Chapter 39
ED
Now
‘Looking sharp.’ I say, admiring his new threads.
‘Cheers. Likewise. Are you sure we don’t look like a couple of bouncers?’ He says, laughing as he looks at our suited and booted reflections in the hallway mirror.
‘Well, it’s a special occasion, isn’t it?
The cab is on its way so we’ll be early, but I think Mark will be grateful for the company.
He’s feeling a bit outnumbered by Rosita’s family.
I popped by to drop off my present yesterday and to see if Mark needed any help, and they insisted I stayed for dinner. ’
We leave the flat and pick up our cab from outside.
The resident paps are there and snap away at us both as we get in our cab.
We’re at the church in plenty of time and some of the guests accumulate at the entrance to the church for a bit of a smoke but being reformed smokers Jez and I decide to just mingle as I introduce Jez to both the cousins and Rosita’s friends with Isabella taking quite a shine to Jez.
He’s as polite as ever and chats quite happily with them all.
Just before midday Mark, Rosita and Luna arrive at the church in Mark’s huge station wagon, driven by Enrique.
Rosita gets out of the car, as Mark passes Luna to her.
Luna is dressed in a white silk christening gown, her dark hair, accentuated with a tiny rose attached to a matching headband.
Mark is dressed in a dark, tailored suit and Rosita wears a beautiful red floor length silk gown.
They greet all their guests including Mark’s other daughters and we are quickly ushered into the church.
The service goes smoothly, and Luna sleeps all the way through the ceremony until the priest anoints her with the holy water when she lets out a loud, lusty cry which breaks the tension of the seriousness of the service conducted by the somewhat stern priest, who has the worst halitosis I have ever had the misfortune to be up close and personal to.
Manuela and I take our godparental duties very seriously and everyone claps now that Luna is a fully-fledged member of the Catholic church.
It’s a relief once Manuela and I are allowed to step away from the priest and his rancid breath.
Our shared experience breaks the ice between us, as we chat quite amicably.
We move outside and have some official photos taken and then we travel back in a series of cabs and cars to Mark and Rosita’s house to start the real celebrations.
The paps have quite a field day, capturing the assorted christening guests as we leave the church.
As soon as I’m outside, the shades are on, as I try to ignore the photographers and concentrate on being present and in the moment for my goddaughter’s christening.
Back home, Rosita immediately takes charge of Luna and rocks her to sleep while the rest of us accept canapés and champagne from the wait staff who have been employed to make sure we have everything that we need.
I hang with Jez, Manuela and Isabella for most of the time until Isabella steals Jez away for a dance.
She’s got the wrong guy there as Jez has never been much of a dancer but three songs in, Jez is still stepping the light fantastic on the temporary dance floor in their conservatory. Manuela and I continue the small talk.
‘You boys in the band have all known each other for years, haven’t you? You met at school, didn’t you?’ she asks, fiddling with the stem of her champagne glass with her blood red painted nails, obviously having done her homework on us all.
‘Yeah. That’s right. You and Isabella met Rosita at school as well, didn’t you?’ I reply, trying to remember my manners. As gorgeous as she is, I can’t be bothered with finding all about yet another woman.
‘Yes. In fact, we first met at kindergarten.’ Manuela says her chocolate brown eyes burning straight into mine.
Mark ditches the champagne and gets stuck into some beers, joined by Rosita who sips a much-needed glass of champagne, as she’s finally managed to put Luna down for a sleep. Carmen oversees the wait staff, and Enrique holds court with the cousins and other assorted family members.
‘Shame your dad couldn’t make it.’ I say to Mark.
‘He’s too poorly to travel from Spain since his last bout of chemo.’ Mark replies, sadly.
‘How’s he doing?’ I ask with concern. Mark only lost his mum last year.
A sudden heart attack at their Spanish villa, which they’d moved to just the year before, having sold up their family home in Barnes, wanting to, ironically, have a better quality of life.
Her death was totally unexpected as it had been Mark’s dad who had been diagnosed with cancer and had just started his chemo.
His health has deteriorated since then, but he has struck up a friendship with a widowed neighbour, Helga, who basically moved in with Mark’s dad, just six months after his mum died.
