‘Oh my God,’ he exclaims unsteadily. He shakes his head in disbelief. ‘You look … did your mother and I really make you?’
‘I’m afraid so, Dad.’
His eyes fill with tears as he comes forward to stand in front of me. He takes off his glasses and wipes his eyes. ‘You’re all grown up now, but you’ll always be my baby girl, my little Princess, sitting on my lap telling tales on your brother.’
‘I did not,’ I mutter.
‘I’ll be giving you away today, Princess, but not from my heart. Just remember, I’ll be here for you, always, until the day I am no more.’
What my mother did not accomplish with her tears my father accomplishes with his words. Tears start rolling down my face and all around me women start tutting and scolding. I am pulled back onto the bed and the woman who did my make-up starts fussing and dabbing at my face.
‘No more tears,’ she says sternly to no one in particular.
‘There’s nothing a glass of champagne won’t cure,’ Britney says putting a glass of bubbling liquid into my hand.
I take it and smile up at her. In my mind I see that day two years ago when Cash came to get me in Georgia and brought me back to his father’s house. I was a nervous wreck. I thought she would be angry with me, but she ran up to me, and in her generous wonderful way, hugged me tightly, and said, ‘I was never angry with you. You were right. I was a selfish, shallow, self-absorbed creature.’ And we both cried our eyes out.
‘Bottom’s up,’ Britney says.
I drink up and thread my hand through my father’s.
‘I’m ready, Dad.’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xdyRsGOl6U
Dad squeezes my hand as the car travels in the darkness. Cash and I decided to have a secret midnight wedding.
‘I want a marriage not a wedding,’ he said, and I couldn’t agree more.
Both of us have become publicity shy, and we have learned to guard our privacy fiercely. Neither of us wants paparazzi helicopters swooping overhead, or the frightening packs of paparazzi that seem prepared to do anything just to get that one clear, unique shot they can sell for hundreds of thousands of pounds, gathered outside the gates.
Neither did we want the media circus that ensues when famous guests are jetted in from the four corners of the Earth, or magazine photographers to be present to record the occasion for posterity or a six figure sum.
When Cash asked me where I wanted to have our wedding I didn’t even have to think. I couldn’t, in fact, I still can’t think of a more beautiful place for us to tie the knot than the old Georgian walled garden of the new home that we just bought, renovated and lovingly furnished, but have not moved into yet. It is a magical house and we both fell in love with its beauty, proportions, and tranquility at first glance.
Since we wanted a special occasion in front of only our loved ones we kept our wedding so hush hush that even the caterers were hired under an assumed name from the county of Shropshire, all the wedding guests were sworn to secrecy, and my aunt acted as the wedding planner. Even the minister flew in from Scotland. About five weeks ago we went to see the registrar who granted us a special license so that nobody would find out.
I feel a lump in my throat as the car turns into the tall iron gates. Our home. The car goes down the lantern lit driveway and stops outside the garden gate. My father opens the door, and I come out of the car.
‘Are you ready?’ my father asks.
I nod because I can’t speak. I rest my hand on his arm and feel the strength under his sleeve as I lean slightly on it … and I have a stray thought. One day it will no longer be that strong. I look up at him.
‘What is it?’
‘Nothing. I love you, Daddy,’ I whisper.
‘I love you, more,’ he whispers, as we round the corner and come to the secret door hidden in the seven feet tall hedges.
At the entrance to the garden, Cora waits with Tabitha and Leah’s sister. Cora looks lovely in a cream suit and the girls are wearing their little pink frocks and carrying their baskets of flower petals. Cora dabs her eyes. She always was a soppy romantic.
‘Oh, Tori, I’m so happy for you,’ she whispers.
She opens the door and my jaw drops. This was Cash’s surprise for me. The whole place is like a magical wonderland with fairy lights everywhere you look. On the trees, the hedges, the leaves, the chairs the guests are sitting on, and the rose arbor where my groom is waiting for me.
He has turned to watch me arrive. He is wearing a blue-grey morning suit. His tie is made from the same orange material as my dress. And … Oh my, it is like the first time. Butterflies go wild in my tummy and I can’t stop grinning. Sometimes I still can’t believe that I kissed the sexy fucking bastard and he became a prince. I try to suppress a giggle but a muffled sound escapes. It’s like a fairytale. I got my prince.