62 Days (14 page)

“
He’s reconsidering.”

“
Well that’s good of him.”

“
It’s a big issue in his mind. He was adopted. I’m sure that has something to do with it.”

“
I hope he makes the right choice and soon.”

“
I think he will. Perhaps it was the initial shock that caused his bad reaction.”

“
Perhaps. I suppose he deserves the benefit of the doubt” I’m not convinced. I think Daniel believes having children will cramp his lifestyle. But who knows, I could be wrong. I often am.

We lay there quietly for a while staring at the ceiling. I am trying to get my head around having a baby with Mark sometime soon. I’m warming to the idea a little now the shock has worn off.

“
Rachel, can I ask you something else?” He leans over me and gives me a lovely kiss.

“
Mmmm, ask away.”

“
Will you marry me?”

“
I just don’t believe you!”

“
Is that a yes or a no?” He is smiling at me but his eyes are very serious.

“
I’m still trying to process the children idea and now you spring another big shocker on me!” Okay Suze you and your intuition were spot on, I’ll call you tomorrow…

“I know it’s a lot to take in but I needed to ask my questions this way round. To make sure we wanted the same things… So, what’s your answer?”

“T
his question has a very easy answer and that is yes.”

I get a rather long passionate kiss for my acceptance of Mark’s rather unconventional and understated lying down proposal.

“
When shall we do it?”

“
Won’t your mother expect a huge formal affair? They take a long time to arrange.”

“
What’s my mother got to do with it? It’s our wedding and we can do whatever we want. I’m sure Cameron will want a wedding like that anyway. She can go mad with her. What do you want?”

“
What about a beach wedding somewhere beautiful with close family and some friends.”

“
Okay, that sounds good. What about end of November? That’s just over 2 months. Long enough?”

“
Long enough for me to get a dress, a bikini and some sunscreen, I think.”

Mark is a very determined person I have recently found out. When he wants something, he gets it, somehow or other and usually pretty fast.

I put my arms around him and pull him close. “What a week this is turning out to be. Newly cohabiting, just engaged, possibly prospective parents… Got anything else up your sleeve, a weekend climbing Mount Everest or a honeymoon on Mars?”

He smiles at my touch of humour. “No, I’m out of surprises for a while. We’ve got enough to do. But just one more thing… about the prospective parents part…”

“
Mark no, it’s all too much for one day.”

“Let’s t
hrow the pills away. They take at least a month to wear off anyway.”

He starts to kiss me all over. His head drops down to kiss my stomach and then further between my legs, pushing them apart. His tongue is probing around, licking me up and down. I am getting very aroused.

“
You’re being unfair.”

“
All’s fair in love…”

“
You shouldn’t try to persuade and influence me with your tongue.”

“
It’s the best way I know.”

His tongue is very, very persuasive. I’m almost at the point of ecstasy with his intimate licking session. I give in completely, open my legs wide and push myself up against him. I’m thinking I’d do anything for him now. Absolutely anything. Sixteen children starting next week… He stops abruptly and moves back up me. He holds my head between his hands and looks deeply into my eyes.

“
Rachel, I love you more than I can say, I’m going to marry you in two months, I’d be in heaven if you want to try for a baby soon. Please say you will.”

I know I’m seeing a very determined and persuasive Mark in action. But I’m actually won over by the love in his eyes.

“
We can start on honeymoon. I don’t want to be pregnant when I get married and possibly feeling sick all the time.”

His whole face lights up with joy. “I think I’m the happiest man on earth right now. I love you to death.”

“And I love you to death too. S
o now we agree on everything in life, you can carry on persuading me how wonderful you are.” I push his head down in a none too subtle manner.

It seems that planning a far away beach wedding isn’t quite as quick and simple as I thought it would be. Especially with only two months to do it. Thankfully the two mothers join forces and plan it all in between them, asking my opinion here and there.

Cameron offers to take me to London to find me the perfect dress. How could I refuse a top fashion buyer giving me her full attention. We sit in the black taxi as it winds around the back streets of the West End. Cameron has been her usual chatty self. She suddenly turns and gives me a rather deep look.

“Rachel, I want to tell you how happy I am you are marrying Mark. I always felt as if he were second best with Charlotte. I am absolutely thrilled he has found you. I can see he is so in love with you.”  Her eyes filled up and so did mine.

“That’s so sweet of you… and I’m so in love with him too… ” We have a sisterly hug in the back of the taxi. I feel we have suddenly forged a friendship. She is talking to me rather than at me today.

We stop outside a rather small and somewhat rundown shop. In fact it doesnt look like a shop at all. Where on earth has she brought me?  She catches my expression…

“Don’t worry, it’s an Aladdin’s cave inside, it’s a trade secret… prepare to be somewhat surprised.” She gives me a quick eye flash and takes my hand giving it a squeeze. We ring the bell and the door is opened by a stout middle aged lady with bright pink hair.

“Cameron darling, there you are… and how are you these days?” She beams at us and lets us in her hallway.

“I’m very well thank you Jemima, and yourself?”

“Perfect sweetie, just perfect… now who have we here?”

