Jamie and Tansy got home as Parker and I were finishing off our hot chocolate.
‘Is it chaos in town?’ I asked, wiping Parker’s face while Tansy’s back was turned. She didn’t strike me as the type of mother who’d allow too many sweet treats.
‘Actually, no,’ Jamie said. He slumped onto the sofa and Tansy threw herself down next to him. I fought the urge to go and squash myself in between them and instead stayed where I was, on the floor with Parker and the dominoes.
‘There’s this woman,’ Tansy said. ‘Millicent Fry? Man, she’s something else.’ She made a face and I giggled. Millicent was something else all right. But underneath her domineering nature and her natural inclination to organise, lurked a heart of gold.
‘She and Dad have organised a clinic at the surgery,’ Jamie explained. ‘She’s recruited anyone with any sort of medical training and there’s a production line down there of people dressing wounds and changing bandages.’
‘I think one of those women was a veterinary nurse,’ Tansy said. ‘I’m sure I heard her talking about fleas.’
Jamie chuckled and I felt a bit left out.
‘I might go for a walk,’ I said. ‘See if I can track down Harry – she was being a bit mysterious this morning. I’ll give her a ring.’
I got up, wincing a bit at my still-sore legs, and went to my bag – which was lying next to the sofa where I’d left it yesterday. As I delved into its depths, I suddenly remembered my phone wasn’t there.
‘Shit,’ I said. Tansy frowned at me and pointed to Parker.
‘Sorry,’ I whispered, rolling my eyes inwardly.
‘I was taking a photo of the view when the avalanche happened,’ I explained, turning to Jamie. ‘I have no idea where my phone is.’
‘Oh that’s annoying,’ Jamie said. ‘You’ll just have to live without it for now.’
I gave him a thin-lipped smile. My phone was my lifeline, with important emails and messages about the wedding.
‘I’m sure I can borrow Harry’s iPad,’ I said, though I wasn’t happy about it. ‘It’s just an arse that’s all.’
This time Jamie pointed to Parker.
‘Esme,’ he said in a warning tone.
Now I really did roll my eyes.
‘Sorry.’
I wasn’t sorry.
‘I’m off. I’ll see you all later. Bye Parker.’
Parker looked up at me and gave me a brief wave.
‘See ya,’ he said.
Feeling grumpy and unloved, I threw on all my layers again and headed outside.
The walk into town was easier now the snowplough had cleared the road. There was no traffic so I walked down the middle of the street, nervous about slipping even though I was wearing my thick snow boots. My wrist was still painful and I didn’t want to knock it again. It was still really, really cold. More so than when I’d built the snowmen with Parker because the sun had been out then. Now the sky was darkening and I couldn’t tell if it was night drawing in – even though it was only just past two p.m. – or the threat of more snow. I hoped it was the evening coming; I wasn’t sure I could bear more snow.
I skirted the edge of the town square then walked down the small lane that led to the café. The loch, to my surprise, was frozen. I wasn’t sure it was solid enough to walk on, but it was covered in a thick layer of ice and snow. Instead of its usual bleak blackness, it was a brilliant silvery blue. A few cross-looking ducks waddled across the surface. I’d never seen the loch frozen completely. It looked amazing.
The wind blew across its surface, stirring up the snow and I shivered. Time to get inside.
I turned my back on the icy water and headed for the café. Its lights were on and it looked cosy and welcoming against the gloom.
Inside it was quiet and – much to my relief – warm. I stripped off my hat and scarf and kissed Mum and Suky.
‘Been busy?’ I said, looking round. There were a few customers. Two older ladies in the corner and a trio of thirty-something women.
‘Surprisingly yes,’ Mum said. ‘Big rush at lunchtime but it’s much quieter now. Are you hungry?’ I realised I was famished. I was feeling more like myself now and I’d not eaten anything at all since our lasagne the night before.
‘Starving,’ I said.
‘Sit down and I’ll bring you something over.’
I chose one of the squishy sofas, sat down and closed my eyes. Oh it was good to be here.
I breathed in the smell of coffee and cakes and freshly baked bread and let the comforting buzz of voices wash over me and I began to feel much calmer. I sometimes wondered if Mum, Suky and Eva enchanted the very air in the café to give it a welcoming feel, though they swore they didn’t.
Whatever it was, it was working. My mind stopped racing like it had been since Tansy knocked on the door on Friday night, and instead stopped on a solution. It wasn’t perfect but I couldn’t really see anything else to do, given the circumstances.
