Mother of the Bride (35 page)

‘Oh, Mrs Hanlon, we would be so grateful!' thanked Amy. ‘We'd really love to have our wedding here. The place is perfect: just what we are looking for.'

‘I'll come back to you,' she promised. ‘Remember to give my good wishes to your mum and dad.'

‘Do you think the search is over?' mused Dan as they drove back in the darkness to Dublin.

‘I'm not sure.' Amy didn't want to get her hopes too high. Glebe House was one of those places that were always busy at weekends, all year round. It could well be booked up. They would just have to wait and see what Eve Hanlon said.

Amy couldn't believe it when Eve Hanlon phoned her at the office on Tuesday to say that Glebe House would be delighted to host her wedding.

‘As I mentioned, a wedding reception is not something we normally do, Amy, but I had a talk with your mother. Your parents have been coming here to Glebe House since we first opened, so we will do our best to accommodate you. Unfortunately I cannot offer you a Saturday, as it is our busiest night in the restaurant, but looking at our calendar we could possibly offer you Friday the twenty-eighth of August or Friday the twenty-fourth of October, before the Halloween break.'

‘The last Friday in August is available?' Amy couldn't believe her luck.

‘It's funny, but people are busy getting kids ready to go back to school or college and don't really want a weekend away then,' Eve explained. ‘They will go out for dinner on the Saturday night, but not commit to the whole weekend.'

‘Mrs Hanlon, the twenty-eighth sounds perfect for our wedding, but I just need to talk to Father Doorly, the priest who is going to marry us, to see if the date suits him.'

‘Amy, will you come back to me the minute you know?' continued Eve. ‘I'll try and hold those two dates until I hear from you. It's just that once we firm up on the date we have to get cracking on numbers, tables and menus pretty quickly. It will have to be organized well in advance so that I can take on extra serving staff and bar staff for the night. Also, can you work out a budget, and what accommodation you and your guests will need?'

‘Of course,' agreed Amy, delighted. ‘I'll check with Dan and Father Tom and come back to you immediately, Mrs Hanlon!'

‘I look forward to hearing from you.' Eve added: ‘And Glebe House will be delighted to be part of your wedding.'

‘Yippee!' shouted Amy exuberantly as she put down the phone. Jilly and Gary wondered what the excitement was all about.

‘Good news by the sound of it,' smiled Norah as she passed through the office.

‘Dan and I have found the perfect spot for our wedding.' Amy laughed, ringing Dan straight away to tell him.

‘Now we'd better go book the church!' he teased.

Father Tom Doorly was watching the golf on
Sky Sports
when they called at his door that evening. For a second the priest was worried that something was wrong with Paddy, and that he might be urgently needed, but they reassured him that Paddy was fine and they were here on wedding business.

Father Tom got out his parish diary, which was a booking record for every Mass, confession, funeral, wedding and christening ceremony held in the church.

‘Now, let me see about dates,' he murmured, going through the calendar for August and September while keeping an eye on the twelfth hole. Padraig Harrington was playing, and was well up to the challenge of Phil Michelson.

‘There isn't a free Saturday between now and Christmas, with all
the weddings and christenings,' he said, turning the pages. ‘But you want a Friday. Friday the twenty-eighth of August is the date you're looking for?' he asked, finding the page. ‘Well, the church is free and I have nothing booked in for that afternoon, so I'd be delighted to marry you then.'

‘Oh, thank you, Father Tom.' Amy felt almost like kissing him. ‘We're so happy that you'll be marrying us, and that the wedding will be here in St Mary's.'

Amy remembered attending Sunday Mass at St Mary's with her family year after year, surrounded by neighbours and friends. She'd sung in the school choir at the twelve o'clock Mass for about three years, and had helped fund-raise for the parish youth centre and sending a group of local kids to Lourdes.

‘Well, I'll write it in the book and that makes it official.' Father Doorly nodded. ‘Your wedding banns were already up, but we'll put them up again. You can let me know what time you want the ceremony. Most couples go for two or three o'clock.'

‘What about the readings and prayers for the ceremony?' Dan asked.

