It All Started With You, page 19
What follows is like a scene from a movie. As I walk in, Honey’s already there, standing amongst the flowers and looking around in amazement. ‘Good God, Frankie… What is all this? Have you got a date or something?’
‘Not exactly,’ I tell her, suddenly nervous, then take a deep breath. Here goes… ‘But you have.’ And I stand back and let Johnny in.
There’s a lump in my throat. Against the flowers, she’s suddenly vulnerable and beautiful at the same time. Johnny looks at her, then at me, uncertainly, and suddenly I realise it’s time for me to go.
‘Before either of you say a word, there’s champagne in the fridge and dinner is arriving in twenty-five minutes exactly. It was on the expensive side so please be good and don’t waste it or I shall really be quite upset. I’m going out and I won’t be back for ages, so you know, if you…’ My voice is getting squeakier. I talk fast so neither of them can interrupt. ‘Johnny – light the candles will you?’ Shell-shocked, he stumbles forward but does as I say.
‘Okay. I’m going now.’ I completely scarper at that point, though I needn’t have worried because right at this moment, neither of them are capable of speaking. I think of the little posy on the side in there, crossing my fingers, wishing them all the luck in the world. This time, I have a feeling it’s going to work.
26
Leaving the lovebirds to it, I pop over to see Alice, who with Martha in bed, is throwing together supper for her and Dave. I tell her about my visit from Julia.
‘You might even be hearing from her yourself,’ I tell her.
‘God, I hope not,’ snorts Alice, sounding angry just at the idea of it. ‘I’d prefer to leave the past as it is. I’ve really nothing to say to her.’
‘Actually, you might be surprised. I mean, she’ll never be a mother in the sense that you are to Martha, but she’s interested in us. And I think she knows she got it wrong. I really think she’d like to get to know us.’
‘Sorry, but I really don’t want her waltzing back in and screwing us up again.’
I understand why Alice feels like this, only for me it’s different. I’ve seen another side of Julia. A lost, vulnerable side, because she’s still looking for herself and until such time as she finds what she thinks she’s looking for, how can she be a mother?
I leave Alice to her cooking and join Charlie and Nina at the pub. We’ve decided to get together to send powerful positive vibes in Honey and Johnny’s direction, just in case they need a little help.
‘So now we just have to wait,’ I tell them – and Will – when we meet in the pub. I’m still not used to the fact that one of my friends is now a couple. ‘But this time, I have a good feeling. Oh my God.’
‘What?’
‘Ryan and Elise,’ I hiss. ‘Friends of Honey and Johnny, identikit smug marrieds – over there, in the corner. Matching outfits and drinks.’
‘Aren’t you going to go and say hello?’ Nina nudges me.
‘Of course. Only…’
‘What?’ says Charlie. ‘It doesn’t look like you’ll be interrupting anything…’
It’s true. They’re sitting there, both of them staring into their drinks which are an innocuous lemonade colour, unless they’re half-pints of vodka which, knowing Ryan and Elise, isn’t likely.
I hang back. ‘It’s just, every time I meet them, I’ve been pissed and behaved atrociously.’
‘Then you’ve absolutely nothing to lose.’ says Charlie, and she’s right.
As I get to they’re table I notice that it’s matching T-shirts and jeans instead of the crisp linen they usually wear. Most noticeable of all is the silence – neither of them is saying a word.
‘Hi, guys,’ I say brightly. ‘I thought it was you. I just thought I’d pop over and say hello.’
‘Frankie!’ Is it my imagination, or is Elise actually pleased to see me? ‘Come and sit down. Have a drink with us!’
‘Actually, that’s very kind of you, but I’m with my friends. Over there…’ I nod towards Charlie, Nina and Will. ‘You’re very welcome to join us.’
Not expecting for a moment that they’d want to, but to my amazement, Elise leaps up immediately. ‘We’d love to. Wouldn’t we, Ryan?’
Looking far from pleased, Ryan mutters something I can’t make out.
‘Great!’ I say, astounded. ‘Come on, then.’
