Page 99 of Wedding Crasher

Jonny puffed out.

‘She’d have had this lot organised in five minutes flat.’ He glanced around the overloaded kitchen and started to line up glasses on a decorator’s table that he’d unearthed in Ivan’s shed.

‘I’ll tell you what else she’d have loved, as well.’ He swivelled around with one hand on his hip and a sparkle in his eye. ‘That little bitch over there, getting what was coming to her.’

He’d taken great delight in relaying to Emily earlier the gossip Gabe had confided in him, particularly the part about how he’d then seen Melanie leave the funeral parlour in floods of tears.

‘I wonder how Gabe’s going to cope without her now though,’ Emily said, then frowned as Marla came through the open back door, rubbing her hands together for warmth.

‘How who’s going to cope without who?’ Marla asked, unwinding her pale-blue merino scarf from around her neck and glancing from Jonny to Emily.

‘Gabe. He’s given Melanie the boot,’ Jonny replied, practically shimmying with excitement.

Marla’s hand stilled at her throat. ‘Really? Why?’

Jonny revelled in the opportunity to tell his story all over again, and spared no details when describing how shocked Gabe had been when he’d found out about the note from the fireworks.

‘And then she came out, sobbing! Practically on her knees,begginghim for her job back,’ he finished with a flourish. ‘Good riddance, I say.’

‘Well, I can’t say that I’ll miss her,’ Marla said, careful to keep her surprise from her voice. Gabe’s staffing issues were his own affair, but up until now he’d always seemed to be Melanie’s number one fan. It wasn’t that long since he’d given the girl flowers and taken her for a fancy dinner, for God’s sake. But then, she didn’t know why she was even remotely surprised. It was entirely consistent with Gabe’s behaviour to turn his affections on and off like a tap.

She glanced up at the kitchen clock.

‘Come on guys, we’d better get out front. People will start arriving soon.’

Jonny eyed Emily’s bump with a frown, as they filed through the vestry and out into the cool winter sunshine.

‘I wish you’d hurry up and have that bloody baby. I’m sick of lurking outside every time I want a fag.’

Emily smiled at him sweetly.

‘I’m sorry to inconvenience your legs, but my child says thank you.’

She laughed as he shot her a sarcastic look as he wandered off towards the old graves at the back of the chapel gardens. Laying a hand over her bump, she allowed herself a moment to offer up a silent thank you for the way that things had worked out between herself and Tom. Her respect for him as a man had increased ten-fold because of his refusal to allow her to shoulder all of the blame, and standing there on that cold, bright morning, she finally allowed herself to look towards their future with excitement, without the guilt that had accompanied her around like an unwanted shadow. They were to be a family at last.

On cue, Tom sauntered up the High Street in his dark suit and joined their little huddle. He slid an arm around Emily’s shoulders and dropped a kiss on her damp cheek, then lifted his head, surprised.

‘Dora wouldn’t want you to cry,’ he murmured, rubbing the top of her arm.

Emily shook her head. ‘Happy tears, not sad,’ she whispered, sliding her arm around his middle. ‘You’re the best man in the world, Tom.’

‘I know,’ he grinned. ‘Now behave yourself, sentimental old fool.’

He glanced across at Marla.

‘All set?’

‘I think so,’ Marla nodded as Jonny reappeared at her side. It struck her how sombre a tableau they made, a huddle of black against the stark white chapel.

They looked up in unison as Gabe appeared momentarily on the street outside the funeral parlour. He glanced their way with a tiny nod of acknowledgment, before disappearing again through the side gate.

‘Is it terribly bad form to find the undertaker sexy?’ Jonny murmured. ‘Sorry, Dora.’ He crossed himself as he cast his eyes to the skies in apology.

‘You won’t like him so much when he puts you out of a job next summer,’ Marla muttered with unnecessary acidity, mainly because very similar thoughts had invaded her own head at the sight of Gabe. It frustrated the hell out of her that the mad chemist in her gut refused to listen to the cool voice of reason in her head.

Today was going to be a long, long day.

By midday, the chapel was packed to the rafters with mourners. Marla hovered outside the door and sent a discreet nod towards Tom, who stood sentry in the funeral parlour doorway.

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