‘So?’ she said crisply. ‘What do you want?’
‘You,’ he said bluntly, offering her the engagement ring.
They stared at each other. Carol knew it was crunch time. She was at the fork in the road and she had to decide which way she was going. What she was going to say would affect her whole life to come. She took a deep breath. All she had ever wanted was within her grasp. Or was it? Sean had showed her a different way. A nicer way. She banished the thought.
‘September. Kilbride church. The Four Winds Hotel with Jessica and Mike,’ she said succinctly.
‘Or else?’
‘That’s it, Gary. That’s the deal.’ For Carol it was as if time stood still as she waited for his answer.
‘Ah, to hell with it. Why not? I’ve missed you,’ he said, pulling her into his arms and kissing her hungrily.
She kissed him back. It was good to be in his arms again, but in a detached sort of way, as if she were outside her body, she felt surprised that she didn’t feel happier. Now that she’d got what she wanted it felt a little bit hollow. What was wrong with her? she thought irritably. She remembered the unexpected moments of happiness she’d felt with Sean. He’d treat her far better than Gary ever would, she conceded sadly. She was throwing away a different sort of life, a good sort of life. Stop it, she ordered, and returned Gary’s kisses before suggesting they call on Jessie and Mike to break the news.
‘Good idea,’ he agreed, slipping the engagement ring back on to her finger and putting his arm around her waist. ‘They might cook us a fry-up – I’m starving.’
* * *
Jessica’s stomach lurched as she opened her front door and saw Carol and Gary standing beaming on her doorstep.
‘Who is it?’ Mike called from the kitchen, where he was cooking breakfast with Katie.
‘It’s us,’ called Carol cheerily, waving her left hand under Jessica’s nose to show off her now restored engagement ring. ‘Put our names in the pot, we’ve great news for you.’
‘And what’s that?’ Mike asked warily, coming out into the hall, followed by Katie.
‘Great news, you guys, Gary and I’ve just got engaged again.’ She beamed radiantly.
Mike shot a worried glance at Jessica, who stood as still as a statue, waiting for the dreaded words she knew were coming.
‘We sure did,’ grinned Gary, punching Mike on the arm. ‘Order an extra wide red carpet, we’re going to need it.’
‘Yep,’ said Carol gaily, ‘we just couldn’t let you two go down the aisle on your own. It would be too, too lonely. The double wedding’s back on after all. Isn’t it brilliant?’
23
‘When did this happen?’ Jessica asked weakly.
‘Ten minutes ago in the Botts,’ Carol said triumphantly.
‘Well, mate, you won’t be on your own at the altar.’ Gary patted Mike on the back. ‘I’ll be with you all the way.’
‘Well, yeah,’ Mike said slowly. ‘It’s just, we’ve booked the church and hotel now but only for a single wedding. It might be difficult to change.’
‘Nonsense,’ Carol said briskly. ‘Give me the numbers and I’ll ring the hotel and the priest and sort it. We’ve loads of time still.’
‘It’s not the parish priest. A friend of Dad’s is performing the ceremony,’ Jessica retorted, unable to believe the way her wedding was once again being hijacked.
‘Ah, great,’ Carol said confidently, deliberately ignoring Jessica’s glower. ‘He’ll be no problem if he’s a friend of the family.’
‘What about Sean?’ Katie interjected curtly.
‘What about him?’ growled Gary.
‘Gary’s the one for me,’ Carol said coldly. ‘And not that it’s any of your business,’ she glared at the other girl, ‘but I’ll tell him later that I’m getting married in September.’
‘A lucky escape for him,’ Katie drawled rudely, and disappeared into the kitchen.
‘She’s such a bitch.’ Carol scowled.
‘So what’s cooking? I could eat a horse.’ Gary rubbed his hands together and followed Mike into the kitchen. ‘I got pretty smashed last night.’
‘Tell me about it,’ Mike said glumly as he opened another packet of bacon and placed the strips on the grill.
‘Might as well do it in September and get it over and done with. Anything for a quiet life. I can’t be doing with all this high drama,’ Gary confided, pouring himself a glass of orange juice and drinking it thirstily.
