by Shari Low
The temperature was beginning to drop pretty dramatically by the time she jumped in the taxi to get back to the hotel. Okay, she had to think about this. There was no ignoring the silver lining here – the fricking fiasco of a wedding couldn’t go ahead now. They’d dodged a bullet there for sure.
Although… she heard Agnetha’s parting shot in her head. ‘Tell him… tell him I’ll be back.’
The reality was that this was just a temporary delay. No doubt Aggs would be straight back over here as soon as her dad was well again, and the wedding would be right back on track. Where would that leave Celeste? Still in London. Still on her own. And missing a friend who was 4,000 miles away snuggled up with her new husband.
No. It wasn’t happening, and it wasn’t just for her sake. Alex and Ella would be devastated if Agnetha moved to LA, and Celeste would lose her link to them too. And what if it didn’t work out? Aggs had fallen hard and fast in love before and it always blew itself out – it was just a matter of time before this did too, and by then she might have uprooted her whole life and be left up shit creek.
If it was going to be down to her to take care of everyone here, then that’s what she was going to do. She just wasn’t quite sure how she was going to manage to do it.
The doorman opened the cab door and she climbed out, not bothering to give him a tip. It wasn’t as if she was going to need anything from him in the future – they were heading back to LA the next day.
In the lift, she ran through options for the speech she was going to have to give Aaron, contemplating the pitfalls and consequences of a dozen different ideas. He was the kind of chivalrous guy who would go bloody chasing after Aggs, so she had to make sure that wouldn’t happen. At the same time, she had to find a way to make sure that if she was liberal with the truth, that it never got back to Aggs.
Think, Celeste. Think.
The doors pinged open and she checked her watch. Quarter to seven. Maybe he’d still be in his room getting ready. Okay, now or never.
Game face on, she half walked, half ran down the psychedelic-carpeted corridor to his room and banged on the door.
No answer.
She banged again.
Still no answer.
Bollocks. He must already be down at the wedding chapel. And, holy feck, he had invited everyone at the pool this afternoon to attend the wedding.
There was only one thing to do here and as she glanced down at her clothes she realised that she wasn’t doing it in the vest and shorts that she’d thrown on over her bikini after they’d been at the pool today.
Taking off at a sprint, she ran to her room, threw her clothes off and pulled herself into a teeny thong, followed by a red stretchy bodycon minidress that was lying scrunched up in her case. She was glad she’d packed it because as soon as she pulled it on, the elasticated fabric lost all its creases and looked great. She shoved her feet into her matching scarlet shoes, then checked out her face and hair in the mirror. No time for make-up, but with her tan and the eyelash tint she’d just got last week, she could carry off just a quick slash of red lipstick. Hair. No time to do anything special. She sprayed some water through it, then combed it back off her face, letting it fall down her back. The total transformation took less than ten minutes. She grabbed the evening purse she’d used the night before, threw her cigarettes in it, sprayed some Chanel No 5 into the air and then walked through the mist on the way to the door.
She wasn’t someone who ever got nervous, but the lift downstairs seemed to last way longer than it ever had before. Could she do this? Could she really go through with it? And would it work?
Celeste had been there when the manager had offered Aaron and Aggs the use of the Tuscana, which he’d told them was the middle sized of the hotel’s three wedding chapels, so she followed the signs, eventually turning a corner to hear a buzz of conversation coming from an open set of double doors.
At the entrance, she stopped, wondering if her legs were going to hold her and get her through this. There were at least forty people in there, some of them still dressed in T-shirts and swimshorts, many of them looking like they’d had a few too many cocktails. One rather large gent appeared to be wedged in a rubber ring and there was an inflatable alligator propped up against the wall to the left. The back row on the right-hand side consisted of one long line of elderly women that Celeste had never seen before in her life. Perhaps gatecrashing weddings was all part of the tourist experience for Betty and Bunty from… she caught the wording on one of their T-shirts – Betty and Bunty and their chums from Missouri.
