THE DOUBLE DOORS to her old childhood bedroom opened, and she turned just as her father gasped in surprise.
‘Cara...you look beautiful,’ he said in awe.
She flushed and turned to check her reflection in the long mirror. She was bedecked in white. A beautiful fishtail wedding gown with a sweetheart neckline, covered in lace and crystals. A diamond tiara and a long, floaty veil.
‘Thanks.’
‘If your mother were here...’ His voice choked in his throat.
Cara reached out a hand to take his, squeezing his fingers in solidarity. She knew what he wanted to say.
If your mother were here, she’d be crying with happiness.
And he was right. She would be. Seeing her daughter like this. About to be married. Looking like the perfect bride. The fact that her mother would not be with her at her wedding hurt a lot. But Cara knew that wherever she was she would be looking down at her and smiling, full of pride and joy.
‘I wish she was here.’
Her father nodded. ‘Me, too. You know, I’m very much aware that I’ve been a bit...overpowering at times. What do you call it? Sticking my nose in where it’s not wanted?’ He smiled.
Cara smiled back. ‘A bit. But it doesn’t matter today, Dad. Today is for happy memories.’
‘You’re right. But I wanted to have this moment before I pass your hand over to Tom to try and explain.’
He paused for a moment. Checked his own reflection in the mirror and rearranged his cravat. Plumping it to perfection.
‘When your mother died, I was distraught. We all were, I know. But in you I saw your mother. You’re so alike in so many ways. The way you smile. The way you tilt your head when you’re listening to someone talk the way you’re doing now.’ He smiled again. ‘The way you laugh. And when you moved out I couldn’t bear to be separated from you. I still needed that contact with her through you. I kept trying to mould you to be like her and I should have known better. You’re your own woman, just as you should be, and I wanted to tell you today that I’ve realised what I was doing and it was wrong. So... I apologise.’
‘Oh, Dad!’ She stepped forward to wrap her arms around him and held him tight.
They stood in an embrace for a while, until the wedding planner, Harriet, came in with her clipboard, clapping her hands.
‘Time’s tight, people. Ready to go?’
Cara let go of her father and stepped back, just as he reached into his jacket pocket.
‘Your something borrowed.’ He passed her a velvet box.
She frowned in question, then opened it. Inside, lying on a green velvet cushion, was her mother’s diamond necklace. ‘Dad...’
‘She’d want you to wear it. She wore it on her wedding day. But you know you don’t have to, if you think I’m being—’
‘Dad, it’s perfect. I’d be honoured.’ She turned so he could fasten it at the back of her neck.
Cara looked at it in the mirror. Her mother would always be with her, but this was extra-special and made her feel close to her once again.
‘Ready to go?’
Her father held out his arm and she slid hers into it.
‘I’m ready.’
Harriet left the room and signalled to someone at the bottom of the stairs. Music suddenly bloomed through the high hall and up the stairway of Higham Manor. The ‘Wedding March’.
Cara took a brief moment to adjust her veil, so it lay perfectly, and then began the slow walk from her bedroom, all the way down the sweeping, staircase which was adorned with fresh flower garlands.
Beneath them in the grand hall were all their guests. Friends. Family. Work family. Everyone she knew. People whose lives she’d saved and stayed in touch with. Everyone. She saw all their happy faces, all their smiles, and saw how beautiful everyone looked. But there was one person she wanted to see the most.
Tom.
He stood in front of a flowered arch, dressed in a suit like her father’s, his lovely face looking up to her as she descended the stairs. Beside him, in a miniature top hat and tails, stood Gage, holding a red cushion with their wedding rings on it.
Her heart pounded with joy as all her dreams began to come true.
People whispered their good wishes and love as she passed them. She met happy gaze after happy gaze. She got a cheeky wink from Reed. A bow of the head from Hodge.
And then she was standing next to Tom and her father was letting go of her and stepping back.
Tom reached for her hand, smiling. ‘You look stunning.’
‘Thanks,’ she answered shyly.
‘Are you wearing them?’ he whispered.
Cara lifted up her skirt slightly, to reveal the bridal trainers that he’d bought for her. White. Studded with crystals that caught the light.
Tom laughed. ‘You look perfect.’
She smiled, covering them up again. ‘So do you.’