Page 75 of All You Need is Greece

‘Oh, Latin American dance is my absolute favourite. I’ll be up for a dance later, if you are,’ she tells a delighted-looking Michael. ‘I’ve been going to Zumba classes for ages.’

‘It would be my pleasure.’ Michael beams.

Yolanda is the first on the dance floor after the couple’s first dance and soon everyone else joins her. It’s a delight to watch Helena’s mother and grandmother going for it on the dance floor, dancing to some traditional Greek music, throwing their head back and laughing.

‘The red shoes have had two outings,’ Yolanda says to Tania when she finally takes a breath.

‘Make sure you look after them. Judith’s seventieth birthday is approaching,’ she tells Yolanda, who looks visibly delighted.

Just then, the music changes from Greek music to English. A jaunty Beatles number is recognised by almost everybody, and soon the small dance floor is filled, ties are loosened and everyone is having a whale of a time.

‘What have you done with the dogs?’ I ask Tania as we graze on some delicious food from the buffet table. The glorious cake at the centre is decorated beautifully, with pink and white icing, and adorned with delicate roses. Having sampled Tania’s cakes, I can imagine it tastes every bit as good as it looks.

‘They are in the stables,’ she tells me, as I take a bite of a slice ofspanakopitaI was told Yolanda had made. ‘They had a good run around the rear garden early this morning and are now happily devouring a huge lamb bone each, leftover from some of the lamb dishes I have cooked. Could you imagine them being let loose?’ She giggles.

‘I know. I bet there wouldn’t be much left of this buffet table,’ I say. ‘Especially with Smudge,’ we both say at exactly the same time, and we crease up with laughter.

Judith and Lars join us then, Judith still hardly able to believe how Lars danced.

‘I’m completely thrilled.’ She turns to Lars with a huge smile on her face. ‘I can’t believe you learned how to dance, just for me. You could have knocked me down with a feather. I’m looking forward to many more dances together now, I hope you realise that.’

‘I can hardly wait,’ Lars replies with a smile, kissing her on the cheek.

‘Your dancing was absolutely beautiful.’ I turn to them both and Lars thanks me, before Michael steals him away for a whisky.

‘I still can’t believe it. And I must go and thank Doll properly for teaching Lars to dance. I’m afraid I was a little suspicious of the amount of time they spent together,’ she confesses to me and Tania.

‘I can see how it might have looked,’ I admit. ‘But it’s obvious Lars only has eyes for you.’

I see Judith chatting to Doll, who smiles and nods her head. She approaches Michael and says something to him and his face visibly lights up, as they head off out of the marquee.

Around twenty minutes later, Judith takes centre stage and addresses the guests.

‘Some of you may know, others may not, but I would like to tell you that we are in the company of world-class dancing champions today,’ she says, and there is a an audible ‘ooh’ around the room.

‘In fact, I had no idea one of the dancers has been kindly training Lars to dance a waltz at our wedding,’ she continues. ‘It was the best wedding gift I could have received. And now, they have kindly agreed to dance for all of us,’ she tells the crowd, and they respond with a loud cheer.

A few bars of a tune can be heard, and Doll and Michael sashay onto the dance floor, in full dance outfits that they had clearly sloped off to change into.

They put on another dazzling dance display, and everyone is on their feet clapping, thrilled with the unexpected floor show. Hannah and Panos are standing side by side, as Hannah snaps away with her camera phone, something she has been doing throughout the day, I’ve noticed.

They go through several dance routines, and when the thrilling display comes to an end, they join us for a drink.

‘THAT was something else,’ says Liz. ‘And maybe I won’t dance with you after all. I would be a huge disappointment,’ she says to Michael.

‘Nonsense. Let me have a breather, and we will dance that Zumba,’ he offers.

‘Oh good,’ says Doll, flopping down onto a chair with a drink Tania has placed into her hands. ‘I don’t think I have another dance in me.’

‘Thank you so much, Doll. You have turned a simple wedding into a day to remember,’ says Judith.

‘You didn’t need us for that,’ she says kindly. ‘You are surrounded by those you love. You are lucky to have such wonderful people in your life.’

‘We are indeed, aren’t we?’ says Judith, glancing around, as Lars covers her hand with his.

THIRTY-SEVEN

As the day moves into early evening, a few of the volunteers, including myself, head across the road and give the dogs their second feed, and make sure everything is okay. When we head back, things have quietened down on the dance floor, and Tania requests Judith and Lars make their way to the buffet table to cut the cake.

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