Page 119 of Broken Beyond Repair
Mrs Clarkson’s fingers hit the keys and Wagner’s bridal chorus rang out through Highwood House.
As she and her mum walked away, she could hear Alex behind them, telling his mum how proud he was of her. Sydney fought back tears; she couldn’t cry before they’d even started.
She was greeted by smiles as she and her mum ambled down the aisle. As they reached the two registrars in front of the Victorian fireplace, a quick check over her shoulder confirmed Beatrice was right behind her. The beaming faces of those dearest to her gave her every confidence that she had their support.
A flutter of excitement fizzed in Sydney’s abdomen as the time to exchange vows arrived. She met Beatrice’s glistening, impassioned eyes with equal tenderness as her fiancée placed a gold band onto her finger and her bewitching mouth opened to speak. They had agreed to write their own vows, and although she was desperate to hear what she had to say, she was equally desperate to get to the part when she could kiss those ravishing lips.
“Sydney, the moment I met you and you bought me a black coffee because they didn’t have cream, Ithoughtyou could be extraordinary. When I thought you’d skipped out on me one evening, only to find you close by the next morning… Iknewyou were extraordinary. Sometimes it’s the simplest, smallest gestures in life that have the biggest impact, and every day you continue to surprise me with another way in which I can love you.
“I’ve been through a lot in my short years.” Beatrice squinted at their guests as they sniggered, then smiled with them. Returning her focus to Sydney, she continued. “Some good, some bad, and yet I wouldn’t change a moment of it as it led me to this moment, standing here with you as we take the first step on what I hope will be a very long and happy journey together.”
Sydney took a deep breath and wiped a tear that threatened to fall down her cheek any moment. It was her turn.
“Beatrice, I knew you were going to be trouble before I even met you. The first time we spoke was when you phoned me in the middle of the night whilstclearlyhaving a full grasp of time zones. Even after we met, you would text me tasks in the early hours of the morning and then call me to make sure I received them if I didn’t acknowledge you —because I was asleep. And that time when you threw a tantrum at spending one evening without me…” Sydney winked, “let’s not even go there.”
Beatrice pursed her lips and pulled them to one side as she narrowed her eyes.
“I, too, wouldn’t change a second of it, because I passed all these tests and challenges, and ultimately, I won the biggest prize. You. And every infuriating moment with you just made me love you more.”
Sydney’s breath caught in her chest as the softest whisper of ‘very good’ escaped Beatrice’s lips. Paired with the smouldering look in her eye, her intent wasn’t to congratulate her on her words but to tease her. Beatrice knew by now what those words did to her, and she used them at all sorts of inopportune moments to make Sydney weak at the knees, challenging her not to react when react was all she could do.
After the ceremony, Alison was first to approach them in the entrance hall. The three women took a glass of champagne from a waiter and chinked glasses.
“Another secret. Really?”
“Ali… I,” Beatrice said, flustered.
“I’m pulling your leg, Bea.” Alison chuckled at her discomfort. “You have Sydney now; I see that, and I couldn’t be happier for you. Just don’t forget me. I’m always at the end of the phone.”
“I know. We speak every day.”
“You know that’s not what I mean.”
Beatrice nodded and stepped forward to hug her.
“Okay, well, I’m going to leave you two to finish this… whatever it is, and check on my friends,” Sydney said, placing a kiss on her wife’s cheek to find Alex snapping a photograph on his phone.
Rosie was already fidgeting on the spot as Sydney approached her.
“How did she propose then?” Rosie asked as she pulled back from a congratulatory hug. “Did she get down on one knee? She wouldn’t have managed that this time last year.”
Sydney laughed at the thought of Beatrice being stuck on one knee in a pink cast, cursing as she tried to get up.
“No… we were in bed actually.”
“Oh.” Rosie covered a grin with her hand.
“I think it kind of slipped out accidentally, when we were erm… she, erm…” Sydney felt her cheeks blush. They really should have created a cover story; people were bound to ask how it happened and expect some tale of romance. “I held her to it.”
Rosie’s eyes creased as she sniggered behind her hand. “To think you never even wanted to come here and now it’s your forever home. Well done, Gertie.”
“I sometimes think she was keeping her shit together all those years until we got to your wedding.”
“Me too,” Rosie agreed before taking a swig of champagne.
James approached with his arms wide open.
“James, don’t cry,” Sydney said, squeezing him. “We don’t have enough tissues in the house.”
