The Last Day of Winter

by Shari Low

  Come on, Juliet, don’t let us down.

  They ran on: thirty metres, twenty metres, fifteen… a shadow in front of them suddenly became a figure walking along the path in their direction A tall man in a striking grey suit and long coat, a fedora on his head.

  Caro spotted him too and stopped suddenly, the action almost pulling his shoulder out of its socket. ‘Mr Naismith,’ she gasped, out of breath.

  The elderly man didn’t hide his surprise. ‘Well, Caro! This is a surprise. Cammy just told me that…’ Seb could hear the Jamaican lilt in his voice, before he paused, glanced at Seb, obviously not wishing to be indiscreet.

  ‘Mr Naismith, this is…’

  Seb could see she was struggling to define him, so he stepped in. ‘I’m Seb. I’m a friend of Caro’s family.’

  ‘Thanks Seb,’ she said gratefully, before going on, ‘Mr Naismith is the celebrant who is officiating at our wedding.’ Introductions over, she addressed Mr Naismith again. ‘Were you about to tell me that Cammy said the wedding was off?’

  ‘I was, dear. And I must say, I was sorry to hear that. You’re such a lovely couple. It would have been my pleasure to marry you.’ He peered at Caro, as if his eyesight wasn’t the best, and then his whole demeanour changed, presumably when he realised that she was wearing a wedding dress. ‘Unless… was he mistaken, dear?’

  ‘No!’ Caro blurted. ‘At least, not completely. I had… cold feet, but I’ve come to my senses. Am I too late? Has everyone gone home? I can’t hear anything…’

  Seb registered the increasing panic in her voice again and he held his breath, waiting for the old man’s answer. When it came, Seb felt his spirits soar.

  ‘Everyone’s still in there. Cammy took me to one side to tell me and he said he was going to make an announcement shortly. I’m guessing that’s why he turned off the music. Damn loud, so it was. All that modern stuff. Nothing wrong with a classical tune, if you ask me.’

  There was still time. Seb watched the relief flood Caro’s face and for the first time since he met her, her shoulders dropped down from a stressed position.

  He decided to step in. ‘Mr Naismith, I’m very sorry for the confusion. Would you be willing to come back in with us and conduct the ceremony after all?’

  The elder man nodded immediately. ‘Of course! Although, I might make a comment about your punctuality, dear,’ he warned Caro, but there was a warmth there. Seb loved old blokes like this. Eccentric characters. He’d met loads of them on the golf course over the years and they were always entertaining.

  ‘Then we would be very grateful if you would come with us,’ Seb told him, before turning to Caro. ‘Are you okay? Still ready to do this?’

  ‘Absolutely! Let’s go. Mr Naismith, we’re going to run, so that I can try to stop Cammy before he tells the world what I’ve done. Is that okay?’

  ‘Of course, dear. I’ll catch up with you. A glass of red would help quench the thirst when I get there,’ he teased.

  ‘It’ll be waiting for you,’ Seb assured him, before taking Caro’s hand again and sprinting the remaining distance into the building.

  A waiter was just inside the door, topping up champagne glasses on a tray. He looked up at them with undisguised curiosity, but Seb didn’t have time to explain.

  ‘This way!’ Caro steered him through the foyer. As they moved, they could hear the buzz of conversation getting louder. Suddenly, a man’s voice cut through the noise.

  ‘Excuse me everyone, can I have your attention please?’

  ‘Shit, that’s Cammy,’ Caro groaned breathlessly.

  As Seb and Caro reached the entrance to the reception area, the noise subsided. Seb immediately scoped the situation. In a landscape that looked like a stunning winter wonderland of whites, silvers and emerald greens were about forty people, all with their backs to them. Over to the right, he could see Pearl, tears streaming down her face, as she held her husband Bob’s hand. It didn’t take a genius to work out that they already knew there was a problem. In front of the guests, one man stood facing his audience, discomfort and sadness in every sinew of his face and body. He began to speak again…

  ‘I’m so sorry to have kept you waiting,’ he said. ‘I guess you’ve noticed that Caro isn’t here tonight…’

  ‘Oh God, what am I going to do? I can’t just run in there and—’

  She didn’t even finish the sentence. Something in Seb, an urge to help her, to fix this, to make it right, took over and he heard himself saying, ‘Stay here, I’ll be right back. Don’t worry. Just stay out of sight for a minute.’ As he nudged her backwards, Caro’s chin dropped, but before she could object, Seb walked forward and cleared his throat loudly.

