Page 45

Two Weeks After the Wedding

Parking at the airport was going to be a nightmare. He didn’t know why he’d offered. He tried to slide into the parallel-parking bays in the complicated loop system they’d introduced, but he knew people behind him were having to move in increments through the tiny gap he’d left for them to pass. Mercifully, nobody beeped. He pretended not to see them as they drove closely past his window.

It was both because he was excited to see Meg and Hannah and so he could finally drive away from the space that he screamed their names as he saw them emerge from the glass of the airport exit.

‘Get in, get in!’ he said through the window and, suitcases secured, Meg took her place in the front and Hannah in the back. They both had bronzed skin and Hannah had a new set of freckles covering her face. It seemed Greece had been good to them. They appeared relaxed and comfortable, even after a three-hour flight.

‘Welcome back!’

Meg put her seatbelt on. ‘Thanks so much for picking us up!’

‘You’re a lifesaver,’ Hannah added, turning on her phone which buzzed into life.

‘No problem, no problem.’ David turned out onto the main road. ‘How was it then?’

They caught him up quickly, on snorkelling and sunset boat trips and surprisingly amazing Mexican food they’d found on the islands.

‘I’ve finally got my texts … Gus just sent me one,’ Hannah said. ‘Him and Ramon are finally going on a date!’

‘They took their time,’ David said.

‘I think Gus wanted to not rush into anything,’ Meg added. ‘He told me that’s always his mistake.’

‘They have our wedding to thank,’ Hannah said.

‘Well I’m still coming down from the wedding,’ David said. ‘What a brilliant day.’

‘I realize they didn’t play any Black Eyed Peas, David,’ Meg said. ‘Were you okay?’

‘Well apart from that, it was great! Salma’s fault.’

‘What other news have we missed? We’ve tried not to be on our phones all week.’

‘Oh God, what have I got to share?’ David asked himself. ‘Angie’s given Benji a job, you know.’

‘Really?’

‘That’s amazing,’ Hannah said.

‘She was so impressed with what he did for Savage Lilies, she’s got him in a day a week, and then another place in the queer business network has done the same. He’s made up.’

‘He deserves that,’ Hannah said. ‘He’s great.’

‘Are the orders still rolling in?’ Meg asked.

‘Still! I don’t know if they keep replaying the news clip or what … the accountant’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.’

Meg touched his knee. ‘I’m so happy for you, David.’

David thought back to the live news clip that he had recorded on his phone from the TV; him stumbling over the subscription details and how shocked he was by Mark’s proposal. Never in a million years, or in my wildest dreams, would I have imagined today, he had said. The emotion must have got people subscribing quickly. It was theatre. He was being sensible, reinvesting the money into the shop, and the accountant was getting involved in a way she hadn’t before. Jacques was going to come and redesign the back room so he had more space for events, and as he paid the deposit, he’d felt like he was securing his and Mark’s future.

‘And you know about Benji and Fred dating?’ David asked. ‘That they became official?’

‘Obviously, David.’

‘Why obviously!’

‘Could you not tell?’ Hannah asked from the back.

‘Not at all!’ David said. ‘Maybe I’m too old.’

‘Not too old to get married though,’ Meg said. ‘I feel like we’ve not spoken about that properly … I’m so happy for you both. You just … what … changed your mind? I didn’t get a chance to ask on the day.’

‘It sounds like a lie but it was you guys,’ he said. Now they were on a main road, David could relax slightly. He took one hand off the wheel to drink from a bottle of water. ‘You just showed me how good it can be. Not some family pressure or something stressful for no reason, but about you and the love you have for the most important person in your life. And a million things can go wrong and you still want to, because it’s for both of you. I feel like if I can make Mark that happy, why shouldn’t I?’

‘I’m glad I could do that for you,’ Meg said. ‘You’ve done so much. I, we … There’s no way to thank you.’

‘You’ve said thank you already.’

‘But I can keep saying it; that’s all I can do,’ Meg said. ‘Oh and I can give you this.’

Meg took out a small frame she had in her backpack. Glancing away from the road for just a second, David saw it was an illustration from Ailie. It was instantly recognizable; he had seen people holding them all day at the wedding but hadn’t had a chance to sit with her and get one himself. It was a beautiful line illustration, with watercolour detailing, of him and Meg wearing their outfits from the wedding, standing in front of the shop. David had his arm round Meg, who looked at the camera with her arms crossed, and they were both smiling.

‘This looks so much like us.’

‘Ailie’s good!’ Meg said. ‘I asked her to do one specially cos I knew neither of us would have time to sit with her for long enough.’

‘Oh, Meg, thank you, this is … This is so special.’ David turned the radio down slightly. ‘How’s everything with your parents?’

‘Good,’ Meg said. ‘They were … I don’t know, different. It’s not like we’re fine, but I don’t feel like we’re going to be bad anymore. We’ve laid it all out on the table to sort through; that’s what I feel like. I’m just so glad they came.’

‘Your dad was one of the subscribers to the flower subscription, by the way,’ David said. ‘I spied his name on an order, which is nice.’

‘Maybe he’s buying them for your mum, Meg,’ Hannah said.

‘And your mum’s helping Mark out with some peer support thing at school, Mark told me,’ David added. ‘It’s not a gay thing but a lot of the queer kids use it, I think.’

‘That’s amazing,’ Meg said. ‘God, they really are changing.’

‘It’s all from your special day,’ David said. ‘I really think you made an impact.’

‘I’m so glad we did it,’ Meg said. ‘And glad we trusted you.’

‘I wish my parents had lived to see something like that day,’ David said. ‘I really think they could’ve changed their minds.’

‘I think so too,’ Meg said.

‘That first day you came into the shop, I just … was a little bit lost, with the shop and myself and now … I’m getting married, I’ve got even more wonderful friends, and the shop’s going from strength to strength. I’m reminded of who I am again.’

‘For what it’s worth,’ Meg said, ‘I think your parents would be very proud of you.’

‘There’s no way to know, I guess,’ David said. ‘I’m proud of myself though.’ David clipped the kerb. ‘You know at one point, I suggested our wedding present to you could be driving lessons. Mark told me no.’

‘I think that’s fair.’ Hannah laughed from the back seat.

‘We’ll have to find new ways to spend our time though,’ Meg said. ‘This can’t be the end. We have to make sure we still do stuff together, like pizza night, the youth club, our night out dancing. You weren’t just a stand-in, you know.’

‘Well you actually can’t get rid of me for another year.’

‘Why’s that?’

‘Well Meg, I’m getting married too,’ David said smiling. ‘And the best woman usually has a fair bit to get on with at someone’s wedding.’