Gypsy Wedding (24 page)

‘For God’s sake, Shania,’ said Vicky. ‘Will you shift yourself.’

Once again Shania had a catalogue spread out over the main table.

Vicky, busy with polish and a duster, resented the fact that while she was grafting, Shania seemed to be taking it easy.

‘What do you think?’ said Shania. ‘I love these. Won’t they look grand around my home when I’m married.’

Vicky flipped the catalogue round the right way so she could see what was so appealing. It was a selection of brightly coloured decorative plates, each with a different picture of a horse in the centre. The rims of the plates were in bold block colours and then edged in gold.

‘Lovely,’ agreed Vicky, ‘but this isn’t getting this place clean. You know Mammy said she wanted it done by the time she gets back from the supermarket.’

‘She’ll be ages yet.’

‘That’s no excuse for you not helping me now.’

‘And why should I? All the time you were at college doing that stupid course, who helped me?’

‘It was so not a stupid course. Look at all those frocks I’ve made for you over the years.’

‘It still doesn’t let you off the hook for not cleaning this place for the best part of a year.’

Vicky wasn’t going to concede that her little sister had a point. ‘I helped out when I could.’

‘Not much you didn’t.’

There was a knock.

‘Where’s my best girl?’ a voice called in through the open door

Shania leapt up in excitement. ‘Your
best
girl? Your only girl, I hope. What sort of a thing is that to be saying to your fiancée now, Mikey? And come in. Vicky and I were just about to put the kettle on.’

Mikey climbed into the trailer while Shania fussed around him like they were already married, taking his coat, tidying his shoes away and giving him the most comfortable corner of the bunk to sit on. Vicky hid a smile. There was no doubt that Shania was born to be a wife and mother.

When Mikey was comfortable and had his mug of tea, Shania began showing him all the things she planned to try and buy at the Stow fair. To give Mikey his due he did try to look interested but it was fairly obvious his heart wasn’t in it.

‘If it makes you happy, buy whatever you like,’ he said as Shania turned yet another page of the catalogue.

‘But will you come around the stalls with me at the fair, Mikey?’

He squirmed. ‘Must I, Shania? I’ll need to help Dad with the horses and I really don’t know if I’ll have that much free time. Can’t Vicky go with you? She’s got much more idea about this sort of thing than I have.’

Vicky was tempted to say that she’d rather eat glass but given the argument they’d just had maybe this was a moment to build bridges not tear them down. ‘Of course I’ll help you, Shania, haven’t I finished my own bottom drawer?’

Of course, the promise, easily given, meant that Vicky was saddled with the reality of tramping up and down the field full of stalls, with Shania constantly dragging her from one side of the grassy aisle to the other as various traders’ goods caught her eye. The air was filled with the calls of the stallholders, shrieks from overexcited children, the sound of a distant steam organ playing and the smell of frying onions, popcorn and hot spun sugar. The sun was shining, though the breeze was chill, but Shania, looking amazing in a skimpy yellow top that showed her bare midriff, white pedal pushers and sky-high wedges, didn’t seem to feel the cold. Vicky wasn’t risking pneumonia though and had on a hot-pink sweater and black jeans, but despite the fact that she was largely covered up she was drawing just as many admiring glances as her scantily clad sister. Every couple of hours they were forced to return to their trailer to dump their purchases and ease their aching feet. Shania, determined that they shouldn’t miss out on any bargains, had insisted they’d hit the fair as soon as it had opened.
It’s going to be a long day
, thought Vicky. It was past lunchtime and Shania showed no signs of flagging or running out of items on her ‘must have’ list, despite the fact that she’d been spending the money her dad and Mikey had given her like she was single-handedly trying to drag the whole country out of the recession.

‘Isn’t this fun,’ said Shania with a laugh as she piled yet more bags of goodies into the back of her father’s van.

‘Wonderful,’ replied Vicky, trying to sound enthusiastic.

‘Are you tired?’ Shania obviously hadn’t been taken in.

