Page 92 of Hate You to Love You

‘Walk and talk,’ she commands. ‘I’ve got tables to serve.’

We follow Becca around the pub as she takes drinks to tables. In between delivering drinks and a customer complaining about the size of a chicken schnitzel they ordered, I explain Laney’s predicament to her.

‘You want me to clear out the packed outdoor area on a Saturday?’

‘This place means so much to Laney and Patrick. To all of us.’

Becca sighs, her attention fixed towards the courtyard.

‘This isn’t going to go down well with everyone dining out there,’ she grumbles.

‘So you’ll let us?’ Sal asks.

‘I’m only doing this because your little group have been loyal customers to us for years,’ she grumbles. ‘And I’m a sucker for a wedding.’

Thanking Becca profusely, we start contacting Jones and everyone else who has been a part of this wedding. Becca rounds up a few of her staff to start clearing out the courtyard. There are looks of confusion from guests, and the occasional frustrated reaction, but we’re one step closer to putting this together.

‘This is happening?’ Sal remarks.

I smile. ‘This is happening.’

While Jones is keeping Laney company, Sal helps me set up the courtyard for the wedding ceremony. We’ve spent a couple of hours moving tables to the side, rearranging the chairs for people to sit and using decorations that The Henson had in storage to spruce up the courtyard. It’s late afternoon by the time I’ve draped the last fairy light over the side fence. I give Sal a thumbs up and he plugs the other end of it into a power point. I smile as a golden glow warms up the venue.

The back garden gate squeaks open as Mum steps inside, carrying a cake. When I was telling Mum about the change in venue, as well as the last-minute mishap with Laney’s order, she offered to reach out to one of my titas she attended church with, who was known for baking pastries. And a few hours later, we had a three-tier coconut cake with pink icing in the shape of flowers.

‘Thanks, Mum,’ I take the cake from her hands and place it on the table, admiring how grand and intricately detailed the floral icing designs are. ‘You’re the best.’

She pulls me in for a hug. ‘This is a wonderful thing you are doing. You should be very proud.’

I hold her tightly, taking in her vanilla-scented perfume.

‘Nice to see you, Dalisay,’ Sal says.

‘Oh, Sal!’ my Mum breaks apart from me to give Sal a hug. ‘It’s been so long.’

‘What else needs doing?’ Sal asks after they embrace.

‘I think that’s it for the decorations,’ I explain. ‘Jones has already told the guests and caterers about the change in venue. I think the only thing left to do is wait.’

Over the next hour, most of the wedding guests arrive and take their seats. The drinks are flowing and the courtyard looks unrecognisable. I wait on the footpath outside, peering into every car that turns onto the street, expecting Laney. I play with my bow tie, nervous and shifty.

The rumble of a car engine catches our attention. It’s Laney, Pat and their parents. They pull up right in front of us, and Jones steps forward to open the door for them. Laney steps out slowly, angelic in a smooth silk wedding dress that appears to shimmer in the afternoon sun.

Patrick, Jones and I hurry to the courtyard. Jones asks the guests to take their seats. An excited murmur of chatter echoes across the crowd that have gathered here. Sal looks almost as nervous as Patrick, who is standing at the makeshift altar, practising his controlled breathing.

A few minutes pass, and Laney enters. I take out my phone and scroll through her wedding playlist, hitting play on ‘Friday I’m In Love’ by The Cure.

Arms linked with her mum and dad, Laney begins to walk down the aisle. Against the lights and plants, she looks angelic. By the time she reaches Patrick, she’s completely choked up. I can see so much love in the way Laney looks at Patrick, and in the way he smiles back at her. As The Cure’s song slowly fades out, I sneak around the guests and join Sal and Jones, who are standing by Laney’s side.

‘Welcome, everyone,’ the celebrant booms. ‘We are gathered here today to witness the love and commitment between Laney O’Reilly and Patrick Matherson.’

There are tears and a lot of laughter as Laney and Patrick read their vows to each other. And when the time comes for them to be pronounced husband and wife, a collective murmur of emotion escapes the crowd. As bride and groom finish with a kiss, I realise that I’ve been smiling so hard my cheeks hurt, awed once again by this wonderful thing called love.

chapter forty-six

The final beat of ‘My Happiness’ by Powderfinger plays as I go to place my empty champagne glass down on a table. The speeches are over and guests are scattered around the courtyard mingling as the bride and groom make their rounds.

‘Okay everyone,’ I hear Sal announce from the other side of the courtyard as he grabs his guitar. ‘I thought it was time we got a little bit of live music up in here to get the dance floor going.’