Gypsy Wedding (23 page)

‘Have you got time to do the petticoats?’

‘Mammy, they’re dead simple. No hemming, no embroidery, no zips. I can whizz them up in no time, honest. It’s just finding room to work on them and keep them that’s the problem.’

‘So what are you going to do?’

Vicky swung her legs out from under the table and began to pack up her sewing machine. ‘There is a solution.’

‘And?’

‘And I don’t think you’ll like it but I can’t see what else we can do.’

‘Go on,’ said her mother doubtfully.

‘Kelly said we could put the petticoats in her loft.’

‘Her loft.’

‘Yes, it’s dry and warm and there’s heaps of space.’

‘How would you know?’ said her mother suspiciously.

‘Because she’s told me about it.’

‘You’ve not been there, not after your daddy said you weren’t to visit.’

‘No, Mammy, what do you take me for?’ asked Vicky with a frown. ‘Dad said I wasn’t to go to see her so I didn’t.’ She slipped the cover over her machine and lifted the seat of one of the bunks to stow it away tidily. She banged the seat down again noisily. ‘I’m a good girl.’

‘I know you are, sweetheart, it’s just …’

‘It’s just?’ Vicky stood with her hands on her hips looking down at her mother.

‘You’re not like Shania.’

Vicky bit back the comment that at least she had a skill, some ambition and a brain in her head, because she knew that being bitchy wasn’t going to help matters.

‘No, well, that’s as may be,’ she said instead. ‘But it doesn’t solve the problem about the underskirts and where we’re going to store them.’

‘Your dad won’t like it.’

‘So ask him to come up with a solution.’

‘Don’t be cheeky. As if a man should be bothered with where we’re going to put some dresses.’

‘Then what?’

‘You sure there’s not space in Liam’s?’

Vicky shook her head. ‘Not without getting everything horribly creased. And how will we get it all straightened out again?’

‘And Kelly says it’s all right to have them at her house?’

‘I said, didn’t I?’

‘And her parents are nice – wouldn’t mind?’

‘How would I know? I’ve never had the chance to meet them, remember.’ Vicky glared at her mum.

Mary-Rose looked away. ‘I suppose storing the petticoats there might be okay.’

‘Look, Mammy, if I go round with an armful of net petticoats I don’t think they’re going to kidnap me and sell me off to a pimp. If they agree and Daddy does too, he could drive me round with the petticoats as I make them, we pop them in their attic, Daddy drives me home again and that’s that. Nearer the time I go and get them back, give them to all the bridesmaids and then they all bring them with their own dresses to the hotel and we get ready together. What’s to go wrong?’

‘It’s just you know how he feels about gorgios.’

‘But you like Kelly.’

‘I know, she’s a grand girl—’

‘And Dad’s met her.’

‘Ye-es.’

‘So help me to convince him.’

‘I’ll see. No promises, mind.’

‘Otherwise we’ll just have to tell him that he’s got to come up with a better idea, because, Mammy, I can’t think of anything. And I don’t think you can.’

Knackered after her final four-hour practical exam, Vicky made her way to the canteen to meet Kelly as they’d agreed. This was her last day in college and she wanted to nail some memories and say some goodbyes before she turned her back on education for ever.

‘So what are you doing tonight?’ said Kelly. The pair of them were sitting at their usual table.

Vicky shook her head. ‘Nothing.’ She stirred her coffee.

‘You are joking me. You’ve finished your exams and you just plan to go home and watch TV.’

‘That’s about the size of it.’

‘Can’t you even have a celebration with your family?’

‘It’s no big deal to them. We do christenings and marriages, not this sort of thing. Besides, we’re all off to the Cotswolds at the weekend. They’re all looking forward to that. The boys are totally overexcited about the trip. What with that and my wedding next month there isn’t time for much more in the way of parties.’

‘Going out for a drink isn’t a party.’

‘Maybe,’ said Vicky, not wanting to pursue the subject. She changed tack. ‘I got the last of the dresses finished at the weekend.’

