‘Okay?’ Nathan smiles and puts his hand over Jessie’s as it grips the crook of his arm. Jessie nods and they step through the church gates. ‘We could slip in the side door and be up the front without you having to walk down the aisle’

‘No’ she says after a few steps ‘We’ll do it properly. I’m alright’

‘Right’ he grins in response ‘Let’s go knock their socks off’

Jessie stops dead once they reach the porch, her face a mask of disbelief. She turns, pushing Nathan back onto the path.

‘What’s up?’ he looks concerned.

‘We’ve got to go and see Vivienne; we’re never going to have enough sandwiches to feed that blooming lot!’

Nathan snorts and shakes his head ‘Don’t worry about that now. I can send someone over while you’re having your photo taken...besides...Viv’s in there’ he thumbs over his shoulder towards the waiting congregation ‘so there’s no point’

‘Okay...’ Jessie hisses out of the side of her mouth as they step forward again ‘I’ll have a quick word as I go past. You look for her on your side and I’ll look for her on mine’ she instructs

‘I will not. It’ll be sorted. Have I let you down so far?’ he whispers close to her ear, as his eyes catch those of the warden waiting at the back of the church.

‘No’

‘Well then, let’s go do it and stop worrying about things that don’t matter. Worse comes to worse, we’ll send out for pizza’

Jessie nudges him with her elbow, her eyes narrowing threateningly ‘Be serious!’

‘I am’

Nathan straightens and smoothes the front of his jacket, after a wink at Jessie, he tucks her hand more tightly into his elbow and nods at the warden who in turn signals the organist.  As chords sound, Reverend Washington motions for the congregation to stand. After the clatter of feet and the hubbub of voices has died down and with George and Kester standing at the chancel steps, the organist strikes up again.

With a grin from Nathan and a giggle from Jessie, they step out to surprised laughter and in time to the strains of ‘Tiptoe Through the Tulips’.

St. Matthews Church

Chapter Thirty-two

‘I thought that was a marvellous way to start the proceedings’ Harriet takes Helen’s arm as she exits the pew and prepares to follow the rest of the congregation out of the church. ‘Absolutely wonderful, it put a smile on everyone’s face from the word go. I rather think it came as a complete surprise to George too’ she smiles ‘The poor man was quite overcome’

Helen matches her step to Harriet’s slower pace. ‘To all of us except Nathan and Jessie’

‘But special to Jessie and George alone’

‘I think so, if the look on his face was anything to go by. I think we all wanted to cry along with him then’

‘Yes, but they were happy tears’

‘Very’ Helen agrees, smiling as they reach Kester waiting for them next to the font.

‘All going well so far’ he grins conspiratorially. ‘This is either going to be the best wedding reception the village has ever seen or it’s going to cause ructions’

‘Not THE best reception; that was ours’ she reminds him, patting the shirt front above his waistcoat. ‘They took the photographer in their stride and they weren’t expecting him....so fingers crossed’

‘There were some pretty evil looks going on though’ Kester chuckles, talking across Harriet as she catches his arm too. ‘Some of the early ones he took in here will be priceless!’

‘Jessie will forgive Nathan anything’ Harriet says with conviction ‘You need have no worries on that score’

‘Ah, but will she forgive the rest of us?’ Helen laughs as they edge their way behind those milling in front of the arched doorway and onto the square cobbles of the open space beyond.

‘If I could just have the bride and groom, please’ the photographer calls as he waves people to the side. ‘The bride and groom....’ he cranes his neck ‘Has anyone SEEN the bride and groom?’

A crowd parts and Jessie and George are ushered forward to the sound of laughter.

‘I was just catching up!’ Jessie objects with an excited giggle ‘I haven’t seen some of them since last Christmas’

Kester spots Nathan and gives him a thumbs up sign.

