Never a Perfect Moment by Cathy Cole

waitressing at a big wedding reception in the grounds of Heartwell Manor. Rhi would be there too, as a wedding singer. She had a great voice, and got plenty of singing work at weekends for all the weddings that Heartside Bay was famous for. Polly wondered briefly if Eve had ever had a job. No way , she thought. Why would she, when her father was so rich?
    â€œReady to dress up?” Polly asked when Lila opened the front door at her first knock.
    Liila pushed her glossy brown hair out of her eyes and looked eagerly at the bag over Polly’s arm. “Are those our outfits?”
    The theme for today’s wedding was The Great Gatsby . Polly adored the twenties style: flapper dresses, feathered headbands, long jangly beads. She had worked hard on three perfect dresses for her, Lila and Rhi to wear.
    â€œPolly, it’s gorgeous ,” Lila gasped as Polly carefully took her dress out of its bag. “How do you do it?”
    Polly felt pleased. “It wasn’t difficult,” she said as Lila took off her clothes and wriggled into the pale green shift dress with its feathered fringe, twirling ecstatically in front of her bedroom mirror. “I bought the feathered fringing at the haberdasher and just stitched it on. There’s a headband to match, look. And—”
    She opened her coat so Lila could see the matching silver feathery dress she was wearing.
    â€œI’ve made Rhi a red dress with black bead fringing sewn around the neckline,” Polly went on, “with an adorable little close-fitting hat. Red looks so great on her.”
    â€œShe’ll love it,” said Lila, gazing at the red dress with awe.
    They agreed to fix their hair and make-up at Heartwell Manor. Mr Gupta wanted them to be there for three o’clock, and time was running out.
    The marquee looked decadent. The walls were swathed in pale green silk, with silver chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Tables were laid with silvery tablecloths, and a pyramid of champagne flutes stood in the centre of the room.
    Rhi was there already, looking nervous and talking to Brody the guitar player and the rest of the band. Her wild, cloudy curls had been tamed so that they lay slicked to her head in a twenties style. Brody Baxter scrubbed up well, Polly realized, in a black tuxedo and a bow tie. His long blond hair was as wild and surfy as ever though.
    â€œI’m so terrified,” Rhi whimpered when she saw Polly and Lila.
    â€œYou are going to be incredible,” Lila assured her.
    â€œAnd you’ll look incredible too,” Brody said with a whistle as Polly handed Rhi her black and red dress.
    Rhi vanished behind a curtain to change.
    â€œQuickly now,” Mr Gupta urged Polly and Lila, rushing past in his white tuxedo. “Canapés on the silver trays. Champagne will be poured when the brides arrive.”
    â€œBrides, as in plural?” said Polly, turning to Lila in surprise.
    â€œSounds that way.” Lila had already put her headband on and was halfway through her make-up. “Hurry up, Polly, the guests will be here in a minute.”
    Polly barely had time to put on her own headband and lay the canapés in neat rows on the trays when the sound of popping champagne bottles filtered through the curtains separating the wedding party from the catering area. The brides and their guests had arrived.
    As Polly moved through the happy chattering crowd with her silver tray, the band began to play.
    Polly looked up to the stage and watched as Rhi, glittering in her red and black dress, began to sing, her eyes closed as she swayed back and forth.
    Brody was at the piano; the other members of the band on drums and sax. Rhi leaned on the piano as she sang classic twenties songs, smiling into Brody’s eyes as if no one else was in the room. Their connection was almost visible, a shining thread holding them together.
    Rhi and Brody would make such a great couple , Polly thought, gazing dreamily at