Mark is grateful that his dad has someone to care for him in his latter years, but it still felt like a betrayal to his mum.
Carmen and Enrique live about a half an hour drive from Mark’s dad’s house, and they often pop in to check up on him, but Helga is somewhat possessive and keeps their visits to no more than half an hour.
‘He’s weak to be honest. Helga sends me updates, but I feel that she’s the one that prevented him coming over.
I said that I would pay for a nurse to travel with him, but she put the kibosh on that, I’m afraid.
We FaceTimed him last night with Luna in her christening dress and he was quite overcome, bless him.
I’m not sure how long he’s got, to be honest.’ Mark replied, helping himself to another beer from a nearby server.
‘I’m sorry mate. I shouldn’t have asked. Didn’t want to upset you, today of all days.’ I apologise, pulling him in for a blokey hug.
‘Don’t be. I’m grateful you asked. Rosita tries to encourage me to talk more about what’s happening with my dad, but you know how us blokes try to decompartmentalize things.’ Mark answers. I nod in agreement knowing how closed we can all be with our feelings.
‘Jez and Isabella seem to be getting on well. She hasn’t let him leave the dance floor!’ I say, trying to lighten the mood.
‘I noticed. Rosita will be delighted that some of her matchmaking has worked.’ Mark says with a twinkle in his eye. ‘I’d better go and check on Marnie and the twins. I promised Marsha and Frida that I would make sure they all eat properly and get to bed at a reasonable time!’
‘Good luck with that.’ I say, marvelling at Mark’s blended family set up.
With Mark gone, I find myself alone, so I help myself to yet another beer before I’m joined by a slightly breathless Jez.
‘That Isabella wouldn’t let me escape! I told her I’m not much of a dancer, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. I’m so hungry.’ Jez says as he helps himself to a canapé from a passing server.
‘I didn’t know you could dance like that?’ I say, grinning from ear to ear. ‘We might have to incorporate some of those moves into our Reunion Tour!’
‘Give it up. You know dancing isn’t within my skill set. I’ll stick with playing the bass thank you!’ Jez replies, as he demolishes the canapé.
The party is a joyous occasion; there’s a DJ playing a selection of music (tonight is a Mountaineers free zone!) and people dance, drink and eat from a delicious buffet with both English and Spanish food including another of Carmen’s paellas which I notice that Mark gives a miss and to top it all little Luna makes a sleepy appearance for the cutting of the christening cake, before Carmen takes hold of her again and whisks her away, leaving Rosita and Mark to have some time to party.
It's good to see both Mark and Rosita enjoying themselves so much after the last difficult few months of having a newborn. I notice Isabella tapping her phone number into Jez’s phone before persuading him to take to the dancefloor once again.
He’s a willing dance partner, despite his earlier declarations.
Manuela tries her best to encourage me to dance and I feel obliged to keep her happy after all the effort she’s made.
The music is uplifting or maybe it’s the many beers that I’ve consumed but I really enjoy the feel of Manuela’s toned body next to mine, as the tempo of the music slows down and I hold her close, so it’s no surprise that we spend the rest of the evening together.
The party comes to a natural end as daytime drinking catches up with most people and Jez and I effusively thank Mark and Rosita and the immediate family for a wonderful day.
Somehow, I find myself suggesting that Jez and I continue the night together with Isabella and Manuela at a discreet members’ club in Soho.
This wasn’t really the plan I had, but I’m feeling relaxed for the first time in ages and I’m having fun.
All things #thegirlinthesong seem a million miles away as I enjoy the feel of Manuela’s leg pressed up against mine as we laugh and flirt in the back of a black cab, while Jez and Isabella are lost in conversation.
As we reach the club, I realise that I don’t have my member’s card with me but the bouncers on the door know my face and welcome us all inside.
We are ushered to and are seated in the VIP section, so I order a couple of bottles of champagne, not caring about the cost, just feeling the need to impress.
Isabella takes Jez’s arm, and they check out the dance floor, leaving Manuela and I alone.
The waitress brings us our champagne and pours out two glasses and I remember us clinking our glasses and then later ordering another bottle.
We seem to have lost sight of Jez and Isabella and somehow Manuela and I are in yet another taxi leaving the club, and then there is nothing…