Page 121 of Electric Kiss

“What?” Freya repeated.

Freya’s mouth dropped open further, not understanding if this was a joke.. The younger ushers were about fourteen and still at school. The buggies didn’t need licences, but they were going to be driving her mother and her grandmother. Still, she would trust them, but they were fourteen and had been roped into being a part of her wedding.

“That’s epic. How did you convince them?” Freya asked.

“They volunteered. I think it has more to do with they’re allowed to drive the buggies at last but they’ve turned into great young lads after their run in with Luke. Watching Erica give birth in a storm to beat all storms aged them too,” Heidi said laughing. “Oh how I wish I was there to see their faces.”

“I wish I could remember, so busy not trying to kill something with all the pain of giving birth with no pain killers,” Erica grumbled.

“I bet they look great all dressed up,” Freya mused.

“They do. Now let’s get you out of the cloak and to the church on the back of a buggy,” Erica said.

“Where’s Stan?” Freya asked.

“Um,” Erica replied dipping her chin into her neck and then looked at Daisy.

“Something about something or other. I’m sure it’s fine,” Daisy said, waving her hand in the air like it was an everyday occurrence.

Stan’s behaviour was commonplace, but Freya found herself facing Erica, the one responsible for handling all obstacles. Archer, Jason and Nate were supposed to be at the church with Luke.

“Then why is Jason marching across the lawn in his tux and a chef’s hat?” Freya asked quietly as she tracked his movements. His long strides ate up the distance. Jason approached the buffet table. Looked left and right down the long table and then lifted the white cloth in front of him. He swiped off his hat and tossed it under the table, then dropped the cloth and draped it back into place.

Freya looked at Daisy and then Erica who showed exaggerated calm expressions.

“Practical joke?” Daisy offered, sounding anything but confident.

Freya looked back out the into the garden to catch Jason do an over arm throw like he was in a javelin competition and tossed something shiny so far and so high it landed in the trees that separated Edward Hall boundary and Turner Hall boundary. Her first thought was that she hoped Cynthia wasn’t walking the grounds.

“I think he just threw a spanner into the trees,” Freya absentmindedly said as she kept her eyes fixed on his back.

“No, no, all spanners come my way,” Erica assured her, trying to bustle her away from the window. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Freya knew the spanners went to whoever was in charge of that area at Edward Hall. If Jason was wearing his chef’s hat, it had to be related to food.

“Come on, honey. Everything is as it should be, let’s go,” Erica said.

Freya tore herself away from the window, thinking she had put too much pressure on everyone to make her wish list come true. She chewed on her lip, gnawing away at her flawlessly applied lip gloss, slowing her pace, letting go of Erica’s hand.

“Am I a Bridezilla?” Freya asked.

Heidi, Erica and Daisy stopped and turned her way. They all smiled softly and tilted their heads in unison, but it was Yanny who spoke.

“Fuck no. Boy could I tell you diva stories of demands and hissy fits. I have dozens,” he said waving his hand as he came forward. He hooked his arm through hers and urged her forward. “Then when I’m done with Erica’s theatrics we can move on to other Hollywood starlets.

Freya burst out laughing, Erica rolled her eyes, Heidi barked out a laugh and Daisy gasped.

“Were you a diva?” Daisy asked.

“Completely high maintenance. I was awful. I don’t know why Yanny put up with me. You should have seen my meltdown when my husband’s bit on the side appeared in the bathrooms showing me her very pregnant belly ten minutes before I collected my Academy Award. It included a private jet and ripping a million dollar dress. Honestly, I’m ashamed to say it out loud.”

“You wore a dress worth a million dollars?” Freya hissed.

“Yeah, she was gorgeous,” Yanny said, keeping Freya walking and talking. “It was irreparable when I got to it. Shame, would be worth more as an Oscar winning dress. Never mind. That’s all in the past and Erica isn’t high maintenance at all these days. Must be Copper Island air soothing her soul.”

“This place is like another world,” Daisy said. “I’ve travelled the world and there is something about this island, the waters surrounding it and the fresh air that does something for the soul.”

“Hear hear,” Heidi said.

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