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‘Doesn’t Aunty Maggie look amazing, girls?’ The girls re-enter the room and bundle on to the bed with their mum, armed with polar bear pyjamas and stuffed toys. The whole scene makes me stand there by that wardrobe and smile. The girls look over and I pose with a hand to my waist.
‘You look like a fairy,’ Bella says. At least she didn’t say I looked like a double-decker bus. ‘Are you going to a party?’
‘Kind of. I’m going to a wedding with my friend, Frank.’
‘Is he your boyfriend?’ Paige asks.
‘No, he has a very bad haircut. I won’t allow it,’ their mother tells them. ‘Aunty Maggie does have a new friend called Leo though. We like him.’
I upturn my palms to the ceiling to hear her implant these ideas in the girls’ heads. She doesn’t even know Leo, she’s literally judging him by his teeth.
‘Mummy obviously hasn’t had enough sleep, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about,’ I say sitting down on the edge of the bed. ‘I am single.’
‘Don’t you want a boyfriend?’ Paige asks me.
‘Maybe, one day,’ I reply. ‘I quite like being on my own. It means I don’t have to share my crisps and I can sleep in a star shape and not have anyone steal my duvet at night.’
The girls look at me not entirely convinced. ‘Or maybe you could ask Santa for one?’ Bella suggests.
Gemma laughs and kisses the top of her head. ‘I think that’s an excellent idea, Santa could squeeze someone down the chimney, just for Aunty Maggie, wrapped in a giant bow.’
To be fair, it’s not such a bad idea. Maybe he could come in a box like a giant Ken doll. The girls are in fits of giggles at the suggestion and Paige flashes me her adorable toothless grin.
‘Look, seeing as I’m here, shall we give Mummy a break? Let’s go make some hot chocolate and I’ll read you guys a story, yeah?’
Gemma’s shoulders sigh with relief to have a little break while Bella runs towards me and into my arms. ‘You look very pretty, Aunty Maggie,’ she says, giving me a kiss on the cheek.
‘That’s very kind, Bells…thank you.’
‘Do you want me to help you draw your boyfriend for your letter to Santa?’
‘Why not?’ I tell her. ‘I want him wearing a green Christmas jumper.’
‘And what do you want him to look like?’
I pause. ‘Tall? Let’s start there.’
SIX
20th December
‘Yes, Ma…No, Ma, I’ll have to eat breakfast or I’ll faint. I can’t not eat, the meal isn’t until two…You’re scared I’ll what? I’ll bloat and not be able to get in my tux? I was only going to have a bowl of cornflakes…Put crackers in my pocket? I don’t think that’s a good idea,’ Leo and I listen to Frank’s phone call in the office, trying not to eavesdrop or laugh.
Unfortunately, it’s been like this for the last week as the wedding day has approached. It’s been phone calls telling Frank to come to the house and be part of multiple family dinners, asking him if he has clean socks and handkerchiefs for the wedding, and ensuring he understands the timings of the day. He has to be at the church for ten thirty and no later. TEN THIRTY! his mother texts him in big letters.
Frank hangs up the phone and rests his head on his computer desk.
‘All good, Franco?’ Leo asks him.
‘It’s just a day,’ he says, looking completely broken, trying to muster up the goodwill to get through this. ‘If I can survivetomorrow, I’ll be fine,’ he says turning to me. ‘Are you sure you want to do this? I am giving you the option to back out now so you won’t have to endure my ridiculous family.’
‘I have a dress now. I even did my nails,’ I wave my red manicure at him that I treated myself to a few days ago. ‘If I can say anything, it feels like you need some support at this thing. Worry less about me and think about your duties for the day.’
‘What does an usher do exactly?’ Frank asks. I am a little worried that he asks this question only now.
‘You give out orders of service, advise people what side of the church to sit on, walk old ladies to pews and charm them,’ Leo informs him. ‘I was an usher for one of my sisters.’
‘Yes, Frank. Focus on charming all the old ladies,’ I suggest.
