‘Is a pacemaker going to work on your heart?’ says Lucy.
‘Yes it works,’ says Margaret.
‘I think we’ve gotta go now because there’s another limousine going to arrive in five minutes. Are you coming to join me, Mandy and Lucy, to wait outside for this car to come?’ says Jessica.
‘No thank you, Jessica,’ says Angelique. ‘I’m going stay inside and have a chat with my mum.’
‘Okay, Angelique,’ says Jessica. ‘I’ll see you later.’
She, Mandy and Lucy walk to the coffee table, pick up their flowers and walk to the door as they leave from Angelique’s house and stand outside to wait for another limousine to come and pick them and Angelique up.
Margaret says to Angelique, ‘Angelique, may I have a word with you?’
‘Yes, Mum, what is it?’ says Angelique.
‘I have a replacement to join you to slowly walk down the aisle during the ceremony, because my husband and your father is dead,’ says Margaret. ‘I have asked your uncle Doug to give you away.’
‘Are you sure, Mum?’ says Angelique.
‘Yes, he’s arriving from Bendigo today,’ says Margaret.
‘Is his family coming to join him?’ says Angelique.
‘Yes,’ says Margaret, but there is another knock on the door and Margaret says to Angelique, ‘I think it must be him, Angelique.’
‘Don’t worry, Mum, I’ll follow you to walk and answer the door,’ says Angelique.
‘Oh, all right Angelique,’ says Margaret, so she and Angelique walk to the door and Angelique opens the door and it is her Uncle Doug, who is medium height, average body with brown hair and wearing a dark grey suit.
He smiles and says to Angelique, ‘G’day, Angelique.’
‘Hi, Uncle Doug,’ says Angelique.
‘Haven’t seen you since Bill passed away,’ says Doug.
‘Yes, it’s been awhile,’ says Angelique.
Doug spins to Margaret, stops smiling, is shocked and says to her, ‘Bloody hell, you’ve lost weight, haven’t you?’
‘Yes, I just recovered from a heart attack three months ago but now I’ve lost fifteen kilograms’, says Margaret.
‘That’s strange,’ says Doug.
Margaret says to Angelique, ‘I’ve got to go now, Angelique. My carer is waiting for me. I really want to see you and Tyler have a wonderful time and have beautiful, nice children – that’s what I want to see before I get old.’
She leaves in a car which is driven by her carer and Angelique shuts the door. She walks to Doug – who is now sitting on the couch in the lounge room – and Doug says to her, ‘Strewth, your mother has changed, hasn’t she?’
‘Yes, she wants to look after her life since she recovered from a heart attack and she wants to see me and Tyler get married and then, have children,’ says Angelique.
‘Tyler’s your fiancé?’ says Doug.
‘Yes. Have you met him before?’ says Angelique.
‘No I haven’t,’ says Doug, ‘Bill and I have visited his workplace, The Duke of York Hotel before, for a business party for mine and Bill’s gold mining business way back a long time ago before you started working at the same pub as a dancer.’
‘Yes, I just wanted my dad to meet Tyler if he was still alive,’ says Angelique.
‘Don’t worry, Angelique. It’s only life after death and tragedy,’ says Doug.
‘I know,’ says Angelique. ‘Is your family coming to join us for mine and Tyler’s wedding?’
‘Yes, my wife is coming and so are my children with their loved ones,’ says Doug.
‘Where are they?’ says Angelique.
‘Well, my wife is in her car. She dropped me at your house because I just wanted to see,’ says Doug.
‘How is your gold mining business in Bendigo going after Bill is gone?’ says Angelique.
‘My gold mining business is fine. Everything’s fine because we have a good business, good profit and other good times for our business,’ says Doug.
‘What about your gold mining business on the stock market in Australia?’ says Angelique.
‘Oh, our business is okay on the stock market in Australia, Angelique,’ says Doug. ‘It’s alright, we’re not panicking, we’re surviving.’
‘Right, there’s another limousine coming later. Do you want to join me by going outside and meeting my friends?’ says Angelique.
‘Where?’ says Doug.
‘Outside my house,’ says Angelique.