‘That was Shania’s?’

Vicky nodded. ‘And I’m going to start on the petticoats when we get back from Stow. I’ll need to meet you somewhere to give you a final fitting with it under the dress.’

‘Have you thought any more about using our loft?’ asked Kelly.

‘I’m waiting for the right moment to talk to Dad.’

‘Talk to your dad?
Hello
? This is
me
offering
your
family a favour.’

‘I know, I know, but you’ve met Dad. You know what I’m up against here.’

‘So now my house isn’t good enough for his precious daughter to set foot in, it’s also not good enough for his precious daughter’s frocks.’ Kelly looked daggers at Vicky.

‘It’s not like that.’

‘Oh really? It looks exactly like that from here. He’s never even seen where I live and he’s judging it as unsuitable. Well, thanks a bunch.’ She folded her arms and turned away from Vicky, looking hurt.

Vicky pushed her coffee cup to one side and leaned across the canteen table. She touched Kelly’s arm but her hand was shrugged off.

‘No, you can go to hell,’ snapped Kelly. ‘I don’t know why I bother with you, Vicky. I’ve tried, I really have, to be a friend and to understand what’s going on in your life, but whatever I do just seems to get thrown back in my face.’

‘It’s not you.’

‘No, it’s not
just
me. It’s Jordan as well. Look how he’s stuck up for you over the last year and what thanks has he had? All you’ve done now for weeks is blank him completely and pretend he doesn’t exist.’

‘I haven’t.’ But Vicky knew that there was more than a grain of truth in what Kelly was saying. She didn’t dare let herself get anywhere near him in case her feelings ran amok again. And she was still racked by guilt over allowing him to kiss her like that.

‘He lost Chloe because of you,’ Kelly said again.

‘I don’t call that a hardship. She was a bitch and I don’t see what he saw in her.’

‘From what I heard from the college football team, she’s great in bed. They’ve all said so,’ said Kelly with a dead straight face. A second later both of them were laughing.

‘Miaow.’

‘But seriously,’ said Kelly, wiping her eyes, ‘maybe if I come round for a dress fitting I could meet your dad again. Maybe if I ask him myself about storing your stuff at mine he’ll find it hard to say no. Because if you can’t use our loft, I don’t know what you will do with all those dresses and petticoats. My mum’s cool about it, we never go up there ourselves but it’s got floorboards and there’s plenty of light so it would be perfect.’

‘We’ll have to wait till after the weekend.’

‘Oh yeah, you’re off to the Cotswolds. Why?’

‘Horse fair.’

Kelly nearly choked. ‘A horse fair?’

‘Kelly, we’re Irish travellers, we live and breathe horses.’

‘Can you ride?’

‘Of course. Can’t you?’

Kelly shook her head. ‘I live in a town, where the fuck would I learn to ride a horse?’

‘When you come round for your fitting we’ll have to get you up on one. There’s only one problem, though.’

‘What’s that?’

‘We’re not big on saddles and stirrups.’

‘Then you can forget it. Sorry, but I’m not risking breaking anything before your wedding.’

‘Suit yourself.’

A bell rang and Kelly looked at her watch. ‘Shit, I’ve got my practical in twenty minutes. I’ve got to fly, babes.’

‘Look, as I don’t have to be in college again, I don’t suppose I’ll see you before the weekend. Good luck with your exam, I know you’ll ace it, and I’ll text you about that fitting next week.’

The girls gave each other a quick embrace before Kelly raced off for her exam. Vicky sat back down to finish her coffee. Her dad wasn’t due to pick her up for another half-hour.

When she’d drained her cup she wandered back to the textiles room. She had no reason to come back to the college now her exams were over. She wasn’t going to be doing the A level proper, so there was no point in coming back for the last weeks of term to start the next bit of the syllabus, although part of her really wanted to. But in deference to her mother’s insisting that she concentrated on what was really important – her wedding – she’d given in. Peace at home with her mother and father was more important than squeezing out the last drops from her course. Mrs Mead was busy making a display of the best of her students’ work. Naturally Vicky’s output featured prominently.

