Page 54 of A Secret Cornish Wish
‘I don’t understand?’
‘The group that was performing with her was made up of a few older boys in the year above us. They were a sort of rock band – they played electric guitars and had a drummer. I thought they were pretty cool at the time. Christ, what were they called now . . . oh, I can’t remember. But that’s the reason I was dashing off so fast after we got our prizes.’
Oh, no . . .
‘Is that the reason you ditched me that night?’ Rob asks when I don’t immediately respond. ‘Because you thought I was lusting after another girl?’
‘No . . . yes . . . I mean. It’s just Mandy said . . . ’
‘Mandy? Mandy said what? Are you telling me that we broke up because of something one of your friends said to you?’
I shake my head. ‘No. Well, yes. Oh, I don’t know, it was a long time ago – a lot has happened since.’
‘The way I feel about you hasn’t.’ Rob moves closer to me again. ‘It wasn’t until I saw you again yesterday that I remembered just how strongly I felt back then. Yes, we might only have been fifteen, and, yes, we weren’t exactly a couple very long, but I really liked you when we were at school, and I really like you now. The question is, Frankie, how do you really feel about me?’
Fourteen
Claire and Jonathan’s evening reception is amazing.
Not because of the disco – although the DJ does play some great tunes that we all dance to, including some from the eighties that really take me and the other mermaids back to our school days. Not because of the delicious buffet, either – that appears halfway through the night and we all hungrily help ourselves. And not even because of the bar – that is free for the first part of the evening, allowing us to get even more tipsy than we were after the champagne and wine from earlier in the day.
All of the above only adds to my enjoyment of Claire’s wedding day. But the main reason the evening is so amazing is because I get to spend so much of it in the arms of Rob.
After our tête-à-tête outside in the hotel gardens, I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and, after another rather enjoyable interlude of our lips pressed together, we walked hand in hand back into the hotel, much to the amusement and delight of the other mermaids. We then spent the next few hours, with more drinking, more kissing and a new addition to the proceedings – bopping away with the others on the dance floor until late into the night.
At approximately 11 p.m., I’m in a hazy state of happiness and euphoria brought on by the events of the evening, the mostly free alcohol, and the joy of spending time with my old friends once more.
‘Quick, you two – Claire is going to leave soon!’ Eddie calls and I feel a tap on my shoulder. ‘Put him down for a minute, Frankie!’ Eddie says firmly, attempting to prise Rob and me apart. ‘Your friend is leaving for her honeymoon!’
Eddie, Rob and I hurry to join the others already gathered to see the happy couple off outside the front of the hotel. The guests have all formed a makeshift walkway for Claire and Jonathan to leave through, and we join it towards the end of the line near their car – with the traditional tin cans attached to the bumper and aJUST MARRIEDsign in the back window.
Claire and Jonathan, now changed into their going-away outfits, make their way happily through the middle of all their guests, stopping to hug the occasional person and to receive everyone’s good wishes.
When they reach us, Jonathan goes over to his own friends, some of whom are standing opposite us, while Claire comes over to see us.
‘Have you had the best day?’ I ask her happily as she hugs each one of us in turn and comes to me last.
‘I have, Frankie – it’s been amazing. The happiest day of my life! I know it’s a cliché, but it really has been.’
‘I’m so pleased for you, Claire. You look radiant and so happy.’
Claire glances at Rob. ‘And I see we’re not the only couple for whom love is in the air . . . I’m so pleased the two of you have got it together at last, and at my wedding too – it’s just the best end to my day!’
Jonathan comes over and takes his bride’s arm. ‘Time to go, Claire,’ he says gently.
‘Wait, I haven’t thrown my bouquet yet!’ she says, winking at me.
‘All the single girls come forward!’ she calls. ‘And we’ll see who’s going to be next . . . ’
More desperate women than I think I’ve ever seen suddenly surge forward, pushing me and the other mermaids back a little.
I don’t mind. The last thing I want to happen to me right now is getting married.
‘Ready?’ Claire turns her back on the group. ‘One, two, three!’
Claire’s bouquet flies through the air across the heads of all the women, some of whom jump in the air trying to intercept it as it passes them. It comes far too close to me for my liking, but has just enough oomph to pass me and land in the hands of the person standing next to me – who just happens to be Eddie.
Eddie glances with shock and a tinge of sadness at the flowers in his hands, and then quickly shoves them at me. ‘I don’t think I’ve much chance of getting married!’ he says bravely, winking at me. ‘You have them!’