‘A bit. I’d quite like to go and see how Liam and his dad are doing. They’ve got a pitch here.’

‘I’m up for that. Any idea where?’

‘I’m going to text him and find out. Maybe he can give us a pointer. I’ve done enough walking round this fair. I’m dead on my feet.’

‘You wuss. And you wearing flat pumps and all.’

Vicky shook her head. She didn’t know how her sister did it; she never seemed to feel the cold, her feet didn’t ache, whereas she suffered from both – it wasn’t fair. Vicky sat on the floor of her dad’s van, slipped off her shoes and massaged the circulation back into her toes before she got out her mobile and texted Liam. Then, sheltered from the breeze by the van’s open rear doors, she basked in the sun till she got a reply.

‘Okay,’ she said, jumping up feeling faintly energised by her brief rest. ‘Liam says it’s not far. He says there’s a stall right by him selling kites and flags and loads of New Age crap, and they’ve got them flying high over their stand. He says if we home in on those we’ll be there.’

The vans and trailers were all parked up on the side of a hill above the main ground of the fair. The two girls scanned the array of stalls, tents and attractions spread out in the field below them, shielding their eyes against the bright May sun.

‘Could that be it?’ said Shania pointing to some brightly coloured strips of fabric fluttering in the breeze.

‘Can’t see anything more likely,’ said Vicky. She slipped her shoes back on and the two girls locked up Johnnie’s van before heading down the slope once more and back into the throng of people.

It took them a while of shoving, squeezing and pushing to get to where Jimmy and Liam had set up their pitch. They were both working on lathes, turning chair legs. In a neat pile beside them were the seats they had already crafted and at the front of their stall were several finished traditional bentwood chairs. Around them were a group of interested bystanders watching the two craftsmen working. A sign at the front told the passers-by that they took orders.

‘Yeah, but once they’ve got the money, will they deliver?’ Vicky overheard one fairgoer say to another.

‘Doubt it, they’re gyppos, aren’t they? Take the money and run, they will.’

Shania didn’t have red hair for nothing. She rounded on the pair. ‘How
dare
you?’ she screeched at the surprised couple. ‘How dare you say that? You know nothing about Mr Connelly and his son. Nothing at all. You’re bang out of order making a remark like that. It’s libel, that’s what it is.’

‘Slander, actually,’ said the woman with a sneer, who had now recovered some of her composure.

‘Whatever it is you can’t say what you just did.’ Shania was hopping with indignation.

Vicky took her arm. ‘Leave it, love,’ she said softly, but the couple were already walking away.

‘Argh,’ stormed Shania. ‘It’s so unfair. How can people get away with being so horrible?’

The short commotion had attracted Liam’s attention, and he wandered over to the two girls. He was shirtless and his smooth skin was tanned to perfection. He leaned forwards and gave Vicky a quick kiss on the cheek.

‘Thanks, Shania,’ he said. ‘Thanks for sticking up for us, but I don’t know it does that much good.’

‘Well, I wasn’t going to let that stupid bastard get away with it.’

Liam shrugged. ‘You can’t change people’s attitudes by shouting at them.’

‘No, but it made me feel better,’ said Shania stubbornly.

‘So how’s trade?’ asked Vicky.

‘So-so. We’ve covered the cost of the pitch and we’ve got a few orders. I think Dad’s pleased enough. There’s been enough people here who do trust us to deliver their order to have made it worthwhile. It seems that not every gorgio thinks we’re scum. Anyway, I can’t stand around gossiping with you all day; I’ve got chairs to make. Although you could do something for me and Dad.’

‘What?’ Vicky was only too pleased to help.

Liam slid his hand into his jeans pocket and hauled out a roll of notes. He peeled off a couple of tenners. ‘There’s a stall along the way selling teas and coffees and stuff. You couldn’t get me and Dad a couple of teas and a bite, could you? We’re starving here.’

‘Sure.’

Liam peeled off another note. ‘And get something for yourselves.’

‘Thanks.’ Vicky took the offered money. ‘I’d forgotten about lunch,’ she said as they walked away. ‘I’m starving too.’