She gives me a quick look over.  I smile and am just about to open my mouth to speak when Cameron steps in and introduces me and then gives a quick summary of what we want.

“This is Rachel. She is marrying my brother in five weeks. It’s a beach wedding somewhere rather hot. We would like something fashionable but simple and light. It must be easy to wear in the heat. I think something very fitted and strapless would be perfect.”

I am still wondering what this place is.

“Right, follow me my little chicks, I have a few beauties to show you… “

We walk through to a massive long room absolutely packed with hundreds of dresses in plastic wrappers. She must be an eccentric wedding dress designer or something I think as she busies herself getting out six and putting them on a rail in the middle of the room. We sit on a tatty old sofa whilst she does it. She hasn’t even asked me my size yet, perhaps she just knows?

“What about these? Come and take a look.” She beckons at me.

I get up and she unwraps each of the six dresses for my inspection. I see the price tags hanging from a couple… £3600, £2800…  My God, these are expensive. She must be a very well known wedding dress designer… Cameron watches my eyes grow wide…

“Rachel, don’t worry, Mark can afford it, he has millions in the bank. He told me there’s no budget for this, we can spend what we like.”

I look through them in a dress daze. They are all so lovely. But the last one jumps out at me. It has a label announcing it is a  Justin Alexander…. maybe Jemima’s not a designer and this is a shop after all. I am confused. I turn my attention back to the dress. It is a beautiful strapless fitted white organza, seed pearls and satin with a ruched effect and a small bustle type of bow at the lower back.

“The last one?” Asks Jemima following my progress through the rail.

“It’s calling to me…”

“Well in that case, let’s try it on, over there my darling.” She points to a large cubicle in the corner.

I undress quickly and slip it on with Jemima’s help. It feels like it’s exactly the right size. She does up the tiny buttons.

We leave the cubicle and turn and I look in the mirror. My God…. I am overcome by dress desire. I look this way and that… I just love that bow on my behind… I look all curvy and so shimmery with the little pearls sewn all over it..

“That is just perfect. Absolutely stunning, almost too beautiful. It’s so you Rachel…” Cameron gushes walking around me.

“This is the one.” I don’t need to try another one on. This must be the quickest wedding dress choice in history.

I am then led through to accessories for a small dress veil and some shoes. Cameron suggests we all have matching real flower head dresses, mine can be more ornate. I agree with her hot beach wedding fashion tips. We leave with an appointment to return in three weeks for a final fitting. Sometimes brides can lose weight with nerves preceding a wedding, so I’m told. Personally I am more of the opinion that I will put on weight based on the amount of food I am now consuming, but we shall see…

Leaving the store I finally feel I can ask Cameron.

“What was that place?”

“Well believe it or not Jemima is actually a wedding planner and stylist, and before you say it, I know she’s a rather unlikely stylist…” She laughed and I joined in. “She is given all the new collections by the wedding gown designers so she can sell and promote them to her clients… and for a generous percentage, I imagine.  She knows absolutely all the designers, dozens of them. In fact she knows everyone full stop. All the fashion industry use her and a lot of celebrities too, for her wedding services anyway.”

I am now feeling rather pleased that I have been fitted out by a top secret wedding stylist to the fashion industry and the stars.

***

Suze and Cameron battle it out in a mostly friendly way over bridesmaids dresses and flowers, settling on silver grey dresses and deep purple florals. Mark decided he couldn’t ask his old best friend Daniel to be his best man, as it was still a little awkward between them, so he has asked Will instead. We have booked a location in Mauritius and the 36 guests are going to be there for a week. The wedding is on the fourth day of the holiday. Mark and I will stay for another week. I can’t wait for the end of November to finally arrive.

***

At the end of October we have the ceremonial throwing away of the birth control pills. Mark watches me throw them away with a big smile on his face. Neither of us know what’s going to happen and how long it will take but we’ve started the process of potential parents now. I am surprisingly happy about everything in that respect. 

I am finally ready to take the walk to the beautiful beach platform set up for our wedding. Thanks to Cameron I am feeling almost goddess like in my perfect white dress. My looped up hair is topped with deep purple and white flowers to match my bouquet. I turn and gaze at Suze and Cameron in their stunning silver grey creations as they stand behind me. I’ve never seen Suze look so elegant and pretty. Cameron has obviously waved her stylish wand over her too.

Dad and I start to make our way forward in the hazy heat, along the petal strewn path.

I am so blissfully happy I am floating on air. I have left the old troubled Rachel far behind and a new me has emerged like a butterfly from a chrysalis. I have more self esteem and inner confidence than I could ever have imagined.

I look at Mark standing there waiting for me and I feel as if he has been sent to me by a higher being. He is my own angel, just like the statue which touched my heart in Paris. He has fixed everything that was broken inside me and given me my life back. He is all I could ever want or need. I couldn’t be more in love with him.

He takes my hand and the ceremony begins. We say our vows with a lot of feeling. I am getting tearful and struggling with my words. I somehow make it through in a choked voice.

He slips the ring on my finger and gives me a kiss. His eyes are so bright and beautiful, bluer than ever.