Maddy’s Christmas Wedding (Little Duck Pond Cafe #37)

CHAPTER TWO

After that, everyone started firing questions at once.

‘Wow! How on earth did you manage it, Maddy?’

‘Talk about last-minute. Aren’t the flights all booked up for this year?’

‘I hope to goodness my passport is up to date. When are we going?’

Maddy laughed and sat down. ‘One question at a time. We’re going to be rivalling this lot for disturbance of the peace if we’re not careful.’ She nodded at the hen party, who were currently still resisting the red-haired girl’s efforts to prise them from their seats and leave for their meal in Guildford.

I smiled at Maddy, feeling as excited as a five-year-old at the prospect of such an amazing adventure. A trip to Lapland had already been mentioned but it had seemed pie-in-the-sky. But Maddy’s Auntie Evie owned a company that organised trips there every year at Christmas time and she’d managed to secure us a chalet for the occasion. I’d assumed that flights would turn out to be the stumbling block. The airlines would surely all be booked up by now. But apparently Auntie Evie had found a way.

‘So this is my lovely dad’s treat. He’s insisted on footing the bill for the flights, which is so amazing of him.’ Tears filled Maddy’s eyes as everyone murmured their agreement. ‘And Mum’s sister, Auntie Evie, is giving us the use of the chalet as a wedding present. The only thing is we have to fly via Amsh . . . Amshterdam,’ said Maddy, having a little difficulty pronouncing the name. ‘But who cares? It’ll be a quick change there and then we’ll be on a flight heading for snowy Lapland, girls!’

‘Oh, wow.’ Fen’s eyes were like saucers. ‘I can’t believe it.’ She glanced doubtfully at Maddy. ‘But are you sure your parents want to foot the bill? It’s going to be really expensive.’

‘Dad insists.’ Maddy gave a sad little smile. ‘And Mum, too, obviously. Having three daughters, my parents always knew they’d have to start early if they wanted to give us all the wedding of our dreams, so they’ve been saving up for years.’ Her eyes welled up. ‘Dad said it would give them almost as much pleasure as us, knowing I was having a fabulous time with my besties.’

‘Thank you so much for including me.’ I smiled at her, sensing her emotion and knowing her dad’s generous gesture must feel very bittersweet in the circumstances.

I’d moved to Sunnybrook back in March so I hadn’t known Maddy very long, but we’d got along right from the start and we’d helped each other through some tough times. I wouldn’t be with my gorgeous boyfriend, Josh, if it hadn’t been for Maddy giving our romance a big nudge in the right direction . . .

‘Hey, I’m really glad you can come, Laurel.’ Maddy grinned. ‘It’s just a shame Primrose and Ellie and my sisters won’t be there.

I nodded. When Lapland had been first mentioned, Primrose had said she wouldn’t be able to go because she wanted her first trip to Lapland to be experienced through the eyes of her little boy, George, and that was quite understandable. Ellie was up to her eyes in work and couldn’t take so many days off in a row, and Maddy’s twin sisters worked in the modelling industry and were also too busy to take time off for a break away. Maddy had already decided to treat them all to a spa day at a local hotel instead.

Katja nudged me. ‘Are you sure you can tear yourself away from the lovely Josh for four whole days, though, Laurel?’

Jaz chuckled. ‘And three nights.’

I smiled broadly, feeling a blush warm my cheeks. ‘Oh, I’m sure I’ll manage. It’s not as if I’ll be short of amazing things to see and do. And amazing people to do them with.’

‘Well, I’ve always wanted to go to Lapland,’ said Jaz. ‘I absolutely can’t wait. And Milo’s going to be green with envy.’ She grinned. ‘When I mentioned the possibility of Lapland to him, he laughed and said, “Aren’t you a bit old to get all excited about meeting Santa?”

And I replied that you’re never too old – obviously – to meet someone so iconic and that anyway, he was just jealous, which was why he had to joke about it.’

Everyone laughed and Maddy said, ‘It’s a shame you couldn’t bring little Emma. But it’s strictly big girls only this time.’

Jaz nodded. ‘Of course it is. No, we’re planning to take Emma and Mabel next year. By then Emma will be old enough to really appreciate the whole experience, and Mabel has been pestering her dad to take her for years now.’