‘I suppose.’ Mike was completely unenthusiastic, but Gary never even noticed.
‘They can’t see beyond themselves,’ Jessica complained bitterly an hour and a half later, after the other couple had left, having eaten all around them. Even Carol had tucked into the fry-up, which was most unusual for her.
‘They never even offered to help with the washing-up. You’re right, Jessica, they’re totally self-centred,’ Katie grumbled, scrubbing the greasy wire tray of the grill.
‘I knew it was going to happen. I knew we’d never get away with it. You’d think they would have copped on when you said about everything being booked, Mike. Can they not see we don’t want them? Can’t they take a hint?’ Jessica was totally pissed off.
‘What have you just said? “They can’t see beyond themselves.” ’ Mike shrugged.
‘Won’t see beyond themselves,’ Jessica snorted. ‘Carol knows very well that I’m not happy about it and she’s ignoring it. What are we going to do?’
‘What can we do,’ Mike sighed, ‘short of telling them outright we don’t want to have a double wedding with them?’
‘And if we do that, and they end up not getting married, Carol will blame me and haunt me about it for the rest of my life.’
‘You’ve hit the nail on the head there, Jessie,’ Katie observed. ‘So what you have to ask yourself is: do you want her friendship or don’t you? Can you live without her? That’s what it all boils down to. You’re in a no-win situation.’
‘Right now, no and emphatically yes, to answer both your questions,’ Jessica retorted. ‘But unfortunately, Katie, you’re right, as usual, so it looks like we’re stuck with the couple from hell!’
* * *
‘I don’t believe it. When did this happen?’ Liz shrieked down the line.
‘This morning,’ Jessica said forlornly.
‘Where does that one get off ? She can’t be mucking you around like this. Tell her it’s not possible. Tell her the hotel’s all booked.’
‘Mike tried that tack, it didn’t work.’
‘Well, I’ll tell her then,’ Liz said crossly.
There was silence on the line and she knew her daughter was tempted by the offer. ‘I will. It won’t cost me a thought. She had her chance. I’ll ring her right now if you give me her number. Who does she think she is, dictating your wedding?’
‘Ah, you’d better not, Mam, it would cause an awful row and you’d have Nancy on your back for the rest of your life, just as I’d have Carol.’
‘That’s no reason to let them commandeer your wedding.’
‘I know, I know. It’s a very awkward situation and it’s all my own fault because I didn’t say no outright in the first place. And Carol won’t let me out of it without a row.’
‘So what,’ Liz challenged. ‘Let them bloody well go to hell with their arsing around, one minute getting married, the next they’re not. What happens if they have another row and break it off again?’
‘That’s not going to happen, I don’t think,’ Jessica said wearily. The last thing she wanted was for her mother to get on her high horse. When Liz got going all hell could break loose.
‘I’m going to ring Madam Logan and give her a piece of my mind. It really is too much, Jessica.’ Liz was not to be pacified.
Jessica winced at the other end of the phone.
‘Mam, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t want unpleasantness between the two families. You know Nancy. If she got a bee in her bonnet about it she’d give yo
u an awful time.’ If Liz and Carol had a ding-dong on the phone there’d be skin and hair flying and God knows what might happen, especially if Nancy got involved further down the line.
‘It’s a pity about her,’ Liz snorted. ‘Well, if you change your mind let me know. I’m not happy about this. Not happy at all,’ she declared emphatically. If she could get her hands on Carol Logan she’d murder her and that selfish bugger she was engaged to.
* * *
‘Sean, hi,’ Carol said awkwardly. ‘Look, I just wanted to letNancy ran her tongue over you know, something unexpected happened this morning. Gary called me and asked to meet with me. Er . . . we’re back together again. We’re getting married in September,’ she blurted.
‘You’re what!’ He sounded shocked.
‘Getting married in September,’ she repeated briskly. ‘Look, I can’t thank you enough for all your kindness to me. I’ll never forget you, but I love Gary—’
‘I don’t think you should go back to him,’ Sean said sternly.
