Page 65 of The Wedding Cake Wish
Fen
CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE
It’s the day after Rory gate-crashed Mum’s charitydinner to devastating effect, and I’m sitting in Ruby’s kitchen at her littlebistro table, still feeling stunned by the events of the night before.
‘It was like I was seeing it all in slow motion,’ says Rubywith a shiver, reliving the horror of it. ‘Everyone was so stunned and confusedwhen Rory barged into the dinner party, no one even moved to stop him,including us.’
I shrug. ‘What could we do, Ruby? Let’s face it, Rory was ona mission to discredit Mum. He was going to let nothing and nobody prevent himsaying what he needed to.’
‘He certainly got his pound of flesh.’ Ruby flashes me alook of sympathy. ‘And your mum’s refusing to talk about it?’
I swallow hard. ‘She won’t even come out of her room, noteven for Dad. It’s awful. Richard came over first thing this morning to try andcoax her out, but she just kept shouting, ‘Leave me alone. I’m guilty. That’sall you need to know.’
‘And...do you really think she is?’ asksRuby hesitantly. ‘Guilty of setting fire to that cottage and leaving her bestfriend, Rachel, to take the blame?’
I stare at her wide-eyed. ‘I honestly don’t know, Ruby. Idon’t want to believe it and every instinct in me is denying it and telling methat my mum’s an upstanding member of the community and she’d never do anythinglike that. But if she’s saying she’s guilty, then maybe she is.’ I shake myhead. ‘I can’t fathom it, Ruby...I can’t believe she could dosomething so terrible and leave her friend to take the blame like that? To lether go to prison.’ I shudder. ‘How can Mum have kept it a secret from everyonefor all these years? It’s like I don’t even know her...’ Ishake my head, tears gathering in my throat, and Ruby drops the wooden spoon inthe big bowl of chocolate fudge cake mix.
‘Hey, it’s okay.’ She puts her arm around me, pulls a chairover and sits down next to me. ‘You haven’t heard the full story yet. It mightnot be nearly as bad as you imagine. I agree, it doesn’t seem like somethingyour mum would do.’
‘That’s what I can’t get my head around. She’s upheld thelaw all her life. She’d never dream of parking in a mother and toddler bay ordriving over the limit. She’s so...law-abiding. And she’salways been so strict with us about doing the right thing. And yet...shedeliberately set fire to that cottage just for the fun of it?’ I shudder.‘Seriously, Ruby, my head is totally scrambled. I feel so sorry for Rory andhis mum. I wanted to go and see Rachel but Richard’s persuaded me not to. Hesays we need to let the dust settle and wait until Mum’s ready to talk aboutthings before we do anything that might upset Rachel and Rory even more.’
Ruby nods sadly. ‘That seems wise. You don’t want to jumpthe gun with Rachel before you know the whole story.’
I sigh. ‘But when will that be? Mum’s barricaded herself inher room and she’s refusing to come out.’
Ruby frowns. ‘I think you should go and see Shirley,Rachel’s next-door neighbour. I have a feeling she’s the reason Rory found outthe truth about the arson attack and went on the warpath.’
‘Really? But what will she say if I just turn up at herdoor?’
‘She’s a really nice woman. Warm and friendly. She’llunderstand if you tell her you’re worried about your mum.’
I nod. ‘I will, then. I’ll go and see her.’
‘Good.’
I sigh, a feeling of exhaustion washing through me. ‘So...doI get to stir the cake and make that wish now?’
‘Oh, yes, you certainly do.’ Ruby gets up with a smile, andI join her at the worktop.
‘That is an awful lot of chocolate fudge cake mix,’ Imurmur, looking at the shiny mixture. A delicious scent of rich chocolate risesup and I breathe it in. Then I give a harsh laugh. ‘It’s a shame no one’s goingto be able to appreciate it.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, with Mum locked in her room like Sleeping Beauty andpossibly facing a charge of arson if Rory has his way, and my relationship withRob distinctly shaky, is it really likely the wedding is going to go ahead?’ Ishake my head. ‘Everything is such a mess, Ruby. I’ve been getting signs allalong that maybe it wouldn’t happen, but this thing with Mum is the biggest ofthem all. We’re going to have to postpone it.’
I’m half-expecting her to tell me I’m being ridiculous andthat of course the wedding will go ahead, but she doesn’t. She sighs and says,‘Look, try not to worry. All your friends are there for you, remember. You’llget through this. Maybe now isn’t the right time for a wedding but it wouldn’tbe the end of the world if you were to postpone it...justuntil everything is sorted out?’
I nod slowly, my heart sinking like a stone. Ruby thinks thewedding should be postponed. It’s what I was thinking myself, of course, buthearing someone else say it is devastating...
‘Is there any point in making the cake if the wedding’slikely to be postponed?’ I wince at Ruby.
‘Of course there is! This cake freezes brilliantly. I justtake it out the day before the wedding to decorate it. Have a taste,’ she says cheerfully,producing a plate of cupcakes with a flourish. ‘I made these yesterday with thesame recipe so you’d be able to have a preview of what your...yourcake will taste like.’
I smile and pick one up, trying to ignore the little ache inmy heart at Ruby calling it just a ‘cake’ instead of a ‘wedding cake’...
The cupcake is gorgeous...fudgy anddelicious and topped with milk chocolate frosting. ‘You’re a genius, RubyWatkiss. I’d rather have this than any fancy designer Lulu Longberry cake.’
‘You’re very kind. And...how’s Rob?’ sheasks a little hesitantly. ‘I bet he’s relieved that Rory’s back home?’
