and the guests trooped into the banqueting suite ready for the party.
While the girls all began to dance to the music the DJ was playing, the mothers took the weight off their feet and the men and boys headed for the bar. The noise was immense as travellers who hadn’t seen each other for months met and caught up with news of families and friends. Around the room disco lights flashed and sparkled and bounced off the glitter ball revolving from the ceiling and the sequins and crystals on the girls’ dresses.
Suddenly the music was silenced and the DJ announced the entrance of the bride.
In walked Theresa, looking radiant and stunning. Everyone in the room got to their feet and applauded her as she made her way to the dance floor where her father, pink with pride, led her in the first dance before handing her over to her new husband.
Vicky noticed several of the mums around the room were dabbing their eyes and even she felt a small lump of emotion form in her throat. Theresa looked so utterly happy in Seamus’s arms; surely this was a match that was meant to be.
Vicky glanced over to her Liam. Would she look just as ecstatic on her own wedding day? She knew she ought to but she couldn’t help thinking that she wasn’t ready to settle down just yet. Maybe in a year’s time she’d feel differently, after all a year was a long time.
‘Penny for them,’ said her mother, who had moved to stand behind her daughter. ‘I bet you’re wishing that was you there already.’
Oh God no , thought Vicky. That had not been what she’d been thinking at all but there was simply no way she could admit that to her mother.
‘I was admiring Theresa’s dress.’
‘It’s a beauty and no mistake. Would it be something like that you’d be after for yourself?’
‘Maybe. I haven’t really thought yet.’
‘It’s about time you did, my girl. It’ll be your turn before we know it. A girl can’t start planning her wedding too early. I’d have thought your head would be filled with ideas for your own dress.’
‘I’ve got loads of ideas for my bridesmaids’ dresses,’ admitted Vicky.
‘And not your own?’ Mary-Rose sounded horror-struck. ‘When I was your age I’d known for years exactly how I wanted my big day. I’d been planning my wedding since I was about ten.’
Bully for you , thought Vicky rebelliously. She did want to marry Liam, she really did, but did it have to happen quite so soon? Would the earth stop revolving if she waited a few more years? She wasn’t going to turn into an old woman on the day she hit eighteen. Blimey, there were gorgios who didn’t get married and have kids till they were nearly thirty – or even later. She wouldn’t wait that long but couldn’t she have just a bit longer before she had to settle down?
But instead of voicing her thoughts to her mother she smiled and said that she’d been sketching ideas, which she’d take to a dressmaker soon.
‘That’s grand, darlin’. And then when you’re safely wed we can start planning Shania’s.’
Which was going to be a doddle. Judging by the way Shania was throwing her slim body around the dance floor, swinging her hips and sticking out her bust, she was doing her level best to catch Mikey’s eye. This was a girl who couldn’t wait to get grabbed, engaged and married. In fact , thought Vicky, if Shania could have the whole process all wrapped up in just a few days she’d be one happy kid .
She sighed. So what was so wrong with her that she didn’t hold the same ambition as every other unwed traveller girl in the room? It wasn’t as if she had a problem with her fiancé – quite the reverse. Liam ticked all the boxes: handsome, kind, hardworking, thoughtful, funny, not a big drinker, talented … Oh God, what was wrong with her that she wasn’t twisting his arm up his back and marching him up the aisle right this minute?
She was hauled out of her reverie by a shriek behind her. Shania was over Mikey’s shoulder in
While the girls all began to dance to the music the DJ was playing, the mothers took the weight off their feet and the men and boys headed for the bar. The noise was immense as travellers who hadn’t seen each other for months met and caught up with news of families and friends. Around the room disco lights flashed and sparkled and bounced off the glitter ball revolving from the ceiling and the sequins and crystals on the girls’ dresses.
Suddenly the music was silenced and the DJ announced the entrance of the bride.
In walked Theresa, looking radiant and stunning. Everyone in the room got to their feet and applauded her as she made her way to the dance floor where her father, pink with pride, led her in the first dance before handing her over to her new husband.
Vicky noticed several of the mums around the room were dabbing their eyes and even she felt a small lump of emotion form in her throat. Theresa looked so utterly happy in Seamus’s arms; surely this was a match that was meant to be.
Vicky glanced over to her Liam. Would she look just as ecstatic on her own wedding day? She knew she ought to but she couldn’t help thinking that she wasn’t ready to settle down just yet. Maybe in a year’s time she’d feel differently, after all a year was a long time.
‘Penny for them,’ said her mother, who had moved to stand behind her daughter. ‘I bet you’re wishing that was you there already.’
Oh God no , thought Vicky. That had not been what she’d been thinking at all but there was simply no way she could admit that to her mother.
‘I was admiring Theresa’s dress.’
‘It’s a beauty and no mistake. Would it be something like that you’d be after for yourself?’
‘Maybe. I haven’t really thought yet.’
‘It’s about time you did, my girl. It’ll be your turn before we know it. A girl can’t start planning her wedding too early. I’d have thought your head would be filled with ideas for your own dress.’
‘I’ve got loads of ideas for my bridesmaids’ dresses,’ admitted Vicky.
‘And not your own?’ Mary-Rose sounded horror-struck. ‘When I was your age I’d known for years exactly how I wanted my big day. I’d been planning my wedding since I was about ten.’
Bully for you , thought Vicky rebelliously. She did want to marry Liam, she really did, but did it have to happen quite so soon? Would the earth stop revolving if she waited a few more years? She wasn’t going to turn into an old woman on the day she hit eighteen. Blimey, there were gorgios who didn’t get married and have kids till they were nearly thirty – or even later. She wouldn’t wait that long but couldn’t she have just a bit longer before she had to settle down?
But instead of voicing her thoughts to her mother she smiled and said that she’d been sketching ideas, which she’d take to a dressmaker soon.
‘That’s grand, darlin’. And then when you’re safely wed we can start planning Shania’s.’
Which was going to be a doddle. Judging by the way Shania was throwing her slim body around the dance floor, swinging her hips and sticking out her bust, she was doing her level best to catch Mikey’s eye. This was a girl who couldn’t wait to get grabbed, engaged and married. In fact , thought Vicky, if Shania could have the whole process all wrapped up in just a few days she’d be one happy kid .
She sighed. So what was so wrong with her that she didn’t hold the same ambition as every other unwed traveller girl in the room? It wasn’t as if she had a problem with her fiancé – quite the reverse. Liam ticked all the boxes: handsome, kind, hardworking, thoughtful, funny, not a big drinker, talented … Oh God, what was wrong with her that she wasn’t twisting his arm up his back and marching him up the aisle right this minute?
She was hauled out of her reverie by a shriek behind her. Shania was over Mikey’s shoulder in
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