Page 50 of A Wedding at The Cornish Garden Café
Long after summer’s warmth faded and fate had decided whether Edith would be able to cope with the truth of what he had done.
36
EDITH
Edith felt like a fairy godmother as she watched Finn walk along the aisle with Rosie holding one arm and Reggie holding the other. The three of them looked stunning in their smart clothes and with their beaming smiles.
Titus was waiting for Finn at the arch, and he was crying freely now, barely trying to wipe away his tears in case he missed a second of his love walking towards him. Edith avoided looking to Titus’ side, where she knew Wyatt was standing — handsome and proud in the afternoon light.
When Finn and the twins reached the arch, he hugged them and then Rosie and Reggie went to sit with their mum.
Finn took Titus’ hands in his and the harpist concluded the song. All was still and calm, as a spell of enchantment seemed to fall over the gathering.
No one moved, and no one spoke as the celebrant, Alex Penhaligon, smiled at them all. A soft sea breeze lifted the edge of their linen waistcoat. Their soft brown hair was tied back witha strip of linen the same colour as their suit and their eyes were as warm as the summer sun.
‘Thank you for coming,’ they said, their voice warm and steady, ‘to join us on this wonderful occasion. Today, Titus and Finn will declare their enduring love and exchange rings to symbolise their lasting promise to be there for each other through thick and thin.’
Humour and tenderness permeated Titus and Finn’s vows, leaving no one unmoved at the ceremony. Titus said that he wasn’t just marrying Finn but also Thora, Rosie, and Reggie, then Big Barry gave a bark, so Titus had to concede that he was also marrying the chihuahua too. That made everyone laugh and carried them through the rest of the ceremony with an enduring atmosphere of joy. Rings were exchanged, despite a temporary charade from Wyatt where he pretended to have forgotten them and then the harpist played again.
After the grooms had shared their first married kiss, the celebrant congratulated them. They posed for photographs and then the guests headed down to the café while the grooms had more photos taken alone together and with their family.
Across the gardens, people were wiping their eyes, smiling at one another, holding hands and hugging, all bound together by love and sunlight.
Finally, the ceremony was done. Edith heaved a sigh of relief. She still needed to ensure that the rest of the day went well, but the most important part was done. For months she’d carried the weight of other people’s happiness on her shoulders, and now that it had gone so well, she felt that she could finally exhale.
She watched as Finn and Titus went down to their guests and took a moment to take a mental snapshot of the scene. White rose petals lay on the ground, the ribbons on the archway fluttered in the breeze, and bees and butterflies landed on flowers oblivious to the day’s events.
Tiredness washed over her, so she went to the bench and sat down, meaning to take five minutes before checking on the food. She wasn’t worried because it was in Pearl and Ellie’s capable hands, but even so, she liked to be at hand in case of any problems. The trauma of seeing a matron of honour bite into her meal at one of the early weddings she’d planned, only to find that it contained gluten had never left her. Therefore, she always checked and double-checked for allergies, ensuring the food accommodated them properly.
She settled onto the bench, covered her mouth as a yawn emerged, and removed a shoe to rub at her toes. They weren’t even that high, but her toes were throbbing.
‘Thirsty?’ The deep voice reverberated through her chest, and she tensed.
She turned to find Wyatt standing there with two glasses of Pimm’s.
‘I thought you might be thirsty. I know you’ve been extremely busy.’ He held out a glass, and she accepted it, the surface cold beneath her palm and wet with condensation.
‘Thank you. I am, actually. I was just taking five before checking on the food.’
‘And so you should,’ Wyatt said, nodding. ‘It’s been a busy and emotional time. Mind if I…’ He gestured at the bench, and she shrugged.
‘Be my guest.’
‘Ouch!’ He placed his free hand over his heart. ‘So formal.’
‘Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just… don’t you have best man duties to attend to?’
‘They’re having more photos done and drinking champagne, so I have time before I make my speech,’ he said.
‘Well thanks for thinking of me and bringing me a drink.’ She sipped the Pimm’s, and the fruity taste made her mouth water. She took another sip, grateful for the refreshment.
‘Well done, Edith. You did a fantastic job.’
‘Thanks. But also, thanks for your help. I thought I was in trouble after the venue flooded.’
‘I did nothing.’
‘I don’t call this nothing,’ she said. ‘And I’m very grateful. It was a wonderful idea to hold the wedding here.’
