by Judi Curtin
‘That was sooo embarrassing,’ she said. ‘But it was kind of funny too, wasn’t it?’
I nodded.
‘We did some crazy things last year, didn’t we?’
‘Yes,’ Alice agreed. ‘But that was ages ago. I’m all grown up and sensible now.’
I groaned.
‘You’ve just got better,’ I said. ‘Please don’t go all sensible on me now. It would only make me nervous.’
Alice put on a serious face.
‘Sensible Alice,’ she said. ‘That’s going to be my new name.’ Then she smiled. ‘Or maybe not.’
‘So, anyway, you’ll come to the wedding?’ I asked.
Alice grinned.
‘I wouldn’t miss it for anything.
* * *
Alice came to my house after school.
When we went in through the front door, Linda beckoned us in to the living room.
‘Don’t go in to the kitchen,’ she whispered. ‘It’s crazy in there.’
‘Maybe Alice should go in,’ I said. ‘She’s brilliant at Home Ec.’
‘Thanks, Meg,’ said Alice, before she realised that I was joking. Then she gave me a small punch in the shoulder and pretended to be offended.
She dropped her school-bag on the floor, and threw herself on to a couch.
I turned to Linda.
‘Can I show Alice your wedding dress,’ I asked.
Linda nodded.
‘Sure. It’s in my room.’
I ran upstairs and came back down with the dress, running my fingers along the pearl trimming.
I held it up for Alice to see.
‘Isn’t it totally gorgeous?’ I said.
Alice felt the soft fabric.
‘It’s beautiful,’ she said. ‘You’re going to look like a film star, Linda.’
Linda smiled.
‘Thanks, Alice,’ she said, and I could see that she was really pleased.
Just then the doorbell rang. Linda peeped out through the curtains.
‘It’s Luka,’ she said. ‘Quickly hide the dress. He’s not supposed to see it until tomorrow.’
I ran upstairs and hid the dress, and Linda let Luka in.
We all chatted for a while, and then Mum appeared from the kitchen. She was wearing an apron that had once been green, but was now covered in a layer of flour. Her hair was tied up in a huge ribbon, and there was a smudge of something on her nose. She was carrying a tray heaped with funny-looking brown things.
‘Who’d like a free sample?’ she asked, waving the tray in the air. I wondered if this was wise. One of the brown things might suddenly make a dash for freedom.
Then I had a worse thought.
What if Luka tasted Mum’s food?
Would he ring all his friends and relations and tell them not to come to the wedding?
Would they all have to cancel their flights at the last minute?
Or, even worse, would he decide it was better not to marry someone whose sister thought that these funny brown things were suitable for a wedding feast?
We couldn’t let that happen. We had to make sure that Luka only tasted Mum’s food when he was safely married to Linda, and it would be too late to do anything about it.
Someone had to do something.
But what?
I looked desperately at Alice and Linda. Linda was busy gazing into Luka’s eyes, so she was totally useless.
Alice caught my eye, though, and I could see that she knew what I was thinking.
‘No, Sheila,’ she said firmly. ‘We can’t let you spoil the surprise. Our mouths are watering at the sight of that beautiful food, but we’re going to resist. None of us is going to taste one scrap until tomorrow.’
Just then Luka dragged his eyes away from Linda’s.
‘You might not want some, Alice,’ he said, reaching towards the tray. ‘But I’m very hungry. I would like to try one please, Sheila. They look delicious.’
‘So that’s what they mean when they say “Love is blind”,’ I giggled.
Mum gave me an evil look and smiled at Luka like he was the best friend she’d ever had.
Alice jumped to her feet, trying to put herself between Luka and the tray of food. As she did, though, her foot caught on the edge of the rug. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as she stumbled forwards, knocking the tray out of Mum’s hands. The tray went flying into the air and a second later, a shower of brown lumps rained down on top of us.
Alice quickly gathered them up before Luka could reach one.
