Nancy set off briskly, enjoying the breeze against her cheeks.
* * *
Where was she? Bill wondered, peering around to see if he could see Nancy.
‘I’m here.’ He turned again and looked. That slim, healthy woman with the blondish short hair and smart trouser suit was hardly Nancy. But she was smiling at him and she had a pram.
It was her. He didn’t recognize her. The last time he’d seen his wife she was shaking with drink, unkempt and grey-faced. This Nancy looked twenty years younger.
‘You look very well . . . ’ he stuttered.
Nancy laughed. ‘Don’t look so shocked. Here, have a look at your granddaughter.’ She pulled back the covers of the pram and he leaned in to have a look.
‘Oh my God!’ he exclaimed as a lump rose to his throat. ‘She’s a miniature Carol.’
‘Isn’t she?’ Nancy smiled. ‘The very image of her. Come on, let’s bring your little lad for a walk – he’s trying to drink out of the fountain over there. He’s a lovely little fella.’
‘Yeah, he is,’ Bill said, moved beyond belief at the sight of his grandchild.
They walked for an hour, and she showed him Carol’s house from the banks of the river. Later they had coffee in the tea-rooms.
‘I’m just going to say I met an old friend from work, because Ben will surely say something and, er . . . Brona . . . er—’
‘It’s OK, Bill, say what you have to. I don’t have to say anything, well, not until Charlotte starts talking, anyway.’
‘Do you mean we can meet again?’ he asked eagerly.
‘I don’t see why not, if I’m up here babysitting.’ Nancy shrugged. ‘As long as we keep it between ourselves. I wouldn’t dream of hurting Carol.’
‘Absolutely. Whatever you say,’ Bill agreed, cuddling Ben, who had fallen asleep on his knee, with one arm and holding his granddaughter’s tiny hand with the other.
Nancy smiled at him. ‘Thank God we’ve come out the other side, Bill.’
‘Thank God, and thank you, Nancy,’ Bill said quietly, leaning across the table to kiss his wife’s cheek.
* * *
‘Isn’t this the life?’ Carol stretched luxuriously in her fluffy white terry-towelling robe. She smelt of lavender and rose and had had the most relaxing full body massage. Amanda had just gone off to have a pedicure and she and Nadine were relaxing before their next beauty treatments.
‘Thanks for inviting me.’ Nadine yawned. She wasn’t used to being pampered. It was deliciously exhausting.
‘I wanted to share my day with you. This day last year I was so unhappy and you were so supportive of me. I really appreciate all you’ve done for me,’ Carol said quietly.
Nadine blushed. ‘Stop! I did nothing.’
‘No, Nadine. You stood up for me and stood beside me and you’ve been so good to the baby. I don’t know what I would have done without you.’
‘She’s gorgeous, isn’t she? I can’t wait to come and live with you when I go to college next year,’ Nadine said eagerly. ‘I really hope I get that course in DCU.’
‘Just keep on track. You’re doing well,’ Carol encouraged.
‘Are you sorry you didn’t marry him?’ Nadine asked out of the blue.
Carol’s brow wrinkled in thought. When she’d woken up this morning she’d lain in bed watching Charlotte in her cot and remembered how she’d felt a year ago. Stressed out, sick, apprehensive and unhappy. It was as if she’d been a different person.
Now, even though she still felt very hurt by Gary’s treatment of her, she had accepted her part in the failure of the relationship and so her bitterness was tempered by self-knowledge and acceptance of her own behaviour. She had her baby to thank for that, she admitted. If she’d been on her own she might have turned in on herself and allowed bitterness to eat her up. But all her energies were concentrated on her daughter and she didn’t spend time regretting the past.
It was a futile, pointless exercise. Her mother had wasted years of her life in bitterness; Carol wasn’t going to make the same mistake. Gary was the loser. He didn’t see Charlotte’s toothless gummy innocent smile first thing in the morning. He didn’t get the sweet talcy scent of her after her bath. He didn’t know what it was like to feel her fall asleep snuggled against a shoulder. He had none of that.
She didn’t miss the angst. She didn’t miss the unreliability. She didn’t miss the resentment and irritation that had pervaded their relationship.
Carol smiled over at her sister. ‘Am I sorry I didn’t marry him?’ she repeated slowly. ‘No, Nadine, I’m not sorry,’ she said. ‘I’m not sorry in the slightest.’
* * *
‘But why are we up so early? And why have I to go with Katie?’ Jessie demanded sleepily. ‘And where’s my card and present? Did you forget our anniversary?’
‘No, I didn’t,’ Mike said indignantly. ‘You’ll get your prezzie later, and if you got me one keep it for later too. Now go and wake Katie up and get going, we’re on a tight schedule,’ Mike ordered.