  Cammy stopped talking and glanced up at him, as a few of the guests turned to see who had taken Cammy’s attention.

  ‘Cammy, sorry to interrupt, but can I have a quick word with you?’ Seb raised his voice so he could be heard at the other end of the room.

  Cammy’s eyes narrowed in puzzlement and Seb could see that he was completely confused as to what was going on.

  Come on, he willed him. Just go with me here.

  ‘Sorry, you are…?’ It was a question, but one that was rapidly answered by his very own, recently acquainted, guardian angel, a woman so sharp that as soon as she spotted Seb, she obviously sussed that he would only interrupt proceedings if he had something to bring to the party. Preferably a bride.

  Josie immediately stepped forward. ‘Seb! Great to see you,’ she gushed, obviously trying to act like this was the most natural thing in the world in front of the assembled congregation. ‘Cammy, love, this is my pal, Seb. He just needs a quick word. Come on then,’ she beckoned. ‘Don’t take all day.’ Her tone made it perfectly clear to Cammy and everyone else that resistance would be futile. ‘Sorry about the interruption, folks. Jean…’ she gestured to a group of women who were all gathered together in the corner, ‘can you get the music back on and get Senga up to do Beyoncé. You’ll no’ need to ask her twice.’

  Jean and Senga immediately sprang into action, much to the amusement of everyone else. Even Pearl had stopped crying and was now staring at Seb in shock, trying to suss out why he was there and what was going on. Bob handed her another glass of champagne.

  A determined Josie and a bewildered Cammy were now heading towards him, and he backed out into the foyer, just as Mr Naismith, the celebrant, arrived and went past him into the room, heading for his position at the top of the aisle. Seb just prayed that they weren’t being too optimistic. Would Cammy still want to go ahead with this after everything he’d been through today? It must have shaken him to the core and it would be understandable if his confidence in his relationship was rattled.

  He knew the answer to that question as soon as Cammy reached him, then glanced over his shoulder and saw Caro. He took in her wide-eyed hope, her tentative smile and her wedding dress. Thankfully, his gaze didn’t reach the boots. Not that it would have mattered. Seb could see from the relief, the surprise and the pure adoration on his face that he adored this woman.

  Seb and Josie, meanwhile, met each other’s eyes and she gave him a cheeky smile and a wink of approval.

  ‘Caro, I thought…’ Cammy began.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ she cried at the same time. ‘I was an idiot. I don’t know what happened to me, I was just…’ she stopped, and Seb could see that she was struggling to find the right words.

  ‘It doesn’t matter,’ Cammy said, going to her, wrapping her in his arms, pulling her head against his shoulder. ‘God, I love you. I just care that you’re here now. Are you sure you want to do this?’

  ‘Totally! Are you sure you still want to marry me?’

  His smile was splitting his face. ‘Never more.’

  Seb felt Josie nudging him.

  ‘You did good,’ she murmured.

  Cammy must have heard it because he broke off from his embrace and turned to Seb. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are, do I?’

  S
eb held out his hand in introduction. ‘I’m Seb Lloyd. I was a friend of Caro’s mum a long time ago. I thought I’d gatecrash the wedding. I hope you don’t mind.’

  ‘Mate, you brought her here. You could limbo down that aisle naked and I wouldn’t mind.’

  ‘I’d buy tickets for that,’ Josie quipped, deadpan.

  ‘There’s so much more and I need to explain it, but can we get married first?’ Caro begged.

  ‘Yes!’ Cammy exclaimed. ‘I’ll just go and let Mr Naismith know and check he’s ready. Josie, can you sort out the music please? Senga is singing “All The Single Ladies”. Oh dear God.’

  With that he was off, Josie right behind him, leaving Seb staring at Caro, with what he knew was a daft, emotional grin on his face.

  Caro took his hand. ‘You know, I truly hope my mum and your wife are sitting up there together somewhere, with a big box of popcorn and a glass of champagne, watching this.’

