Page 60 of How Much Wine Will Fix My Broken Heart?
‘We’re getting married tomorrow. It won’t be a huge thing, just someone with a big book, we’ll say some words and then we’ve got a three-course meal.’
‘Ems, I literally have a suitcase packed with maternity leggings. Joe has jeans and hoodies,’ Beth says in horror.
‘Same. Unless you want me there in a bikini?’ Lucy says.
‘How long have you known me?’ Emma sighs. ‘I got you all dresses, and outfits for the little people.’
We all pull faces. She had us in lavender for her original wedding.
‘Jag chose them all, they’re very “trendy”… don’t worry,’ she says, sensing our discomfort. ‘I mean, I need bridesmaids.’
Reticence turns to smiles.
‘You literally just have to show up. We sorted everything from London.’ Emma turns to me. ‘The only thing I was worried about was whether I was hijacking Tom’s memorial. I just thought… or maybe I didn’t. I didn’t want to take attention away from that or for this to be seen as insensitive. We just thought, as everyone was here…’
All the sisters turn to me. At the heart of it, this is Emma’s organisation skills coming into play. This is economically a good way to ensure we can get our money’s worth out of the travel. Oh, Emma. A wedding? I can’t feel anything but love here.
‘Ems, it means this whole week is also about something good. And Tom would have really liked that. He wouldn’t have wanted this week to be a sad one.’
Emma sighs with relief.
‘We’ve factored in Linh too so please bring her along.’
I nod happily. Lucy kicks her legs in the pool like a child and raises her glass.
‘Oh man, someone’s getting married in the morning,’ she chirps. ‘So basically, this is like a hen do. We need this to kick off.’
‘No, we don’t. We can go back to the house and do face masks,’ Emma commands.
‘I have a friend… we can get a stripper. It’s a good company, they can guarantee eight inches and more.’
‘LUCY!’ Emma shouts.
The sound of all their giggles and banter is like music to me. There will be a wedding tomorrow. This is a huge surprise but also such a joy. It shifts the focus, the hectic nature of the week, into something else, and I am suddenly grateful for it. Emma found her happiness again. This is everything.
‘Excuse me, ladies. Unfortunately, we’ve had a complaint from the group over there that your party is making a lot of noise and disrupting the serene vibe we hope to create at Nirvana spa.’
The voice comes from behind me and I slink my shoulders into the bubbly water to escape. We’re that rowdy lot at the back of the classroom. This may be the same man who told Lucy off for running poolside. I daren’t turn around.
‘I’m sorry. I just shared some good news and we all got a little overexcited,’ Emma says.
‘This is a hen do. She’s getting married tomorrow,’ Lucy explains.
‘Yes, but that is also a hen-do group and they’re behaving in accordance with the general feeling of the spa.’
Meg looks over at the behaving group all lying separately on their sunloungers. They have dip with raw broccoli florets and are reading sensible self-help books.
‘Looks a riot. We will try and be moreNirvana, apologies. Namaste.’
That sarcasm is met with silence. I try and hide my face with my hands. Don’t start something. I don’t think you know what you’re taking on, young man.
‘Did one of you urinate in the hot tub?’ he asks.
‘Excuse me?’ asks Meg, her face not entirely impressed.
‘The shade of the water has changed.’
‘I spilt some champagne by accident,’ Lucy adds.