Nathan puffs his cheeks and wipes imaginary sweat from his brow and flicks it as he crosses from one side of the churchyard to the other to join him.  He kisses Harriet and then Helen on the cheek. ‘Thank God the sun’s come out. I hadn’t made any contingency plans for that’

‘We would have come up with something’ Harriet beams ‘This is all turning out wonderfully. She is a very lucky woman to have someone as thoughtful for a friend’

Nathan shrugs and hides his blush by turning away to light a cigarette. ‘She’s worth it’ he mumbles and exhales smoke through his nose. ‘They both are’

‘The bride’s family, please’ the photographer calls again ‘Family of the bride.... If you could all stand behind....Come round...that’s it....so we have Jessie and George in the middle....bit more...Little ones at the front...You’re not little with that hat on, dear, it’s nearly as big as you are...Lovely...lovely...keep coming...Wonderful’

‘Nathan!’ Jessie shouts, beckoning furiously ‘Nathan, come on....You’re family!’

After a short pause Nathan gives Harriet a brief moist-eyed smile ‘And that’s why’ he says, crushing the cigarette beneath his shoe and moving forward.

‘You done us proud, boy’ George offers Nathan his hand and as soon as it is gripped, pumps it hard, ‘I were ‘appy for ‘er t’ave what ‘er wanted but seems yer knew what ‘er wanted better’n she did. Look at ‘er... ‘appy as a pig in you knows what wi’ all ‘er fam’bly round ‘er. She never wanted no quiet do, not really’ he says, his voice thick with tears.

‘They all wanted to come, simple as that’ Nathan accepts the hug that follows ‘your family, her family...the lot’ he waves his arm to encompass every group of chatting and smiling people. ‘I took a gamble I was doing the right thing’

‘Take it from me, boy, yer did’ George pats his thanks on Nathan’s shoulder. ‘Eh oop!’ he chuckles, nodding at the church gates. ‘We’d best get a move on, got the next bloomin lot come now. Good job it ain’t no fun’ral’ he hoots. ‘Jessie...Oi...Mrs. Smith...stop yer gassin....I got a pint wi’me name on and we got ‘nother bride waitin t’get in, look’

‘No, there isn’t’ Nathan rubs his chin, trying not to smile. ‘That’s yours’

‘Cor blimey!’ George’s face splits into a grin and he turns a full circle before taking another look.

‘Ours?’ Jessie goggles at the sleek white limousine ‘For me and George?’

‘Yep’

‘Ohhh, Nathan, I’ve always wanted a go in one of those’

‘Uh huh’

‘And you knew?’ she looks up at him.

‘Uh huh’ Nathan repeats, starting to get embarrassed as her voice rises.

Jessie’s mouth twitches and she gently pushes George out of the way and returns to stare up at Nathan again ‘Will you marry me?’ she asks with an impish smile ‘Me and him haven’t done any consummating, so I can get it struck off’

‘Ere!’ George splutters a smile ‘You ain’t striking nothin off, else we never will!’

Jessie giggles as she gives George’s arm a playful squeeze and lays her head against him ‘It was worth a try’ she sighs. Turning back, she draws her brows together in a mock frown ‘You’re a bad boy!’ she says and slaps Nathan on the hand with each word ‘It’s lovely’ she takes another look ‘a chauffeur as well’ her eyelashes flutter ‘But I’ll no sooner be in it than I’m out again. You shouldn’t have gone to all that expense, not just to get to the pub’

‘That’s what I thought first off...but I wanted you to have one, so he’s going to take you for a ride round...Anywhere you like for half an hour or so and then back here’

Jessie claps her hands but George looks grumpy. ‘You mean what I got t’wait fer me pint?’

‘Champagne in the back....’ Nathan starts to say

‘But yer knows tha stuff makes me....’

‘.....for Jess and beer for you....Not keg, sorry... bottles are the best I could do’

‘You thought a ev’ry damn thing ain’t yer, boy’

‘I’ve tried’

‘Best us get goin’ then’ George rubs his hands together and starts off down a path lined with people waiting to throw confetti.

‘Aren’t you forgetting something, George?’ Jessie taps her foot.

He stops and turns round. ‘What?’

‘ME!’