"Thanks for coming," I say to her as I pour syrup on my waffle.
"Like we were going to miss this!" She smiles.
"No, I mean this morning, it means a lot that you're here."
She shrugs. "It means a lot to be here," she says touching my arm.
I giggle. "I feel like you should be giving Danny away or something."
She smiles and shakes her head. "He has always been yours, trust me."
Grace joins us and I realise quickly that they have obviously met properly already and seem to be friends. It’s satisfying to know that our combined family in LA are forming connections, because it will make visiting all the more fulfilling if we can all spend time together rather than splitting it between them.
"So is anyone going to tell me anything?" I ask.
Jen and Grace exchange glances. "Our lips are sealed," Grace says and giggles.
"Oh come on! You must be able to tell me something. How long have you been here?"
"We got in yesterday," says Jen.
"We've been at Mum's since Wednesday," says Grace.
"Where are you all staying?"
"Connie's," replies Grace. "Mum and Dave too."
"And Max and Charlie are graciously putting us up. Along with Danny's parents," she says, nodding at Max in appreciation.
The mums and Connie are chatting away excitedly and a strange thrill goes through me again. I keep remembering it’s my wedding day! I look down at my beautiful engagement ring.
Grace sees me looking at it and takes my hand to inspect it herself. "I couldn't really see it in the light last night," he says, eyeing it greedily. "That's a hell of a diamond...It’s a diamond isn't it?"
The thought hadn't occurred to me, I certainly didn't ask Danny. I just thought it was beautiful. I shrug in response, it doesn't matter to me what it is.
"It is," interjects Jen. "It’s very rare." She gives us a knowing smile that says she was with him when he chose it. I smile back warmly, conveying my appreciation.
"And what about you?" I ask Max across the table. "Can I assume you’ve had a hand in all this?"
He holds up his hands in surrender. "I was just the errand boy, it's all Danny. You'll be impressed, I promise. I was."
"Does everyone but me know what's going to happen today?" I ask, feeling the frustration bubbling up.
"I think only Danny holds all the cards," Jen laughs. "Max is the deputy, we all have our instructions." She squeezes my arm. "It's going to be fun!”
Then, after a relaxed breakfast, Suzie, my usual hairdresser, arrives to do my hair and help everyone else with theirs. Danny has thought of everything. We discuss options briefly, but as I don’t yet know what my dress looks like I can’t really comment, so I’m led by Max and my sister and go with a relaxed up-do. I’m glad I don’t have to have something severe, it hints at a relaxed atmosphere for the day. I have to take these little tit-bits, they are the only clues I get.
My hair looks beautiful, I’m really pleased with it. While Jen and Grace are deciding on their hairstyles, I go into my bedroom and close the door. I just want five minutes to myself. I feel a bit spacey, it’s probably just nerves. I don’t feel nervous about forever, I just feel nervous that I don’t know what’s coming. But as Danny’s note said, what is coming is that I’m going to finish the day as Mrs Morgan. I don’t really need to know anything else.
I get all my makeup out and sit at my little dressing table. I stare at myself in the mirror for a long time. I can’t believe I’m here. This is all so much to get my head around. We have never discussed marriage, like never! We both want a family, we have sorted all of that out, but I never thought all of this meant anything to Danny. I honestly thought after we agreed to try for a baby, that he would have said something if he wanted to do this. He was obviously thinking about it secretly all along.
Evidently he has done more than just think about it. I chuckle and shake my head. Danny, the king of the grand gesture. My life has been a whirlwind ever since he re-entered it, I never know what to expect. He’s always finding the ways to make maximum impact. I’m glad that getting pregnant is something I will have a heads up on. When and if I do, I will know first. Maybe I can surprise him for once. If it was in his hands, I would be half expecting to be told via a billboard or something.
A gentle tap at the door pulls me from my thoughts and Connie peeps in. “Are you alright in here?” she asks trying to cheerfully mask her concern that I might be having second thoughts.
“I’m fine,” I reply. “More than fine.”
“I was just worried that you’d shut yourself away.”
“I just wanted a second that’s all.”
“You’re not having a wobble are you darling?”
I smile at her fondly. “Not at all.”
“Good.” She kisses my cheek. “You deserve to be happy and I know he is the right person for you.”
Thinking about how she started this, I realise that even her overactive imagination couldn’t have foreseen this all happening so soon. “Thank you,” I say. “We needed you.”
“You needed a boot up your arse!” She scoffs.
“Connie!” I giggle.
“I’m just glad you got there in the end. Now come on, get that face done, we have more surprises out here for you.” She looks back as she leaves me and blows me a kiss.
I put the finishing touches to my makeup. I haven’t done anything very unusual with it, I want to feel real today. I don’t need a mask. Perhaps I’ve gone a little heavier, for the photos. I assume there will be photos. I’ve applied my perfumed body cream and changed the small stud I wear in my lip from my plain silver one to a tiny sparkly one that I only wear from time to time. The one in my nose is always sparkly. I feel as ready as I can be. I feel more relaxed for having a moment to myself, so I open the door to the living room.
“There she is!” my mum says. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks, Mum.”
“Now come and sit down, we have instructions to follow.” She leads me to the sofa. “Danny asked us to give you some things.”
Connie hands me a small box. “Something old,” she says softly. I stare at the box. I know what this is. I open the old box carefully, and smile at my Grandma’s diamond pendant. I know she wore it on her wedding day, as did my mum and Grace. It’s very special.
“I’ve just done my makeup!” I laugh, dabbing my eyes with the tissue immediately offered by Max.
“It’s only going to get worse,” he says as Mum and Connie secure it around my neck between them.
“Now, something new,” says Mum, handing me another small box. I open it and a little card sits on the top. ‘D x’ is all it says. I lift up the card to reveal small diamond drop earrings that match the pendant so well. I take out the small silver hoops I wear and put them on.
My sister is itching for her turn. “Something borrowed!” she exclaims gleefully. I cringe, imagining it to be her garter. I really don’t think I’m ‘that’ girl. I can’t imagine Danny putting me through the grossness of that particular ritual, but my sister is a sucker for all that nonsense. She surprises me by unclasping her diamond bracelet and slipping it around my wrist. “Don’t lose it though!”
“Thanks,” I say, giving her a squeeze.
“And something blue,” says Jen handing me a large bag…with a giggle.
Inside the bag I find a box and once I’ve removed the lid and swiped away the tissue, I see the reason for Jen’s amusement. Danny has chosen me the most beautiful lace underwear in a delicate powder blue. A card tucked in with it, makes me grin.