by Melissa Hill
First the rain, then the food and now the flowers?
And very possibly the groom… her subconscious added but Rachel didn't dare go there again.
As Rachel and Terri drove towards the salon, neither said a word about the rain, the flooding in New Jersey, or the catering ‘bug’.
Instead, they tried to keep their minds off these mounting problems by chatting about random issues with the restaurant to pass the time while the hair stylist worked her magic on Rachel’s dark locks.
“Any word on the review?” Rachel asked. “Did Justin notice the critic come in while we were away?”
Terri bit her lip. With everything that was going on over the last couple of days, she’d all but forgotten about the dreaded restaurant critic.
“He didn't mention anything, but good to know that all is in hand while we were away.” In truth she couldn't wait to get back to Dublin, and return to Stromboli and the kitchen, the place she felt most at home.
The hairdresser managed to recreate Rachel’s inspiration pictures perfectly and without any struggle. Terri’s errant curls presented much more of a challenge for her up-do, but a good two hours later, both women were coiffed to perfection.
And when after a short light lunch on site, the makeup artist spent a further hour or so on the bride’s face, and placed the silver tiara on Rachel’s head for the final touch, she swung the chair around so that she could face Terri.
“Absolutely perfect! This day is getting better by the minute. You look beautiful, Rachel. Stunning.”
It was true. Her friend looked sensational, like some kind of Mediterranean goddess, with her olive skin, huge almond shaped eyes enhanced even further by the make-up artist’s talent, and her full lips high-lighted with the perfect shade of red. Rachel looked like she belonged in a bridal magazine herself, with her luscious locks twisted in a perfect knot upon her head.
All that was left now was for Rachel to get ready, Terri to put her on her dress, meet up again with Michelle and be on the way.
A stylist led Rachel to the back room to help her with the dress, while Terri quickly slipped into her own with minimum fuss.
“I think I’m ready,” she called out finally, and she stepped into the room as she watched the bride assess herself in the mirror.
Her dress was only partially zipped up, but she still looked so… complete.
The image of her friend in her silk and lace gown — exactly as Rachel had so long envisioned — made Terri unusually overcome with emotion, and tears of joy began to fill the corners of her eyes.
“Don’t you dare cry, Terri. You will ruin your makeup, and then I'll start and definitely ruin mine. You don’t want to have to sit through another couple of hours in front of that mirror, do you?”
Terri carefully blinked and sniffled, “I won’t. I won’t. I’m sorry. I promise. It’s just … wow.” She went to work zipping up the rest of the dress and then tying the delicate lace bodice together.
When she finished, she placed her arm on Rachel’s shoulder and looked at her through the mirror’s reflection. “I think you’re ready, sweetheart. Are you ready?”
An almost eerie calm settled over Rachel as the realisation of where she was and what she was doing came over her like waves. Whatever happened, she would face it. With her best friend beside her, it was always easier to feel like she could take on the world.
“Yes, I’m ready.” She moved regally out of the room as the various stylists all stared at her in awe. The makeup artist handed Terri a kit of touch up lipstick and blush and embraced the bride for luck.
The car waited closely by the kerb, and the driver retrieved his largest umbrella to cover Rachel as she walked to the open door. Terri remained clutching Rachel’s train, preventing it from touching the wet pavement. Waste of time sitting there for two hours, she grimaced, wincing at the inevitable damage to her hair-do.
Damn you rain.
28
Once they arrived at the Boathouse, and met up with the rest of the bridal party (Rachel’s cousins looking decidedly green) in a quiet room set apart from the wedding venue, the photographer began work on the bride’s pre-ceremony photographs.
Michelle had confessed that the flowers were still absent and Terri could make out the planner on the phone with her contacts as she screamed about “solutions” and “professionalism.”
Despite it all, Rachel still remained calm. She posed for each photograph with a winning smile, just as instructed. She didn’t try to micromanage anything or wasn't overly concerned when each of her cousins rushed off to the bathroom periodically.
She simply smiled her beautiful, picture perfect Rachel smile and played the model bride she had always dreamed she would be.
Yet behind it all, Terri could see the worry on her face. She wished she’d had the presence of mind to pop down to Ethan’s room earlier and ask him how the conversation with Gary had gone last night.
Or that she’d chosen to keep his mobile phone number in her contacts, instead of deleting it the year before, when she’d so determinedly deleted him and Daisy from her life.
But it wasn’t until other guests started to arrive that Terri noticed Rachel’s composure truly begin to crumble.
She began pacing back and forth while waiting to hear news of the groom’s arrival. Her hands twisted her white bridal gloves till they became almost too wrinkled to wear.
Every knock of the door made her jump out of her seat, as she hoped to hear confirmation from Sean, the best man that it was time to start.
Following one particularly sharp knock though, Terri rushed to answer it.
Her stomach dropped when she saw Gary waiting nervously behind it.
His hands were clasped firmly behind his back as he rocked back and forth on his heels. Without raising his eyes, he asked quietly. “Can I talk to her?”
