Page 102 of Mad About You

Marianne flipped her phone over, face up, and checked the time.

‘Shit I’ve got to go, sorry. The only person I’d worry about upsetting on the day is my mum, but she’ll be over the moon. She’s begged me not to marry him. Only I’m not going to warn her in case she gives us away without meaning to! She can’t keep a secret, haha.’

This was where Marianne got her steel backbone from, Harriet guessed. With her mum in her corner, she could do this.

‘If you’re both around this Saturday?’ Marianne said, and Nina nodded.

‘Funnily enough, I’m free because a wedding couple cancelled on me, due to Scott’s post,’ Harriet said.

‘If that’s not a message from God, I don’t know what is,’ Nina said.

‘Let’s do this then, ladies,’ Marianne said. ‘How do we stay in touch? I can’t get WhatsApps in case Scott sees.’

She glanced at her handset in embarrassment.

‘Are you on Facebook? The Messenger thing?’ Nina said.

‘Yeah.’

‘I’ll set up a group chat, look out for the request in the Other Messages folder. Change your password and delete the messages whenever you’ve read something. Then, if he’s nosing around, there won’t be any notifications or way of him getting in to check it.’

‘Cool! Thanks.’

In another waft of perfume, Marianne was gone.

‘She’s got the looks of Tinkerbell and the nerves of a cold assassin,’ Nina said, approvingly. ‘If Scott’s not going to marry her, then I will.’

Harriet considered that right enough: Scott’s kink was a sweet face, and a salty attitude. He had chosen the members of the resistance well.

47

Nina Jackson started a new group chat

Nina Jackson named it

Bride’s Side

Nina

Hahahaha! Proud of that name, I can’t deny.I’ve thought of a small glitch. Scott’s going to recognise me, and Harriet. What if he chucks us out? I’ve looked up the ballroom online and it’s large, but still going to be hard to hide

Harriet

Oh God, and isn’t Danny his best man? Danny and Fergus know me after I photographed their wedding. Ditto some of Scott’s friends. Thoughts?!

Marianne

You could turn up minutes before I do? I’ll make sure I’m right on time (4pm)

Harriet

Only thing is – with my extensive knowledge of wedding-going – right before you’re due to arrive is when everyone starts concentrating on the grand entrance. We could be picking the exact moment Scott’s going to be watching the door like a hawk

Nina

You know where this is headed, don’t you? DISGUISES. I LOVE IT. Mrs Doubtfire prosthetics ftw

Harriet

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