Page 75 of The Wedding Cake Wish
I laugh, and she murmurs, ‘Yes, yes, I know, Fen. I’m astick-in-the-mud, and I’ve always said I’d never dream of selling anything thatway. But I’m prepared to make an exception. If it means you can have the dressyou really want.’
I smile at her, my eyes pricking with happy tears.
Then I look at Hayley. ‘I’d better try it on, then.’
The luxurious surroundings of the changing room only add tomy excitement. I push up my hair and secure it with a tie, just to get theeffect of an updo. Then I take a breath and step into the dress. It glides onlike a glove, the lining slippery and feather soft against my skin, and Hayleyzips me up at the back.
When I look in the mirror, my eyes widen in amazementbecause I barely recognise this sophisticated version of myself.
I step out of the changing room.
‘What do you think, Mum?’ I give her a twirl. ‘Lovely, isn’tit?’
I’m expecting her to nod matter-of-factly and say that it’lldo the job nicely. But the cat seems to have got her tongue because she’s juststanding there by a row of fascinators, staring at me.
‘Mum?’ I peer at her nervously. ‘Don’t you like it?’
She swallows audibly and clasps her hands over her chest.‘It’s beautiful,’ she whispers, her eyes suspiciously moist.
I nod happily and do another twirl.
And Mum blinks furiously, coughs and says, ‘Dear me, I thinkI might have a cold coming on.’
Hayley scoops up the box of paper hankies and offers it toMum, and she whisks one out and blows her nose noisily.
‘You know, when I stirred the wedding cake, I made a wish,’I tell her with a smile. ‘I think Ruby thought I was wishing for the wedding toget back on track because at the time I was worried Rob might be getting coldfeet.’
Mum looks at me with a frown. ‘He’d better not.’
I shake my head. ‘No, no, I was wrong. Thankfully. But doyou know what my wish was?’
She shakes her head, dabbing her nose.
‘I wished that my gorgeous mum and I could have a wonderfultime together, planning my dream wedding.’
She looks up at me. ‘Gorgeous, indeed. I don’t think so.’
‘No, but you are!’
Mum gives her head a little shake. ‘I hardly think so, Fen.I seem to have done my best to sabotage your Big Day without even realising it.’
‘That’s all forgotten.’ I smile. ‘Look, Mum, we might notalways see eye to eye about things, but I wouldn’t swap you for the world. Youknow I wouldn’t.’
She looks at me, her chin wobbling a little. ‘Sometimes...I think you must want to strangle me.’
‘Never.’ I smile at her through a sudden blur of happytears, and we both move to hug at the same time. It’s a full-on, tight squeeze,and my tears are falling freely now, soaking into Mum’s jacket.
‘I don’t know what’s going on with me these days,’ muttersMum, her voice muffled against my hair. ‘Inevercry. It really must bea cold...’
Ruby
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SIX
As soon as I wake, on this blue-skied autumn morning,I think about Hudson...just as I have every day for the pastthree weeks. Ever since we fell out in the café over my attitude towardsAmelia.
We haven’t spoken since.
I phoned him the next morning and left him a message,apologising, but he didn’t return my call. So I took the hint and left himalone. Apart from anything else, my pride wouldn’t allow me to grovel.
