Page 9 of The Wrong Suitcase

I laugh at Claire as she pulls a funny face for the boys – a way of telling them Ian was right without yelling at them. She’s the best kind of grandmother; playful and kind.

‘I was just telling this lady here how much I like her dress, boys. Would you like to say hello?’

‘Hello,’ says the smaller one.

‘Hello,’ says the bigger one.

They both have Claire’s dark brown eyes, wide and curious, with heads of bright blonde, fine hair that’s been left to grow over their ears so they look like little rock stars. Whoever dressed them has great style, too.

‘I like your bow ties,’ I tell them. ‘Did you tie them yourselves?’

‘It came already tied,’ says the smaller one. ‘Look.’ Sure enough, a loop of elastic runs the circumference of his collar. He snaps it back into place, and his brother pushes him and then runs off, an invitation for a game of tag.

‘Evening, everyone,’ Anastasia announces as she approaches. Her arm is looped around Kat’s waist, and they’ve already been served a welcome drink. She gestures to the gathering crowd. ‘Isn’t this wonderful?’

‘I’ll say,’ agrees Ian, prompting a round of introductions, including the two boys who have already been corralled by Ian into standing still again, much against their will.

‘Look at all your blessings,’ comments Kat, once we’ve established who everyone is. ‘Kids, grandkids … It’s the dream, isn’t it?’

Ian and Claire look at each other fondly.

‘It is,’ says Ian, proudly.

‘This man has been a better father to my children than their biological father,’ declares Claire. ‘My three couldn’t have wished for a better role model in their lives.’

‘We want three, too,’ says Anastasia.

‘We’ve got two boys and a girl. All grown up now. Our eldest, Charlie – the boys’ dad – is married. Our youngest, Esme, just graduated from medical school. Our middle child is a doctor, too – a surgeon, and handsome – but he’s trouble. Some boys never grow out of their melancholy, do they? He always was so serious. Came out of the womb that way.’

‘Handsomeandtrouble?’ quips Anastasia. ‘Izzy’s favourite combination.’ I shoot her daggers.

‘She’s been winding me up all day about being here as a lonely singleton,’ I explain. ‘But I’m not lonely. I’m very happy.’

I am happy, aren’t I? It’s only the occasion making me a bit misty-eyed. If this was a christening or a bar mitzvah, I wouldn’t be so captivated by all these happy couples. I remind myself of the nights I spent lying next to Doug where I felt lonelier than I ever did on my own. The wrong company is a million times worse than no company at all.

‘I didn’t meet Claire until I was forty-three,’ Ian says. ‘And I’ll tell you now, she was worth the wait.’ Claire grins, happily able to accept the love in his compliment, and he issues her with a tender kiss.

‘Is your son single?’ Anastasia asks, and I can’t believe she’s not letting the topic drop. I don’t mind a gentle roasting, but she’s weirdly insistent on drawing attention to my being here alone.

Claire lowers her voice. ‘He wasn’t until about nine o’clock this morning,’ she says, and immediately I go from silently bitching about Anastasia to marvelling at her ability to get the gossip once again. We all visibly lean closer. ‘His wedding date stood him up at the airport. Can you imagine such a thing? It’s really knocked him for six.’ She tuts for emphasis.

‘I’ll bet,’ I say, my eyes wide. ‘I am so sorry to hear that. I know Anastasia is teasing me about being single, but she knows I can take it. Having to come to a wedding the day you get dumped? I’d already be drunk and propping up the bar.’

‘That’s a point,’ Claire says, frowning. ‘I still don’t see him. I wonder where he’s got to.’

‘He’s probably hoping to slip in at the back unnoticed,’ I say, trying to sound reassuring. ‘I’m sure he’ll be here.’

At that moment, the hostess for the evening clinks an empty glass and invites us to take a seat so that the ceremony can begin.

‘See you after.’ Claire winks at me, and I grin at her. I hope I can be like her as I get older and that I do get to chat with her later to learn her secrets. She seems so full of life, and so much fun.

‘What a gorgeous couple,’ Anastasia notes as we find somewhere to set down our flutes and move with the crowds to the next part of the grounds.

8

Birchy

I’m standing in front of the mirror in my room, assessing the damage. I’m commando under my shorts, my pasty legs are finished off with the trainers I travelled in, and even though Aran’s shirt has smartened me up by 110 per cent, I still look like I’m off for a night out at a beach bar in Magaluf rather than to the poshest wedding I’ve ever been to – and will probablyevergo to. I don’t even have a comb or gel for my hair and have to make do with smoothing it down with a damp hand over the sink. Mum is going to kill me, so it’s a good job I’m behind schedule. Best I can do is slip in to the ceremony right before Sarah does. That way I can deal with the ridiculeafterI’ve done my reading, at least, and I won’t have to explain myself to anyone until after the scary job of public speaking. I check I’ve got my glasses and my printed-out copy of what I’m about to say and then take one last look.

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