Wags To Riches (32 page)

   “Thanks for all your help with that” I say, “Especially yesterday when you spent about two hours helping me learn all the different stopping distances”.

   “I know – I feel as though I could put in for this test myself!” he says and I smile.  “Like I say, you’ll be fine.  Just do your best.  I’m sure you will sail through it!”  He gives me a kiss and I move to get out of the car.

   “I’ll ring you when I come out okay?” I say and Adam nods.

   “Do you find out straight away if you’ve passed?” he asks.

   “Yes, they give you a letter with your score on and it tells you if you’ve passed or not” I reply.

   “Oh right” Adam says, “Well I’ll just watch you go in, make sure you’re all right, then I’ll go.  Good luck!”

   “Thanks” I say and close the car door before turning away and walking over to the building.  A small and dirty looking sign on the left of the door reads ‘Octagon Buildings’.  I push the door open and see a piece of paper stuck on the wall with the words ‘Theory Tests’ printed on it and an arrow pointing down the hall.  Oh good - I am in the right place.  I step back out of the door to let Adam know.  ‘Good luck!’ he mouths and gives me the thumbs up before driving off.

   I walk back inside and go in the direction of the arrow.  God it’s a bit grim in here.  The walls are painted an unpleasant shade of green and the carpet is decidedly grubby.  It reminds me of when I used to go temping before I got the job at
Delightful
and having to go into all these dismal little offices to sign up to be paid a crap wage.  Still – it got me some money before I got a permanent job and look at me now!  I wish I could have known then that this was going to happen though – that I was going to meet Adam - it would have made those lean, lonely times so much easier to bear. 
And
I would have been able to avoid all those disastrous dinner dates!  But you can’t know that can you - you’ve just got to keep going and keep hoping.

   I push open the door at the end of the corridor and walk into a large room with a reception desk at one end.  There are three old blokes stood behind it who must have a combined age of three hundred and six.  One of them checks my licence, another asks me to sign in and put my handbag and phone in one of the lockers near the door and when I’ve done that the third man takes me through to a room full of computers.  I sit down in front of one of the monitors and he briefly explains what I need to do before I start the test.  As he walks away, I glance round at the other people in the room.  Most of them are quite young – late teens and early twenties but there is one woman who is about my mum’s age, sitting her test. 
Good for her!  I look back at my screen.  I’m really nervous now.  I take a couple of deep breaths and then press the ‘start test’ button.  Here goes.

“Adam guess what?  I’ve passed!” I say squealing down the phone with delight.  I’m stood just inside Octagon Buildings, clutching the letter in my hand with my scores on and it has just started thundering and bucketing down with rain but I don’t care.

   “Gail that’s fantastic!  Well done!” Adam says, “I’ll come and pick you up and we’ll go out for dinner tonight to celebrate!  How does that sound?”

   “Oh lovely!” I reply, beaming into the phone.  And I’m definitely having a pudding.

   “Go and stand inside
Supersavers while you wait for me - don’t wait outside in this lot, you’ll get wet through.  I’ll be there as soon as I can” Adam says.

   “Okay” I say and hang up before running across to
Supersavers
through the pouring rain.  I wish I’d bought my umbrella with me today!  I go inside and have a quick look at the magazines while I wipe the rain off my face.  I decide to treat myself to a copy of Vogue and am just paying for it when I glance up and through the windows see Adam getting out of the car, holding an umbrella over his head. 

  
I get to the entrance the same time as he does.  “Hey!  Who’s a clever person then!” Adam says beaming at me and giving me a big hug, “I knew you were going to pass!  Come on – let’s get home!”

   “Why did you get out of the car?” I ask.  “I could see you in the car park from the till”.

   “Well I thought I would escort you to the car under my umbrella, to save you getting wet” Adam says.

   “That is so sweet of you!” I say smiling at him

   “I know – who said chivalry was dead eh?” Adam replies grinning and we huddle closely together underneath the umbrella as we hurry back to the car.