Fen, who’d been taking it all in with a dreamy smile, gave a happy little sigh. ‘Well, I’ve had fantasies ever since I was a little girl about taking a sleigh ride through a snowy forest and seeing the Northern Lights up close, so this is a dream come true for me. And I bloomin’ can’t wait.’

‘Will Rob cope while you’re away?’ Katja asked, and I thought about their cute twins, who must be about eighteen months old now. Lottie and Liam.

Fen chuckled. ‘He’s going to have to cope. I wouldn’t miss this for the world. And anyway, there’s no shortage of grandparents desperate to help out, so I know he’ll be fine.’ She beamed. ‘Plus, I get four days and three nights of total relaxation. No toddlers running around, getting into everything and stressing me out by falling over and bumping into things. And no desperately trying to tempt them to eat ever-so-healthy meals and snacks when all they actually want to gobble down are crisps, pizza and fizzy pop with millions of E numbers.’

‘Ah, yes, I remember it well.’ Jaz grinned. ‘There were times when Harry and I were going through our break-up, I would feel so stressed and almost comatose with tiredness by the end of the day. So I’d plonk a fractious Emma down with pizza and coke in front of Frozen, knowing I’d be guaranteed a whole hour or so of total, blissful peace. I’d feel so guilty, though, at the same time.’

Fen shook her head. ‘I’m all for a guilt-free pizza and Peppa Pig hour now and again. It keeps you sane. And how could we be good parents if we were sliding slowly into insanity?’

Everyone chuckled.

‘You’ve got that joy to come, Maddy,’ I pointed out.

She grinned. ‘And sooner rather than later if Jack has anything to do with it. I mean, I want kids. Of course I do. But Jack’s obsessed with starting a family – he says he’s always wanted at least three – and I think he’d like to crack on with the job as soon as possible. But I’ve said let’s get the wedding done first. It’s quite cute, though, and one of the things I really love about him. Jack’s a real family man.’

There was a chorus of ‘aww’ and Maddy smiled and blushed. ‘Jack and his mates have booked that golfing break in Portugal for his stag do? Goodness knows how many balls they’ll manage to hit, though.’

‘They might not even make it on to the golf course if the bar is in the way,’ Fen pointed out.

‘They didn’t fancy Lapland, then?’ I asked, tongue in cheek. ‘A pint with Santa.’

Maddy laughed. ‘Imagine!’

Chuckling, Jaz raised her glass and announced, ‘To Maddy and Jack. And the best hen party ever!’

When I toasted with my empty glass, Maddy looked around, confused.

‘I bought you a drink, Laurel. I’m sure I did.’ Then she slapped her forehead. ‘Must have left it on the bar.’ She made to get up, swaying a little, but I rose quickly and said I’d get it.

Sure enough, there was a lone glass of orange juice sitting on the bar top, and as I picked it up, the girls from the hen do began filing past me, herded out at last by the smiley red-haired girl in their party.

I caught her eye and she gave me a knowing grin that plainly said, Why did I have to be the one in charge of this rabble?

‘You got them going at last,’ I murmured.

She nodded. ‘It’s just as well I’m pregnant and sober otherwise we’d never have made it out of here.’

‘That’s some responsibility. And congratulations, by the way.’ I indicated her small bump.

‘Thank you. Yes, they’ve all come out of their shells this evening, that’s for sure. Sadie’s decided she’s going to resign from her job tomorrow and become a singer.’

‘Is she good?’

‘Nope. Can’t hold a tune for love nor money.’

I laughed.

‘Rhona’s signing up for belly-dancing classes. You might have seen her near-calamitous demonstration earlier.’

I giggled. ‘I did, yes.’

‘And Greta’s decided she never wants to get married and she’s never going to have kids.’

‘Really?’

She laughed. ‘No. Not really. It’s Greta’s hen do and she’s a mother of three! So I think she was joking. I hope she was joking.’

‘Have a good night,’ I called as she rushed off.

She stuck her thumb up at me and grinned. ‘Better dash or I might lose them. Can’t have them wandering around aimlessly, scaring the poor innocent folk of Sunnybrook.’

Jack