Page 85 of Teacakes & Tangos
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The party was in full swing when we arrived.
It was a Saturday night and Magic of Dance had closed an hour earlier than usual for the special celebration, and when we walked in, Frank Sinatra was crooning his gorgeously smooth version of ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’. It was one of Dad’s favourite songs.
Mood lighting had made the large, open-plan reception area look so inviting, and someone – Clara, probably – had been busy arranging strings of fairy lights all around, some adorning the stunning central chandelier. The big reception desk had been turned into a temporary bar and guests were standing in little groups with their drinks, chatting and laughing and mingling.
Clara came over to greet us and point us in the direction of the free bar.
‘Rory insisted we get the caterers in and I’m so glad I agreed,’ she told us breathlessly. ‘They’ve laid out a gorgeous buffet through in the café area if you want to help yourselves, okay? And there’s even someone serving the drinks.’
She was all rosy-cheeked and smiling, in a figure-hugging midnight blue dress. The bodice was encrusted with little gems that sparkled like her eyes, and her long, dark hair was already falling out of the knot she’d forced it into on top of her head but I doubted she’d even noticed.
She looked so happy – and when Rory came over to join us, he slipped his arm around her and she snuggled in and gazed up at him adoringly, looking the picture of relaxed contentment.
I wandered over to the bar area with Xander, loving the feel of his arm around me. And I thought how lovely it was that after our confessional chat in the café that time, both Clara and I had managed to face our challenges and make it through to the other side with smiles on our faces.
Xander ordered us glasses of wine. Then he turned and took me in his arms and kissed me deeply, and I felt myself float away on a cloud of bliss. These days, I was the happiest I’d been in a very long time.
We chatted for a while to Maddy and her lovely husband, Jack, and then she waved more people over and introduced us to some of her colleagues at the Little Duck Pond Café.
Xander was being so charming and funny, chatting to everyone, and I felt proud to be there with him.
So much had happened. With Dad. And with me.
I smiled to myself, watching Xander chat to Jack about football. Life certainly had a way of keeping you on your toes.
I took a sip of my wine and looked around at the happy crowd, all here for Clara and Rory, wanting to share in their happiness and wish them well for the future.
The atmosphere was wonderful. It was just a shame Dad couldn’t be here...
My eye lighted on the far wall. People were milling around there looking at some kind of wall art – and it suddenly clicked. It must be Clara’s photographic project. I’d given her my three favourite photos of Mum and Dad and I was keen to see if she’d used any of them.
I murmured to Rory that I’d be back in a minute and I wandered over to see for myself.
The display covered an entire wall... colourful photos of dancers in full flight on a ballroom floor or smiling at the camera and holding up their trophies. It was simply a magical celebration of dance.
My heart lurched in my chest as I spotted my favourite of all the photos of Mum and Dad – right there in the very centre of the display. I moved closer, tears misting my eyes. But they were happy tears. I was so, so proud of them. I’d been so very lucky to have such great parents. Such a wonderful mum...
‘Anika?’
I spun round at the familiar voice.‘Dad?’
‘I can’t believe I’m here,’ he confessed. ‘But a certain someone can be quite persuasive.’ He looked round for Janet. She was standing half a step behind him, looking quite emotional, and I smiled at her as Dad put his arm around her, drawing her forward.
‘What do you think?’ I whispered, my heart in my mouth as Dad looked at the photo I was pointing at – the one of him and Mum, eyes shining as they embraced each other after their win. The caption read:Frankie and Trevor Martin, Brighton, 1991.
He looked at it for a long moment and I found I was holding my breath.
‘Happy days,’ he murmured at last. ‘Your mum was so beautiful, wasn’t she?’
‘You made a gorgeous couple,’ agreed Janet.
He smiled at her. ‘So did you and Ronnie.’
‘We had some good times, the four of us,’ Janet murmured.
‘We did.’ Blinking fast, Dad gave me a smile that was full of love. My heart full, I moved towards him and he pulled me into a hug.