They follow me over, and as I introduce them all, it becomes abundantly clear that something’s wrong between them. Will tries to chat to Ryan, whose monosyllabic grunts verge on the point of rudeness. The smug marrieds are clearly anything but smug and when I go to get more drinks, I decide I need to investigate.
‘Elise? You wouldn’t give me a hand would you?’
She leaps up, beaming at me, but at the bar, the beam fades somewhat.
‘Is everything okay?’ I ask. ‘Only – you and Ryan, well…’
‘No,’ she says. ‘No – it’s really not, as I’m sure you can tell. I’m trying extremely hard, Frankie, but…’
‘Look,’ I say kindly. ‘Would it help – to meet. Just you and me – and you can tell me all about it. I’m quite good at listening, you know.’
Elise sighs. ‘I’d love that. All our friends think the world of Ryan… it would be great to talk to someone who doesn’t. Well, you don’t, do you? To tell you the truth, I always thought you were laughing at us.’
‘You what?’ I’m outraged. ‘You’ve got it all wrong, Elise. You two were laughing at me, for being the badly behaved single friend who always drank too much.’
‘But you have fun, don’t you?’ When her eyes meet mine, they’re serious.
People really are full of surprises, I decide that evening. Who’d have imagined that Ryan and Elise weren’t a match made in heaven. Honey and Johnny too, come to that. What is the world coming to?
But when I get home, there’s a soft light in the window – from the candles, I’m presuming, which, crossing my fingers, I take to be a good sign. Even better, when I go inside, the remains of the Chinese are still on the table along with an empty champagne bottle and only the dregs of Johnny’s red wine. Then I hear it – a muffled giggle, coming from Honey’s room. Then the bed creaks. Deciding I’ve heard enough, I tiptoe into my own room and close the door.
When I get up the next morning, the flat is clean and tidy and Honey’s looking chipper.
‘Has Johnny gone?’ I ask her, noting a hint of red in her cheeks. ‘So? How was it? Tell me, Honey…’
‘Amazing,’ she says, smiling properly with a faraway look in her eyes. ‘I can’t thank you enough, Frankie. I really think we’re back on track – and all because of you. Johnny says I’m a changed person.’ She giggles slightly. ‘Let’s say, I really surprised him. You know, when we went to bed we…’
But I hold up a hand.
‘Too much information, Honey,’ I say, shocked at her sudden lack of inhibition and thinking I must tell Mrs Orange, so that she can modify her formula for the next posy. ‘But I’m so thrilled for you! You deserve it, both of you, you really do. So what happens now?’
‘He’s coming over tonight to help me pack all my stuff,’ she says, slightly subdued all of a sudden. ‘You don’t mind, do you? I know it’s sudden. And you’ve been the best friend in the world, but we’re going to try and make a go of it.’
‘I’m just glad you and Johnny have sorted things out, silly,’ I tell her, realising that actually, I’ll really miss her. ‘It’ll be strange though – we’ve been living together, working together. All of a sudden, you’re disappearing.’
She looks at me, aghast. ‘Oh no. That’s the thing. I’m really not. I’ve talked it through with Johnny and he agrees, Frankie. That I should finish my floristry course and work with you – at least for now, if that’s OK still?’
‘OK?’ I cry, flinging my arms round her. ‘You bet it is! You mean you’re really going to leave the legal profession?’
‘Yes! I can always go back part time if I miss it, but to be honest, I just want to get my marriage back on track. I’ll worry about the rest later.’
Suddenly I remember. ‘Honey! I saw Ryan and Elise last night!’
‘Oh bloody hell, aren’t they just the most nauseatingly happy couple you could ever meet?’ she says, astounding me.
‘Honey! Don’t you dare say that – they’re your friends. And actually, they’re not. Not any more. In fact, I’m meeting Elise later to talk about it.’
‘You and Elise? That’s ridiculous,’ says Honey.
‘No more ridiculous than you and Charlie,’ I remind her. ‘Anyway, you’ll be safely ensconced in the arms of lover boy by then. I need someone to keep me company.’
