Chapter Five
Nicely
21 st December
“What on earth were we thinking planning a wedding for Christmas Eve?” Lou grumbled as she applied make-up in the mirror my bathroom.
I pulled a jumper over my tank top and changed from jeans into a skirt and tights.
“It will be fine,” I said, though I wasn’t quite sure of that myself.
“Hardly anyone is working in Porthglen this week. They all like to take extended holidays.”
“That’s got to be the perk of a small town,” I said. “But don’t worry, it’s all coming together. The decorations are done. The cake is ordered. We have the final dress fitting today – that’s exciting, isn’t it?”
“I suppose so,” she said. “I just hope it looks as good as I remember…”
“It will,” I assured her. “You’re bound to be stressed about it all, but try to keep in mind how excited you are to marry Ross.”
“I am so excited to finally be married to him,” she said with a dreamy sigh. “I know I’ve been with a fair few men-”
“Ha!” I laughed. “Just a few-”
“-Well, I’ve never been with someone like Ross. He is so genuine, honest and sweet. He’s all I’ve ever wanted. I just wish it hadn’t taken so long for me to meet Mr. Right.”
I smiled. After all she’d been through over the years – two terrible marriages, my mum’s death, her dad’s battle with Alzheimer’s and eventual passing – I was glad she was finally happy. She deserved it.
“Mum would have been so excited for you too,” I said, opening the bathroom door. We locked eyes in the mirror as she applied her lipstick. “She would have loved Ross.”
“You think?” She said, a little teary-eyed. “I hope so.”
“He likes reading and walking, they would have been firm friends,” I said.
“Yeah, you’re right,” she said, the thought bringing a big smile to her face. She hand missed her lip and she smudged a little across her cheek. “Oh, no. We’re going to be late to my own dress fitting at this rate!”
“It will be fine,” I said, coming to stand next to her at the sink with a comforting hand on her arm. “They can’t exactly start without you.”
“True,” she grinned impishly. “But let’s not keep the others waiting.”
We met the other members of the bridal party at the front of the stone farmhouse.
Amelia, Lou’s best friend Jude, work colleague Ling and her friend from her yoga class Caren were waiting for us with excited chatter between themselves.
“The final fitting!” Caren said as Lou approached. “I can’t wait to see the dress!”
“I hope I made the right choice,” she said.
“You did,” Amelia assured her. “Now come on, we’re going to be late.”
The bridal shop was on the edge of town, not far from the farm, so we walked the frosty lanes together, laughing and sharing stories about weddings we’d been to before.
When we arrived at the shop, Archie was waiting outside.
“Please tell me you’re not getting another white dress for the wedding day?” I teased, eliciting laughter from the others.
He brushed it off good-naturedly, though I could tell my jab had bothered him after our confrontation in the pub.
We were still doing our best to get along, though it wasn’t always easy.
“No, not from here anyway. Way too pricey,” he smirked. “I’m here to pay, on Ross’ behalf. He wanted to be traditional and avoid seeing the bride in the dress.”
“He was there when I picked it!” Lou guffawed. The group echoed her laughter.
“He thought of that,” Archie said. “He said that it didn’t count because it wasn’t the final fitting. Therefore, he’s not seen his beautiful bride in her actual dress.”
“Aw,” Lou said, teary-eyed again. I knew there would be many more where those came from, especially on the day itself. “He really is the sweetest man.”
“That’s my big brother,” Amelia grinned, her pride evident. “One of the last good guys left.”
“Where can I find one like that?” Ling asked, breaking the group into laughter again.
I looked at my watch. “We really are late now, come on everyone.”
Archie stood awkwardly at the side as the bridal group squeezed onto champagne-coloured sofas in the backroom of the shop.
The owner handed out complimentary elderflower cordial and mince pies as Lou was helped into her dress behind a silk curtain.
“It fits!” She declared from behind the divide. “The back is much more comfortable now.”
“That’s perfect!” Amelia said. “And good to know you haven’t gained any weight!”
“Very surprising after all the slices of yule log I’ve been scoffing this week,” Lou replied.
“Not to mention the wine!” Caren said playfully.
“Oh, yes, lots of that too,” Lou giggled.
The dress shop owner pulled back the curtain and Lou came out, her face glowing with excitement.
The dress was exquisitely handmade, with their theme in mind. The fabric was a silky texture, off-white with a lacey boddice and trimmed with white faux fur at the hem, and an off-the-shoulder neckline trimmed with more faux fur. The heavy train sparkled with silver beads, embroidered into an intricate pattern of ovals and swirls.
The final touch was a silver diadem, detailed with diamonds and silver swirls.
“You look like a princess,” Ling said.
It wasn’t to my taste at all, nor did I think it was to Lou’s, but it certainly fit the theme.
“It’s gorgeous,” Caren agreed.
“Even better than last time I saw it,” Amelia said.
I looked to Archie. His face was hard to read, but I was sure I could see some emotion being held back. He truly cared about his uncle, and Lou by extension.
“Imogen?” Lou asked. “I need your blessing. You’re the most fashionable person I know.”
I was never good at hiding my true thoughts, and she knew that. She wanted me to be honest.
“It’s spectacular,” I said truthfully. “Very Narnian.”
She giggled. “The White Witch?!”
“In a good way!” I insisted. “You look formidable.”
“I’ll take that,” she grinned. “Maybe I should get a sword.”
The group tittered.
“Well, if you’re happy, we’ll box it up for you and get the final payment sorted,” the shop’s owner said.
“I can’t believe it’s finally done!” Lou said. “Yes, please, thank you so much for everything.”
As they disappeared behind the curtain again, Archie moved to the till, and I followed.
“What did you think?” I asked him quietly so the others couldn’t hear, though I needn’t have worried as they were squawking excitedly about the dress and couldn’t have heard me even if I shouted. “You’re the only person who we didn’t get an opinion from.”
He was nonchalant, leaning on the till with Ross’ card in between his fore and middle fingers.
“Very… shiny,” he said with a non-committal tilt of his head.
Whatever look I’d thought I’d seen on his face must have been in my imagination. Underneath it all, he was still just an unemotional lad.
“Right,” I said, not wanting to start another argument with him. “Yes. Shiny. Anyway – are you coming with us to the Christmas lights switch on at the town square? Lou says free eggnog. That’s gluten free, right?”
“Sometimes,” he said. “But I wasn’t planning on going.”
“Really?” I asked. I was a little more disappointed than I thought. A few days ago I wouldn’t have wanted him to come along to anything, but now he was part of the group. Lou would want him there. “It’ll be nice.”
He turned to meet my eyes.
“Ask me nicely,” he said with a plain expression.
My mouth flapped uselessly. “What do you mean?”
“I mean… ask me to come with you, nicely. Even after the talk we had at the bakery, you’ve been cold and snarky with me. You might think I have a thick skin, or that I enjoy the jokes, but surprisingly I don’t want to spend my evening with someone who doesn’t like me. So, ask me to come with you nicely.”
I blinked at him.
He was always throwing me off. He never said quite what I thought he would.
“Okay,” I said, rallying all my strength of will. “Archie, I’d really like it if you came with us to the Christmas lights switch on at the town square. There’s supposedly free eggnog, and if it isn’t free, I’ll buy one for you.”
He looked surprised for a moment, before his face returned to its empty expression.
“Fine,” he said. “That would be nice.”
“Good.”
The dress shop owner came back, and Archie started the payment. I slinked away back to the bridal group, not sure how to feel about our conversation.
He certainly never made it easy for me. And yet… I preferred it that way. He was right, maybe I should be making more of an effort to be good company to him, seeing as we had another three days of wedding planning together.