A Wedding date

By David Lyons

 

She skipped along the edge of the tide, as lightly as a feather in a cool summer’s breeze, the waves that had seen many a distant beach, darted like liquid shadows between her small suntanned toes. Her wide brimmed straw hat with its long yellow ribbon band dangled loosely in her hand at the end of her down stretched arm.

The trailing ribbon floated carelessly on top of the endless flow of calm ripples that glistened in the scorching sunlight. The sea breeze blew her white, blond hair into an ever-changing array of styles, any of which could grace the front cover of high fashion. Some strands dallied for moments kissing her damp red lips until they were gently removed to freedom by her long, elegant fingers.

Her pale-yellow dress with its low-cut back was better suited to mingle where high couture was appreciated and gave her a look of carless abandon, as filled with her own thoughts she didn’t interact with the inquisitive stares of the other strollers on the sand.

Occasionally she would make a full circle swirl with both hands outstretched as if trying to grasp the moment steadfast, least it fades, allowing her head to tilt back; her eyes closed, lost in the ecstasy of the moment. Often, she would stand defiantly and face the strength of the tide, hands on her hips, as the warm breeze wrapped the yellow dress around her to reveal the slim outline of her body.

She would be married in three days and four hours to Paul Honeybuckle, a tall bony man born without humour, who took to the stock market like a flea to a donkey’s back. His life was soaring like a kite with an everlasting string and as for money well maybe they should have put his image on the bills as he owned most of them.

She would soon be a married woman with responsibilities for a husband she wasn’t sure of, and a life of privilege that she could easily fit into but knew would smother her out one day. Right now, she was free, her own person, with a world waiting to be explored out somewhere beyond those peaceful blue waves.

The idea of having Mrs before her name didn’t fit her current mood, as she didn’t feel like a Mrs, but it seems it came with the wedding cake and confetti. The concept of being trapped, part of someone else’s life plan, fitting into someone’s else’s ideas and ideals jarred at her and made her loose the joie de vivre she was previously enjoying and desperately trying to hold onto to.

“Twenty-three is too young to settle down. And I suppose he will want children soon as well. He’s sown all his wild oats, but I haven’t. I bloody well haven’t” she thought. “He’s thirty-six for heaven’s sake, rich - well very rich but hells bells, I am too young for all this, what was I thinking?” and she kicked out at a peaceful rolling wave sending splashes towards the pale blue cloudless sky. “His mother’s a bitch as well – a proper bitch, she wants me in that old family dress to make me look like a lemon. And those sisters of his. That skinny one with the big hands and the other with that massive arse, they’d love to see me dolled up in that shit of a dress. To hell with it if they think they’ll make a fool of me.”

 

And she kicked out at the tide again misjudging her action this time, as her big toe hit the sand hard, and she screamed and hobbled back towards her jacket which was some distance away on a dune.

Sitting upright on the sand with her chin resting on her knees she played with a scallop shell, filling it to the brim with sand before tossing it out and repeating the action without thought, her mind on other things. Only last week she met Ralph at the vegetable market - he looked much fitter than she remembered.

Cool and confident with that worldly calm air she wished she could achieve. Canada’s air had done wonders for his physique; when they were last together, he was a skinny creature, easily breakable under pressure she often thought but now. But she always kept a little place for him in her heart which she often visited on lonely nights when Paul Honeybuckle was yet again working late in the office or so he said.

She took her phone from her jacket pocket, scratching her finger on the zipper with her eagerness, and flicked through her contacts fast as if the screen was too hot to touch. She stopped suddenly on Ralph’s number and stroked her index finger over its digits gently with a distant loving look in her eyes as she rubbed her tongue back and forth over her bottom lip in a contemplative fashion.

“Ralph’s my age – well I’m two years older, but hoo haw and he likes my kinda tunes and ohh, food he loves everything I like; not like…… And he’s not bad looking since he grew up a little; maybe his hair needs a trim, and that Canadian beard needs the bin, and I could get him a nail brush” she stroked his number even more lovingly. “I could get a job” she thought, and her face went as though she had just taken a bite from an extra sour grape “I could. Must be lots of things I could do” and she thought for a while “Must be?” she finally said, “I’ll think about that later”.

She watched the children frolicking on the sand and their mothers dancing attendance on them, rushing hither and thither with suntan oil, small hats, drinks, food and attending to their other less appealing bodily functions - this final detail she certainly was not too keen on participating in.

“This will be me soon enough, if Paul has his way and I a mere child myself – I don’t want to do this type of thing just yet. I don’t. I won’t” she thought and was about to press call on Ralph’s number when the buzz of her phone took her from her worries with a sudden jolt.

“Yes” she said with a timid voice and held her hand over the speaker to block out the sound of the sea breeze which she imagined had grown stronger since she answered the call.

“Hia Katie; it’s me Ralph. Bet you didn’t think I’d phone you so soon”!

“Hey Ralphie – God, it’s so great to hear your beautiful voice again” she blurted out like an impetuous adolescent before she had a chance to edit the sentiment and there was a silence.

