Happy Ever After (9 page)

When Dad came through the front door after work Mum ran to meet him.

“Thank you for the flowers, darling!” she said.

“What flowers?” asked Dad.

“Very funny, James! The white lilies, of course!”

Dad's face was a picture of confusion. “Let me see the card, Lavender!”

Dad took the card and quickly read it. “Who else calls you Sweet Lavender?” he asked. “You must have an admirer! I certainly didn't send these . . .”

Now
Dad
was jealous!

“First of all I discover a love letter you know nothing about and now I get flowers you know nothing about! What
is
going on?” said Mum.

Chapter Eleven

POPPY REALIZED THAT
yet again she had done more harm than good. She simply didn't know what to do to make things better.

She went to the dress fittings and the church rehearsal the day before the wedding, but she could no longer feel her princess sparkle inside. Honey could see that her friend was not her usual self and tried to reassure her that everything was going to be fine. Plus she wanted to have fun with Poppy on the wedding day.

Poppy smiled. Thank goodness she had Honey to comfort her.

When she got home Mum was in a really
good
mood because the last hat had been picked up. It was for Mrs Meadowsweet and she was delighted with it.

“How was the rehearsal, darling?” asked Mum.

“Oh, it was OK,” replied Poppy quietly. “I'm really tired though. I'm going to have a bath and go to bed early.”

“Very sensible, sweetheart. Tomorrow's a big day. We'll come and tuck you in when you're ready.”

Poppy had a lovely bubble bath, then put on her rosebud pyjamas. As she was drying her hair, Mum and Dad said goodnight to the twins,
and
sat down to plan the wedding day for the Cotton family.

“I'm really worried about Poppy,” said Mum, putting aside their problems.

“Me too!” agreed Dad. “She's awfully quiet considering there's a wedding tomorrow and fancy frocks to enjoy.”

“Let's go and tuck her in and have a chat,” said Mum.

Mum and Dad tiptoed into Poppy's room. She was sitting at her dressing table, sorting through a beautiful satin box.

“What's that, darling?” asked Mum.

“Nothing,” said Poppy, putting the lid on the box.

“Come on, darling. No secrets!”

“Um, well, the thing is . . . actually, I have kept a few secrets lately,” confessed Poppy as she got under her bedclothes.

“Come on, you know you can tell us anything,” said Dad. “And perhaps you'll even show us what's in that pretty box!”

“The thing is,” began Poppy, “I'm worried that you two don't love each other any more. Sally and Sol are so happy and romantic and it made me notice how you never do anything fun together; you've been fighting loads recently too. I wanted to make things better so I sent the love notes using Honey's new computer, but Mum's letter got lost. You were supposed to have a lovely meal under the oak tree at the bottom of the garden. But I had to cancel it. And then I arranged for the flowers to be sent to Mum, but that was a mistake too. And no one would listen to me when I tried to explain!” she finished.

Mum and Dad didn't know whether to laugh or cry!

“Oh, Poppy!” laughed Mum. “I feel so much better now! And to think that your dad and I were suspicious of each other!”

“I tried to tell you!” said Poppy.

Dad started to laugh. “Poor darling! You shouldn't have to worry about us. We're just as happy as ever. But there is one brilliant
thing
to come out of what you've done,” he told her.

“What?” asked Poppy.

“You made Mum and me so jealous that we've realized we are just as crazy about each other as ever!”

Poppy laughed and Mum and Dad joined in. She hadn't seen them this happy for ages.

“Can we see what's in the box now?” asked her mum.

Poppy handed them the beautiful memory box.

“Oh, James! Look at this!” said Mum.

They looked at all the wonderful things and recalled the happy day.

“Poppy, you are such a thoughtful girl. Remember the cake – oh, and look at the car. I'd forgotten about that,” said Mum.

Poppy drifted off into a happy sleep as Mum and Dad talked about their wonderful day ten years before.

The next morning she woke up with a different feeling inside her. She was her usual happy self again. She knew that Mum and Dad would still squabble sometimes, but now it wouldn't worry her. She got ready early and waited patiently while the rest of the family dressed.

“Will we
ever
get out of here on time?” said Grandpa to Poppy as they waited for Mum to get ready.

“Grandpa, the princess can take as long as she likes,” said Poppy.

“Ah! Mum is the princess, is she?” asked Grandpa.

Poppy nodded. “And Dad is Prince Charming!”

“What a fuss weddings are!” moaned Dad as he came into the room. “I've only got one
cufflink
and one shoe! And I can't find my wallet!”

Poppy and Grandpa laughed.

“Here's your wallet, Dad!” said Poppy.

As she passed it to him, a photo of Mum taken on their wedding day fell out of it. She bent down and picked it up.

“Thanks, Poppy!” said Dad. “I love that photo – Mum looks so beautiful, doesn't she?”

Just then Mum appeared, looking stunning in a pale pink dress with a matching rose hat.

“You're just as lovely as you were on our wedding day!” Dad told her.

“Come on, you two!” said Poppy. “There's no time for romance at the moment!”

Mum and Dad laughed.

The whole family enjoyed the wedding. Poppy saw Mum and Dad holding hands and smiling at each other when the vows were being taken; they were even giggling and whispering to each other – just like Sally and Sol did all the time. After the ceremony Dad and Poppy went off to the marquee to dance.

“Dad, your disco dancing is rubbish!” said Poppy.

“I know,” agreed Dad. “You'll have to show me how to do it, Poppy. In fact, I can learn a lot from you, darling. From now on, Mum and I are going to have a night out together every month. We have realized how important it is to show love as well as feel it – all thanks to our special princess.”

Poppy smiled and got on with her next important job – teaching Dad to disco dance – confident that they would all live happily ever after!

PRINCESS POPPY: HAPPY EVER AFTER

AN RHCP DIGITAL EBOOK 978 1 407 05087 4

Published in Great Britain by RHCP Digital,
an imprint of Random House Children's Publishers UK
A Random House Group Company

This ebook edition published 2014

Text copyright © Janey Louise Jones, 2012

Illustrations copyright © Random House Children's Books, 2012
Illustrated by Samantha Chaffey

First Published in Great Britain

Young Corgi 9780552559225 2012

The right of Janey Louise Jones to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.