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Tania has hired a wedding planner, Mia. She claims it was my dad’s idea but it’s like being in an episode of Real Housewives. There are samples of everything. Dress fabrics, table cloths, flower options, menu cards, party favours. It’s exhausting. We’re sitting in the conservatory looking at napkins with Mia. Smiley, perky Mia who doesn’t appear to be aware of what a complete joke this whole thing is.
‘Er, that one.’ Tania jabs a finger at a plain white napkin.
Mia crinkles her nose. ‘White? With an ivory gown?’
‘Okay.’ Tania shrugs. ‘Ivory then?’
Mia nods. Apparently that’s correct. ‘Ivory sheen or ivory matt?’
I stare, with Tania, at the two napkins Mia has pulled to the top of the pile. For a second I’m almost starting to sympathise with the enemy. That’s a thing isn’t it? Hostages get it; when they’ve spent too long with their captors they start to get emotionally involved. I’m not here to support Tania. I’m here to find out more about her so I can stop my dad from making this ridiculous mistake.
Tania is still staring at the napkins. ‘I don’t really mind.’
Mia laughs. ‘Oh come on. I know brides. Everything has to be perfect.’
‘Then matt?’
Mia nods. ‘Excellent.’ I guess that must have been the right answer then. Honestly, I expected wedding planning to be a lot more fun than it is. Of course it’s different for Tania – Dad’s far too busy to be expected to spend time on planning the details. If me and Dom get married, we’ll be doing all this together. I try to picture Dom choosing table decorations. The image in my head cracks a little, but I don’t let it break.
‘Now, one last thing.’
I feel Tania shift in her seat next to me. This is Mia’s third ‘one last thing.’
‘The guest list?’
‘I thought that was all done.’ I’m sure Tania ordered the invitations weeks ago.
‘Quite. Quite.’ Mia arranges her face into a sympathetic half smile. ‘It’s just that most couples like to keep it quite even between the sides.’
My ears prick up.
‘What do you mean?’
Mia leans towards us. ‘Well it’s up to you, Tania, but I did just wonder if you wanted to add any of your family at all?’
‘No.’
Mia doesn’t respond straight away, and I let the silence hang there. Maybe Tania will feel pressured into saying more. She shifts again in her seat, turning her face out towards the window. I follow her gaze. It’s grey and drizzly outside. Mia taps her fingers against her folder.
‘Okay.’ Mia eventually moves on. ‘Just one last thing.’
Tania’s eyebrows shoot up. ‘Really last thing?’ She glances at the clock. ‘Only we’ve got people coming for dinner.’
Mia laughs slightly. ‘It’s about the entertainment for the pre-wedding party.’
‘The Midsummer’s Eve Party?’
‘It’s just that circus performers and magicians are a very specific request.’
Tania nods. ‘You said it wouldn’t be a problem.’
‘Well it is quite short notice.’
Tania slumps back in the seat. ‘You promised you could arrange it.’ She sighs. ‘The party is important. Magic and folklore and midsummer – I can picture it all.’
‘Why’s it so important?’
Tania smiles without looking at either of us. ‘My grandparents were circus performers you know. I mean a long time ago before I was born. They were known as The Amazing ...’ She stops suddenly and looks at me and then at Mia. ‘Sorry. It was a long time ago.’ She turns back to Mia. ‘Circus performers and magicians. That’s what we’re paying for.’
Mia squirms. ‘Well perhaps if I had a slightly more generous budget to offer?’
Tania nods. ‘Fine.’
Of course Tania’s happy to spend more money. It’s not her money, is it? It’s Dad’s. Circus performers though. That’s unusual. I add it to my mental list of what we know about Tania. Cornish grandmother. Circus family. Worked in a cocktail bar. It’s still not a very long list.