11. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
‘Here he comes.’ Sylvie waved at the school minibus climbing the hill.
‘Are you sure Solly doesn’t mind being our chauffeur for the day?’ asked Alice, as she, Sylvie and May waited on the pavement outside Seashell Cottage.
‘He loves it.’ Sylvie grinned. ‘Gives him something to do, and he gets to listen to our gossip while we head into town.’
Her eyes twinkled, and May couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen her neighbour and friend so excited. ‘How many times have you been wedding dress shopping?’ she asked, and could have kicked herself when a cloud passed across Sylvie’s face.
‘Not since my daughter’s wedding.’ Sylvie fixed a smile on her face as her eyes glistened with tears.
‘I’m sorry.’ May’s insides curled. ‘That was insensitive of me.’
‘Not at all,’ said Sylvie. ‘She’s been gone a long time now, and it’s nice to be able to think back to the happy memories. I’m sure it will be hard for Luke, though,’ she added, turning to Alice, ‘not having his parents with him on the day.’
Alice took hold of Sylvie’s hand and squeezed it. ‘He’s got you,’ she said. ‘And you mean more to him than anyone in the world.’
Solly pulled up beside them with a squeak of brakes and a crunch of gears.
‘All aboard!’ he called, and May helped Sylvie climb up the steps into the minibus.
Kitty, Margot and Sam were already waiting in the van, and shuffled along the seats to make room for them. May was happy to see Kitty and Alice’s friends as excited as she was to show their support and offer their no doubt differing opinions on the dresses they were about to see.
‘This is so exciting.’ Sam clapped her hands. ‘I’ve never been wedding dress shopping!’
‘What?’ said May. ‘Not even for yourself?’
‘No.’ Sam giggled. ‘Steve and I eloped. I got married in shorts and a T-shirt on a beach in Australia.’
‘Do you think they’ll have free champagne?’ asked Margot.
‘I’m not sure they’ll stretch to that,’ said Alice, ‘but hopefully we’ll get a glass of prosecco.’
‘Will there be one for me?’ asked Solly from the front.
‘Shush,’ said Sylvie. ‘One, you’re driving, and two, you’re not supposed to be listening to our conversation. A normal chauffeur wouldn’t start chatting to his clients, would he?’
Solly laughed. ‘I think you’ll find I’m doing this as a favour, not for pay.’
‘I’ll reward you later,’ said Sylvie with a wink.
May shook her head. She would never get used to how flirtatious her two elderly neighbours were with one another.
Despite being married for a couple of years, they still behaved like newlyweds.
At least they’d already got their wedding out of the way.
A double wedding was going to be tricky enough, never mind a triple.
The journey to the city passed with a lot of laughs, loud chatter, and the odd squeal of excitement. Solly dropped them off outside a smart-looking shop, promising to keep his mobile on so he’d be ready to collect them when they were done.
The group fell silent as they stood outside the shop, gazing in.
‘It’s a bit posh,’ said May, tugging at her frayed black denim shorts and pulling down her cropped T-shirt to hide her belly button piercing.
Margot linked arms with May, her eyes glinting with mischief. ‘Who says we can’t do posh?’ she said. ‘Come on, chief bridesmaid, we’ve got work to do.’
A bell tinkled as they opened the door and walked into a serene space, all cream-painted floorboards, sparse rows of dresses, and the scent of jasmine in the air.
Apart from the light from the window, spotlights threw a glow onto the sequins in the room, and a tasteful assortment of lamps illuminated the changing area.
May smiled. Any old trick to get the brides looking their best. She pictured the average shop changing room and how the bright light always made her look as if she were dying.
A smart, petite lady in a black pencil skirt and blouse rushed towards them, a wide smile on her face. ‘Welcome to Divine Dresses,’ she said. ‘Do you have an appointment, or are you just here to browse?’
‘Hi.’ May tried to sound more confident than she felt in such a swanky shop. ‘May Tyler. We do have an appointment, which is probably in my name, but I’m not the bride.’
‘I see.’ The shop assistant politely ignored May’s cut-offs and looked between the women. ‘Who is the bride?’
When both Kitty and Alice raised their hands, she hid the flicker of surprise on her face beneath a wider grin.
‘What a beautiful couple you make, don’t they, ladies?’ The shop assistant placed a hand on her chest and let out a wistful sigh.
Alice and Kitty spluttered with laughter. ‘No, no,’ said Kitty. ‘You’ve got the wrong end of the stick. We’re both getting married, on the same day, same place, same time. But not to each other.’
If the shop assistant was embarrassed, she hid it well. ‘A double wedding,’ she said, clapping her hands. ‘How wonderful! Now, why don’t we go and take a seat at the back? I’ve got a tray of prosecco waiting for you.’
May caught Margot’s eye and grinned, mouthing, no champagne then.
‘And we have some very comfy sofas and armchairs where we can sit and discuss styles.’
‘Lead the way,’ said Margot.
They followed the shop assistant to the back of the space and, true to the woman’s word, as May sank into an armchair she had to concede it was the comfiest seat she’d encountered.
Magazines and brochures full of beautiful women in luxurious gowns lay scattered on a low coffee table.
As Kitty and Alice described the dresses they were looking for, May picked up a magazine and began leafing through it.
Gorgeous as the gowns were, they held no appeal.
May would never be a bride. She struggled to imagine herself being one of those women who settled for one man.
It wasn’t in her blood. She was her mother’s daughter and destined for a life of brief encounters rather than growing old and boring with a single life partner. That was fine by her.
May’s attention snapped back to the woman as she began handing out glasses of prosecco.
There hadn’t been any discussion about bridesmaids’ dresses yet, and May was hoping that could be saved for another day.
She prayed Alice knew her well enough not to put her in something frilly, but May hadn’t worn a dress for at least ten years and wasn’t looking forward to being constrained by satin and made to look pretty.
‘At least if you’re shopping together, you’re not going to have the problem of both going for the same dress,’ said the shop assistant.
‘That’s what we thought,’ said Kitty, walking to a rail of dresses and examining each in turn.
‘Of course, the style of dress you go for can depend on the venue. Where is your wedding being held?’
Alice laughed, joining Kitty by the rail of dresses. ‘That’s top secret. May is organising the details along with Kitty’s brother. We won’t know where we’re getting married until we turn up on the day.’
‘Goodness.’ The shop assistant’s eyebrows shot up. ‘In all the years and with all the brides I’ve assisted, I’ve never heard anything quite like it. That’s a lot of pressure on your shoulders, May.’
May couldn’t agree more, but not wanting to worry Alice, she grinned and said, ‘It’s an honour to have Alice and Kitty trust us. We’ve already started making plans.’
‘How wonderful.’ The assistant turned her attention back to the brides. ‘So,’ she said, ‘has anything caught your eye?’