Oh no…
Terri’s stomach filled with dread. This didn't sound good. Not good at all. Was Gary seriously thinking of chickening out? He couldn't do that, surely? But she had always known that Gary was a funny fish and there was no question that she herself had always wondered …
“You do know it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding don’t you?” she challenged, her eyes flashing.
“Leave it, Terri. Just let me talk to her.”
Rachel appeared behind her, as if out of nowhere. She could see from the ashen look on her friend’s face that she too expected the worst.
“I …I’ll go check on the flowers.’
With that, Terri stole out of the room and headed out front to give the bride and groom a moment alone.
Her heart was in her mouth as she did so, barely noticing her surroundings as she sent a prayer to the wedding gods or whoever it was that decided such things as happily ever after…
Please, please let everything be OK.
But suddenly Terri looked around, and seeing the wedding venue for the first time, and the incredible love and care Rachel must have put into creating her vision, she wanted to cry.
It was perfect.
Gary joined Rachel in the room, his hands still firmly placed behind his back.
He finally had a moment to see her, truly see her in the wedding dress, and the breath was instantly knocked out of him as he slowly walked to her side.
He could hardly take his eyes off her in her white, delicate gown. She looked like some kind of Italian princess, way too good for the likes of him.
“Wow. You look amazing.”
She looked confused, and he realised, a little terrified. “I needed to tell you something, something I realised after our …chat the other night.”
“Gary …” Rachel breathed, refusing to meet his eyes. “Just say it. Don’t drag it out please. This is hard enough as it is”
He sighed. “I’m sorry but this is hard for me.” He paused again, noticing that even though she looked perfectly immobile, her hands were shaking. “When you started to bring up children over the last while, it to
ok me by surprise a bit to be honest. I want kids, yes, but first and foremost I want to be your husband.”
“I know that, and I shouldn't have …I couldn't help…”
“Look, you and I have come a long way these past few years, and there’s been a few ups and downs along the way.” He reached for her hand, and softly caressed the Tiffany diamond on her finger.
Rachel stared down at it as if her heart would break.
“The problem is, I’m still a bit of a kid myself - I’m sure you know that better than anyone. And I’m not …when the time comes, I want us both to be ready, so that you don’t end up shouldering all of the burden.”
Rachel studied his face. He seemed completely sincere, and she couldn't believe that the root of his anxiety was ultimately that he was afraid of becoming a father because he himself was still immature. It was a big admission for a macho Irish guy like Gary, and she couldn't believe he was actually saying this.
But oh, how wonderful that it didn't seem to have sent him running for the hills!
Rachel would wait, she would wait until Gary felt he was ready, until he gave the signal, and in the meantime she would just enjoy being his wife and sharing his life — being a family just the two of them.
Just then, a knock came at the door and Gary pulled away to answer it.
“Guess what? Michelle pulled it out of the fire!” Terri stood outside, two bouquet of blue and white flowers in her arms. She glanced quickly at Rachel to try gauge the reaction and smiled, giving her a brief nod. Her friend’s relief was palpable and she visibly exhaled. So she hadn't been overreacting; Terri had been worried too.
“Get your ass out of here Gary Knowles,” her friend joked, hustling him out the door. “Everyone’s arrived.”
Standing up, Gary kissed Rachel’s forehead. “See you out there,” he whispered, slipping out front.
“What was all that about?” Terri studied Rachel for any signs of distress, but instead, she saw a woman bursting with joy.
She giggled to herself as she took the bouquet out of Terri’s hands and stood in front of the doorway, readying herself for her big moment.
“They got it wrong. Turns out it is good luck to see the groom before the wedding. The guests are in, the flowers are here, and look” she added, pointing the window, the rain has stopped.” Rachel hooked her arm in her bridesmaid’s. “Showtime.”
29
The Central Park Boathouse had been transformed into a fantasy wonderland.
Inside, hanging fairy-lights trailed across the old wooden beams, and white wildflowers seemed to spring naturally from carefully concealed window boxes by the lake.
Tiny candles lit the aisle whereby Rachel and Terri, followed by the cousins, walked slowly to where Gary waited proudly, Sean by his side, in front of the huge floor to ceiling windows overlooking the water.
Outside, on the lake, hundreds more floating lanterns illuminated the slowly darkening park surrounds, and gave the trees a magical ethereal quality, the lights of Manhattan twinkling in the distance all around.
The ceremony went off without a (further) hitch as Rachel Conti and Gary Knowles pledged their everlasting love for one another, acknowledging in their wedding vows the happy couple’s rocky beginnings, much to the amusement of their guests, especially Ethan.
Afterwards, as the happy guests posed for photos, Terri watched Rachel and Gary, married at last. She was so happy for her friend - Rachel was beaming, her smile was practically another light in itself as all her dreams had finally come true. Gary seemed transfixed by his wife too, she noted happily. He couldn’t bear to let go of her hand or let her out of his sight.
Whatever the hell Ethan had said to him last night, had obviously worked.
Speaking of Ethan, he and Daisy had greeted Terri briefly after the ceremony, but had deftly avoided her ever since.