‘Tell me what’s going on or I’m not getting up,’ she said truculently.
In response Mike rolled her across the mattress and hauled her out of bed.
‘Hey, mister!’ she protested, half amused and half annoyed at him. ‘Really, Jessie, trust me,’ he said earnestly. ‘It’s a surprise for you for our anniversary and that’s all I’m telling you.’
‘Oh, all right then,’ she grumbled.
‘Katie, tell me what’s going on,’ she pleaded with her best friend, who was sprawled limbs to the four winds in the double bed in their guestroom.
‘I can’t. I’m sworn to secrecy,’ Katie muttered crankily. ‘I’m sorry I agreed to it – it’s too early for civilized people to be getting up. Go and make a pot of coffee and stick a rasher on the grill.’
With a mounting sense of excitement, Jessica did as she was bid. What had Mike organized for their wedding anniversary? She’d just been told to take two days’ annual leave and that Katie was staying the night and that she was to do whatever her cousin told her to do.
An hour later, after a satisfying bacon and mayo sandwich, she and Katie were on the road in Katie’s car. They were heading south.
‘Tell me,’ she begged for the umpteenth time.
‘Jessie, please don’t ask me. I promised Mike,’ Katie said sternly.
‘All right then,’ she exclaimed in exasperation as they whizzed through the Glen of the Downs.
‘Why are we going to the hairdresser’s?’ she asked an hour later as Katie led her into the hair salon in Arklow.
‘For dinner tonight. Now don’t ask any more,’ Kate retorted, winking at the stylist.
An hour and a half later Katie pulled up outside Liz’s house. Jessie’s mother greeted her with a bear hug. She was in her dressing-gown but had her hair done and her make-up on. Her eyes were sparkling with mischief.
‘What’s going on?’ Jessie demanded.
‘Is she here?’ Katie asked.
‘In the front room,’ Liz said mysteriously.
Tara appeared out of the kitchen, dolled up to the nines.
‘Better hurry, time’s getting on,’ she declared.
‘Will someone tell me what’s going on?’ Jessie demanded as she was bustled into the sitting-room.
‘Hi, Jessie, sit down there for me and let me put this around you,’ Jenny, the beautician from the beauty salon, invited, waving a gown.
‘This is crazy. Where are we going?’ Jessie murmured.
‘Lunch,’ Tara said succinctly.
‘I thought you said dinner?’ Jessie said accusingly to Katie, who was standing grinning at her.
‘Lunch and dinner,’ her cousin said airily.
The three of them were so giddy and giggly it was driving her crazy.
Eventually, her make-up applied, Jessie was instructed to put the kettle on and make a pot of tea for them all while Katie had her make-up done.
After tea and home-made quiche,
Katie took her by the arm. ‘Right, we just have to get changed,’ she said.
‘But I didn’t bring anything with me to change into,’ Jessie wailed.
‘It’s all sorted,’ Katie soothed. ‘Your dress, Cinderella, is on the bed.’ She opened Jessie’s bedroom door and Jessie gasped when she saw her wedding dress flat out on the bed. Beside it lay Katie’s ruby fishtail gown.
‘What’s happening?’ she stammered.
‘You’re getting married,’ grinned Katie, followed by Liz and Tara.
‘But I am married. I got married this day last year.’
‘Well, you’re getting married again, properly this time, with no dramatics and tragedy – just your own little wedding all to yourselves,’ Tara declared happily. ‘Mike and Katie have arranged it all. Father Henry’s going to officiate at the renewal of your wedding vows—’
‘And Sean’s coming,’ Katie giggled. ‘And if you’re not careful I’ll ask you can we have a double wedding,’ she teased, waving her diamond solitaire. She and Sean had got engaged in August.
‘Oh my God! Oh my God!’ Jessica was completely overwhelmed. Tears brightened her eyes.
‘Don’t cry!’ they all yelled. ‘Your mascara!’
Jessie laughed and cried at the same time. Imagine Mike planning all of this behind her back. No wonder she was crazy about him, she reflected as she stepped out of her jeans and shirt. Getting married again with no drama. How blissful.
Dizzy with happiness, she stood still as Liz and Tara slipped the champagne skirt over her head, followed by the beaded bodice. Opposite her Katie pulled her dress over her ass.
‘Still fits, thank God,’ she announced. Triumphantly. ‘I’m never ever eating lettuce again. The next time you renew your vows you’re on your own.’
‘Sorry, honey. The next big do you’ve to slim for is your wedding, so there,’ Jessie riposted, and was gratified to find her cousin speechless for once.
Ten minutes later, Katie announced, ‘Here’s Dad with the car.’ And Jessie had the strangest sense of déjà vu. Was this all happening or was she dreaming?