‘Oh, yes please, sorry,’ says Doug, so he stands up from the couch and he and Angelique walk to the door. Doug opens the door and Angelique exits first while Doug locks the deadlock, exits and shuts the door. He joins Angelique to walk to Jessica, Mandy and Lucy to wait for the limousine to come and take them to the Stars of The Sea Church at Brighton.
Inside the limousine as it drives to the Stars of The Sea Church in Brighton, Tyler and Peter are sitting in the back seat and they can’t wait to go into the church.
Peter says to Tyler, ‘Do you think Dr Airhardt’s two assistants, Leo and Roy, will come to your wedding to protect us?’
‘Peter, that’s old news,’ says Tyler.
‘Oh sorry,’ says Peter.
‘That’s okay. I know you were right about Dr Airhardt using Leo and Roy to protect my wedding by dressing up as the drunken version of Teletubbies and you told me that’s for babies,’ says Tyler.
‘Yeah, Tyler, I remember,’ says Peter. ‘Look at the unwelcome mongrels, they are blokes and they are gate-crashers, I mean, wedding crashers.’
‘What have they done at weddings?’ says Tyler.
‘Some of them pick up sheilas, right?’ says Peter. ‘And some of them eat food, including the wedding cake or have drinks and go have a piss in the loo or other places.’
‘Do security stop them?’ says Tyler.
‘Yes sometimes,’ says Peter.
‘Why?’ says Tyler.
‘Because the wedding planner hires security guards to protect the wedding at the ceremony, in the churches and other places, and the parties in the gardens. They make sure unwelcome guests or visitors won’t come in,’ says Peter.
‘Mmm, I’m not sure if this is a security threat,’ says Tyler.
‘Don’t worry, Tyler,’ says Peter. ‘Your wedding is going to be just fine. Do you want to have drinks with me? It’s got a mini bar and a fridge in the limousine.’
‘Look, we’re not going to have drinks before the wedding,’ says Tyler.
‘All right, we’ll do it at the party,’ says Peter. ‘We don’t want to be embarrassed and spoil your wedding?’
‘Yes, we’re going to be good men and we’re going to be well-behaved, okay?’ says Tyler.
‘All right, it’s your wedding,’ says Peter. ‘You’re in charge and you’re the groom and I’m only your best man.’ So he and Tyler stop chatting as the limousine is still on the way to the Stars of The Sea Church at Brighton.
Five minutes later outside the Stars of The Sea Church in Brighton, George, Mark, Paul and Mick are standing near the front door of the church. In the driveway, a limousine arrives and drives to the outside of the church and stops. The driver’s door opens and a chauffeur steps out and shuts the door. He walks to one of the doors and opens it as he says to both Tyler and Peter, ‘Here you go, sir.’
Tyler and Peter step out and walk to meet George, Mark, Paul and Mick. Tyler says to them, ‘Hi, guys, have you been waiting for me and Peter for long outside the chapel?’
‘Yep,’ says George.
‘Maybe,’ says Mark.
‘Suppose’, says Paul.
‘Just a little bit,’ says Mick.
‘Tyler, I’m sorry for being rude to you and Peter when you and Peter talked to me about a mysterious person with the mysterious coat who turned out to be Robert Taylor. I was tired after going out clubbing too long,’ says Paul.
‘That’s okay, Paul,’ says Tyler.
‘Yeah, mate, we tried to help you,’ says Pete
r.
‘What happened to Robert now?’ says Paul.
‘He’s dead,’ says Tyler.
‘Oh strewth.’ says Paul. ‘That’s a fair go for this mysterious bloke. How did this happen to him?’
‘He shot himself at the Duke of York Hotel after escaping from police custody, killing four people using a policeman’s gun and having a shoot-out against two security guards,’ says Tyler.
‘Was he crazy when he went nuts?’ says Paul.
‘Yes but he was also depressed,’ says Tyler.
‘Oh no,’ says Paul. ‘What was he depressed about?’
‘He was depressed about people, including me,’ says Tyler.
‘Mmm, that’s sad,’ says Paul.
‘So, Tyler, who will take Angelique down the aisle and walk her to you during your wedding ceremony?’ says George.
Tyler takes a pause and says to George, ‘Well, Angelique told me that her father passed away about three years ago.’
‘What?’ says George. ‘He’s dead?’
‘Yes he is,’ says Tyler.
‘Oh gee, are you kidding?’ says George.
