Page 15 of Wedding Games
Fiona sank into a chair. Zoe passed her the bottle of champagne.
‘Cheers, love.’ Fiona didn’t bother with a glass, pouring the fizz directly into her mouth as Sam and Valentina improvised a dance routine to go with the song.
Zoe’s heart was full. Her wedding was one of those rare opportunities the four of them would be in the same place at the same time. She blinked, trying to record each moment as a snapshot in time to treasure later.
When Sam and Valentina finished their butchered rendition they bowed, and Zoe and Fiona clapped.
‘What do you think, Zo?’ asked Sam. ‘Should we perform it at the wedding?’
‘Jesus wept, no,’ Fiona replied. ‘I think the minister has had quite enough of us without adding that in.’
‘I think you should have it up your sleeve in case of emergencies,’ said Zoe. ‘Like if my dad’s speech goes over twenty minutes, or if Brad asks my mum to dance in front of Barbara.’
‘Roger that,’ said Valentina.
‘Roger that?’ the three other women repeated in surprise.
Valentina blushed. ‘It’s something Charlie says.’
‘Girl,’ Sam said, snapping her fingers. ‘You got it bad.’
Valentina laughed. ‘I know. He’s the best.’
‘Aha, but is he simply the best?’ asked Sam, holding her glass up as if to sing into it again.
‘Sam,’ warned Zoe. ‘More champagne?’
‘Okay, okay, I’ll save the songs for an “emergency”.’
The women sat and Zoe poured them another glass. A happy peace settled over the room.
‘Are you sure there isn’t more that we can do to help?’ Fiona asked. ‘I remember when I got married; there was so much to organise. It was so bloody stressful.’
Zoe puffed out her cheeks. ‘Since Brad and Barbara took over, there’s really nothing to do. In a way, it’s a blessing, but I do feel kind of disconnected from it all. Saturday isn’t really about me or Rory. The actual ceremony is, and the speeches, too. But the rest of the time we’ll be just on display, being dragged about like show ponies to meet randos we’ll never see again.’
‘You don’t have to speak to them,’ Valentina said. ‘We can establish a perimeter and run interference.’
Sam raised her eyebrows. ‘Valentina, I think we need to give you your own call sign. How about “Charlie Sixty-Nine”?’
Valentina laughed. ‘Roger that.’
‘Seriously, Zoe,’ said Fiona. ‘Let Brad and Barbara get the photos out of the way, then do your own thing. And anyway, they can’t control everything…’
Sam sat up straighter. ‘Aha, yes! The hen do!’
‘Hen do?’ Valentina asked as Zoe groaned.
‘It’s what we call the Bachelorette party,’ replied Sam.
Valentina smirked at Zoe. ‘Aha, yes…’
Zoe shook her head, her curls whipping around her face. ‘No strippers. No way, no way, no way. The only penis I ever want to see is Rory’s.’
‘Ah, come on now,’ said Fiona. ‘You don’t have to touch it.’
Zoe scrunched her face as if biting into a lemon.
‘I’ve been married to Dunc forever,’ Fiona continued. ‘This is my chance to check out a different sausage without actually taking a bite.’