‘Oh, dear,’ she said. ‘I’m so sorry, Sheila, but these seem to be ruined.’
Mum gave a big sigh.
‘Oh well,’ she said. ‘Don’t get too upset. There’s another two hundred outside, just waiting to go in to the oven.’
Alice and I started to laugh.
‘I don’t really see what the joke is,’ said Mum, but no one was listening.
Linda saw her opportunity.
‘Come on, Luka,’ she said. ‘It’s time you went home. You’ve got a big day tomorrow, and you need your beauty sleep. And besides, it’s bad luck to see your bride the night before the wedding.’
Luka smiled at her.
‘Every day I see you is a lucky day.’
‘Aaaaah, isn’t that the sweetest thing you’ve ever heard?’ said Alice, and we all laughed again.
Chapter twenty-nine
All that evening, Mum stayed locked up in the kitchen, and the rest of us decided that it was easier to leave her there. I chatted to Linda and Alice, but soon I started to get worried.
It was the night before her wedding, and Linda was supposed to be the happiest woman in the world.
But it was clear that she wasn’t.
After a while, she pulled a huge bar of chocolate out of her bag, and shared it around, but it wasn’t like it was supposed to be. She didn’t look like she was enjoying the chocolate.
She didn’t even look like she was enjoying breaking Mum’s stupid food rules.
As the evening went on, Linda got quieter and quieter. She stopped laughing at Alice’s jokes (even the funny ones), and she looked like someone who was preparing for a funeral instead of a wedding.
Suddenly she stood up.
‘I can’t go through with this,’ she said.
I hurried over and put my arm around her.
‘Don’t worry,’ I said. ‘Mum’s food isn’t that bad really. And everyone will be so busy talking about how beautiful your dress is, they won’t notice anyway. And besides, even if the food isn’t nice, at least you know it will be healthy.’
Alice joined in to help me.
‘And the people from Latvia might think that all food in Ireland is like this.’
Linda made a face.
‘I’m not talking about the food,’ she said. ‘I’m talking about the wedding. I don’t think I can go through with it.’
There was a very long silence.
At last Alice spoke.
‘Don’t you love Luka?’ she asked bravely.
Even the mention of his name made Linda smile.
‘I do love him,’ she said. ‘I love him more than I’ve ever loved anyone.’
‘Er … so where’s the problem?’ I asked.
Linda gave a big long sigh.
‘It’s just too much,’ she said. ‘I’m afraid. I’m afraid I won’t be a good enough wife for Luka. I’m afraid of the fuss tomorrow. I’m afraid … well I’m afraid of everything. It’s too big a step. I can’t go through with it.’
Alice spoke firmly, ‘It’s just pre-wedding nerves. Remember Louise said that happened to her cousin the night before her wedding too?’
I nodded my head, even though I couldn’t remember Louise saying anything like that.
Linda looked at us sadly.
‘Thanks, girls,’ she said, ‘but I know it’s not that. It’s just … well it’s all too much. I’m afraid we’re going to have to tell everyone that the wedding is off.’
As she
spoke she pulled her mobile phone out of her pocket.
‘I suppose I’ll have to talk to Luka first,’ she said, pressing some buttons on the phone.
She held the phone to her ear, and then clicked it off.
‘It’s useless. There’s a really bad mobile phone signal in Laura’s house, and she hasn’t got a land-line. I’ll just have to go over there.’
There had been a constant clattering of pots and pans in the background all evening, but now it suddenly got louder. There was a crash, and then Mum said the rudest word I’d ever heard her say. I looked towards the kitchen.
‘Bags not being the one who has to tell Mum that the wedding’s off,’ I said.
Linda suddenly went pale. She took a step towards the door.
‘I might as well make a start,’ she said. ‘I’ll tell Sheila, then I’ll go and tell Luka, and then we’d better start ringing all of our friends. Luka’s family are already on their way. He’ll have to go to the airport and tell them they’ve had a wasted journey.’