Mum put a delicious-looking salad and a glass of water in front of me and I looked up at her.
‘We need to cancel the wedding,’ I said.
Mum’s mouth fell open in shock.
‘Oh no, Esme,’ she said. ‘Is this because of Parker?’
I realised I’d been a bit over-dramatic.
‘Postpone,’ I said. ‘We need to postpone the wedding.’
Mum sat down next to me and handed me some cutlery.
‘Oh that’s a relief,’ she said. ‘I thought you’d changed your mind about getting married again.’
I scowled at her. I didn’t like being reminded that Jamie and I had been engaged and planning a wedding before, and I’d stuffed things up.
‘Actually getting married is about the only thing I’m sure of in this whole mess,’ I said, tucking into the salad. ‘This is really tasty.’
‘Eva makes all our salads,’ Mum said. ‘They’re going down a storm.’
‘Not surprised,’ I said through a mouthful of goat’s cheese. ‘It’s amazing.’
‘So you think you should postpone the whole wedding?’ Mum said, getting back to the point.
I nodded.
‘It’s the only thing we can do,’ I said. ‘If we put it off until maybe March or April, we can reorganise everything. Leona can hang on to the dresses when they eventually arrive, I’ll rebook the registrar and it gives Jamie a bit of breathing space to get to know Parker.’
‘That sounds sensible,’ Mum said, patting me gently on the shoulder. ‘But it also sounds like such a shame.’
The delicious, freshly made breadstick I was chewing turned to sawdust in my mouth. I swigged from the glass of water Mum had given me to wash it away.
‘It is a shame,’ I said, finding myself fighting tears again. ‘It’s horrible. But I can’t think of another way.’
Mum put her arms round me and hugged me.
‘I’ll help in any way I can,’ she said. ‘Make some phone calls. Help with arrangements.’
I nodded glumly and pushed the remainder of my salad away. I wasn’t hungry any more.
‘I need to talk to Jamie first,’ I said. ‘And Chloe – I’ve not even spoken to her since everything happened. And Dad – wherever he is.’
I put my head in my hands. It seemed that un-arranging a wedding was just as much of a nightmare as arranging one. Especially without a phone.
Mum kissed my temple.
‘Back in a minute,’ she said.
I didn’t raise my head, just stayed slumped on the sofa. I felt completely defeated by the events of the last two days, which was unlike me. I was a coper. A fixer. A bundle of energy who wouldn’t let the world win. Harry was more morose than me – the Eeyore to my Pooh. But today I felt more like her.
‘Ez?’ I looked up. It was Harry.
‘Oh what? I just think about you and you appear now?’ I snapped.
Harry looked surprised. And uncharacteristically perky.
‘Why are you looking so pleased with yourself?’ I asked her. She actually gave a little bounce on her toes, like an excited child. Or Tigger. And there was me thinking she was Eeyore.
‘Because,’ she said. ‘You’re getting married.’
I’d sat up when she called my name, but now I threw myself back against the sofa cushions once more.
‘I’m not getting married,’ I said, through gritted teeth. ‘The wedding’s off.’
‘Nope,’ said Harry in glee. ‘It’s on.’
She sat down next to me, shoving me along to make room for her skinny thighs, which were today clad in leather-look leggings and seemed out of place among the ski wear on show in the café. Lou was talking to Mum at the counter and Harry beckoned her over. She and Mum arrived bearing coffees and a plate of biscuits and sat down on the chairs opposite me. Everyone was grinning like loons.
‘What’s going on? I said, suspicious of this new over-excited Harry.
‘It was Louise’s idea really,’ Harry said. ‘Parker was asking us about the queen you see…’
Louise picked up the story.
‘I suddenly thought that the queen got married in the war right? And remember that other brides-to-be sent her their clothing coupons so she could use them all to get enough fabric to make her dress?’
I nodded, but I really had no idea where Lou was going with this.
‘It was a team effort,’ she said, taking a biscuit. ‘Everyone pitched in. And so we thought we could do that too.’
I looked at her blankly. Harry wrapped her long fingers round her coffee mug.
‘We went to see Leona,’ she said. ‘She’s not got your wedding dress, has she? But she’s got like a hundred other dresses – samples and whatnot – and she’s got fabric, and she’s an amazing seamstress…’
I had butterflies in my tummy. I started to understand what Harry and Lou were talking about.
