The Chocolate Lovers’ Wedding (31 page)

We all burst out of the register office and onto the pavement, giggling and laughing. Then I’m pulled up short. Across the street, Marcus is standing there alone. He has a red heart-shaped balloon in his hand with the words
I’ll always love you
written on it.

Crush puts his arm round my waist. ‘I phoned him,’ he says. ‘Told him that we were getting married.’
‘Why?’
‘I thought you might want him here.’
My throat closes with emotion.
‘Go and talk to him,’ Crush says. ‘If he wants to come back to the reception, then I’m cool with that.’
I kiss my husband for being so kind and go across to Marcus.
‘Hey,’ he says softly, as I approach. ‘Congratulations.’
‘Oh, Marcus.’ I tenderly brush his lips with a kiss.
‘I couldn’t quite hack coming for the ceremony.’ He raises an eyebrow.
‘You never did like weddings,’ I tease gently.
‘No.’ He studies his feet and we each know what the other is thinking. No matter what happens, the fact that he ran out on our wedding day will always lie between us. That’s the moment I knew deep down in my heart that I could never be with him. ‘I’m going to Dubai next week. I wanted to wish you well and to say goodbye.’
‘We’ll still speak,’ I tell him. ‘There’ll be things to discuss about the business.’
He pulls an envelope out of his pocket and gives it to me.
‘What’s this?’
He gives me a wry smile. ‘A ridiculously extravagant wedding gift.’
I laugh, sadly. ‘Only you, Marcus.’
‘I’ve signed over Chocolate Heaven to you,’ he says. ‘Completely. It’s yours now.’
‘Don’t be silly, Marcus. You can’t do that.’
‘Am silly. Have done it.’
The envelope is burning in my fingers. ‘You’re not serious.’
‘I owe you, Lucy. This is for all the times I let you down, that I hurt you. I want this to make amends, to draw a line under us.’
I’m so choked that I can hardly speak. ‘What can I say?’
Our eyes brighten with unshed tears as we look fondly at each other’s faces. I want to reach up and stroke his cheek, but I daren’t. I would fall to pieces completely.
‘Say that you loved me once,’ he asks. ‘And that a part of you will always love me.’
‘Of course.’ Tears spill over my lashes.
‘He’s a lucky man,’ Marcus says with a nod towards Crush. A single tear trails slowly down his cheek. ‘I hope he loves you as I should have.’
‘I want you to be happy, Marcus. I want you to find someone to love.’
‘There’s already someone that I love very much,’ he says bleakly. ‘I just never knew quite how much until it was too late.’
‘Let’s stay friends,’ I say. ‘Come to Chocolate Heaven. We’re having a lovely party. Come and drink some fizz with us.’
He shakes his head. ‘I’ve got things that I should be doing and I’ve said all I need to say.’
I glance back at Crush, who’s waiting patiently for me.
Marcus takes my hands and pulls me towards him. He kisses my cheek, lightly, lingeringly. I can feel the pain and loneliness in his heart radiating through me and I ache for his sadness.
‘You should go to your husband,’ he says and I’ve never heard him sound so desolate. He hands me the balloon.
I will always love you.
‘Goodbye, Lucy.’
And, as he walks away from me, he doesn’t look back.

We have many, many photographs taken on mobile phones in Mount Street Gardens next to the register office and then head back to Chocolate Heaven.

The café looks fantastic and it’s the perfect place to celebrate our love. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. No months of planning. No squabbling over seating plans. No stressing over table favours.

The girls get the rest of the food out of the fridge to put on the buffet and someone warms the cheese muffins in the oven. Alexandra brings along the fabulous cake and places it centre stage on the table. Jacob pours us all fizz, we switch on the music and soon everyone is laughing and having fun.