Suddenly Alice stepped between Linda and the kitchen door, skidding as she stepped on a brown lumpy thing that we’d missed earlier.
‘No,’ she said as she recovered her balance. ‘Don’t tell Sheila. She’ll go crazy.’
Linda nodded sadly.
‘I know she’ll go crazy, so I’d better get it over with.’
‘No,’ said Alice. ‘Don’t do anything foolish. Just give me a minute to think.’
Linda and I sat down, and watched Alice for a while. She was busy picking brown stuff from the sole of her shoe.
At last she spoke.
‘OK, Linda,’ she said. ‘What do you think will happen when you go to see Luka?’
Linda thought for a minute. She was pale, and I could see that she was close to tears.
‘He’ll be sad,’ she said. ‘But then he’ll be like you. He’ll say it’s just nerves. He’ll try to change my mind.’
‘And do you want that to happen?’
Linda shook her head.
‘Well, no … or … yes … or I don’t know. Well, I want to change my mind, but I won’t – no matter what he says. So we’ll just have a big fight, and I don’t want that. In time, Luka will understand why I’m doing this, but if I see him tonight, I know it will end in tears.’
Alice gave a small smile.
‘That’s the most important thing settled, so. Now, what do you think will happen when you tell Sheila?’
Linda sighed.
‘Like I said, she’ll go crazy. She’s worked so hard, and she hates to see food wasted. And she’ll probably feel bad for Luka and his family, and all the guests who’ve come all the way …’
Alice smiled again. Why did she suddenly see so much to smile about?
‘Now, last question. What do you think will happen when you tell all of your friends?’
Linda gave an even bigger sigh.
‘I can’t even think that far ahead. It’s going to take the whole night. Some of them are travelling already, and I don’t have all of their mobile numbers. And the ones I do manage to talk to …… how on earth am I going to explain so many times? And what’s Luka going to say to his parents? Oh girls, how am I going to manage this?’
Alice folded her arms.
‘Right then, this is what we do. We say nothing to Sheila. We say nothing to any of the other guests either. We just all go to the registry office at eleven o’clock, like you’re supposed to—’
‘But—’, began Linda.
‘Don’t interrupt,’ said Alice. ‘When you get to the registry office, everyone will be together, so you’ll only have to explain once. One simple explanation, and everything is sorted.’
Linda shook her head.
‘But I can’t do that to Luka. None of this is his fault. How can I embarrass him in front of everyone?’
Now Alice smiled again.
‘You won’t embarrass Luka, because he won’t be there. In a few minutes I’ll go over and tell him what’s happened. I’ll tell him that you’ll meet him somewhere else at eleven thirty tomorrow, and that you’ll explain properly then.’
‘But he’ll be upset,’ protested Linda.
‘Of course he’ll be upset, but it’ll be fine. Trust me. I’ll tell him not to worry. I’ll tell him you still love him. I’m sure he’ll understand.’
Linda looked at me.
‘What do you think, Megan?’ she asked.
‘Alice can be very persuasive,’ I said. ‘If anyone can make Luka understand, she can.’
Linda looked at Alice again.
‘But what about all this food?’
Alice grinned.
‘You know Sheila would prefer to see the food eaten, and all those people are going to be hungry, so they might as well come back here anyway. It’ll be just like a wedding – except without a bride and groom. And you and Luka can go off for lunch somewhere, and forget about all the fuss back here.’
Linda still looked doubtful.
‘I don’t know,’ she said.
Alice sighed.
‘Do you have any better ideas?’
Linda shook her head slowly.
‘That’s it then,’ said Alice standing up. ‘You can leave everything to me.’
Suddenly I felt guilty. I sooo didn’t want to be caught up in this scene with Luka, but after all, Linda was my aunt. How could I let Alice handle all the bad stuff on her own?
‘Er … should I go with you?’ I said to Alice.
Alice shook her head.
‘No. Someone needs to stay here with Linda.’
Then she headed for the door.
