almost seven months then, so ... wait a minute. You said, “someone we know”. Whose wedding is this – exactly? And why do I have a dreadful feeling that I’m not going to like the answer?’
‘Lizzie’s,’ Margaret said, bowing her head slightly but fixing her eyes firmly on her son’s face. ‘But if you –’
‘Oh shit! Sorry mum, but you must be joking.’
Margaret shook her head slowly from side to side but didn’t speak.
‘But why? I mean, why on earth, out of all the wedding venues in the world, would she choose to have her wedding here?’
Again, Margaret shook her head.
‘You ... you didn’t suggest it did you? God mum!’
‘No! It was Lizzie’s idea. She called me this morning, to confirm it but I told her that I’d have to check with you and that if you said no then –’
‘Oh great. Thanks mum. Now, if I say no, I’ll look like a jealous ex. Brilliant.’
‘No you won’t. Lizzie herself said that if you felt in any way awkward – or if I did, then she would understand perfectly and they’d look for somewhere else. She just thought it would be good, for all concerned. Jack is perfectly happy with the idea but, if you’d rather not, that’s absolutely fine. You were going to be invited anyway, so, either way, you’d be at the wedding. At least if it’s here, you can escape to your own room if it all gets too much.’
Max sneered. ‘What am I, twelve? And, I could escape wherever it was held, so that doesn’t work as an argument in its favour. I’m amazed Jack agreed to it – actually, no I’m not, I said he was far too easy-going for my liking. Oh God. I really don’t have much choice do I?’
‘Of course you do! Look Max, you said a few months ago that you were over her but if that’s not the case then I’ll call her and say that it’s my decision. That I’ve thought about it and decided it’s not appropriate and that I hadn’t mentioned it to you. Or, I could say that I’ve checked with the builders and it won’t be ready in time. I really don’t mind. Truly I don’t.’
Max sighed loudly and got up to pour himself another very large whisky. He held up the sherry decanter. ‘You?’ he asked.
Margaret nodded. ‘Good God yes!’
She held out her half-full glass and Max filled it to the brim. He did likewise with his empty whisky glass then he flopped onto the sofa and stretched his long legs out in front of the fire.
‘I am over her. That’s not the problem. I think it might feel a little weird though, watching her marry someone else but you’re right, I would be going to the wedding so I’ll see that anyway.’ He took a large swig from his glass and stared into the flames. ‘No. I’m fine with it. Tell her it’s okay with me. In fact, tell her it’s my wedding present. I’ll foot the bill for whatever it would cost to hire this place for the weekend. And that doesn’t mean you can double the price mother.’ He grinned at her over the rim of his glass.
‘Double it! I’ll treble it if you’re paying,’ she said grinning. ‘Why don’t we say it’s from both of us? I’d like that.’
‘Fine.’
‘And what shall I say we’re paying for? The venue hire, decorations, accommodation, food –’
‘Whatever you were planning to provide as a “Wedding Package” is fine with me.’
Margaret giggled, a little tipsy from three glasses of sherry. ‘Do you know, I haven’t the faintest idea! I haven’t thought that far ahead. I’d better find someone who knows about this sort of thing, I suppose and hire them to organise it.’
Max shook his head. ‘You’ve taken a booking for a wedding despite the fact the place is still a wreck, you have hardly any staff and not the first idea of what needs to be done. Bravo mother! I think your new business is off to a flying start.’
‘Don’t worry about it dear, it’ll all sort itself out. Actually, a more pressing problem is, I’ve totally forgotten to arrange anything for lunch! We may
‘Lizzie’s,’ Margaret said, bowing her head slightly but fixing her eyes firmly on her son’s face. ‘But if you –’
‘Oh shit! Sorry mum, but you must be joking.’
Margaret shook her head slowly from side to side but didn’t speak.
‘But why? I mean, why on earth, out of all the wedding venues in the world, would she choose to have her wedding here?’
Again, Margaret shook her head.
‘You ... you didn’t suggest it did you? God mum!’
‘No! It was Lizzie’s idea. She called me this morning, to confirm it but I told her that I’d have to check with you and that if you said no then –’
‘Oh great. Thanks mum. Now, if I say no, I’ll look like a jealous ex. Brilliant.’
‘No you won’t. Lizzie herself said that if you felt in any way awkward – or if I did, then she would understand perfectly and they’d look for somewhere else. She just thought it would be good, for all concerned. Jack is perfectly happy with the idea but, if you’d rather not, that’s absolutely fine. You were going to be invited anyway, so, either way, you’d be at the wedding. At least if it’s here, you can escape to your own room if it all gets too much.’
Max sneered. ‘What am I, twelve? And, I could escape wherever it was held, so that doesn’t work as an argument in its favour. I’m amazed Jack agreed to it – actually, no I’m not, I said he was far too easy-going for my liking. Oh God. I really don’t have much choice do I?’
‘Of course you do! Look Max, you said a few months ago that you were over her but if that’s not the case then I’ll call her and say that it’s my decision. That I’ve thought about it and decided it’s not appropriate and that I hadn’t mentioned it to you. Or, I could say that I’ve checked with the builders and it won’t be ready in time. I really don’t mind. Truly I don’t.’
Max sighed loudly and got up to pour himself another very large whisky. He held up the sherry decanter. ‘You?’ he asked.
Margaret nodded. ‘Good God yes!’
She held out her half-full glass and Max filled it to the brim. He did likewise with his empty whisky glass then he flopped onto the sofa and stretched his long legs out in front of the fire.
‘I am over her. That’s not the problem. I think it might feel a little weird though, watching her marry someone else but you’re right, I would be going to the wedding so I’ll see that anyway.’ He took a large swig from his glass and stared into the flames. ‘No. I’m fine with it. Tell her it’s okay with me. In fact, tell her it’s my wedding present. I’ll foot the bill for whatever it would cost to hire this place for the weekend. And that doesn’t mean you can double the price mother.’ He grinned at her over the rim of his glass.
‘Double it! I’ll treble it if you’re paying,’ she said grinning. ‘Why don’t we say it’s from both of us? I’d like that.’
‘Fine.’
‘And what shall I say we’re paying for? The venue hire, decorations, accommodation, food –’
‘Whatever you were planning to provide as a “Wedding Package” is fine with me.’
Margaret giggled, a little tipsy from three glasses of sherry. ‘Do you know, I haven’t the faintest idea! I haven’t thought that far ahead. I’d better find someone who knows about this sort of thing, I suppose and hire them to organise it.’
Max shook his head. ‘You’ve taken a booking for a wedding despite the fact the place is still a wreck, you have hardly any staff and not the first idea of what needs to be done. Bravo mother! I think your new business is off to a flying start.’
‘Don’t worry about it dear, it’ll all sort itself out. Actually, a more pressing problem is, I’ve totally forgotten to arrange anything for lunch! We may
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