She supposed she couldn't blame him. Though she’d tried to rationalise what had happened between them the other night as merely down to the champagne or the romantic location, she knew that she should not have let her guard down and risked disappointing him once again.
And he was disappointed, Terri knew that. She could sense the annoyance and hurt in his eyes when she’d brushed him off so easily last night, pretending that the kiss had meant nothing, when of course it had meant everything.
But what was the point? They were going around in circles. As far as she was concerned nothing had changed. Circumstances dictated that any relationship they might even consider was doomed.
In so many different ways.
So they might as well be adults about it and just move on.
Feeling somewhat empty despite her oh-so-mature decision-making, Terri stood up and slipped silently away from the celebrations out onto the darkened wooden promenade outside.
She would not be missed. The bridesmaid was surplus to requirements now, at least until dinner toast time.
Alone, with only the city skyscrapers towering above her in this remarkably peaceful spot right in the heart of the city, gave Terri the perfect opportunity to enjoy the peace and reflect on her few days here.
She leaned across the wooden arm rail, out towards the black lake, careful not to get her dress wet or to catch the hem in one of the still-lit lanterns.
A burning bridesmaid would not be quite the best ending to Rachel’s dream day.
She caught herself remembering her own stroll through the park and the zoo with Ethan and Daisy a couple of days before. How on her first sight of the lake earlier, she’d been convinced that the park was some kind of magical, transformative forest where perhaps fairy tales did happen.
At least, they happened for women like Rachel.
She, on the other hand, was back at square one.
A door closed quietly behind her as she saw some of Gary’s motorbike mates stroll outside for a smoke, completely unaware of her presence. They held on to little white plates of canapés, the ones she had hand picked with Rachel a few days before. The caterer had managed to pull it off despite the flu and the rain.
Behind them was none other than Ethan. She acknowledged him as he caught her eye and then turned her attention back to the cool, clear waters lapping at the side of the building.
He spoke first, clearing his throat awkwardly, “That was beautiful.”
“It really was wasn’t it?” Terri could do small talk. And she was glad that he sounded back to normal and not so annoyed with her as he’d seemed last night.
“You look beautiful.”
He had spent the entire wedding staring at Terri in her blue, strapless gown, his gaze not on the bride but completely transfixed by the chief bridesmaid and how her hair seemed to glow like fire under the twinkling lights.
She turned to him, her lips forming a small grin, despite herself. “Thank you. It’s this ridiculously expensive replacement dress.”
She wasn't quite sure how to handle this. She thought she’d already made it clear that the other night was a mistake and that they should just be friends, yet here he was again talking in this undecidedly non-friendly way.
“Ethan…I …”
He knew he had to do something, so as not to scare her away. “I’m sorry, I know I shouldn't say things like that. Daisy would kill me.”
Terri laughed. “Daisy? Why?”
“Oh she thinks I’m too obvious, desperate even. She’s trying to teach me how to play it cool.”
She smiled. This sounded just like an older ten year old Daisy, and not the little girl desperately chasing fairytales of a few years before.
“But speaking of Daisy, our flight’s due back at lunchtime tomorrow and she wanted me to ask you if you’d like to meet for breakfast in the morning. There’s this special place she likes that she wants to show you.” He laughed lightly. “Apparently no visit to New York is complete without it. You know how she is. So what do you think? Say ten? Which is actually three in the afternoon in real life, so not too early. ”
She had to laugh at t
he way he always referred everything back to UK time. It certainly made the idea of getting up tomorrow morning and going out somewhere for breakfast more palatable.
Terri thought about it. Why not? She hadn't had much of a chance to spend time with Daisy actually, and she didn't think a goodbye breakfast with her and her father would hurt anyone.
If anything it might help persuade Ethan that being grown up and rational about this whole thing was for the best.
A knock from Gary at the window interrupted them then, and Terri and Ethan went back inside to take their seats for dinner.
Smiling, Rachel handed Terri a glass of champagne and whispered into her ear. “We’ll talk about that later. Now, we’re waiting on you for the first toast.”
Terri took her place at the top table and waited for the microphone to be passed to her. She looked at the little speech she had written down a few weeks earlier, but today, the words didn't seem right.
As the spotlight turned on her, she stood, looking down at Gary and then at a beaming Rachel. And the words came to her:
“Friends and family, on behalf of the bride and groom I want to first thank you for coming all this way to celebrate the wedding of Rachel and Gary. I have known Rachel for so many years. First as classmates, then as best friends, and also now business partners. I have seen every side of her, from the good to the …not so good, as no-one could ever describe Rachel as having a bad side.” Everyone laughed as she continued, and she felt herself relax a little.
“When I first heard that Gary had proposed in New York with an amazing Tiffany’s diamond ring…’ she winked first at Gary, who looked embarrassed and then at Ethan, who smiled knowingly, “I thought - well he had to have stolen it.” Rachel burst out laughing and Gary reddened.
Terri moved over and patted him on the shoulder. “But of course, what I’d overlooked was that it wasn't the ring that mattered, it was the sentiment, the promise he was making, of happy ever after.