“Is it Katie? You’re that happy to hear from me, are you?” he was taken aback, surprised by her affectionate attitude.

“Yea sure kiddo; always nice to hear a friendly voice” she pulled back suddenly on her far too exposed emotions in an effort to remain aloof.

There was silence again, both wanting to speak next but neither knowing the correct route the conversation should take, with neither the high road nor the low road feeling just right for that moment.

“No vegetables today, huh?”

“None today, I’m on the beach – well for a short while, anyway. Soaking it up as they say.”

“You’ll be Mrs Honeybuckle in three days and three hours” he said with an overly fake carefree attitude - they both laughed – it was a nervous laugh on both ends

.
“Stupid bloody name, isn’t it? Honeybuckle – of all the stupid bloody names. Mrs Honeybuckle”

“Ahh it’s all right, I could think of a lot worse”.

“Yea sure, what for example?”

“Ramsbottom or Lipshits. How would that suit you?”

They both laughed again but an air of nervous tension was still the overriding sentiment.

“Birmingham would be ok” Katie said timidly.

There was a silence as the breeze blew into the receiver once Katie nervously removed her hand and wiped a stray tear that rolled down her cheek. “You’d like Mrs Birmingham, do you? I’d be happy and proud to arrange that if you like – and fast too”.

“Hey Mr Birmingham, I was only larking about and you off back to Canada to all those fine Canadian birds you told me about, waiting for your plane to hit the tarmac.”

“Yea sure, they’re all waiting for me, I bet. Sure, they will, hundreds of them”.

The silence lasted for longer than either of them preferred.

“You still there Ralphie?”

“Yea still here” he replied with a deep sigh that made Katie catch her breath.

“You coming to the funeral Ralphie, no I mean wedding?”

“I’ll leave that date out of my diary if you don’t mind Katie. I’m sure it will be a buzzing day for all concerned”.

“All right, I know. I kinda understand that”.

“Got to go now Katie; I’ve lots of packing to do. I’m leaving in a few days. You know how it is”.

“For how long this time Ralphie?”

“Long time I’d say. Nothing here for me anymore with the parents gone and the old place sold. I’ll take a few photos on the phone to remind me of home. That’ll keep me going if I need to reminisce sometime”.

“Can’t argue with a good phone photo Ralphie.”

“Didn’t get one of you though Katie, to help me reminisce..

There was a silence again that seem like an eternity for both.

“Do you think we’d have made it if I hadn’t gone away? I often think we could have.”

“Ahh who’s to know; we might even be in the divorce courts by now and hating each other’s hide”.

They both forced a laugh with no merriment behind the facade.

“You’re probably right Katie, we will never know. Was lovely seeing you the other day though. Really lovely; best of luck to you both on the big day and sure we will meet up again sometime, when you’ll have your arms filled with sprogs.”

The call ended before Katie could reply and she stared at the phone for a moment, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, before looking blankly out to sea without seeing the waves.

With the gaiety of her sea’s edge dance now dried up like the powder white sand she lay back on, she stared at the sky wishing it would fall down and cover her up. She squeezed her phone so tightly her fingers began to turn red.

“Ohh bloody hell what a terrible mess.” She shouted out as she lay facing the sky.

A shadow slowly crept up and blocked the sunlight from her eyes.

“You ok Miss?” an old lady with neat grey hair tied in a perfect bun and a sun wrinkled face that had once known admiring stares stood over her with a concerned look on her thin pale lips. She had a small black and tan terrier on a lead – the type of dog that does not want to be on a lead on a vast white sandy beach and he pulled with all his might to get free. Katie sat up slowly and held her hand over her eyes to get a clear view up to the old lady.

“I head you shout and thought you were in some distress or other. Are you?”

Katie shook her head dismissively and looked downcast towards the sand.

“Mind if I sit down with you for a moment? I could let Jacksie free for a while and keep an eye on the little beauty from here. If that’s ok with you?” the old lady made an attempt to walk away, pre-empting a refusal and making the possible rejection easier for Katie.

“Sit down, by all means. Of course, sit down” Katie moved her hand over the sand to smoothen out an area for the old lady to sit.

“You look very smart in that nice yellow dress. I used to have something like it many, many moons ago”.

“Ahh did you. Its Channel”.

“Mine wasn’t as swanky as that” the old lady smiled as she with great difficulty, let Jacksie off his lead, his eagerness to be free hindering her actions to remove his collar, as he wiggled to and fro like a wild thing. Once free he tore away across the white sand towards the rippling waves like his tail was on fire. They both laughed as they watched him.

“Jacksie loves the sea. He won’t leave me for long though; he always comes back to check on me; after a short while” and she took some dog treats from her pocket and held them in her hand. They both laughed again.

“I live just up there” the old lady pointed to a neat little stone cottage that was perched like a post card photo on a hill overlooking the sea.

“So beautiful. I often wondered who lived there”.

“Well now you know” the old lady smiled and offered Katie a liquorice from a brown paper bag she took from her pocket.