‘No.’
‘Cripes,’ says George.
‘Well, I wish I could’ve met him,’ says Tyler.
‘But who will take Angelique down the aisle?’ says George.
‘I think it will be another member of her family,’ says Tyler.
‘Who?’ says George.
‘Her uncle,’ says Tyler.
‘What’s his name?’ says George.
‘Doug,’ says Tyler.
‘Who is Doug?’ says George.
‘He and her father were working for her family’s gold mining business, right?’ says Tyler.
‘Right,’ says George. ‘I get it.’
‘Well, guys, I think we’re going to go inside the chapel, because the guests and other people are starting to arrive.’
Tyler walks to the front door, opens and enters, followed by Peter, George, Mark, Paul and Mick.
CHAPTER 49
F
ifteen minutes later inside St Peters Church in Brighton, the wedding service of Tyler and Angelique begins. There, a priest holding a prayer book in his hands is standing at the altar. On the one side, there’s Tyler, Peter, George, Mark, Paul and Mick who are all standing in front of the altar. On the left side of the congregation sitting on chairs are the members of two families. On the right side of the congregation are a group of Tyler’s and Angelique’s friends.
As the door opens, all of the family members and friends stand up. There’s a flower girl with a white dress holding a basket of flowers in her hand. She enters first and walks down the main aisle, taking buds and scattering them on the floor. Jessica, Mandy, and Lucy enter and follow the flower girl up the aisle. Finally at this door comes Angelique, with Doug by her side. She enters and they walk slowly down the aisle following the others.
At one side of the altar, George says to Mark, ‘Here comes the bride, Mark.’
‘Yeah, she looks like a princess or even a fairy-tale princess,’ says Mark.
The organist starts to play music on the organ, and Jessica, Mandy and Lucy walk slowly down the aisle. Then Angelique and Doug also slowly walk down the aisle and when they reach the front, they stand next to Tyler, Peter, George, Mark, Paul and Mick. The organist stops playing music and the priest says, ‘And who gives this woman to this man?’
‘I do,’ says Doug. He hands Angelique to Tyler and says to Tyler, ‘Here you go.’
‘Thank you,’ says Tyler. Doug leaves and walks to his seat next to his wife and children with their loved ones. Tyler now stands next to Angelique at the altar.
Five minutes later after the wedding ceremony starts, the priest asks Tyler, ‘Tyler, do you take Angelique to be your wife?’
‘I do. I, Tyler, take you, Angelique, to be my lawful wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honour you all the days of my life,’ says Tyler.
‘And to you, Angelique, do you take Tyler to be your husband?’ says the priest.
‘I do. I, Angelique, take you Tyler, to be my lawful husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honour you all the days of my life,’ says Angelique.
‘Now, Tyler, take the ring and put it on Angelique’s finger and say, “With this ring, I thee wed”,’ says the priest.
‘Um, I got a wedding ring, it’s in the pocket of my black pants,’ says Tyler. He takes it out and when he opens the box, it has the wedding ring in it.
The priest says, ‘Oh, I see.’
‘I’m going to put a ring on Angelique’s finger right now,’ says Tyler. He puts the wedding ring on her left ring finger.
‘I now pronounce you, Tyler and Angelique, to be husband and wife. You will be together for the rest of your lives now that you are married,’ says the priest. ‘And, Tyler?’
‘Yes?’ says Tyler.
‘You may now kiss the bride.’
‘Okay,’ says Tyler.
He and Angelique close their eyes and have a long kiss together. The people clap. A minute later, Tyler and Angelique stand next to a desk, signing the wedding certificate.
The priest says to both Tyler and Angelique, ‘You two will have a good marriage.’
‘Thank you,’ says Tyler. He hands the pen to Angelique who says to him, ‘Thanks, Tyler.’ She also signs her name on the marriage certificate and after she finishes signing, she gives the pen back to Tyler. Tyler gives the pen back to the priest and the priest says to both Tyler and Angelique, ‘Thank you very much. Enjoy your marriage.’
‘Thanks,’ says Tyler, so he and Angelique hold hands, walk out and leave the Stars of The Sea Church followed by the people. Meanwhile, Peter walks to the desk and the priest gives the pen to Peter and he also signs as a witness on the marriage certificate. Peter gives the pen back to the priest and then also leaves.
