The Perfect Candidate (38 page)

Ashley watched her go, and then glanced towards the telephone that was sitting on her bedside table.  Perhaps- perhaps she could call Michael?  Just to say- well- to check- to hear
…

Ashley hadn
’
t even realized that she was holding the phone in her hand, until her mother reappeared and shrieked at her.

“You’
re NOT phoning Michael are you?
”

Ashley didn
’
t know how her mother had just to that (albeit correct) assumption. 
“
I was just-
”

Mrs. Kendall snatched the telephone away. 
“
I
’
m sure that would count as being as bad as
seeing
the groom before the wedding!
”
she railed. 
“
And we don
’
t want any bad luck today, do we?
”

“No, Mom,” Ashley said, and managed a weak laugh. 
Bad luck
… as if an extra little touch of bad luck could make any difference to her disastrous wedding day! 

Mrs. Kendall put down the cordless telephone and looked over the tray of food that Ashley hadn
’
t even touched.  She sighed. 
“
Well, if you
’
re not going to eat anything you my as well get out of bed,
”
she urged. 
“
I
’
ll see if your father wants any of this,
”
she added, picking up the tray and then heading for the door.

“I’
m sorry, Mom!
”
Ashley apologized suddenly.

She sounded
so
very sorry that her mother turned around to look at her. 
“
Don
’
t be silly, Ashley!  It
’
s only breakfast,
”
she chuckled. 
“
Go and have your bath, I
’
ll be back with your stylist in a little while.
”

Ashley nodded unhappily, and slunk into the bathroom.  She wished- well, she wished a whole host of things if she was honest- but one of the things that she was starting to wish was that she and Michael hadn
’
t agreed with Norm to play the jilting out on the actual day of the wedding.  It would have been almost as effective if she had broken off the engagement the day, or week before!  And less traumatic for everyone that way
.

Once she had bathed, Ashley felt as though everything was slowly slipping out of her control.  She wasn
’
t left alone for a single second after she emerged from the bathroom in a fluffy white robe.  Waiting for her in her bedroom, there was someone to dress her, someone else to do her hair, someone for her nails, her makeup, while her mother and her two bridesmaids were dashing around at the last minute trying to find something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

Ashley had asked two women she had gone to college with and had been in the same sorority with if they would mind doing her the honor of being her bridesmaids- little did they know they wouldn
’
t have to do anything but ride to the church and back.

“I don’
t know where we
’
re going to find a silver sixpence!
”
wailed Stacey.

“Oh, don’
t worry, that
’
s taken care of, Ash can borrow the one I used at my wedding,
”
Cat said, producing the ancient-looking coin from her purse. 
“
I don
’
t know what we
’
re going to do about something blue though
…”
she mused, anxiously.

“You
really
don
’
t need to bother-
”
Ashley tried to tell them, but was interrupted by her mother.

“Ashley!  What's the matter with you today?” she demanded, taking the sixpence from Cat and placing it in one of Ashley’
s gorgeous white wedding shoes. 
“
Oh!
”
she squealed happily, turning her attention to the bridesmaids as she held up the slippers. 
“
Something blue,
”
she beamed, showing them the shoes
’
pretty blue soles.

Ashley rolled her eyes, and was immediately told off by the makeup artist, who was trying to apply her mascara.

“Sorry,” she mumbled weakly.

Ashley was quiet and obedient for the rest of the time that it took the ladies to get her ready.  It was starting to feel
…
very frighteningly real
…
and when she was finally allowed to look in a full-length mirror and see her own reflect she was literally struck dumb for several seconds.

“I look like a real bride,” she whispered shakily, once she found her voice again, at which her mother and everyone else had laughed. 

“Well, of course, you do!” Mrs. Kendall chuckled.  “That’s what you are! Now then, the photographer is going to be here any minute!” she cried, glancing at her watch.  “And I need to check-” what she needed to check Ashley didn’
t hear, because her mother had darted hurriedly from the room, leaving her daughter to gaze at her reflection for a little longer.

“You look
beautiful
, Ash!
”
Cat gushed.

“Michael isn’
t going to know what
’
s hit him!
”
Stacy agreed with a giggle.

Michael wasn
’
t even going to get to see her
… Ashley thought gloomily.  She sniffed, dangerously close to tears, and both Cat and Stacy leapt forwards with shouts of ‘
don
’
t cry! you
’
ll smudge!
’
which succeeded in drawing a half-amused smile to Ashley
’
s lips.

“Are you all right?” Cat asked gently, frowning with concern.  “You don’
t seem very
…
happy
,
”
she said weakly.

“It’
s just last minute nerves,
”
Ashley laughed shakily. 
“
I hear every bride has them?
”

“I guess…” Cat said doubtfully, but wasn’
t able to say anything further, because the photographer had arrived, and wanted to take a few pictures before they set off for the church.

Everything was spinning rapidly out of control, before Ashley knew what was happening she was placed in a limo with her father and they were on their way to the church! 
Ten minutes
… Norm had told her to wait until they were ten minutes into the drive and then tell the driver to turn around.  Fifteen minutes passed and Ashley had said nothing.

“You’
re very quiet, love,
”
Mr. Kendall said softly.  He took her hand. 
“
Is everything okay?
”

“I can’
t-
”
she blurted, but the rest of the words stuck in her throat.  She felt as though she was on a roller coaster that she couldn
’
t get off!  She didn
’
t want to get off!

“You can’
t?
”
Mr. Kendall frowned.

“I can’
t
…”
she paused, and that was when Ashley knew she wasn
’
t going to be able to walk away, that was when she made her choice. 
“
I can
’
t thank you and mama enough for everything you
’
ve done for me, daddy!
”
she cried, hugging her father fiercely, as she saw the outline of the Cathedral appear at the end of the road.

31

Michael breathed out slowly, and glanced down at his watch again.  Ashley was late.

He smiled bitterly,
well, of course she was late- she wasn
’
t coming! 
For some reason, part of his brain (or was it part of his heart?) didn
’
t seem to be able to comprehend that fact. 

Michael glanced over at Norman, who mouthed
‘
wait five more minutes
’
, and then he went back to staring straight ahead at the altar.  A few moments later, he accidentally caught the eye of the priest.  The old man nodded his head and flashed him a reassuring smile.  Michael sighed heavily, and shifted his weight from foot to foot.  He couldn
’
t believe how tense he was feeling- well, that wasn
’
t true, perhaps he could.  He started to crack his knuckles, until his best man softly cleared his throat, and Michael realized what he was doing.  He stopped, just as he saw Norm slowly getting to his feet out of the corner of his eye.  This was it then, he thought to himself, as his heart sank into his stomach.

Michael nearly jumped out of his skin when the organ started to play the wedding march.  He saw Norm freeze, halfway between sitting and standing, and then all of the guests slowly got to their feet when the back doors of the cathedral swung open.

Maybe he was still asleep?  He hadn
’
t really woken up that morning and this was all just part of a dream?  It didn
’
t feel like a dream though.  It felt completely real!