for one photo?’
‘We don’t want to block the pavement,’ Dieter said.
‘We’ll do it on the steps then.’ Christa wasn’t taking no for an answer.
‘You need to be in it, Christa,’ Ingrid said. ‘Who’s going to take it?’
Pierre volunteered.
‘But you need to stand with Olivia. I’m sure we can find someone else. Monsieur, excusez moi,’ Ingrid shouted, waving to a man who was walking by on the opposite pavement. The man crossed the road and, after a brief conversation with Christa, took the camera.
‘It’s all automatic,’ Christa said. ‘Just look through the viewfinder and press this button here.’
He nodded. She ran back up the steps to take her place.
The passerby took two shots in quick succession and handed the camera back to Christa.
‘I wish you a long and happy life together,’ he said to Ingrid and Dieter as he walked off.
‘Shall we go now, darling?’ Dieter said to Ingrid in German. At least, that’s what it sounded like to Nancy.
‘Thank you all for coming,’ Ingrid said before Dieter led her away.
‘No wedding reception?’ Nancy asked Hans.
‘Dieter’s booked a fancy hotel room for the two of them tonight. I expect they want to make the most of it.’
Christa said she’d got some shopping to do. ‘I’m going to decorate our flat ready for when the lovebirds come home tomorrow. And buy some earplugs. Something tells me I’m not going to get much peace for a few weeks with those two in the bedroom next door,’ she laughed.
‘We have to go, too,’ Pierre said, putting his arm around Olivia. ‘It’s opening night at my brother’s new restaurant.’
‘Enjoy!’ Nancy said. She turned back to Hans.
‘Just you and me then.’
He looked concerned. ‘Is that a problem?’
‘No. But I was hoping they’d have a party so I’d finally get a chance to find out how good a dancer you are.’
‘We can go dancing if you want. I know an exclusive venue where they play the music you like.’
‘I like the sound of that. Is it far?’
‘Not far at all.’
‘Good.’ She smiled. ‘Let’s go.’
He waved down the next taxi that drove past. ’Rue de la Dordogne please.’
Nancy looked surprised. ‘I didn’t know there were any clubs in our street.’
‘I said it was exclusive.’ He held the taxi door open for her.
‘I’m not sure I’ve got the right shoes on for dancing. Can I pop home and change them?’ she asked.
‘You can dance in your bare feet if you want.’
’It sounds very laid back, this venue.’
‘It is. I hope you’ll love it.’
The taxi set off. Nancy looked out of the window, trying to work out how there could be a club on their street without any evidence of music or people visiting it.
‘Are you ok?’ Hans asked.
‘I’m just confused by this mysterious club. Is it like Brigadoon?’
It was Hans’ turn to look puzzled now. ‘What is Brigadoon?’
‘It’s a mythical Scottish village that only appears for one day every hundred years.’
He grinned back at her. ‘I’m hoping it will be around more often than that.’
Nancy looked at Hans smiling next to her. ‘You seem very relaxed. In fact, you’re the most relaxed I’ve ever seen you.’
‘I thought about what you said earlier, about taking a chance to be happy without worrying about the future. I need to be brave enough to do the same.’
‘That sounds promising.’
He reached out and held her hand. The taxi turned the corner into their street. ‘Pull up outside number 27, please,’ Hans said to the driver.
‘So we are going home first?’
‘You’ll see.’ He got out of the taxi, paid the fare, then opened the main door to their apartment block and headed for the door to their stairwell. They climbed the stairs together until they reached the third floor.
‘Here we are,’ Hans said.
Nancy was confused. ‘But this is your flat.’
‘It is. And I’ll be here alone now that Dieter is moving in with Ingrid.’
‘I thought you said we were going dancing.’
‘We are. I have a record player and records you love so we can dance with no one else to bother us. What do you think? You’re not disappointed, are you?’
The idea of having Hans all to herself wasn’t a disappointment. Far from it. ‘It’s a lovely idea.’
‘There’s even wine if you want it.’
‘Last time we drank wine together, I scared you off.’
‘That’s not going to happen this evening.’
Nancy liked the way this was going. She heard the downstairs door open. It was Madame Morceau doing her daily inspection of the stairwell.
‘Shall we go inside?’ Hans whispered in her ear.
‘Do you think the doorman will let us in?’ Nancy smiled at him.
‘I think he might.’