Stephen Edger - Til Death Do Us Part

‘I told him he had to be here by twelve,’ Alice said for the third time. ‘I didn’t say ten past, or twenty past, I said twelve on the dot.’

‘He’ll be here,’ Tara reassured. ‘If there’s one thing I know about your Ben it’s that he is absolutely smitten with you.’

Alice put her hand to her mouth, before remembering the nails were acrylic and couldn’t be chewed. Tara was right, of course she was. Ben was a good man, and he wouldn’t not turn up for his own wedding. She’d read plenty of stories of brides and grooms being stood up at the altar, but Ben wouldn’t do that to her. Would he?

‘He’ll be here,’ Tara repeated, as if reading Alice’s mind. ‘Anyway, your mum and Scott are already inside, and will give the thumbs up when it’s time. We’re still early, remember.’

Scott’s fist hammered against the glass. Dressed in grey tails and a matching cravat, her stepbrother’s expression was one of relief. ‘They’ll be here any minute,’ he said, as Tara lowered the window. ‘I managed to get them on the phone. Dave and the boys took him for a final pint and they’re just stuck in traffic. Ben’s spitting feathers too if it’s any consolation.’

Alice allowed herself a moment’s respite, closing her eyes and focusing on her breathing. Having Scott give her away had seemed the only logical option. She’d lost her father when she was still at school, and the unexpected passing of her stepdad earlier this year had taken its toll. It saddened her deeply that neither of the paternal figures in her life would be there to share the biggest day of her life, but she felt their spirits nearby. The white gold locket around her neck contained a picture of both of them, so they would remain close to her heart all day.

‘Can I get back in now?’ Scott asked through the window. Scott and Alice’s mum had travelled to the church in the car with them, but her mum had complained it was too warm and had headed on in, while Scott had made desperate calls to find out why Ben had yet to arrive.

Tara waved a finger at him. ‘Sorry, it’s girls only for now. You need to keep a lookout for Ben and make sure he gets in that church without seeing Alice in her dress. It’s bad luck for him to see her before she arrives for the ceremony.’

Scott looked ready to argue as the midday sun beat down on him, but Tara’s stare was enough to put off even the most confident of men. ‘Okay,’ he reluctantly said. ‘Why don’t you have the driver take you for a little drive and I’ll make sure everything’s ready for when you return.’

Tara wound up the window, filled Alice’s glass before she could object and instructed the driver to take them on a detour around the city centre. It really was turning into a beautiful day, the sun shining high in the sky, and barely a cloud to blot the crystal blue sky. It was in stark contrast to the early morning rain that had greeted them when they’d woken at Alice’s mum’s house four hours earlier.

The rain had felt like an omen.

Every minute of the day had been planned, from the pastries and Prosecco at the house when the hair and make-up ladies arrived, to the 1932 Rolls Royce Phantom II that had arrived to collect them at 11:30 in case heavy traffic threatened to spoil the timetable. Alice was a perfectionist and she was determined that nothing would be left to chance; and yet she’d had a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach since waking that something she hadn’t accounted for would spoil everything.

Ben’s late arrival had done little to ease her nerves.

‘You know what Ben and Dave are like when they get together,’ Tara said, as she sipped from her flute. ‘Thick as thieves since school. We should have expected them to find a pub before the ceremony. And in fairness we did arrive early at the church.’

Alice nodded. Ben had been the only variable to the day that she hadn’t been able to totally organize. Once they were all at the church, she felt more certain that events would run like clockwork. The ceremony was due to start at half twelve, and be finished by one, at which point they would congregate for confetti and photographs, before Alice and Ben were whisked to the hotel ready to greet their guests upon arrival. The champagne reception would run until two, followed by the professional photographs in the grounds of the hotel, with the wedding breakfast formally commencing at three. Food would be followed by speeches, before a break at five, with everyone returning for the evening party from six. They’d decided to cut the cake prior to the first dance, so that as many of their friends and family would be there to witness it.

‘Cheer up, Faye,’ Tara said suddenly to the second bridesmaid, who’d been squashed up on the seat next to her in silence. ‘You want some more bubbles?’

Faye shook her head and continued to stare out of the window. She’d been another variable Alice had been unable to predict. Faye was married to Johnny, another of Ben’s good friends, and the two women had hit it off instantly when Ben had first introduced them four years ago. Faye wasn’t the same person now though. Once bubbly and wildly outgoing, she was barely a shell of the woman from years ago, though Alice couldn’t put her finger on exactly what had changed or when.

Alice shuffled along her seat, so she was directly across from Faye. ‘Hey, you. Is everything okay? You’ve been so quiet today.’

Faye’s eyes were wet as she fixed Alice with a troubled stare. ‘I’m fine. I’m sorry, just got one or two things on my mind. I don’t want to spoil your big day.’

‘You’re not spoiling anything, I just don’t like to see you looking so down. Is there anything I can do? Is it Isabella?’

Faye’s eyes widened at the sound of her daughter’s name. ‘No, Isabella’s fine. I told you, she’s with my mum today.’

‘What is it then? I’m worried about you.’

Faye plastered a smile across her face. ‘I’m okay. Really.’

Alice frowned at her. ‘Okay, but the two of us are going to have a proper catch-up when Ben and I get back from the honeymoon. Agreed?’

Faye’s smile widened. ‘I’d like that. Sorry again.’

‘More bubbles is what we all need,’ Tara said, filling all of their glasses. ‘I think we should also toast the most gorgeous bride and the best looking bridesmaids the world has ever seen.’

‘I’ll second that,’ Alice said, clinking her flute against theirs.

‘It really was a smart move if you ask me,’ Tara continued. ‘Picking two chubby bridesmaids, so we don’t show you up in the photos.’

Alice gasped in shock. ‘That isn’t why I picked the two of you!’

Tara chuckled to show she hadn’t meant any offence. ‘Don’t worry, I intend to do the same thing if some bloke is ever stupid enough to fall on one knee for me, but in my case the bridesmaids will have to be real heifers so as to make me look like the slim one. That probably rules the two of you out as future bridesmaids, so I’ll apologize in advance.’

The Rolls Royce returned to the outside of the church two minutes ahead of deadline. Scott was still waiting on the kerb where they’d left him, and he raised two thumbs to confirm everyone was inside and waiting.

‘Are you ready for this?’ Tara asked.

Alice took a deep breath, before lowering her veil. ‘Ready as I’ll ever be.’

As the three women emerged from the car and made their way to the church doors, the feeling of dread continued to bubble just beneath the surface of Alice’s skin.

‘You look amazing,’ Ben whispered as he leaned in and kissed her cheek. ‘I feel like the luckiest guy alive.’

Alice brushed her hand against his smooth cheek. ‘I’m the lucky one. I’m glad you took my advice and had a shave this morning too.’