‘It’s not for you to say, Sean,’ Carol said tartly. ‘Look, I have to go, I’ve to call my mother. Thanks again for everything. Have a good life,’ she said flatly and hung up. She ignored the darts of sadness that she cared not to acknowledge and picked up the phone again and dialled her mother’s number. There was no answer, unfortunately. This was one phone call she definitely wasn’t looking forward to. The sooner it was made the better.
* * *
Sean looked at the receiver in his hand and started to laugh at the irony of it all. He’d tossed and turned for ages the previous night, wondering how he could tell Carol that he didn’t think they should keep dating. He didn’t want to hurt her. That was his main priority. She had enough hurt in her life without him adding to it.
He replaced the receiver, then took a carton of milk out of the fridge and poured himself a glass. He couldn’t believe that Carol would even consider getting back with that idiot she’d been engaged to. Let alone marry him.
It was going to be an absolute disaster. When she’d told him that she’d never spoken to Gary about her father and his desertion of them, he’d been shocked. She’d been engaged to the bloke, for God’s sake. He was the very one she should be confiding her troubles in.
Well, apart from his male pride being hurt at her dropping him like a hot potato the minute the boyfriend looked sideways, it was a good way to end it, he reflected. He hadn’t caused her any hurt, and perhaps he might have if he’d ended it. Carol might have felt rejected, having just come out of a broken engagement. She might think that all men did was reject her. He was glad he hadn’t added to that pattern. Carol had got what she wanted, he hoped it all worked out for her.
* * *
‘Just to let you know, Jen, Carol and I are back together,’ Gary said into the answering machine. ‘I prefer to tell you myself rather than for you to hear it on the grapevine. That would be tacky and insensitive. Sorry I missed you. Take care of yourself.’ That felt good, he thought with satisfaction, remembering the way she had cursed down the phone at him. He hadn’t been a bit impressed with her childish behaviour. What difference did it make who broke the engagement off, him or Carol? Why had it been such a big deal to Jen? He’d only told a little white lie, for God’s sake. Women were the oddest creatures. Sometimes he couldn’t make head nor tail of them.
He stretched out on the sofa, opened a can of beer and switched on the football. Surprisingly, now that the decision to get married in September was finally made, he was quite cool about it. He was glad Carol was back where she belonged. With him, and the copper was nowhere in the running.
* * *
Carol picked up the receiver and dialled her mother’s number again. She was hoping against hope that Nancy was there – she didn’t particularly want to phone her from work. To her huge relief, Nancy answered after a couple of rings. She seemed coherent enough today, Carol thought gratefully, fiddling with her engagement ring. ‘Ma, remember I phoned you the other day and told you the wedding was off?’ Carol wriggled uncomfortably in the chair, not sure what way her mother would take her news.
‘Did you? You phoned me. I don’t remember,’ Nancy said coldly.
‘Oh!’ Made sense, Carol thought wryly. ‘Ma, I’m taking a few days off work next week, I’m going to come home to make plans for my wedding. We’ll talk then.’
‘You’re coming home. I suppose I’d better tidy the place up,’ her mother said tiredly.
‘Get Nadine to do it,’ Carol instructed.
‘That one, she never lifts a finger,’ Nancy moaned. ‘Are you sure you want to marry this fellow? I think you’d be better off staying single. No man’s worth the hassle. Look what happened to me!’
‘It doesn’t happen to everyone, Ma,’ Carol said tightly.
‘We’ll see then, won’t we?’ her mother said ungraciously. ‘I won’t be wearing a hat at this wedding and if you invite your father I’m not coming.’
‘Don’t worry, Ma, I won’t be inviting him,’ Carol retorted.
‘Who are you going to get to give you away? Your Uncle Larry is dead. That just leaves your Uncle Packie.’
‘Ma, I don’t want anyone to give me away. I’m not a piece of merchandise. No one owns me,’ she said fiercely.
‘You can’t walk up the aisle on your own.’ Her mother was aghast.
‘Watch me,’ said Carol.
24
‘Champagne is definitely nicer against your skin.’ Tara held up a piece of brocade against Jessica’s cheek and studied her niece intently. ‘What do you think, Liz?’ She turned to her sister.