‘I’ve come to say goodbye.’

Mrs Mead turned from her work. ‘Oh Vicky, this is a sad moment. You know how I feel and I won’t say it again. But I will say how much I’m going to miss you.’

‘Thanks for everything. I’ve really enjoyed the last year, despite some of the girls being a bit tricky about me being in class.’

‘I’m glad they didn’t frighten you away and you finished the year. I’ll see you back here for your results, though, won’t I?’

‘I don’t know, miss. I’ll see.’

It’d be up to Liam whether or not she could go and get them. Vicky didn’t want to make a promise she mightn’t be able to keep.

‘Then take care, Vicky, and good luck for the future. I hope everything works out well for you, and your wedding day is a wonderful one.’ Mrs Mead went round to the back of her desk. ‘I hope you don’t mind but I’ve got you a little wedding gift.’

Vicky was astonished. ‘You shouldn’t have, really.’

Her tutor handed her a present, wrapped in pretty silver paper, about the size of a shoebox.

‘Can I open it now?’

‘If you like,’ said her teacher with a smile.

Eagerly Vicky ripped off the paper. Underneath was an exquisite little workbox with needles and pins in special compartments, spools of thread, a tape measure, scissors, a crochet hook and all sorts of notions and ribbons and bits and pieces. ‘Oh, it’s beautiful. I love it.’

‘Something by which to remember your time here. Maybe something to inspire you to keep up your skills.’

Vicky turned her shining eyes from the box to her tutor. ‘It’s the loveliest thing ever. I’ll use it every day, I just know it.’

‘Good.’ Mrs Mead gave Vicky a quick hug. ‘Now be off with you and if you ever want to drop in, you’ll always be welcome.’

Vicky left before she began to cry.

She wandered back through the almost empty college. Most of the students had finished their exams or were off revising if they still had some left to take. She had almost reached the front door when she heard her name being called. She turned.

‘Jordan.’

‘Hi, Vicky. Trying to escape without saying goodbye?’

She shook her head. She hadn’t been – well, not consciously.

Jordan walked across the atrium until he was right beside her. ‘So this is it. You’re off.’

Vicky nodded.

‘When will I see you again?’

She shrugged. ‘I don’t think it’s likely. Do you?’

‘It would be if you wanted it to be.’

Jordan leaned towards her and Vicky took a step back. He raised an eyebrow. ‘So that’s how it is, and more than that, you don’t want to say a proper goodbye.’ His voice was chilly.

‘Come off it, Jordan. You know how it is.’ She stuck her hand out.

‘You think I want to shake hands?’ he snapped. ‘You think that’s all I want? You know something, Vicky, you can get stuffed. After all I did for you and you’re offering me a handshake.’ He turned on his heel and stormed off, while Vicky was left holding back tears, upset that their parting had been so bitter.

Vicky didn’t have time to spare in the rest of the week to think about college or her last words with Jordan as she, like everyone else on the trailer park, was swept up getting everything ready to travel to Stow-on-the-Wold for the horse fair. Her family weren’t taking the big trailer they lived in but a much smaller one they kept for such events. That one had to be cleaned out and stocked with tins of food and essentials, personal possessions and clothes had to be moved over and everything made ready for the journey and the weekend stay once they got there.

Billy and Jon-Boy were beside themselves with excitement and could talk about nothing other than the races they were going to enter their ponies in and the fun they were going to have there. Johnnie was rarely around as he was occupied with getting horse boxes organised, transport arranged for the sulkies, sorting out harnesses and trying to keep his overexcited sons under control. Shania, when she wasn’t working out what outfits she was taking with her, was making lists of stuff she still needed for her bottom drawer. The horse fair was going to be packed with traders selling everything a girl could need in that department, and it was an ideal opportunity for her to finish kitting out her future home.