your age I was driving an eighteen-tonne truck between London and Swansea
every week. Shape yourself, girl.
‘. . . after a rustic effect,’ Nicky was explaining to Liv.
‘And what does Christian think?’
‘He’s not bothered. I mean, he says I can have whatever I want, it’s for me to choose. It’s my day.’
‘No battles yet with your mum or your mum-in-law?’
Even though I was on the other side of the room, I thought I saw hesitation flicker over Nicky’s face. ‘Oh, no. Mum’s just, you know, really excited, same as me, and
Corinne’s, Corinne’s great. She has lots of ideas, lots of energy. She’s been so helpful already. They’re a lovely family. I’m incredibly lucky.’
‘They’re the lucky ones,’ I said.
Nicky turned to me and beamed, and I thought, I truly meant that. Christian’s parents should be on their knees thanking God he’s picked someone as sound as you. I hope they
appreciate you.
‘I’ve been having a think about your dress, too, Frey,’ she said, and the warmth I’d been feeling towards her evaporated immediately.
‘Go on.’
‘Well, I’ve seen something in a shop I want you to come and try on. It’s green, so it’ll go with your hair. Not dull green, not green like your coat, a bit brighter than
you usually wear. Emerald. Nice. And it’s ankle length with a low front, sleeveless, very glam. I thought the two little bridesmaids could wear green and cream. Maybe you could have long
cream gloves. You’ll look brilliant together. It’s going to be brilliant.’
A day of bliss evidently awaited me, trussed up like a burlesque stripper, shepherding Nicky’s nieces about for hours in the freezing cold. ‘Sounds fun,’ I said.
‘Do you think so? God, Freya, I don’t think there’s anyone happier than me in the world right now. It feels almost wicked.’
‘You couldn’t be wicked if you tried,’ I said.
‘I can’t wait for next October, can you?’
‘Absolutely not.’
‘It’s nice to have something positive coming up,’ said Liv.
Then I understood why she’d shown such an uncharacteristic interest in the wedding plans. ‘Yeah, something to focus on. A bright spot on the horizon. It will be good, won’t
it?’
I wondered whether Geraint was getting this, but his attention was fixed on the TV screen. After a few moments, his hand came up to scratch his scalp, and a flake of something detached itself
and floated down to land on the chair back.
‘Have I shown you my idea for how the invitations are going to be folded?’ said Nicky.
The last visitor on Christmas Day was an unexpected one: Michael.
‘I thought you might need rescuing from the festive joy,’ he said, standing on the doorstep with his hands in his pockets.
‘I do. Where are we going?’
‘Anywhere you like.’
I ran to get my coat.
‘So Melody’s having a baby,’ I said as soon as I’d climbed into the van.
He laughed. ‘Remind me never to trust you with one of my secrets.’
‘I assumed you knew.’
‘I did. But that’s your good luck.’ He swung the van away from the pavement and we started off into the night.
‘Sorry. I’ve been holding it in all day. It was a hell of a shock.’
‘You’re telling me.’
‘What do you think?’
He took a hand off the wheel and rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Makes no odds what I think, does it? Although, between you and me, I’ll believe there’s a baby when I see
one.’
‘You don’t mean she’s making it up?’
‘No. I think she could be mistaken, though.’
‘She’s done a test.’
‘OK. It’s early days. That’s all I’m saying. These things don’t always go according to plan.’
I spent a moment or two digesting this, watching the white lines loom out of the darkness then disappear under the bonnet. What did he mean, exactly? That she might get rid of it? It seemed an
uncharacteristically cruel thing for him to say. Melody was so high on that baby, anything other than a happy
every week. Shape yourself, girl.
‘. . . after a rustic effect,’ Nicky was explaining to Liv.
‘And what does Christian think?’
‘He’s not bothered. I mean, he says I can have whatever I want, it’s for me to choose. It’s my day.’
‘No battles yet with your mum or your mum-in-law?’
Even though I was on the other side of the room, I thought I saw hesitation flicker over Nicky’s face. ‘Oh, no. Mum’s just, you know, really excited, same as me, and
Corinne’s, Corinne’s great. She has lots of ideas, lots of energy. She’s been so helpful already. They’re a lovely family. I’m incredibly lucky.’
‘They’re the lucky ones,’ I said.
Nicky turned to me and beamed, and I thought, I truly meant that. Christian’s parents should be on their knees thanking God he’s picked someone as sound as you. I hope they
appreciate you.
‘I’ve been having a think about your dress, too, Frey,’ she said, and the warmth I’d been feeling towards her evaporated immediately.
‘Go on.’
‘Well, I’ve seen something in a shop I want you to come and try on. It’s green, so it’ll go with your hair. Not dull green, not green like your coat, a bit brighter than
you usually wear. Emerald. Nice. And it’s ankle length with a low front, sleeveless, very glam. I thought the two little bridesmaids could wear green and cream. Maybe you could have long
cream gloves. You’ll look brilliant together. It’s going to be brilliant.’
A day of bliss evidently awaited me, trussed up like a burlesque stripper, shepherding Nicky’s nieces about for hours in the freezing cold. ‘Sounds fun,’ I said.
‘Do you think so? God, Freya, I don’t think there’s anyone happier than me in the world right now. It feels almost wicked.’
‘You couldn’t be wicked if you tried,’ I said.
‘I can’t wait for next October, can you?’
‘Absolutely not.’
‘It’s nice to have something positive coming up,’ said Liv.
Then I understood why she’d shown such an uncharacteristic interest in the wedding plans. ‘Yeah, something to focus on. A bright spot on the horizon. It will be good, won’t
it?’
I wondered whether Geraint was getting this, but his attention was fixed on the TV screen. After a few moments, his hand came up to scratch his scalp, and a flake of something detached itself
and floated down to land on the chair back.
‘Have I shown you my idea for how the invitations are going to be folded?’ said Nicky.
The last visitor on Christmas Day was an unexpected one: Michael.
‘I thought you might need rescuing from the festive joy,’ he said, standing on the doorstep with his hands in his pockets.
‘I do. Where are we going?’
‘Anywhere you like.’
I ran to get my coat.
‘So Melody’s having a baby,’ I said as soon as I’d climbed into the van.
He laughed. ‘Remind me never to trust you with one of my secrets.’
‘I assumed you knew.’
‘I did. But that’s your good luck.’ He swung the van away from the pavement and we started off into the night.
‘Sorry. I’ve been holding it in all day. It was a hell of a shock.’
‘You’re telling me.’
‘What do you think?’
He took a hand off the wheel and rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Makes no odds what I think, does it? Although, between you and me, I’ll believe there’s a baby when I see
one.’
‘You don’t mean she’s making it up?’
‘No. I think she could be mistaken, though.’
‘She’s done a test.’
‘OK. It’s early days. That’s all I’m saying. These things don’t always go according to plan.’
I spent a moment or two digesting this, watching the white lines loom out of the darkness then disappear under the bonnet. What did he mean, exactly? That she might get rid of it? It seemed an
uncharacteristically cruel thing for him to say. Melody was so high on that baby, anything other than a happy
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