Chapter 32
It turned out that the speeches at your own wedding were actually quite fun, Jade decided, although she couldn’t make up her mind whether this was because everyone kept them short or because they were all about you.
Sarah’s adoptive father gave a very touching speech about how he and his wife had chosen Sarah from the care home when she was tiny and always loved her unconditionally.
Jade glanced at her friend and she could tell by her expression that even though she regularly declared she couldn’t stand sentimentality, she was pretty touched by his words.
He went on to say that although they’d had their ups and downs – that was an understatement; once Sarah hadn’t spoken to them for several years because they’d disagreed with her about keeping Ben a secret from his father – they’d always worked through things and sorted them out by means of a sensible discussion.
Sarah nodded at this, she had her chin in her hands and was clearly listening intently, and Jade smiled inwardly. She guessed it didn’t matter if you were adopted or had been brought up by blood relatives, you’d always have ups and downs. It was the nature of life.
A few more glasses of wine were making her feel very philosophical. She also dared to let herself contemplate what Hector would have said if he’d been making a father-of-the-bride speech. If he’d been allowed to have been part of her upbringing.
Just before the speeches had started, Charlotte had come across to their table and given Jade a tiny, gift-wrapped box.
‘My grandmother gave me this on my wedding day,’ she murmured. ‘It’s just a small token, but I’d love you to have it.’
When Jade opened the box she found a tiny gold ring, set with a single pearl. Very beautiful and clearly antique.
She felt a wash of emotion and could barely speak. ‘Are you sure?’
‘See if it fits,’ Charlotte instructed with a soft smile. ‘I always wore it on my little finger.’
The ring had fitted perfectly on Jade’s little finger too and Charlotte had nodded approvingly. ‘I’m so glad you reached out to Hector.’
‘Me too,’ Jade had said.
Now, as the father-of-the-bride speech finally wrapped up, Jade glanced across at Hector, just as Sarah’s father raised a glass to toast, ‘Not just one but two beautiful brides, Sarah and Jade.’
Across the room, Hector gave Jade the tiniest of smiles and raised his glass to her.
Another shared memory which they’d be able to look back on for the rest of their lives.
Sarah had been right about that. Getting married was a huge milestone, and she’d been able to share it with two of her close relatives. And they’d always have it. No matter what else happened, they’d be able to chat about it in years to come. Today they were making a joint memory for the future.
Was she overthinking it? Jade came back to the present as she realised that Angus, the first of the best men, had started his speech.
Sarah had been right about him winging it. Either that or he had written a very short and succinct speech and had memorised it.
He touched briefly on a long-ago schooldays incident that had involved Callum rescuing him from some bullies by tripping one of them up as they ran past him.
He spoke about Callum’s love of cooking despite the fact he hadn’t followed his father into the cheffing trade full time, and the fact that he’d always been a lover, not a fighter.
Hadn’t he chosen to leave his homeland of bonny Scotland to stay with the love of his life?
Hamish’s speech was a bit longer. He talked about Callum with equal affection, saying that he’d always been the kind of pal you could totally rely on.
That he was a big lad in every sense of the word.
Big hearted and with the broadest of shoulders and that he would make a fine husband and would one day be a fine father, as he’d already been able to prove by helping to bring up Ben, notwithstanding that Ben actually had a father.
He’d shot Finn a slightly panic-stricken glance at this point and Sarah had caught Jade’s eye and mouthed the words, ‘Winging it. He’s only just remembered Finn is Ben’s dad and he’s sitting next to Callum. ’
Finn was smiling good-naturedly throughout. He was clearly not bothered by Hamish’s blunder.
And then finally it was Finn’s own father Ray McTaggart’s turn to deliver his best man’s speech. Ray, like his son, was a man of few words, and when he stood up, it was plain to everyone how nervous he was.
He held a piece of A5 paper in his hands and it trembled and fluttered so much that he was clearly having trouble seeing what it said. He adjusted his glasses, cleared his throat a couple of times and then shook his head.
‘I’ve got it all written down here,’ he announced, ‘but I can’t keep it still enough to read it. Never mind.’ He scrunched the piece of paper up and dropped it in a ball onto the tabletop. ‘I don’t need paper. I haven’t got that much to say.’
He cleared his throat again. ‘But I will say this. My lad, Finn, he’s the best. He’s always made me proud.
He always will. And he’ll do Jade proud too, because she’s the best. They’re a fantastic couple and I know they’ll have beautiful bairns.
If they… um… want them…’ His voice was wavering a bit.
The emotion in it and his love for his son shining bright so that it took him a moment to continue.
But he finally got the words out. ‘Here’s to a fantastic couple, Finn and Jade.
’ As he spoke, he banged the table in front of him with a fist and held up his glass. ‘To Finn and Jade.’
Jade glanced at Finn beside her. He had tears in his eyes. And she did too. She suspected half the room did. There had been so much love in Ray’s voice. And the round of applause that followed his toast told Jade that everyone had heard the authenticity in his short but emotional speech.
There was so much love in the room, Jade realised, partly because of the authenticity of all the speeches, but also because they’d all faced a common adversity today.
Losing Chocko had brought them together, and teaming up to find her and bring her back to the wedding had strengthened the bond between them all still further.
And seeing Ben and his dog reunited had been wonderful.
It was the modern equivalent of wartime camaraderie. When everyone is on the same side. There were no hidden agendas. No petty divisions.
It was at that very moment that Jade caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. Possibly because the two people concerned were the only ones in the room not looking the same way.
She narrowed her eyes to see them better and realised with a small shock that one of them was Mr B and he appeared to be having an altercation with one of the wedding guests. Their body language was hostile.
That was odd. She zoned in. The guest looked familiar. Oh my goodness, it was Declan. How peculiar.
Jade glanced at Finn and saw from his expression that he’d followed her gaze. He’d recognised his half-brother too, and now a slight frown crisscrossed his brow. He was obviously thinking the same as she was. The two men didn’t even know each other.
So what on earth could Mr B and Declan possibly be arguing about?