Now that the unwanted wedding flowers have done their trick for Honey, we take them over to Briarwood, filling every vase they can find for us and taking the rest back to the shop where Skye suggests we tie them in bunches and sell them off ridiculously cheaply, again in aid of the hospice. After bribing Mr Crowley with a large bouquet for his missis, we set a table up outside Demelza’s, where Skye flogs every last one to all the passers-by and collects a few hundred pounds in donations.
That evening, Johnny turns up and helps Honey load her car. And everything’s like it always was between them – the affection, the banter – only Honey’s softer, gentler than she used to be. Then suddenly, they’re gone and my little flat feels strangely empty. It’s an unexpectedly quiet end to the week, leaving me time for a long run before I go to meet Elise.
27
‘I can’t tell you what a relief it is, just to get out without him,’ says Elise, taking a large gulp of her wine. I suggested we share a bottle, because at a time like this, we’ll need at least that.
‘I still don’t understand,’ I say to her. ‘I always thought you two were what us lesser mortals could only dream of – you know, so in love and always dressed so…’ I break off, not wanting to sound rude.
‘Like Tweedledum and Tweedledee?’ she says bluntly. ‘Nauseating, don’t you think? I tell you, Frankie – I’ve just about had enough. We were far too young.’
‘How young?’
‘Believe it or not, we met at school. Yes, I know,’ she adds, seeing the look on my face. ‘We were fourteen. Can you believe it? What was I thinking?’
‘It was awfully young,’ I say diplomatically.
‘We got married at nineteen – and to start with, it was all very exciting in a sweet way.’
‘So what’s gone wrong?’
She pauses, then sighs. ‘The trouble is, it’s like shagging my brother. I’m fond of him. Of course I am. I’m just not in love with him. And I only realised when I started having an affair.’ When I gasp, she hesitates briefly. ‘Are you shocked? I met this guy six months ago. It’s nothing complicated – just sex. Only I realise what we’ve been missing. I’ve decided, Frankie. I’m leaving him. Neither of us are happy and if I wait for Ryan to do something…’ She shakes her head. ‘Anyway, I’ve handed in my notice at work – I’ve just got to find the right way to tell him. That’s the hard bit.’ She bites her lip and fixes clear eyes on mine. ‘You’re not going to try and talk me out of it, are you?’
‘I wouldn’t dream of it,’ I tell her. She’s clearly made her mind up. ‘If it’s that big a mistake, why waste any more time together? It sounds like you should never have married in the first place. You were too young. And we only get one life, after all. No, Elise, you go for it.’
‘Thank you.’ Her shoulders slump. ‘That’s what I think, too. It’s just Ryan.’
‘Oh, he’ll find someone else to wear his matching T-shirts,’ I say, clapping my hand to my mouth and suddenly thinking I’ve overstepped the mark again.
But Elise giggles. ‘It was ridiculous, wasn’t it? Oh God. I hope you’re right.’
‘What will you do?’ I’m full of admiration for her – not for busting up her marriage, but thinking it through and having the courage to do something about it, when in many ways, it would be easier to stay.
‘I’m going to start my new life with the travelling I should have done years ago,’ she says, her eyes lighting up. ‘Like one of those mid-life crisis gap years, only a bit early. I’ve already bought my air ticket to New York, and from there I’m going to hire a car and cross the States and just see what happens. I’m thinking LA, Hawaii, then Australia, but I can decide as I go along.’
‘Wow.’ Suddenly I’m truly envious. ‘That sounds awesome.’
‘I can’t wait… Sorry, I can’t believe I haven’t even asked you about Honey,’ she says apologetically.
‘Oh, don’t worry about them. I have a feeling they’ll be just fine,’ I tell her.
‘I hope so. Johnny needs a woman like her,’ says Elise. ‘You know – together and well…’ She glances at me.
‘Bossy?’
She giggles.
And so another hot summer turns to autumn. With all the running I’m doing, I’m fitter than I’ve ever been and have far more energy too. The most stressful of weddings suddenly seem more manageable, even when a bride calls me the night before her wedding to tell me she’s been to the church and the roses are the wrong shade of pink. In the past, it would have thrown me into a panic, imagining doom and gloom and the end of everything I’ve worked for – but it doesn’t. Firstly, I have pictures and detailed descriptions, as I remind her. But also, they’re only wedding flowers. I know they look good, she’s got exactly what she ordered and honestly, in the grand scheme of things, she needs to get a life.