‘I'll run through it with you both, but you should have a look at the Bible or one of those wedding books you can buy, to see if there is a reading you would like.'

‘And the music and flowers?'

‘That's our parish secretary's department. Jan can fill you in on all that.'

Father Tom offered them a cup of coffee, but they could see that he was engrossed in the golf, and they didn't want to disturb him any more.

Saying goodbye, they promised to get back in touch with him in about three weeks' time.

‘I can't believe it,' said Amy, grabbing Dan's hand as they walked back down the pathway. ‘We've a priest to marry us, a church and the perfect venue.'

‘Now we just have to squeeze our guest numbers down from a hundred and eighty to seventy!' Dan reminded her.

Both of them remembered the awful arguments they'd had already over the original guest list, and how the numbers, despite their best intentions, had spiralled upwards.

‘Dan. It's our wedding, and we just have to keep it simple.'

Amy dreaded telling her future mother-in-law about the drastic restrictions on numbers now that the wedding was at Glebe House. This wedding was going to be much smaller and more personal than the one they had originally planned, but in her heart and soul Amy was glad of that. This time both she and Dan were both very much in agreement on what they wanted.

Helen O'Connor was so relieved to see the sparkle in Amy's eyes again now that she was back together with Dan.

The wedding was on.

The wedding was off.

And now, thank heaven, the wedding was on again!

They were both full of plans, and Paddy and herself were delighted when they found out that Amy and Dan had fallen under the spell of Glebe House and had booked to have their wedding there in only twelve weeks' time! It all seemed a bit of a rush, but Helen knew that Eve Hanlon could be relied on to do things perfectly.

‘Mum, you've got to help me find a dress,' pleaded Amy, aware how tight the time was to get one. ‘I'm taking tomorrow afternoon off work and going back to Judith Deveraux's. I really love her stuff and hopefully I'll find something!'

Helen knew how difficult it must be for her daughter to get over her embarrassment and return to the bridal designer where she had first ordered a dress.

It drizzled rain as they descended into the basement studio, and Judith herself immediately recognized them. It was quiet midweek, and they had the place to themselves.

‘Amy, it's so good to see you again,' smiled the pretty young designer, welcoming them. ‘How are you?'

‘Happy again,' laughed Amy, showing Judith that her engagement ring was back on her finger.

‘So you and your boyfriend are getting married after all!'

‘Yes,' said Amy, her eyes filling with unexpected tears.

‘I'm glad to hear that,' said Judith, her voice sincere.

‘The wedding is at the end of August.'

‘So soon? Why, it is only a few weeks away!' She smiled. ‘So you want to see a dress?'

‘Yes, please,' Amy said, unable to disguise her eagerness.

Amy started to look at some of the dresses on display. Within minutes it was clear that there was no sign of the beautiful bow dress that she had originally selected. There were lots of other wonderful designs and styles but nothing like the one she had picked out before. That dress was gone, and they both had to accept it.

Helen sat in one of the floral-patterned chairs that had been upholstered in a cheeky pattern of colourful bouquets as Judith excused herself a minute. Amy's disappointment that the dress that she had chosen was gone was swept away when Judith returned with it in its protective wrapping, on a satin hanger.

‘Oh my God!' screamed Amy, instantly recognizing it.

‘I finished it a few weeks after you phoned me,' explained Judith. ‘So I put it by for you.'

‘Thank you, Miss Deveraux,' said Helen, as she saw the utter joy light up her daughter's face.

‘Often, where I trained in France, there are hiccups before a marriage, but a good bridal shop tries to be thoughtful, and keep that special dress for the person it is designed for . . . so I've had your dress here all the time, waiting for you.'

‘Oh, Judith, thank you, thank you so much,' declared Amy, deeply moved, as the designer took the dress out for her and helped her try it on in the fitting room.

It was even more beautiful than Helen remembered it, and she thanked heaven for the young designer's romantic foresight. The dress, with its classic bodice, simple skirt and unusual bow detail at the back accentuated her daughter's slim figure and elegant style. It fitted Amy perfectly, and there were tears in Helen's eyes as Amy slowly twirled around in it. She couldn't imagine Amy wearing anything else going up the aisle.

