‘Ohhhh!’ Jessie covers her mouth and looks on in wonder as the chauffeur helps her from the limousine outside the village hall. Nathan stands in a doorway edged with a double row of white balloons interspersed with bows of white and pale green satin ribbon, their curled streamers catching in the breeze. The banner swathed above the door is caught up at the sides with posies to match the one in her hand. ‘Congratulations Jessie and George...’ she whispers as she reads ‘...And it’s got little horseshoes on. Look, George’
‘I am’ George’s chin wobbles as he looks up.
Nathan steps outside to greet them.
‘But what about...’ Jessie meets him with a flustered look as her mind jumps to the arrangements at The White Horse ‘the buffet?’
‘There never was one...not at the pub anyway’ he grins ‘It’s here, the lot...hot, cold...everything you could ever want....and enough to feed an army. Told you not to worry’
‘But....’
‘Just get inside, woman, and stop wittering. We’re all waiting for you so we can tuck in. Ready?’ he asks.
Jessie puts her arm through George’s and smiles ‘Think so’
Nathan turns and strides ahead ‘Ladies and Gentlemen!’ he announces once he reaches the door to the main hall ‘Mr and Mrs. George Smith’ He bows slightly and steps to one side to let them pass as people start to clap them the length of the hall to their seats at the main table. Flanked by Nathan and Stephanie on one side and Kester and Helen on the other, Jessie and George stand looking at the assembled guests, their eyes jumping from one flower bedecked table, sparkling with silverware and glass, to the next, scarcely able to believe what they are seeing and both acknowledging each friend with a smile as they spot them.
Jessie squeezes Nathan’s hand ‘Thank you’ she whispers ‘It’s beautiful’
‘You alright, Dad?’ Rowena asks from his side.
‘Dunno what t’say’
‘That’d be a first’ someone shouts and laughter ripples around the hall.
Cameras flash and chairs scrape against the floor as everyone sits down, quietening as Nathan stands again.
‘This is about as formal as it gets’ he says with a wink at Jessie’s upturned face. ‘There might be a few speeches later’ he laughs as one or two guests groan ‘But first we eat’ A cheer goes up ‘Once Mr. and Mrs. Smith here have been served at the buffet, follow on when and as often as you like.There’s wine on the tables, unless you’ve drunk it already and more where that came from. There’s a free bar up the back there as well, so have fun and enjoy yourselves but for now...’ Aware that waiting staff have finished threading their way between tables and filling glasses with champagne, he lifts his own glass ‘Please join me in wishing Jessie and George all the best’
‘Jessie and George’
Milliwick Village Hall
Chapter Thirty-two
‘Good job you decided against the hotel in the end’ Jessie titters ‘At least people can stagger home from here’
‘My thoughts exactly’ Nathan executes a clumsy turn and tries his best not to tread on Jessie’s toes ‘I’m a bit pissed meself’
‘You don’t say’ she says dryly and guides him out of the path of an oncoming couple.
‘It’s been good though, yeah?’
‘It’s been wonderful, everything’s been wonderful. Everybody’s had such a lovely time’ Jessie looks around the hall and smiles happily before nodding determinedly at him ‘ You come round in the week and we’ll settle up’
Nathan leans back; his feet coming to an abrupt stop ‘Don’t insult me by offering to pay for something you never wanted in the first place. This is from me, my present to you. Don’t spoil it. Don’t take that away from me’
‘You’re tiddly’ she observes
‘Not that drunk I don’t know what I’m saying. I wanted you to have all this. I wanted both of you to have something to talk about for the next God knows how long. I don’t expect you to cough up, okay?’
‘I’m sorry’ she says quietly, recognising the hurt in his voice. ‘You’ve had a drink or two else you wouldn’t be getting on your high horse. I never meant to upset you, honestly I didn’t, it’s been lovely and such a lot of thought’s gone into everything, I am grateful, really I am but it must’ve cost....thousands’
‘Other people have done their bit’ Nathan replies, slightly mollified ‘Viv did everything more or less at cost, she probably only made enough to cover the hire of the waiters.... Harriet and Helen sorted the table flowers, Kath and Edna and the rest of the W.I. mob came up trumps with the cake and even the vicar said we could have the hall for nothing, I’ve had help from all over the place, they all wanted put something in, lend a hand. The hardest part was keeping it from you and George, not stumping up for the bills’
‘I never knew a blooming thing’ She rolls her eyes and reaches to lay a hand against his cheek. ‘Don’t be cross with me, there’s a good boy. I’ve had a lovely day from start to finish. Thank you. Bend down so I can give you a kiss’
‘What, with everyone looking?’ Nathan’s good humour is restored.
‘I’m a married woman now, so I want to start some gossip’ she giggles and pulls his head down with both hands to kiss him on the lips ‘There!’