There was a moment of doubt as she wondered if she was in the wrong place, but then, at the end of the aisle, a figure stepped forward and turned to see if the change in volume in the room was due to the arrival of his bride.
Even when he saw that it was only Celeste, his expression didn’t change, clearly waiting for Agnetha to walk in behind her bridesmaid. His eyebrows raised, his smile wide, Aaron had scrubbed up so well. He was wearing smart black trousers, with a beautifully cut white shirt, open at the neck, a self-tying bow tie left loose, and a tuxedo jacket that somehow managed to stretch across his wide shoulders, yet tapered in like Tom Ford had run it up on his kitchen table to Aaron’s exact measurements. Celeste’s first thought was that, ironically, the guy who had absolutely no interest in the LA movie industry other than the occasional trip to the cinema was standing there looking like the leading man in any great romcom.
Celeste’s scarlet shoes refused to move as, for a split second, she wondered what it would feel like to have a guy like that waiting at the end of an aisle for her. Someone who’d chosen her. Who loved her so much he wanted to spend every day of the rest of his life with her. Someone who would promise, in front of a room full of people, that he would never leave her.
Walking down there towards him wasn’t an option. It would be the ultimate catwalk, more important than any of the dozens she’d walked down in her career, but for once the thought of all those gazes on her was too much. Instead, she beckoned to Aaron to come towards her.
The shadow of a frown crossed his face as the energy in the room flipped from buoyed-up anticipation to confusion, with an overtone of foreboding.
As she watched him walk towards her, Celeste’s resolve and the words she’d practised in her head failed her. It was all too risky. Too many things could go wrong. She’d promised Aggs that she would make it okay, and that’s what she should do, but…
She’d lose her. She would lose her best friend to the other side of the Atlantic. Aggs’ crazy idea about Celeste coming here too was just that – a crazy idea. She was realistic enough to know that she wouldn’t get a visa to live here, and even if she did, she was just one pretty girl in a city awash with stunning faces. This wasn’t where she belonged and Aggs didn’t belong here either.
She took a few steps backwards out of the room, forcing Aaron to come just a little further and taking him out of the eyeline of the guests inside.
‘Celeste, what’s happening?’ His eyes darted around the corridor. ‘Where’s my girl?’
This was it. Last chance to decide. Make it all okay, Celeste.
‘Oh God, Aaron, I don’t know how to tell you this, but…’
‘What?’
‘She left. She went home.’
Aaron’s reaction was the polar opposite to the one she was expecting. He laughed, his gaze still searching, as if he was waiting for Agnetha to jump out and admit they were punking him. ‘Yeah, sure. Course she did.’
Celeste felt everything inside her clench with tension. Again, she questioned herself – could she go through with her plan? The answer was that she had to.
‘Aaron, I’m sorry, but it’s not a joke. She left. She’s gone home. She got the last seat on a flight out half an hour ago.’
He froze, searching her face for clues as to what was going on and finally letting the words sink in. Then there was an achingly slow, painful understanding of what she was saying. He took a step back
wards, his hands on top of his head as if they were trying to stop his brain from exploding.
‘But… but why?’
This was the moment. Now or never. Do what was best for her, for Aggs’ parents, for Aggs too. She was saving her from herself. If she told him the truth, that the only reason she’d gone home was because her dad was sick, then he’d go racing over to be with her like a knight in shining armour. It had to be final. There had to be no going back. She hadn’t quite worked out how to make that happen yet, but right now, her priority was making sure that he didn’t jump on the first plane to the UK tomorrow morning.
‘She called her parents and she found out that her dad was taken ill today…’
‘Oh my God, is he okay? What happened to him?’
Thinking on her feet, she decided to minimise the panic and maximise Agnetha’s doubt. It was the only way to stop him running after her.
‘I don’t think it’s anything too serious…’
‘Then why didn’t she wait? I’d have gone with her; I’d have found a way to get us there.’