Crush comes and snakes his arm around my waist. ‘Happy, Mrs Holby?’
I’ll never get tired of hearing that.
‘Yes,’ I say. ‘Very.’
‘Was everything OK with Marcus?’
‘I felt sad for him,’ I admit. ‘Beneath all that bluster—’
‘And bullshit,’ Crush adds.
‘And bullshit,’ I agree. ‘He’s quite a lonely man.’ ‘It’s of his own making, Gorgeous.’
‘I know that, but I can’t be too harsh on him. He gave me this.’ I hand over the envelope that I’m still clutching.
Crush gives me a quizzical look.
‘A wedding present.’
He opens it and scans the paper. Then he looks up at me, agog.
‘I’m the owner,’ I say, still reeling. ‘He’s signed this over to me lock, stock and barrel.’
‘I can’t believe it.’
‘Me neither.’
‘There has to be a catch. This
is
Marcus.’
‘I don’t think so. He seemed very sincere. He’s leaving for Dubai soon.’ I look up at Crush. ‘He’s gone from our lives.’
Aiden pulls me to him. ‘I know what you’ve felt for him and this must be hard. And I can’t give you fancy presents like this.’ He gestures at the café. ‘But I can promise that I’ll always be there for you. I’ll never make you feel second best.’
I rest my head on his shoulder. ‘I’d live in a tent with you,’ I tell him, honestly. ‘Wherever you are, that’s where I want to be.’
‘We’re lucky,’ he says. ‘Many people search for a lifetime for love like ours and never find it.’
‘How true.’
I look round at my family and friends. I’m glad that we all seem to be settled now. Chantal and Jacob are in the corner cuddling Lana. She’s started her chemo – only one treatment so far, but she’s holding up well. Ted, Stacey and Elsie have come along to the reception as well, and they all seem to have an easier relationship now.
Autumn looks so happy with Miles – and not only have they brought along Flo and Willow, but also her parents are here. It’s the first time that I’ve seen them. I hope this means that they’re building bridges. They look a little awkward – and very posh – but they are, at least, smiling.
Clive and Tristan seem to have got their mojo back since they moved to France and we’ll go over to see them as soon as we can. We could even honeymoon there.
My parents are still looking loved up and it’s been
weeks
since they got back together. Though they’re still bickering as if they’ve never been apart. Perhaps this time they’ll make it last. I really hope so, for their sake. As I watch them, I vow that Crush and I will do better than them.
I don’t want a love like theirs which seems to rely on mutual irritation and drama. I want Crush and I to be the best of friends and, when the passion has faded – as inevitably it will – that we will still adore each other. That our love will deepen into care and respect. That our two lives will grow into one. That being apart will be inconceivable.
Nadia and James are with Anita and her boys and it reminds me that this isn’t just my wedding, but also her farewell party. That brings a lump to my throat. My emotions are all over the place today. It’s going to be so hard to say goodbye. Our lovely little Chocolate Lovers’ Club will, for the first time since we met, be one founder member down.
We eat, drink and are very merry. Then Crush and I cut the cake. Someone turns the music up and we have our first dance to Dionne Warwick singing ‘What the World Needs Now’. Love, sweet love. Dionne’s right: it’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.
‘This has been the most perfect wedding ever,’ I murmur to my husband as he holds me close and we sway together. ‘I couldn’t have planned it better myself.’
‘I’m glad you approve.’
‘I think I’ll let you plan all our important anniversaries from now on.’
‘Sounds good to me.’ He gives me a wink.
After the first dance, we push all the tables right back and have a good old boogie. My mum and dad are smooching to whatever song is playing. Autumn’s daughter starts off shuffling uncomfortably at the edge of the floor, but a few songs in she’s throwing shapes like the rest of us. Even Autumn’s parents are joining in and I’ve never seen Autumn look so happy.
Then I realise there’s something that I have to do. I grab my bouquet. ‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ I shout. Slightly drunkenly. ‘I have a very important traditional task to perform. The tossing of the bouquet.’
Someone makes a rude comment.
‘But I’m going to give it my own personal twist.’ I raise a hand. ‘Autumn Fielding be upstanding!’
Autumn shuffles to the front of the group, embarrassed.
‘There is only one person here who deserves this bouquet. And it’s you. So here you go. Catch!’
I launch my bouquet into the air and Autumn reaches up to grab it.
‘You’re next,’ I slur, happily.
‘Actually, Lucy,’ she looks round and smiles coyly, ‘I’ve already proposed to Miles and he said yes.’
‘Hurrah!
Another
wedding!’ Blimey! Weddings are like buses. First there are none and then they all come along at once!
Then, all too soon, it’s time to wind the party up. We’ve all but drunk the fizz – a pile of empty bottles gives testimony to that. And we’ve eaten all the cake.
‘I haven’t booked us anywhere,’ Crush says. He looks slightly more dishevelled than he did earlier. ‘I just thought we’d go back home.’
‘Sounds like bliss. All I want to do is have a cup of tea and take off my shoes.’ I grin at him. ‘And snuggle all night with my husband.’
‘I think I can arrange that.’
Nadia comes over and hugs me. ‘It’s been a wonderful day, Lucy. I’m so going to miss you all.’
I hold her tightly. ‘We’ll come and visit you as soon as we can.’ Perhaps, as well as France, we can have another honeymoon in the Lake District. Maybe we can have a whole year of honeymoons.
She lets out a shuddering breath. ‘This is hard.’
‘Take good care of her, James, otherwise you’ll have the Chocolate Lovers’ Club to answer to.’
‘You have my word,’ he promises.
‘This is it, then.’ Chantal and Autumn gather round too and we have a group hug.
‘It’s not goodbye,’ I say. ‘I’m not going to entertain that word. It’s hello. Hello to new beginnings.’
Our lives are changing. A chance meeting, a change of circumstances, a diagnosis of cancer – all of these things can swing us off from what we think is our ordered life plan. Two of us are newly married and there are two more weddings on the cards. Maybe there’ll even be some more Chocolate Lovers’ babies to come. Who knows?
I find one last bottle of Prosecco and pour us all out a glass. ‘To the Chocolate Lovers’ Club,’ I propose. ‘To love, life and chocolate.’
We all raise our glasses and drink.
Whatever happens, this won’t be the end of the Chocolate Lovers’ Club. We might be heading off in different directions but there are strong ties that bind us. We are true friends, and true friendships endure for a lifetime.

To all the ladies who shared their breast cancer stories with me, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. You are all fabulous survivors. The thing I found most shocking was that everyone’s story was so individual – everyone has their own particular experience and treatment. No wonder this is such an awful disease to crack. I wish you all many, many years of health and happiness.

Also to Jennifer Earle of Chocolate Ecstasy Tours who has helped me so much with chocolate research over the years that she truly deserves to be an honorary member of the Chocolate Lovers’ Club. If you haven’t tried one of her tours, they’re fab. Put it on your bucket list.

And to Yvette Hughes who inspired me with our tour of Hampstead Heath and the gorgeous Golders Hill Park. You are a lovely friend.