“They make your teeth black but they’re worth it” the old lady said and put two into her mouth.

Katie timidly took one “Thank you; they remind me of my grandfather”.

The old lady nodded and smiled as she chewed.

“I occasionally see you walking on the sand. Sometimes with an older man. Your father?”

“No, my finance”

“Oh, I am sorry. I was observing from a long distance. My view is not very clear, and I should wear my glasses, but vanity prevails”.

“He is old to be truthful but not father old” and she laughed. The old lady laughed and wiped the tears from her eyes that the sea breeze caused with a pink scented handkerchief. She gave the handkerchief a quick sniff and gave a smile of satisfaction before putting it back into her sleeve.

“Organza. I love it”.

Katie smiled and began to look distantly out to sea.

“Is everything ok? I don’t mean to pry but a problem shared you know – if I can be of any help?” the old lady chewed on her liquorice delicately and gave a small chuckle as she watched Jacksie tear along the crest of the waves like the happiest dog in the world.

“I am getting married in three days and one hour”.

“Congratulations that is wonderful – I am so pleased for you”.

Katie made no reaction and the old lady noticed.

“I was married but my husband died. That was the saddest thing; I never got over it. He’s gone five years now, but it seems like yesterday that we sat here with our flask of tea and scones.” She wiped a tear with her pink handkerchief but this time it was not caused by the sea breeze.

“I am sorry to hear that”.

“It’s ok. Jacksie is great company. I knew my husband was the right one for me. I knew the moment I saw him. We were married fifty-five years. Long time. Now he got on my nerves sometimes don’t get me wrong but we were best friends and always had something to say to each other. Are you and your fiancé like that? Always chatting?”

Katie thought for a moment “No actually, we don’t speak that much really come to think of it. He is always busy with his work and that sort of thing – always got his head in some papers or other. We are a different generation, so he doesn’t like some, well most of the stuff I like and that’s ok, as I don’t like most of the stuff he likes either”.

There was a silence as both thought about what was just said. The old lady chewed more vigorously on her liquorice.

“I see” the old lady said in a draw out way.

“You don’t approve of that do you?” Katie stared at the old lady as she spoke, at her pearl necklace, her Cartier watch, her comfortable brown walking boots, ties above the ankle.

“That’s not for me to comment on sweetheart but if you are happy, what of it. Not everyone likes to talk like chatterboxes, do they?”

“I’d like to though” Katie said and took her gaze off the old woman and stared out to sea again.

“Make sure you do the right thing for yourself, as life is short, yet very long if you are tied to the wrong person”.

Katie made no reply but sat up straight and rested her chin on her knees as she stared straight ahead.

“Looks like my Jacksie is not coming back to me for his treats the little swine. I had best get after him and put him back on his lead” the old lady smiled as she stood up slowly and brushed sand from her clothes.

“It was lovely chatting to you my dear and you know where I live if you want a coffee sometime. Now where is that brat of a dog?” the old lady said and after giving Katie a kind smile, walked off towards Jacksie, who was very busy, viciously killing a long strand of seaweed.

Katie watched them fondly for a moment before standing up and walking along the beach in the opposite direction. Her gait was slow and her shoulders now slightly hunched as walking was now a chore and not a pleasurable exercise like it had been earlier. Her phone buzzed and she took it from her pocket and cast her eyes towards the heavens.

“Paul. Hi, how are you?” she said in an attempted airy fashion that fell short of its desired effect.

“Where are you? Mother said you didn’t answer when she rang, and the people are with her to arrange the seating areas in the marquee. My sisters are very upset with you – they have been checking over the menu again and the flowers and where are you? Is that then sea I hear in the background – it is; you are on the beach – of all the times. It’s three days to the wedding and you vanish”.

“Three days and ten minutes to be precise” Katie said cooly.

“And what’s that supposed to mean – ten minutes. You had best get back here now. You are needed here – I can’t believe you are doing this – mother is very annoyed”.

“Ok; ok, I will be there as soon as I can. I’m leaving now for heaven’s sake.”

“Good. I will meet you at the marquee in half an hour. Ten minutes indeed”.

“Fine. I will phone you back; I need a minute”.

“What? What have you got to do now. What can be more important than coming home now?”

“Five minutes, ok”

Katie turned off the call and looked back at the old woman who was kneeling on the sand trying with extreme difficulty to put the strap back around Jacksie’s neck, as he lay on his back and wriggled for all his might.

Katie laughed and her air of jollity was once again restored, as though her happy balloon was once again inflated, and she danced along the waves, kicking sprays of water high into the air. She took her phone from her pocket, feverishly flicked through her contacts like every second counted. On finding the number she was searching for, she stroked it with her finger and smiled. She pressed dial and waited.

“Hi; it’s me”.

 

David Lyons from Ireland has two novels published to date, “The Dream Voyagers” (2015), and Land of Butterflies (2023). His book of eighteen short stories titled “The Muse and Other Stories” is searching for a publisher, and he has just completed a new book titled “The Smiling Princess and The Hidden Village.” His short stories have appeared in many publications.