Celeste put her hand up to stop him speaking. ‘Aaron, that’s the thing. You see, Aggs is really close to her mum and dad, and I think… to be honest, I think it gave her a fright. It was a reality check. It made her realise that she could never leave them, that she could never come and live here. Her mum and dad needed her home and that was the only place she wanted to be. She didn’t want to hurt you by dragging it out though, but she realised she’d lost her senses agreeing to get married this morning. She’s gone home. The wedding is off. She changed her mind.’
‘What? So I’ve just to let her go? Just forget I ever met her?’
‘I know it’s hard, but she asked me to tell you to leave her be, to let her go.’
He sagged against the wall, as if his legs wouldn’t hold him up any longer.
‘So that’s it? I just have to wait? I can’t contact her, can’t go see her? We’re just…’ He couldn’t say it. ‘I can’t believe she’d do this. I mean, I get that she’d want to go home to see her dad, but…’
Celeste felt a cold chill of remorse. It was all too obvious that she was breaking this guy’s heart. But it was better that than Aggs’ heart being broken down the line when this didn’t work out.
‘You know, I don’t even have her phone number back home. How crazy is that? I was about to marry someone and I don’t even know their phone number.’
‘She asked me not to give it to you,’ Celeste said dolefully. Christ, if this was an audition for chief bitch, the role would be hers. For the first time, she was thankful that they couldn’t afford to use their mobile phones in the USA so they hadn’t even brought them with them. ‘I’m so sorry, Aaron. I really am. Look, let me go and get rid of that lot in there and then how about we grab a drink? You head to the bar and I’ll meet you there in ten minutes.’
He didn’t answer, so she took that as a yes.
The guests in the wedding chapel all turned to look at her expectantly when she appeared in the doorway again. She briefly made eye contact with Mr UCLA, and immediately averted her gaze. Tonight was complicated enough. She walked to the front of the aisle, and spoke to the celebrant, who had taken a seat, waiting for the happy couple to get a move on.
‘I’m sorry, but I’m afraid there’s been a change of plan and the wedding won’t be going ahead. Would you please take care of, erm, notifying the guests?’
The consummate professional – he was well into his sixties, and Celeste guessed he’d probably seen everything in his job – the gentleman agreed without hesitation.
‘Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m afraid…’
Celeste didn’t hang about to hear his explanation. Instead, she practically sprinted back down the aisle and went straight to the bar.
Aaron was already there, sitting on a leather stool with a spirit glass in front of him. Celeste hid her surprise. He wasn’t much of a drinker and she’d only ever seen him knock back a few beers. When she’d left her room, she wasn’t sure she could go through with the plan that she’d come up with, but stage one had been a success. Tell him the wedding was off. Make sure he didn’t go after Aggs.
Now she just had to go through with the second stage. And ironically, she knew the fact that he was already drinking was going to give her more of a chance of pulling it off.
‘You’ve started without me,’ she said, trying to ignore the genuine remorse that she was feeling. Drastic actions were necessary to protect the people she loved. And sometimes, the good guys like Aaron got hurt. That was just a sad fact of life.
What she was about to do was necessary to keep her friend and stop Aggs making a horrendous mistake. And right now, that was all that mattered.
24
Hope
Hope’s chin felt like it was lying on the purple and grey carpet of the hotel suite.
‘Wait, so…’ She tried to take it in. ‘She jilted you at the altar, and you never spoke to her again? Never saw her again after that? You just… let her go?’
Aaron was rubbing one hand across the top of his head and she wondered if that was another of his mannerisms, something he did when he was stressed or exasperated.