I book my practical driving test a couple of weeks later, but am not going to tell anyone apart from Sam and Adam when it is.  I’ve gone for a date a few days after Adam’s party so I can at least get that out of the way beforehand.  There are still lots of things to sort out – but the first thing I sort is my dress.  It costs a fortune, but it’s worth it.  I’ve gone for a pale blue satin knee length dress with a boned corset style top, slight split on the left hand side and with delicate pink embroidery round the top and the hem.  It’s
gorgeous
.  I love it.  I’d wear it every day if I could.

   I get all my paperwork out and try and work out what’s left to do.  I’m just going to add up the number of people
who have confirmed again.  Including myself and Adam, there’s just over one hundred people! We’ve got footballers, pop stars, TV stars, people who work at the club and Alex and Dave!  I can’t wait to see Alex – I feel a bit guilty actually.  I meant to meet up with her before now.   I hope there’s enough food for everyone I suddenly think and quickly check what quantities of food have been ordered.  There should be enough drink as well and everyone should be able to get served easily, seeing as there will be two bars - one outside in the garden and one in the buffet marquee.  I’ve ordered enough champagne to sink a ship as well I think as I look at the quantity of champagne on an invoice.  I wish it was all for me.  That would be a weekend and a half.

****

Adam’s birthday finally arrives and I look at him, still asleep.  “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Adam, Happy Birthday to you!”  I whisper and he smiles, his eyes still closed.

   “Thanks Gail” he murmurs.

   “I’m just going to get your presents” I say and get out of bed.  I go into the bedroom next door, open the wardrobe where I’d hidden them and carefully carry them back into the master bedroom where Adam is sitting up and rubbing his eyes. 

“Happy Birthday!” I say, giving him his presents and his birthday card.

   “Thank you!” Adam says, looking delighted.

   “Open the little one first” I say and Adam opens his present to reveal the diamond cufflinks.  “Do you like them?” I ask, feeling slightly anxious.  “You can change them if you don’t – no problem”.

   “They’re fantastic Gail!” he says smiling as he takes one of them out of the box, holding it carefully up to his eyes so he can see the diamonds sparkling.  “These are wicked!  Thank you so much!  I shall wear these tonight!”

   “I thought – well I hoped - you’d like them” I say smiling at him and feeling quite relieved.  “Everyone needs a bit of bling!”

   “Oh yes!  These will look fantastic with my new shirt.  Thank you sweetheart!” he says and he gives me a kiss before opening his other present.  He unties the ribbon from around the box and his mouth falls open.  “Oh
wow
,” he breathes as he looks at the watch.

   “Do you like it?” I ask smiling.

   “Gail – it’s fantastic!” Adam says as he takes the watch out of the box.  “I’m going to try it on”.  He unfastens the strap and puts the watch over his wrist.

   “Here – let me fasten it for you” I say and after I’ve fastened the watch strap for him, Adam turns his wrist back over.

   “That is amazing,” he says, admiring the watch face.

   “You’re worth it!” I say, planting a kiss on his forehead.  “And now I’m going to bring you breakfast in bed.  I’m going to cook you a full English.  I know you can’t have a lot of fried foods, but I don’t think calories count on your birthday.  I’m going to do organic bacon, eggs, beans, everything.  Is that alright?”

   “That sounds fantastic!” Adam says enthusiastically.

   “You stay in bed and I shan’t be long” I say and go downstairs.  The post has already arrived and there are plenty of cards for Adam which I pick up to put on the breakfast tray.  I go into the kitchen to cook Adam’s breakfast and make myself a bacon sarnie as I don’t see why I should have to diet today either.  After making two large mugs of tea as well, I get the HP sauce and manage to squeeze everything onto the tray to carry upstairs.  Adam is reading his car magazine in bed and smiles at me as I walk in.

“Here you go!” I say, setting the tray down.

   “Wow that looks amazing!” Adam says.