‘Oi, I’m watching you’ Stephanie grins as she sails past in Geoff Applewhite’s arms. ‘Put him down, you don’t know where he’s been’
Jessie waves her away with a laugh and settles her hand in Nathan’s to finish the dance. ‘My husband and I’ she intones regally and chortles. ‘We’d better start going round and saying goodbye to everyone soon. I suppose that’s what they’re waiting for, to see us off.... them that haven’t had to go already. I can’t get over how many people managed to get here, even if it was only for a little while. The village must have been dead, bet half the shops were shut this afternoon’
‘It’s been good’ Nathan agrees, peering at his watch ‘Bar will be starting to pack away any minute so it’s almost time to wind things up anyway’ the music finishes and he leads her back to her chair ‘We’ve got one last surprise’ he says and chuckles as Jessie and George look at each other with a mixture of happy astonishment and foreboding. ‘Go say your goodbyes...’
‘And then what?’ Jessie demands to know.
Nathan touches the side of his nose with his forefinger ‘Wait and see’
‘I knows!’ George cackles and nudges Jessie, pointing towards the door. ‘I just see’d ‘im lookin through the glass...that there driver we ‘ad’
‘We’re going home in the car as well? Ohh, Nathan!’
‘Nope’ he grins mysteriously.
‘I can’t think of anything else’ her brow puckers ‘can’t be another drive, we wouldn’t see anything, it’s dark’
‘Stop teasing’ Rowena says as people gather round.
Ernie picks up his jacket from the chair next to his and holds it by the collar while he feels in the inside pocket. ‘There yer go!’ he says, flourishing an envelope and putting it into George’s hand ‘You can’t have no wedding without ‘oneymoon, can yer? Tha’s the card for yer room up at the Manor. Tha’s where you’ll be ‘til Monday, boy’
‘Can I takes a friend?’ George asks with a cackle and passes the envelope to Jessie for her to look at.
‘I meant both on yer, you daft begger’ Ernie wheezes and slaps his hands on his knees ‘Ought t’round things off nice for yer’
‘It will’ Jessie sniffs and lays the envelope in her lap to be able to lift her glasses and wipe her eyes ‘What a lovely thought’
‘We packed a bag, think we’ve thought of everything you might need. You’ll have to ring if we’ve forgotten anything important’
‘Else go round naked’ Edna hoots.
‘Reckon I’ll take a bottle a that stuff ‘ome w’me’ Charlie elbows Kester in the ribs and nods towards his wife ‘Works wonders, don’t it?’
‘When...when did you pack a bag?’ Jessie wonders, gazing around and interrogating everyone with a stunned look ‘When did all this happen?’
‘I snuck in Thursday while you and George were at the Legion’ Nathan admits.
‘You’ve never been in my knicker drawer!’ she looks horrified but everyone laughs.
‘No, I did that’ Stephanie gives her a hug ‘While Nathan sorted George’s things out’
‘Blimey, we could’ve ‘ad burglars and yer wouldn’t a know’d’
‘No....I wouldn’t’ Jessie bites her lip then shrugs ‘Oh well’ She hands the envelope back to George and stands up ‘George?’ she flicks her head to mean he should get up as well. ‘Time for us to go’
‘Right y’are’ he beams and gets to his feet. ‘Can we ‘ave a bit o’quiet?’ he bawls at the young men behind the music decks ‘Righto...thanks’ he says as the sound is muted ‘I said most a what I got t’say afore but this ‘ere’s summat else t’thank yer fer’ he pats his pocket ‘We’ll do us best t’behave usselves, won’t we gal?’ he clasps Jessie’s hand in his and smiles fondly. He raises his voice so those standing at the back can hear too. ‘Today’s been best day I’ve ever ‘ad, I reckon and I wants t’thank yer all...all on yer fer what you done....’ his voice drops to an emotional whisper ‘Fer me an’ me wife’ he adds, lifting Jessie’s hand and kissing it.
Jessie giggles ‘Gerroff, you daft ha’porth!’
Nathan signals for the music to start again and the couple work their way around the hall, hugging and saying goodbye to everyone until they reach the door, set open so that the crowd behind can flow out and onto the pavement to see them off.
‘Ohhhh! Nearly forgot’ Jessie turns her back to everyone and with a mighty heave, tosses her posy of flowers over her head and turns to see who caught it.
‘You bugger’ Nathan growls in her ear as he bends to kiss her on the cheek ‘you did that on purpose!’
‘Me?’ she flutters innocent eyelashes.
‘Yes, you’ he says as a blushing Stephanie makes her way forward clutching the posy.
‘Look what I’ve got’
‘Bloody conspiracy, that’s what I call it’
‘Bye all!’ Jessie fingers waves her way out of any bother and, with a grin specifically meant for Nathan, gets into the car.