She was still pinching herself when she stood in the porch of Kilbride church and heard the organist begin the Wedding March. Liz, wearing the lovely navy and cream suit she’d worn a year ago, turned and smiled at her daughter.
‘Best foot forward,’ she murmured, just like before.
In a dream Jessie walked slowly up the aisle on her mother’s arm. Mike’s family were there, and Sean, smiling broadly at Katie, and two of the girls from work and some of her relations. And waiting for her with a smile of pure happiness was Mike in his smart, grey suit.
‘Hi.’ He smiled down at her. ‘You look radiant!’
‘That’s because I am.’ Jessica smiled back and reached up and kissed her husband with all the love she possessed.
THE END
Acknowledgements
Put your hope in God for I will yet praise Him, my Saviour and my God. Psalm 42
* * *
With great gratitude I give thanks:
To Jesus, Our Lady, St Joseph, Mother Meera, St Anthony, St Michael, and all my Angels, Saints and Guides, I thank you so much for the joy of my writing.
To my brilliant family including aunts, uncle and cousins, who are so caring and supportive. It means more than you’ll ever know. We’re very lucky to have each other.
To Mary and Yvonne . . . who demanded their own acknowledgement. Hope this is OK for you and I love you both very much.
To all my dear and much-loved friends, who are a great blessing in my life. I would especially like to thank Anne Barry and Anita Notaro, who were friends in deed when I was a friend in need. Thanks so much for the visits, the shopping and the freezer filling when I was encased in the cast. And to Deirdre Purcell for the perfect holiday.
To Alil O’Shaughnessy, ditto above and for offering to bring my car for the NCT, not to talk of proofing the ms.
To Tony Kavanagh, who also proofed diligently and sent me hilarious texts and emails. No one can beat you for brunch!
To Aidan Storey, who made Divine Timing real for me. It’s a joy to know you.
To Sarah, Felicity and Susannah, dear friends as well as agents.
To Jean, Leanne and Nicola, who make it such a treat to go to the hairdresser’s.
To Francesca Liversidge, who is such a supportive editor as well as being a much-loved friend.
To all at Transworld, who give 100 per cent and more. I really appreciate the effort and support you give my novels and me.
To Gill, Simon, Geoff, Eamonn, Gary and Jean, who went all out to make Two for Joy a biggie. It was great. Thanks so much.
To Declan Heeney . . . Dec, what can I say? You’re the best. (You’re in the book!)
To my colleagues in HHI, who also come under the heading of much-loved friends.
To Professor Ciaran Bolger, who has given me hope.
To Assistant Matron Betty O’Kane, John Byrne, Maria Meehan and all in the Bon Secours Hospital, Glasnevin, for their consistent kindness.
To Cathy Delmar of Bridal Corner, Prospect Avenue, who was so helpful in keeping me up to date on bridal wear.
Dear Reader, I hope you enjoy this book. Love, Light and Blessings shine on you.
Check out other novels by Patricia Scanlan
Forgive and Forget
* * *
Happy Ever After
* * *
Love and Marriage
* * *
City Girl
* * *
City Lives
* * *
City Woman
* * *
Coming Home . . . for Christmas
* * *
Divided Loyalties
* * *
Finishing Touches
* * *
Foreign Affairs
* * *
Mirror, Mirror
* * *
Promises, Promises
* * *
A Time For Friends
* * *
With All My Love
* * *
ORDER YOUR COPIES TODAY!
About the Author
Patricia Scanlan was born in Dublin, where she still lives. Some of her bestsellers include Apartment 3B; Finishing Touches; Foreign Affairs; Promises, Promises; Mirror, Mirror; City Girl; City Woman; City Lives; Francesca’s Party; Two for Joy; Double Wedding; Divided Loyalties; Forgive and Forget; and Winter Blessings, a collection of quotes, blessings, poems, and reminiscences. Patricia is the series editor and a contributing author to the Open Door series. She also teaches creative writing to second-level students and is involved in adult literacy.
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Also by Patricia Scanlan
Apartment 3B
Finishing Touches
Foreign Affairs
Promises, Promises
Mirror Mirror
Francesca’s Party
Two for Joy
Double Wedding
Divided Loyalties
Coming Home
With All My Love
A Time for Friends
Trilogies
City Girl
City Lives
City Woman
Forgive and Forget
Happy Ever After
Love and Marriage
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to
historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2004 by Patricia Scanlan
Originally published in Great Britain in 2004 by Bantam Press, a division of Transworld
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First Atria Unbound/Atria Books ebook edition February 2017
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ISBN 978-1-5011-3474-6
Double Wedding Page 39