‘I think you’re right. The white makes you a bit washed-out-looking,’ Liz agreed. ‘Or did you want to go for white?’ she asked her daughter, hoping that she hadn’t put her foot in it.
‘I’d prefer the champagne too. It’s richer. I think it’s better against my hair,’ Jessica said briskly. She’d taken a half-day off work to shop for her wedding dress material and she was anxious to get it, and her shoes, in the one afternoon. ‘So let’s concentrate on champagne.’
‘Fine.’ Tara grinned. ‘Let’s get going. What’s the other one wearing?’
‘It’s going to be a surprise,’ Jessica said drily.
‘Who’s making it?’ her godmother asked, wondering if it was anyone from Arklow that she knew.
‘Oh, she’s not getting it made. She’s going on about a creation that she saw in Marian Gale’s, a very posh boutique.’
‘That will probably cost a fortune.’ Tara raised an eyebrow.
‘I know. So that’s what you’re up against. Think you can rise to the challenge?’ Jessica said straight-faced.
‘Cheeky wagon.’ Tara laughed. ‘Do you hear that one, Liz? If she’s not careful I’ll send her up the aisle with her hem hanging and her darts crooked.’
‘Do you know what I was thinking?’ Jessica said slowly. ‘If I could get a nice beaded bustier and you could make a fairly straight skirt with a train at the back instead of having to make a whole dress, it could be very nice, couldn’t it? And I’d get great wear out of the bustier. It would go lovely with a pair of elegant black trousers and high-heeled sandals. So it’s not something that would be worn once and left hanging in the wardrobe.’
‘Good thinking, niece. A bustier would suit your figure very nicely. You’ve got the boobs for it and the small waist,’ Tara approved. ‘In that case I suggest we get the bustier first so that we can come back here to Hickey’s and match the material.’
‘I know they do wedding dresses here, but there’s a gorgeous bridal boutique just down the road from us and they had some lovely bustiers. That’s where I got the idea from. It’s in Hart’s Corner. Could we nip back over to have a look? It wouldn’t take long,’ Jessica suggested.
‘Sure. Whatever you want. You’re the bride and I’m having a ball,’ Tara declared.
An exhilarating two and a half hours later, Jessica was the proud owner of her wedding regalia. The saleswoman in
Bridal Corner had been extremely helpful and knowledgeable. It was a relief to place herself in the hands of someone who knew the bridal business inside out and was able to make very pertinent suggestions.
With her help, Jessica selected a beaded champagne bustier encrusted with diamanté. The bodice criss-crossed at the back to come to just below the hip, accentuating her neat waist. At the saleswoman’s suggestion, upon hearing that it was a September wedding, she selected a soft creamy pashmina to accessorize the outfit. Tara had completely agreed with the suggestion of edging the hem of Jessica’s skirt with diamanté to co-ordinate with the bustier and finish off the look.
She decided against a veil, having tried a few on, preferring to wear a single yellow rose, with her hair swept up to the side.
Instead of paying two hundred euro for a pair of bridal shoes, the saleswoman had diplomatically suggested that they have a look in some of the large shoe shops for diamanté sandals.
In a state of high excitement they had driven back to the ILAC, parked, and hurried over to Hickey’s to select the material for the skirt. Organza was very ‘this season’, the saleswoman in Bridal Corner had offered helpfully, and when Jessica had seen the richness of the material she knew it was precisely what she wanted.
Having selected her material, they legged it over to the ILAC and finally, having tried three shoe shops, had found the perfect pair of dainty sandals for forty euro in Barretts.
Jessica was thrilled with herself. Her selections were beautiful and classy but she hadn’t spent a fortune and she hadn’t tormented herself by dithering over this and that.
‘You’re some woman to go,’ Tara said admiringly as she tucked into a spring roll in a Chinese restaurant on Abbey Street.
‘I hate shopping. I made up my mind that I was getting my stuff today and that was it. You could drive yourself mad going to this place and that,’ confessed Jessica. ‘Thanks a million for coming, Tara.’
Double Wedding Page 19
