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Downstairs in the kitchen she checked her phone for missed calls or messages but there was nothing from Amy. She caught her breath though when she spotted the bouquets sitting on the kitchen table.
‘Wow,’ she said, gazing at the bright blooms in yellows, oranges and creams. They had also included a few bluebells which she knew was a nod to Mum. Each posy had been hand-tied with a natural raffia bow. ‘They are just stunning.’ Emma would love them. Looking outside, she saw Steve now chatting to Dad and Tom, and she ran outside to congratulate them on their beautiful selection. ‘The flowers are amazing. Well done, both of you. I love the bluebells.’
Tom looked bashful and kicked the stones on the driveway. Dad smiled proudly. ‘It was a team effort,’ he said. ‘I couldn’t have done it without this young man’s help . . .’ His voice trailed off and he linked his arm through Tom’s. ‘It was also his idea to put the bluebells through it.’
Tom blushed, embarrassed that the attention was now on him. ‘I managed to find a few still flowering in the woods,’ he said, bashfully.
Kirsty looked at her dad and son lovingly and pulled them in for a group hug. Steve cleared his throat. ‘I don’t like to break up the party, but I think we need to watch our time. I need to make sure these guys are cleaned up and looking dapper in time for the ceremony.’
‘Of course,’ said Kirsty, looking at her watch and feeling worried when she realized the time. Where on earth was Amy? She couldn’t help feeling a terrible sense of foreboding. Had something awful happened? She caught Steve looking at her in concern and she forced a smile. ‘Thanks, Steve. If you can get yourselves organized that would be great. I just need to find out where Amy is. I’ll go and give her a call and find out if she’ll be back soon.’
Just then Amy came running through the door.
‘There you are,’ said Kirsty. ‘I was about to send out the search party.’
‘Sorry,’ she said, trying to catch her breath. ‘I lost track of time.’
Kirsty knew there was more to it but this wasn’t the time or place. ‘Come on, we’d better go and get ready. Emma is waiting for us.’
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Emma had done her very best to stay calm and pretend she wasn’t nervous at all, but nerves were starting to flutter around in her stomach. Becky had done a marvellous job of her hair and make-up, and she gasped as she saw the final result in the mirror. She barely recognized herself. Her hair was pinned up with a few loose tendrils framing her face which had been kissed by the sunshine these past few days. Kirsty and Amy had just given her a beautiful petal pendant which Amy gently unhooked and draped around her neck. It was silver and delicate and suited her perfectly. Then Kirsty handed her another small gift box. She popped the lid off and her spirits lifted when she saw what was inside — Mum’s pearl stud earrings, a present from Dad on their own wedding day. ‘Oh, girls,’ she said. ‘I always wondered where these were but didn’t like to ask.’
Kirsty smiled warmly. ‘I know how much you liked them, Emma. You always wanted to touch Mum’s ears whenever she wore them. And so, when I helped Dad clear out some of her things, I made sure they were put away safely for the right time. I think we can safely say that there is no better time than today for you to have them . . .’
Emma carefully took them out of the box and put one in each ear, feeling comforted that the something old was an item belonging to her mum. ‘Thank you, Kirsty,’ she said, her voice catching. ‘They are beautiful.’
‘Now we just need something blue, don’t we?’ said Becky. ‘I mean, who even invented this tradition anyway?’
‘Well,’ said Kirsty knowingly. ‘That is a very good question. It actually dates back to the nineteenth century and comes from a Lancashire rhyme about what a bride must have on her wedding day —something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, a sixpence in your shoe.’
‘Oh yuck,’ said Becky. ‘Who wants an old coin rattling about their shoe?’
Emma looked over at the row of jewelled flip-flops sitting underneath all the dresses and nodded in agreement. ‘Certainly not me. I don’t have the right shoes for that for a start. It would fall out within seconds.’
‘You have something old from Mum, something new from us, and I believe the other things are sorted?’ said Amy, jumping about from foot to foot.
‘Amy, you look super stressed,’ said Emma, frowning. ‘Is everything okay?’
‘Yes, fine,’ she insisted. ‘I’m just excited.’
Emma caught Kirsty throw a look at Amy and wondered what was going on. ‘Are you sure everything is okay?’
‘Yes, it’s fine,’ said Kirsty, ‘now, don’t change the subject. What we need to do now is get something borrowed for you.’
‘I have the perfect thing here, Aunt Em,’ said Becky, sliding a pearl-studded clip from her own hair and carefully fixing it so that it held some of Emma’s hair out the way.
‘Oh, Becky, thanks so much. It looks lovely — but what about your hair?’ She pointed at a curl that had now come loose.
‘I’ve got loads of grips here, so don’t worry about that.’ She quickly fixed her hair again.
‘Okay, so just something blue now.’ Amy shot a panicked look at Kirsty and looked around the room.
‘Don’t worry,’ said Kirsty, ‘I’m sure we have that covered.’
‘The sky is blue,’ said Amy, pointing at the window.
Emma nodded. ‘I couldn’t agree more. The blue sky will be with us all day and I will feel extra supported by it as it holds us all together. It feels like Mum has painted it blue for us. It was always one of her favourite colours, wasn’t it?’