  That conjured up a wonderful image in his mind. ‘I love that thought. They’ll be passing the tissues between them. My Juliet always cries at weddings.’

  ‘My mum did too,’ she said, laughing, before her expression softened to something more serious. ‘Can I ask you something?’

  Seb nodded. ‘Anything.’ It was true. There was nothing, absolutely nothing that he wouldn’t give her if he could.

  Her beautiful green eyes, the exact same shade as her mother’s, met his. ‘I was just going to walk down the aisle on my own. How would you feel about giving me away?’

  Cammy appeared back in the doorway. ‘Eh, hate to hurry this up,’ he teased, grinning. Seb could already see why Caro loved this guy. ‘But could we get a move on? I’d like to marry my fiancée before she changes her mind again.’

  The three of them were still laughing when the music began. Cammy darted ahead of them so he could be at the end of the aisle to greet his bride.

  As Caro and Seb, arm in arm, took their first steps into the flower-decked room, neither of them noticed that, in the shadows behind them, there was a woman who had been listening to every word they’d said.

  Thirty-One

  Josie

  The exertion of making her way back to her seat set Josie off on a coughing fit that was, thankfully, drowned out by the strains of Texas singing ‘So In Love With You.’ Cammy had told her that it had been their only choice of song, one that summed up exactly how they felt about each other.

  Now, as Caro slowly glided up the aisle on Seb’s arm, Josie could feel the words having a strange effect on her. There was moisture in her eyes, a lump in her throat… Jesus wept, she was getting sentimental. If this was another symptom of this bastard disease, she’d be raging. She sniffed and stood up straighter, pulling her shoulders back. She’d spent seven decades on this planet being tough and stoic and she wasn’t going to bloody fall apart now.

  Bugger, she was tired though. Bone-weary exhausted. In some ways, she was grateful for all the drama today, because it had taken her mind off this morning’s news, and off the fact that she was so knackered that all she wanted to do was climb under a duvet. Not that she’d give in to that. No. The minute you stopped, that’s when that bastard death got you – but at the same time, the thought of a long, lingering weakening of her body and mind made her shiver.

  ‘Are you okay, Ma?’ Michael, standing next to her, asked, slipping his arm around her shoulders and squeezing her, sharing both his body heat and his love. On the other side of her, Avril pressed her hand into her mother’s. She’d got lucky with these two and she adored the very bones of them. They both had their own lives and no longer needed her – Michael in Italy with his wife, Mel and their children, and Avril in London – but at the same time, they knew she would walk through fire for them.

  ‘I’m fine, son. Been a long day, that’s all.’

  If he thought she didn’t spot the look that Michael gave his sister over the top of Josie’s head, he would be wrong. She might have cancer, but it didn’t affect her powers of observation. The concerned expression on his face made her stomach churn. This was what she had ahead of her. She had been ferociously independent her whole life, always the toughest person in every room, and now she was going to have to let other people take care of her, worry about her, talk about her like she wasn’t there. The thought of that made her want to punch a wall. No. She wasn’t doing it. She’d deal with this disease on her terms, no one else’s.

  Caro was at the front of the aisle now, and the music was fading out. Josie felt her heart melt as Cammy leaned over and kissed his bride, jumping the gun somewhat, but his happiness was irrepressible. The guests laughed at his obvious glee, unaware of the emotional turmoil that had led up to it today, then they all sat down, much to her relief. Her legs, like the rest of her, were exhausted.

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen, bride and groom and Josie…’ Mr Naismith began, causing the guests to laugh, as he explained, ‘She says she’s writing my cheque, so I had to give her a special mention.’

  Cammy and Caro chuckled, as she knew they would. It was exactly the kind of icebreaker she’d wanted, perfect for setting the tone that the happy couple had hoped for. Informal. Relaxed. Funny. Intimate. The epitome of both their personalities. Or at least, it usually was – Caro had definitely given them all a fright today, poor lass.

  ‘We’re all here today to celebrate the wedding of Cammy and Caro. Now, for those of you who don’t know, I’m a humanist celebrant, and I’ve been asked by Cammy and Caro to celebrate their wedding in a way that they felt best illustrated their love for each other.’