They found the food stall easily enough and bought the teas, some slabs of pork pie, a couple of filled rolls, two steak pies and some doughnuts. ‘The men can choose what they want and we can picnic on the rest. I’m sure Liam won’t mind us camping in a corner of their pitch while we get ourselves on the outside of this lot,’ Vicky said to Shania.

Jimmy and Liam decided to carry on working while they ate and were more than happy to allow Shania and Vicky to sit in a sheltered corner of the open-sided tent that formed the back wall of the stand. Out of the wind it was warm and the girls munched happily.

‘Do you love him?’ asked Shania, out of the blue.

Vicky nearly choked on a mouthful. ‘Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I?’

‘But how do you know?’

‘Because when I look at him I feel all warm inside. Don’t you feel like that about Mikey?’

‘Yeah, I suppose.’

Vicky chewed for a bit. ‘It’s enough, isn’t it?’

Shania nodded. ‘I don’t want anyone else. That’s enough, surely.’

But Vicky wasn’t so certain. She knew what she’d felt when she’d been kissed by Jordan. Supposing when Liam kissed her properly for the first time she felt nothing. Would she always be haunted by thoughts of Jordan and wonder if she’d settled for second best? She put treacherous thoughts of Jordan to the back of her mind and concentrated on watching Liam work; his muscles moving and bulging under his tanned skin, his stomach flat and toned, a line of hair running down from his belly button to his waistband on his jeans. He was lovely and she was happy with the idea of marrying him but … but …
did
she love him? And what if she didn’t?

She made up her mind: she had to get Liam to kiss her properly, and soon.

‘The bus’ll be at the gate in about five minutes,’ Kelly said to Vicky over the phone.

‘I’ll run down to meet you.’

‘You don’t have to. I know the way to your caravan.’

‘Trailer,’ corrected Vicky. ‘But it’d be better if I did. Honestly.’

‘Okay, have it your way.’

Vicky severed the connection and ran down to meet her friend.

‘I’m longing to see my dress now it’s completely finished,’ said Kelly after the two had hugged each other. They began walking back through the park, avoiding a group of young lads hurtling about on bikes followed by a pack of small yapping dogs. ‘And I asked Mum about storing some of them at ours and she said that better than the loft you could use the spare room. I told you she’d be cool about it.’

‘So now we just have to convince Dad.’

Kelly shrugged. ‘I don’t know why you think this is going to be such a mission. It’s just a place to hang a few dresses.’

‘Yeah, you’re right.’ At least, Vicky hoped Kelly was right. ‘Anyway, come on.’

The pair hurried up to Vicky’s trailer and let themselves in.

‘Everyone’s out so we’ve got the place to ourselves. The boys are off with Dad to collect a couple of horses they bought at the fair, and Shania, Mum and Kylie have gone visiting. They’ve gone to talk to a couple of her bridesmaids, although they’ll be back in a little while.’

‘It’s all go on that front for your ma, isn’t it?’

‘It’ll be a long while before Kylie gets wed, as she’s only two and a half, so she’ll get a breather for a few years.’

‘She’ll need it. Right, let’s get me into this frock again.’

Vicky pulled the hanger with the dress on it off the back of a cupboard door and put it in her bedroom. Already laid out on the big double bed was the underskirt she’d made and the bodice.

‘If you get down to your bra and knicks,’ she told Kelly, ‘I’ll help you into the underskirt and then put the dress on over the top. Then you can get into the bodice and I’ll zip you up.’

‘That’s a lot of petticoat,’ said Kelly, eyeing the mound of tulle and net suspiciously.

‘I know. It’ll make the dress look gorgeous.’

‘The dress is gorgeous already.’

‘But wait till you see it properly.’

Kelly didn’t look convinced but started to get undressed anyway. Vicky helped her into the vast creation that she’d made and then slipped the wonderful green silk skirt over the top. She did up the fastenings and arranged the fabric so it hung properly over the petticoats underneath.