‘I think the hem is still a little bit too long on you.' Judith considered. ‘But maybe if you can bring the shoes you will be wearing I can measure it exactly.'

‘Thank you so so much for keeping the dress for Amy,' Helen said gratefully.

‘Judith, it's just wonderful.' Amy's eyes shone with relief that she could wear the beautiful dress that she had set her heart on.

‘You will be a most beautiful bride,' assured Judith as she fitted the crystal bow headpiece in place and stood back to gauge the effect. ‘Beautiful,' she said again.

‘Well, Mum, you're the next person to get an outfit!' warned Amy as they walked back towards Kildare Street. ‘The wedding's only round the corner and you still haven't got anything.'

Helen knew that she should be looking, but Paddy's recuperation seemed to have put everything on hold. The past few months had been horrendous: filled with calamity and chaos, and so much emotion that she had felt drained as she'd tried to juggle and cope with everything. But at last, seeing Paddy get a little stronger every day, seeing how happy Amy and Dan were together, and knowing that the care plan they all had worked out for Sheila was a success, she felt an enormous sense of relief and immense gratitude that fate was somehow working things out. Now all she had to do was to find a Mother of the Bride outfit!

‘The wedding is a hundred per cent back on!' Helen laughed. ‘Amy has even got her dress. Wait till you see it, Fran! It's beautiful.'

‘I told you those two were meant for each other!' said Fran smugly. ‘When is it?'

‘It's all booked and organized for Friday the twenty-eighth of August, and you will never guess where!'

‘Don't tell me, some other bloody big castle down the country!'

‘No.' Helen laughed. ‘They're getting married down the road in St Mary's. Father Tom Doorly is marrying them, and then the reception afterwards is going to be at Glebe House.'

‘Glebe House, that hideaway place in Wicklow you and Paddy are always on about? How did they swing that? I thought they didn't do weddings there.'

‘They normally don't, but Eve, the owner, has agreed it. Paddy and I are over the moon, as it is the most perfect spot for a family get-together. Wait till you see it, Fran. The place is just beautiful, and the food is always good. We're all so excited about it.'

‘So you being Mother of the Bride is back on!' cheered Fran. ‘Now, you need to get an outfit . . . immediately. Soon the shops will be full of heavy winter stuff.'

‘God, I didn't think of that!'

‘We need to go shopping pronto. I'm free this Thursday and Friday, so what about spending the whole two days trying to find something?' Fran offered. ‘We could hit the shops in Dundrum and the city centre on Thursday, and if we've no joy then on Friday we can try those big out-of-town places in Athboy and Kildare that specialize in bridal outfits. Remember? I got my outfit in McIlhennys.'

‘Sounds great! I'll see if Ciara will agree to be here with Paddy.' Helen wasn't much of a shopper, and more often than not ended up returning purchases to the places she'd bought them. She certainly could do with having Fran along to help her choose. After all, Fran had already been through the whole thing with her own daughter's wedding.

Fran was a woman on a mission, and had Helen up in the massive Dundrum town centre almost the minute the place opened.

‘We need to get in and out before the place gets busy,' she said sternly, refusing to be distracted by all the beautiful shops.

They spent three hours wandering in and out of Harvey Nicks, House of Fraser, and a load of boutiques. Fran directed operations as they went through the racks and racks of clothes, choosing a few things and then sending Helen into the fitting rooms laden down with dresses and suits and outfits.

‘Wrong colour! Wrong shape! Too mumsy! Too mutton dressed as lamb! Too hippy chic!' commented Fran, like a drill sergeant ordering her about. ‘Too weddingy!' was another complaint.

‘Hold on,' argued Helen, turning around in the bright mauve-and-cream patterned dress and wrap-over jacket. ‘I want to look weddingy.'

‘Not that way, not like you are on a day out and up from the country,' tutted Fran, making her put it back.

Helen really liked a classic black-and-white shift dress with a neat white jacket in Harvey Nicks.