‘Do you have a list of people coming already?’ Melissa asked.
‘There’s a folder in the bureau, the list is in there,’ Barney told her. ‘You might want to get the word out quickly that the ball is on or people could make other plans, then want their money back, which creates a whole load of admin to deal with.’
‘Don’t worry, we’ve got this.’ But Melissa exchanged a doubtful look with Harvey. She’d never been up for organising large events, she panicked in case she forgot something, and Barney, although injecting the odd comment, wasn’t exactly enthused with all of this or buoying them along. ‘And if people have made alternative plans,’ she went on, ‘then they can unmake them.’
‘Bossy,’ said Harvey, but with a smile as he found the folder.
‘We’ll need music.’ She picked up the pen to add it to the list.
‘Cancelled,’ said Barney from his assumed position in the armchair.
Harvey frowned and rifled through the folder to find the contact information. They went through the other details too: flowers to decorate the barn, a suitable raffle prize, raffle tickets, which would have to be sold before the event, catering, portaloos to be delivered and go behind the barn.
‘We also need a cake,’ Harvey sighed. ‘There’s always a cake,’ he smiled at Melissa.
‘Cancelled,’ Barney called over.
Melissa shook her head. ‘Add it to the list.’ The list was already long enough. It was going to keep them busy and again she felt guilty about all the time she’d be spending away from Jay. Perhaps she’d send him a nice long email later before she fell asleep. That way it didn’t matter if he was working or sleeping, he could enjoy it when he was ready.
When she and Harvey had at last compiled the list of everything that had to be done to organise the Wedding Dress Ball this year, they played board games with Barney, they talked about the ball, and if Melissa wasn’t mistaken Barney’s spirits did appear to have lifted a little already by the time she took charge of cooking dinner for them all. Maybe she’d been right all along, this event was going to be what brought the real Barney back to them.
*
The next day, Harvey went to have flyers for the event made up ready for a leaflet drop to remind people the ball would be happening and to drum up new ticket sales. Melissa headed for the bakery after she finished chatting with Jay who would shortly be flying off to Singapore. She’d emailed Jay last night and this morning they’d had a FaceTime call. He’d told her off for apologising yet again that she wouldn’t be home for a few weeks and he seemed happy enough himself as he prepared to go to work, which made her feel much better about being away for so long.
Unfortunately, before she could open the door to the bakery, Melissa bumped straight into Tilly, who emerged from inside with a wrapped sandwich she’d just bought. It didn’t look as though Tilly had mellowed in any way since they’d last crossed paths and so Melissa disappeared inside without a word, ready to sort out the predicament of a celebration cake for the ball.
‘Welcome home,’ said Jade with a smile.
‘Thanks, Jade.’ She told her all about Barney’s lack of interest and subsequent change of heart, and she asked about the possibility of doing a cake in time for the event.
Jade’s lips twisted awkwardly. ‘I want to help, I really do, but I’m not sure I can.’
‘But he gets the cake from here every year.’
‘These things take a lot of planning and time.’
Melissa wondered whether the welcome-home greeting and smile had all been for show. ‘Is this about me?’
Jade came around to the front of the counter, hooking her black bobbed hair behind both ears. She still had the freckles she’d had since childhood, across the bridge of her nose and peppering those high cheek bones. Kind green eyes understood Melissa’s distress. ‘We all love Barney, but we all think a lot of you too, and leaving couldn’t have been easy after everything you went through. Please, don’t think I’m being difficult because of anything you’ve done.’
Melissa sighed heavily. ‘I’m sorry, it’s just I really want this to go smoothly.’
‘I know you do. I’d normally have started making the cake about now, but as soon as Barney cancelled I took on other commitments. It’s a busy time of the year for weddings, the summer.’
Melissa’s heart sank. ‘Do you know anyone else who could help? I don’t mind driving somewhere, working with a bakery outside the village.’
‘I suspect other bakeries will be in the same situation, some plan much further ahead than I do.’ She hesitated a moment. ‘Wait here a minute, let me see what I can do.’ She went out back and returned with a ledger, bits of paper sticking out everywhere. She opened it up against her red apron with its sprinkling of flour dust and ran her fingers thoughtfully down one of the pages. ‘There’s a chance…’
‘Really?’ Melissa’s hopes soared and she clasped her hands against her chest.
‘Yes, I think I might just be able to squeeze you in. I don’t mind putting in some late evenings to get it done,’ she nodded, ‘as long as you promise it won’t be cancelled again.’
Melissa threw her arms around Jade. ‘It won’t be, I swear to you.’
Jade flipped through the same ledger, to the back. ‘You’re lucky, I still have the details in case the event went ahead next year.’
‘At least that’s one thing off my mind.’