   “You’ve had lots of cards as well” I say, putting the envelopes in a pile on the bed.  “I think your Mum and Dad will be bringing theirs with them when they come up later on this morning.  I think Tim said when I saw Gina last that he and Tony were going to bring their present tonight”.

   “I hope it’s not another hat,” Adam says as he puts loads of HP all over his breakfast.

   “Why – did they buy you a hat last year?” I ask.

   “Yes.  It was one of those with the fake breasts on the front and it said ‘Chest Inspector’ on it” Adam says dryly.  “I had to wear it all night as well!  Felt a right idiot!  All the lads thought it was hilarious.  Mind you, after several pints, I didn’t really care either.  I think Mick went home in it in the end!” he adds and I laugh.

   “Well if they have bought you a hat – I’d rather you didn’t wear it tonight if that’s alright” I say before tucking into my bacon sarnie.  It’s not really the look I want to show the world tonight.

   “Well – if it’s a T-shirt is that okay?” Adam asks grinning.

   “Yes that’s fine - just don’t expect me to walk round with you that’s all” I say dryly and Adam laughs.

I’m so busy from that point on, seeing Adam’s parents and sorting party things out that the day just
flies
past and it’s soon three o’clock and the caterers are arriving.  About five o’clock the DJ arrives to start setting up and then all the performers – the conjurers, acrobats and jugglers arrive.  They look fantastic!  Before I start getting ready, I take a walk round the garden alone while Adam is having a shower to make sure everything’s okay.  I’m going to take Adam on a tour round just before all the guests are due to arrive. 

   I pull on a pair of trainers and open the patio door.  It’s a lovely, balmy and warm evening and the garden looks absolutely magical.  Fairy lights adorn all the trees and the walls, there’s tables dotted all around and oil lamps on posts are burning brightly to light all the main paths through the garden.  I walk up to the marquee where the barbeque is sizzling nicely
outside and go in.  I can’t help but gasp at how nice it looks – that events company that Sharon suggested have really done a fantastic job.  There’s brightly coloured flower arrangements everywhere – at the entrance and on all the tables and there’s a huge tower of champagne glasses in the centre.  I decided to go for the tower in the end and if it all goes horribly wrong and the glasses go everywhere – I’ll just blame Sharon.  She can pick all the glass up.  It does look spectacular though.  “Everything all right?” I call to the head barman, who is busy polishing glasses.

   “Fine – yeah, all ready to go” he replies smiling.  “Would you like a glass of champagne?” he asks.

   “Thank you – that would be lovely” I reply and he pours me a glass – the first of what will no doubt be many this evening.  I take a sip.  That is
marvellous.

   “Chilled enough?” he asks.

   “Perfect!” I say smiling.  “I’m just going to check everything else is okay” I say and turn to leave, taking my champagne with me.

   “Have a good evening!” the barman calls after me.

   “Thanks” I reply and go to have a quick chat to the DJ, passing a conjuror that is busy practising.  I walk across the temporary wooden dance floor that I’d had put down to protect the lawn and shout up to the DJ.  “Everything OK?”

   “Yeah – fine thanks” he says warmly, thumbing through a case of records.  “I’ve got your top 5 list of records so I’ll be putting them on at some point in the evening.”

   “Great!” I say smiling.  The list comprises four R&B songs that I know Adam really likes and an Oasis track for me as well.

   “Have a good night!” the DJ says.

   “Thank you” I say before I make my way back towards the house, stopping briefly to marvel at two jugglers who are throwing lit torches at each other.  I hope it goes well
tonight I think nervously as I drink the rest of my champagne.  I hope they don’t set the bloody marquee on fire either with those torches.  I put the empty glass down on the kitchen worktop and make my way upstairs to the bedroom where Adam is just getting dressed.

   “Well – it all looks fantastic out there” I say, “I will just get ready and then I will show you round!”

   “I can’t wait – it all looks very exciting!” Adam says, fastening his shirt and I grin at him before going into the bathroom to get ready.  I can’t wait to show him round!