‘Wait,’ said Linda. ‘Megan, can you get me paper and an envelope? I think I’ll write a letter to Luka. You know … explaining how I feel.’
I didn’t know if that was a good idea, but I went and got what Linda needed. Then Alice and I stood back, while Linda spent ages writing a letter. She then put the letter in the envelope, sealed it, kissed it and handed it to Alice.
Alice took it like it was the most precious thing in the world. Then she went to the door again. Just before she went out, she turned back and smiled at Linda.
‘Don’t worry,’ she said. ‘Everything will turn out fine. You just wait and see.’
* * *
Half an hour later, Alice was back. Mum was still in the kitchen, and Dad and Rosie were doing jigsaws in Rosie’s bedroom.
‘Well?’ I asked Alice.
‘What did Luka say?’ asked Linda at the same time.
‘It was all fine,’ said Alice breezily. ‘He was a bit upset, but after he read your letter, I think he understood how you feel.’
‘I should go to see him,’ said Linda.
‘No,’ said Alice.
‘Or I could try ringing him one more time.’
‘No,’ said Alice again. ‘And I told him not to ring you either. Trust me, it’s better this way. You tell everyone tomorrow, and then you and Luka can have a lovely afternoon together. That’ll be the messy stuff over, and then you can live happily ever after. Now I’ve got to go. I’ll call over in the morning, OK?’
I nodded.
Suddenly I felt like we were making a very big mistake.
Alice has always loved plotting and scheming, but surely this was too big, even for her?
This wasn’t fun and games. This was a wedding. These were two lives that she was meddling in.
But who else could I ask for advice?
If I went to Dad, he’d just say to ask Mum.
If I asked Mum she’d probably have a heart attack at any hint that the wedding might not go ahead.
And Linda was too nervous to be of any use to anyone.
Linda was twisting her engagement ring on her finger.
Should I ask her if I could borrow it?
Maybe I could use it to make one more wish?
Then I decided that was a really bad idea. Wishing on Linda’s ring had got me into enough trouble already.
So all I could do wa
s give Linda a hug good night, and go off to my room to worry in peace.
Chapter thirty
In the morning I got up and put on my old jeans and a sweatshirt. Then I realised that this was a big mistake. I had to pretend that I thought I was going to a wedding. And besides, if mum got any idea that there wasn’t going to be a wedding, she’d want to bring my new clothes back to the shop. If I wore them first, she couldn’t do that.
So I took out the cool new skinny jeans, and the beautiful green top and the pumps. I ripped the tags off everything, and put them all on.
Then I went downstairs. Once again, Mum was in the kitchen.
She looked up when I came in.
‘You look lovely, Megan,’ she said.
‘Thanks, Mum,’ I said. ‘You look … er … busy.’
‘I’ll never be finished in time,’ she moaned. ‘The wedding is going to be a disaster, and it’s all going to be my fault.’
What would she say if she knew what I knew?
The wedding was going to be a disaster all right, but for once, my mum’s food was going to have nothing to do with it.
Suddenly I felt sorry for her.
‘Do you want me to help you?’ I asked.
She shook her head.
‘Thanks, love, but no. You go keep Linda company. I think she’s a bit nervous. Tell her we have to leave in half an hour.’
I went in to the other room. Rosie and Dad were there, all dressed in their best clothes. Linda was in an old track-suit of Mum’s.
‘Linda,’ I hissed. ‘You need to go and get ready.’
She gave me a funny look, which I ignored. I took her by the arm and dragged her up the stairs.
‘What’s the point in getting dressed up?’ she said.
I sighed.
‘Use your head. I know Mum is obsessed with chickpea pancakes right now, but even she will notice that there’s something wrong if you go to the registry office looking like that. And you don’t want a scene before we even get there, do you?’
Linda slapped her forehead.
‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘I’m so nervous, I’m not thinking straight.’
I hugged her.
‘Don’t worry,’ I said. ‘The worst part will be telling everyone. After that you’ll be fine. Now quickly, jump in to the shower.’