  Josie watched Mr Naismith take a plaid scarf from his pocket.

  ‘Caro, Cammy, if you could both put one hand out in front of you…’

  They did as they were beckoned. The celebrant then placed Caro’s hand, palm down, on top of Cammy’s and tied the scarf around them.

  ‘This is an old tradition known as handfasting. By tying your hands together, it signifies your connection and the love that you have for each other.’

  ‘Bondage,’ Avril whispered in her mother’s ear. ‘That malarkey is one step away from a safe word.’

  The giggle rose from Josie’s gut and caught in her throat, causing yet another coughing fit. She kicked Avril’s ankle in punishment. That bloody lassie had been coming out with outrageous things since she told her nursery teacher that her roots needed doing. God, she made her laugh though.

  And Michael, well, he impressed her every day of his life. A sudden thought - how would they react to her dying?

  She stopped, unable to even contemplate that word. She rephrased it in her mind. How would they react to her no longer being here? She let the thought ruminate for a little while, the answer forming as she did so. She honestly believed that the two of them would be okay. They were strong, and much as she knew they loved her, they had other priorities now. Michael had his children to worry about. Her granddaughters from his first marriage, Abrielle and Josefina were teenagers now, and with his second wife, Mel, he had little Harrison and another one on the way. Michael had already shown that he was an incredible dad – hands on and interested, loving all those kids more than life. Avril, on the other hand, had never wanted children, and that was fine too. She was living with Eric, an actor who felt the same way, and Josie loved their life balance of career, adventure, travel and a huge friendship group. They worked hard and partied hard. Not a bad way to live their lives. Josie respected the fact that she lived life on her own terms. Hadn’t Josie done the same? After the kids’ father had bailed out when they were still in primary school, she’d decided that she’d never live with another man. Instead she’d had many relationships over the years, keeping them for as long as they made her happy. Nothing serious, no commitment, just fun while it lasted. It had suited her perfectly.

  Her eyes drifted to the person who would face the biggest hole when she was gone. In the front row sat Val, her husband Don, and Jen and Chrissie, the two worst bridesmaids ever. She and Val spoke several times every
day, and met up most days too. They were a dynamic duo, co-conspirators and partners in crime. They’d been inseparable for over a decade, and they’d faced some tough things in life – the hardest being the death of Val’s daughter, Dee, who was mown down in the street by a drugged-up driver. Even now, Val still found it difficult to talk about, but they’d got through it by filling their lives with waifs, strays and people who needed them – and by God, they knew how to laugh.

  What would Val do now? Sure, she had her husband, Don, but lovely as he was, he was the strong, silent type, who liked a quiet life – the opposite of Josie and Val. Her death… Leaving, she corrected herself, would leave a huge gap in Val’s life and that thought devastated her, almost as much as the knowledge that there was absolutely nothing she could do about it, except try to prepare her friend over the next few months. What she’d give to be able to turn back the clock, to live this lifetime again. For all its ups and downs, most of it had been absolutely bloody brilliant. Given her time again, she wouldn’t change a thing – except the ending.

  At the front of the room, Mr Naismith went on to talk about Cammy and Caro and how their relationship had grown, and their hopes and dreams for the future.

  The future. She felt a pang of pain as she realised that she’d probably never see their children, or their next home, or even celebrate their first anniversary with them. She wouldn’t see them grow older together. Maybe it was the heat in the room, but she’d suddenly gone from shivering, to feeling woozy.

  Every single person she loved was here… and the next time they congregated it would probably be at her funeral. If she hadn’t already been sitting down, that thought would have been enough to make her fall to the floor.

  There was a comfort though, in knowing that Cammy and Caro were sorted, that they’d made it this far and they had each other now. Although, she suspected that the same couldn’t be said for Stacey. She scanned the room, searching for the woman whom she’d loved since she was a little girl. She had a good heart, Stacey did, and Josie was pretty sure it had been broken today. All she could do was make sure that she spoke to her tomorrow and then checked in on her regularly… Although, where was she? Had this all been too much for her? It couldn’t have been easy to watch the man she loved marry someone else. Senga would help her through it, though. If anyone knew heartbreak, it was Senga. She’d lost two husbands, and she was still standing. That took a special kind of strength.