I can’t help thinking I’m probably storing it up for Maria and Pete’s wedding, which is in two weeks’ time and that by then I’ll be in the throes of the biggest meltdown of my life. I’ve had another call from Josh, still digging for snippets of wedding info and I think I can safely say that after what I’ve divulged, while Maria and Pete are saying their vows, he’ll be on the other side of the country. I shall so enjoy telling him all about it – when it’s over.
Before then, however, is the charity dinner which Lulubelle’s organising. I don’t know how she does it, coordinating top-notch caterers, an MC, not to mention auction prizes and a fantastic band I’ve never heard of – all while looking after Cosmo. She’s persuaded a country house hotel to lend her their ballroom and it’s going to be a seriously grand occasion. I’m doing the flowers for her at cost, though there are a few little add-ons I haven’t told her about.
And somewhere in all this, I need to find time to buy a frock. Nothing too over the top, but elegantly befitting the occasion. Honey and Johnny have taken a whole table and rather unfortunately, out of a misguided sense of solidarity, Johnny invited Ryan. But the trouble is, with everyone else being couples, I’ve a horrible feeling it’s me who’s going to be lumbered with him…
But before any of that can happen, there’s work to do.
‘Right!’ I say bossily. ‘Listen up please! This is really important.’
I still find it hilarious bossing Honey around. She’s learning, my vociferous friend. I can tell she’s dying to answer back, but she doesn’t, just clenches her teeth and listens.
‘Skye – I want you and Honey to set the vases up on the tables, on the round mirrors, with four candles on each table. I’m going to decorate the mantelpiece and then we’ll see what flowers are left after that. And can we not take too long because I want to have a shower and wash my hair before it starts.’
True to form, Mrs Orange arrives, just as we’re loading the van and sticks her head inside, frowning.
‘It’s a charity dinner, not a wedding,’ I say a little sharply, before she starts imparting pearls of wisdom about bride’s hair and all that nonsense.
‘That explains it,’ she nods knowingly and gives me a witchy grin. ‘I couldn’t understand, duck – didn’t feel like no wedding. You can tell.’
She walks off, leaving me staring after her as she crosses the road and goes to talk to Mr Crowley.
I know for a fact that Lulubelle’s going to be delighted, because not only is she getting free labour from three outstanding florists (us) but Milo, too, cut us a deal on the flowers, which were more than covered by the sale of the unwanted Hindu wedding flowers.
Some of the tables are having tall vases and others low ones, of gorgeous yellow lilies and lots of wild green foliage. It’s simple, but fantastic. Then on the ornate mantelpiece, beneath the huge gilded mirror, which is hung above it, I make a long decoration which snakes along the length of it, with candles and lots of wild bits of twigs and foliage poking out. It’s more Constance Spry than modern florist, but it catches the eye and is perfect for the setting.
We even finish early, which means lots of time to shower and pamper and make myself glamorous. And already, I’m starting to look forward to it. Maybe I’ll even meet a man – an interesting one, who will be charming and handsome and slightly impressed when I modestly let slip I did the flowers. Except I won’t. I’ve already decided no one’s going to know. For once, I’m not going to boast about them.
As I walk out to the van, I’m looking forward to a hot shower with my new exotic, body scrub and the sexy underwear I treated myself to because even I can’t wear grey old knackered pants under a posh frock. But as I’m just about to drive away, in my rear-view mirror I catch sight of a flustered looking Lulubelle rushing after me.
‘FRANKIE! Oh Frankie! I don’t know what to do… Only the band aren’t here… I was expecting them a couple of hours ago, just to set everything up.’
‘Call them,’ I tell her. Duh…
‘You don’t think I haven’t tried… I’ve actually called them a dozen times now.’ I’ve never seen her so frantic. ‘What are we going to do? I’ve sold all these tickets promising music and dancing – and at this rate, there isn’t going to be any. Oh my God…’ She runs her fingers through her hair. ‘It’s a complete disaster…’