‘I know it seems crazy now, but you gotta understand… it was a different time back then. There was no Facebook or social media. We didn’t use internet the way we do now. Your mom’s cell phone didn’t even work in the USA. Shit, that all sounds like excuses…’ He took a sip of his tea, then put the mug back on the table. ‘The truth is, she left and I accepted it. It had been a one day proposal, a crazy gesture at the end of a whirlwind romance, and I guess I understood why she decided she couldn’t leave her family back in Scotland. Her friend…’
‘What was her name again?’ Hope interrupted. He’d mentioned it in the telling of the story, but Hope had been so gobsmacked by the whole ‘jilting at the altar’ thing that she hadn’t taken in a lot of the smaller details.
‘Celeste. Her name was Celeste. She was so definite about Agnetha changing her mind and realising that I was a mistake, that… Christ, I was a fool, and I’m so, so sorry, but I let Agnetha go. Celeste returned to LA with me, packed up their stuff and left a few days later. I just licked my wounds and got on with my life. Thought about her every day for the longest time. I used to lie in bed in the morning and hope that I’d open my eyes and she’d be there. Or that there would be a knock on the door, and I’d find her there, back to say she still loved me, but it never happened. Couple of years later, I met my wife, moved on… I figured that Agnetha did too. Just wasn’t meant to be.’
Hope put her hand out, palm upwards, on his knee and he immediately accepted the gesture, wrapping his fingers around hers. It was a story that was going to take her a while to digest, and she’d need to hear it a couple of times more, but there was something in there that touched her deep in her soul – her mum and dad had loved each other. Even if it was just for a short time, and they hadn’t made it to the happy ever after, they’d loved each other for a while and there was something beautiful about that.
They sat in silence for a few moments, both of them lost in their thoughts, until the buzz of Hope’s phone made them both jump.
IS IT TILDA???? Think you’ve got her ears too. Xx
Despite being in a shock fuelled daze, the corners of Hope’s mouth lifted. ‘It’s my sister. She’s asking if my mum is Tilda Swinton. That’s one of her favourite actresses, so I can’t help thinking I’m about to crush her dreams. I’ll reply in a minute, because otherwise she’ll spend the rest of the night texting for details. To be honest, I’ve been texting her from toilets all day because I didn’t want to interrupt our conversations.’
Aaron squeezed her hand. ‘I like that she’s looking out for you.’
‘Me too.’
His eyes were glistening. ‘And I’m sorry. I really am.’
‘For what?’
‘For not trying harder. That day… how it ended…’ Hope couldn’t bear the pain that she
saw in every crevice of his face. ‘It will always be my biggest regret. But what I don’t understand is why she didn’t tell me about you? I mean, she could have written, could have come back, even if she’d changed her mind about me – and I get that – but I would have wanted to know. I could have supported her, helped her.’
‘Would you have respected her decision to have me adopted?’
That one winded him. ‘I don’t know for sure, but… I don’t think I could have.’
‘Then maybe that’s your answer,’ Hope said gently. ‘Maybe, for whatever reason, it was the right thing to do for her, and she knew you wouldn’t agree. Maybe that’s why she never told you.’
He nodded dolefully. ‘Maybe.’
Hope threw her arms around him and hugged him. ‘Please don’t feel bad. How could you have known?’ She pulled back, seeing that this was shredding him and desperate to say something to console him. ‘You know, I’ve spent my whole life wondering why I was adopted, but I learned to accept it and appreciate the outcome instead of driving myself crazy with “what ifs” and “whys”. Right now, a part of me wants to rage because she stood you up, then didn’t tell you about me, and abandoned us both, but the reality is that she must have had her reasons and we can’t judge her without understanding what those were. I think we have to do this without tearing ourselves up about things that could have been done differently. I’ve had a great life, with a wonderful family who have loved me more than I could ever have asked. You need to forgive yourself, because there’s really nothing to forgive. What happened in the past is done with. All that matters to me now is that we’ve found each other and that…’ she paused, deciding to lighten the moment, ‘… and that you seem to be a pretty cool guy. For a dad. Even if you’re only pretending to like the tea.’
It worked. A few years lifted from him. ‘How’d you get so smart?’
