The Wedding Day by Sue Watson

Author:Sue Watson [Watson, Sue]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781800199507
Published: 2023-05-16T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FOUR

Sylvie was so excited about my wedding news, she insisted we have a girls’ night to celebrate. I took a taxi to a bar in the town where I was slightly disappointed to see she’d brought along Angelina and Maria.

I arrived at the table and before I could say a word, Sylvie yelled, ‘Congratulations!’ Then she held my hand and turned to the girls, and said, ‘Our lovely Alice is getting married!’ She immediately called for champagne, while Angelina’s face dropped visibly. She’d clearly had no idea.

‘Who are you marrying?’ Her face was stern, her voice hard.

‘Nik Kouris, of course,’ Sylvie replied on my behalf, laughter in her voice.

She obviously hadn’t realised just how uncomfortable Angelina and I were together, and in her excitement hadn’t thought how the girl might take this news.

‘So, talk me through the proposal, did he go down on one knee?’ Sylvie asked, pulling out the chair right next to her, and ushering me into it.

‘I think I need a drink first,’ I said, smiling, not wanting to dampen Sylvie’s lovely enthusiasm for my wedding. How could I possibly tell her all this with Angelina glowering across the table. It spoiled the moment, and I wished it had just been Sylvie and me celebrating. It was hard to drink champagne and listen to Sylvie saying what a beautiful couple we made, with Angelina smirking and rolling her eyes to Maria. I was used to her anger, her meanness, but when she got up from the table, I saw something like defeat in her eyes, and it made me feel sad for her. So I followed her to the toilet and once inside waited for her to come out from the cubicle. When she did, I opened my arms, hoping she’d come in for a hug. But she swerved and went to the sink.

‘Angelina,’ I groaned softly. ‘What is it? Why are you always so angry with me?’

She looked up from washing her hands, and stopped for a moment. Her eyes bored into mine for a few long seconds, and the fear and hate in those eyes was visceral, she was like a wild animal. ‘Alice…’ she started, through gritted teeth, as I held my breath, waiting for the abuse, the vile, stinging insults she was about to hurl at me. But something in her face changed, that defeated look again. It cloaked her sharpness and her anger, and she clearly decided not to say anything.

‘What?’ I asked. ‘Just say it and let’s get this over.’

She shook her head and went back to washing her hands angrily.

‘I do understand.’ I tried gently to diffuse her hurt and anger. ‘I know you don’t want to hear this from me, but Nik’s too old for you. There are loads of guys out there your age who would die to go out with someone as pretty as you.’

She dried her hands. Her mouth was set tight. I saw her jaw muscle move, her anger so contained I worried she might burst.

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