WEEKLY SOAP Riverside
It’s finally Susan and Dave’s big day!
RIGHT, ladies!” Anna said. “That’s the bride, bridesmaids and Ruby done.” She turned and smiled at Mary.
“So that just leaves the mother of the bride.”
“I only want a bit of curl in my blow dry, Anna,” Mary told her. “Something that’ll not lose its shape after spending all afternoon squashed under a hat.”
Anna set to working her magic on Mary’s hair as Susan, the bridesmaids and Ruby relaxed at the other end of the salon. A cork popped and Jenny poured drinks for them all.
“Not for me, Jenny.” Susan smiled. “My stomach’s in knots.”
“Just a sip. It’s a toast from me and Eric to wish you all the best on your special day,” Jenny said.
“Oh, go on, then.” Susan laughed. “Just a tiny bit. I need to keep a clear head.”
She pulled her phone out from her handbag.
“Don’t worry, Susan. Dave will have everything under control, won’t he?”
Susan scrolled through the messages on her phone. “Susan?” Jenny repeated. But Susan wasn’t listening. She jabbed at her phone, trying not to let the shock of what she’d just read in a text message overwhelm her completely.
Dave picked up her call on the first ring. In the salon, everyone turned towards her as she yelled into her phone.
“Dave? What’s going on? What do you mean, the best man’s in Madrid?”
There was a silence while this news sank in with everyone. Susan paced up and down the salon with her phone to her ear. And just like George did when he was angry about something, she had turned red in the face.
Mary raised her hand, indicating to Anna that she needed her to turn off the hairdryer so she could speak to her daughter, and swivelled round in the chair.
“Susan, love, what is it?” she asked.
Susan took a deep breath before she allowed herself to speak.
“It’s Dave, Mum, about his best man.” “Stuart?” Mary asked. “Stephen! The one who moved to Spain, remember? He’s stuck at Madrid airport. There’s some sort of baggage handlers’ dispute going on.
“He rang Dave to say the flight’s delayed for an hour and he’s not sure he’ll make it in time for the wedding.”
“Is there anyone else who can step in at short notice?” Anna asked. “Has Dave got a best man Plan B?”
Susan turned to her mum.
“Dave said he’s already asked Sam at the pub if he’ll do the honours if Stephen doesn’t turn up.”
“Sam?” Mary asked in surprise.
“I know,” Susan said. “They’ve known each other for years, but it’s not like they’re best mates or anything. Apparently Sam’s already having kittens at the thought of having to make a speech.”
Inside St George’s that afternoon, the congregation sat waiting. At the front of the church the organist played a hymn that no-one recognised.
At the back of the church, in the very last pew, sat Sam, unsure of what he should be doing, or where he should be.
Through the open church door, he heard car tyres on gravel. He stood up and walked out, relieved to see it was the car with Dave in it at last.
“Still no sign of Stephen?” he asked Sam.
Sam shook his head. “OK, we’ll go in together and wait for Susan, right?” Sam nodded.
“You just need to stand beside me, Sam. It’ll be all right.”
Sam nodded again. Dave took a deep breath. “I think we’re ready to go in.”
But just before they took their first step, a taxi screeched to a halt in front of the church. Dave and Sam turned to see a tall, handsome man leap out of the passenger seat, throwing a £20 note to the driver.
“Stephen!” Dave cried. “I thought you’d never make it.”
“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world!” Stephen joked.
As the two men hugged, Sam went back into the church and sat next to his uncle Jim, who was more than relieved to see him.
Moments later, a car with ribbons on the bonnet and George and Susan in the back seat pulled up at the church.
“Are you ready, Dad?” she asked him. George nodded. “Let’s just have a couple of minutes together,” he replied.
“You mean I should make Dave wait a little while longer?” Susan laughed.
“No,” George replied. “I want to listen to the peal of bells for as long as I can. You know how much they cost me, don’t you? I want to get my money’s worth!”
Mary had promised herself she wouldn’t cry. And she was fine right through the service, until the point at which Susan and Dave exchanged rings.
George’s eyes also filled with tears when their only child recited her vows.
“I, Susan Anne Dougal, take David Michael Brennan to be my husband; to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish till death us do part.”
More next week.