‘She says with a bit of help she can make you a new dress in time for Saturday,’ Harry said. ‘And one for me too, and Chloe. We’ve been spreading the word round the village, finding people who’ll help with the sewing. There are quite a few volunteers already.’
‘Really?’ I said, incredulous. ‘People will do this for me?’
Harry reached out and took my hand.
‘Everyone knows what you did, Ez. They know you saved those people. They’re falling over themselves to help you.’
I felt dizzy with joy. I looked from Harry to Lou and to Mum. They were all beaming at me, waiting for me to agree to their plan.
‘So everyone’s going to help with our wedding,’ I said slowly. ‘We can get married on Saturday after all?’
‘Yes,’ said Harry. ‘If you’re still up for it?’
‘What about Dad, Olivia and the boys?’ I asked. ‘And Chloe?’
Harry shrugged.
‘I’ve not worked out a way to get them here yet,’ she admitted. ‘But I will. We will.’
She paused.
‘So do you want to?’
‘Well of course I still want to,’ I said. I threw my arms round Harry. ‘Thank you!’
She pushed me away, uncomfortable with my PDA but she still grinned at me.
‘Oh, oh, oh,’ said Lou, delving into her bag. ‘I almost forgot. Leona’s just got a new phone so she gave me this for you to use for now.’ She threw an iPhone across the table at me – an old model but an iPhone all the same – followed by a small packet with a SIM in it. I screamed with joy and flung myself across the table to hug Louise.
‘You’re amazing – both of you,’ I said.
‘Well it’s not all sorted quite yet,’ Harry said. ‘There’s your hair, a photographer, the music – but we’re getting there. Millicent’s organising the food. She’s making a list of who’s got what and who can make different dishes. We might not be able to control what you end up with, mind you.’
I waved my hand, unconcerned.
‘That doesn’t matter,’ I said. ‘We should add everyone who’s helping to the guest list though. We can’t expect them to help out and not come to the party.’
A thought struck me.
‘What about the registrar?’
Mum and Harry looked at each other.
‘Ah,’ said Harry.
‘Ah?’ I repeated. ‘Ah doesn’t sound good.’
‘We’ve had an idea about that,’ Harry said. ‘But we weren’t sure you’d go for it.’
‘It’s Douglas,’ Mum said.
‘Oh,’ I said. I’d kind of forgotten about him in all the drama. I’d not seen him since just before the avalanche.
Mum adopted her stern face. The one she used to use when I was small and refusing to eat my vegetables.
‘Now Esme,’ she said. ‘I know you’re not thrilled about me and Douglas and I can understand why. But he is a good man. He makes me happy, and me being in a relationship will never affect the way I feel about you.’
She breathed out and looked at me, as if defying me to argue. I wondered how long she’d been practising that speech in her head. The thought of Mum standing in front of the mirror in her bedroom, rehearsing a speech to make me accept her new boyfriend, made me feel guilty. I smiled at her.
‘Douglas?’ I repeated, ignoring her heartfelt plea and cutting straight to the chase. ‘How do you think he can help?’
‘Well he’s in the business, isn’t he?’ Harry said.
‘He’s an undertaker,’ I wailed.
‘Well, a funeral director,’ Louise pointed out. ‘And it’s all the same people isn’t it? Officially I mean. The ones who marry people, and conduct funerals and christenings and whatever.’
I thought about it. She was right.
‘So he’d know people?’ I said. ‘People who might be able to hold a wedding ceremony?’
‘Finally she gets it,’ Harry said. ‘He’s bound to know registrars, celebrants, whatever. And some of them must live this side of the avalanche. There’s got to be someone we can ask. We just need Doug to put a word in for us.’
‘Okay,’ I said, nodding. ‘But I’m not sure he’ll help. I’ve not been very nice to him so far.’
Mum gave me one of her looks and I turned away so I didn’t have to meet her eyes.
‘I was a bit surprised by it, that’s all,’ I muttered.
‘You’ll have to be extra nice to him this evening,’ Mum said.
‘What’s happening this evening?’
‘They’re having a survivors’ party in the town hall,’ Mum explained. ‘Douglas’s niece is singing. I said we’d all go. I think we could do with a night out.’
Mum’s lips were pursed in a way that I’d learned through bitter experience meant she would not be argued with.
‘Okay,’ I said. ‘We’ll go.’