At the outside of the church, the door opens and Tyler and Angelique are happy and excited, holding hands and running as they exit the church step down the stairs. There’s a crowd of people cheering both Tyler and Angelique and throwing rice and confetti at them. Tyler and Angelique run to the limousine. One of the doors of the limousine has been opened by the chauffeur earlier so they hop inside the limousine and Angelique shuts the door. The limousine drives off from the church. The rest of the guests follow in their vehicles and will meet up again with Tyler and Angelique in the park.
At the park, Tyler and Angelique are standing together, holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes and smiling as the wedding photographer is getting ready to take the photos. He says to them, ‘Okay, you two, smile.’ Both Tyler and Angelique are still smiling so the wedding photographer takes a photo of the happy couple anyway. He removes the camera from his face and says to the guests, ‘I would like all of you to join the two newlyweds.’
The guests walk to Tyler and Angelique for another wedding photo; the members of Angelique’s family are standing next to her and the members of Tyler’s family are standing next to him while the friends of both Tyler and Angelique are standing in the background along with the bridesmaids and groomsmen.
The wedding photographer then says to the other people, ‘All right, smile.’
The other people smile and the wedding photographer clicks a group portrait.
Ten minutes later inside the big tent at the park, Tyler and Angelique are holding a big knife in their hands as they’re going to cut a white wedding cake. The cake is on top of a table and the guests are sitting around watching the two newlyweds cut a piece of cake. Both Tyler and Angelique put a big knife on the top tier of the cake and start cutting while the wedding photographer takes a photo of them again. Tyler and Angelique leave from the wedding cake table and return to the seats and start eating their meals.
CHAPTER 50
T
en minutes later inside the big tent at the park,
there are lots of people sitting at the tables as they listen to the wedding speeches.
The master of ceremonies says to the guests, ‘Attention, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to present the speeches so here’s the groom.’
The guests clap their hands as Tyler stands up and the master of ceremonies gives the microphone to him. Tyler clears his throat and says to the guests, ‘Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. I’m so proud that I’m now a married man with my beautiful wife, Angelique.’ He takes a short pause and says to the guests, ‘I’ve been a bachelor for thirty years and I always thought I would be a bachelor boy before I met Angelique.’
‘Don’t worry, Tyler! You survived,’ Peter says, and the other guests laugh.
Tyler says to Peter, ‘Thanks, Peter.’ He takes another short pause and says to the guests, ‘But now as I fast-forward to this year, I met Angelique and we worked at the Duke of York Hotel. I in public relations and she a dancer. We had been dating for three months and were having a good time before, during and after our engagement, but there’s a twist here. When I started going out with Angelique, the mysterious coat appeared! This coat was worn by a mysterious person who was haunting me and made me crazy until the name of the owner was revealed as the late Robert Taylor. Angelique told me that she had been haunted by Robert and she was threatened by him while dancing at work in the Duke of York Hotel, so with the help of my friend, Peter and the police – led by Inspector Mack Young and Dr Airhardt – we investigated the coat and Robert.’
‘Wow, that’s a drama,’ a voice from one of the guests says.
‘Robert was a creepy and sneaky guy. He was creeping around my apartment block and he also tried to threatened my darling Angelique. I was threatened by him when he nearly took me hostage at his secret hideout when I was going undercover with the help of Mack and his men of the police force. After Robert was arrested by the police, he then escaped from them and, finally, hid at the Duke of York Hotel. He took his life because he was a sad and lonely guy, and he couldn’t take it anymore. After his death, Angelique and I were survivors and survived from him.’ He takes another pause and says to the guests, ‘So let’s move on as the story ends. I would like to thank my parents, Bruce and Grace, my family and my mate, Peter, along with his friends, and I would also like to thank Angelique’s mother, Margaret, who is now my mother in-law. She survived a health and heart scare and her life will go ahead, as she wants to live and stay alive. I would also like to thank her family and friends too. I would also like to thank some people including Mack and Dr Airhardt for helping me to solve the case of the mysterious coat. Now, Angelique and I will go ahead to have a happy and wonderful time. We’re going to have good times after having hard times so that’s it. No more. We are survivors, so thank you and that’s life.’
The Mysterious Coat Page 30
