Chapter 16

"I talked to the Rector today," Jennie said one Saturday morning in late summer.

"Yes, what about?" George asked - looking up from his newspaper which he had been reading while Jennie had gone to get a few things from the shop. He realised she had been gone quite a while, but he wasn't surprised - Jennie was integrating in the little village fast.

"About our wedding," Jennie replied. "It seems he has an opening in 4 weeks time - someone cancelled on the trivial grounds that the groom had to get a divorce first..."

George smiled widely. "Yes, that little detail is not irrelevant. But four weeks - that is very soon. Why the rush?"

"Because, Mr. Sanders," Jennie replied, "I want to be married wearing a proper wedding dress, not a maternity dress the size of a circus tent." She drew a little white plastic stick out of her purse and showed it to George. It was a positive pregnancy test

"Oh Jennie," George started. His tears stopped him from saying any more.

"OK, so you got the church," George said a goodish while later. "But speaking of little details: What about food for the party, not to mention a place to have the party itself?"

"Easy," Jennie said. "I talked to Michael and Brigitte." They were the publican and his wife.

"Oh yeah?" George said with a lifted eyebrow. "Were you planning on having the reception at the pub? That has the advantage of limiting the number of people coming..."

"No you twit," Jennie replied good-naturedly. "But Brigitte's brother has a catering company. They can do the basics and Michael and Brigitte would be happy to take care of the finishing touches and find people to serve it."

"It will still be a rather small party," George said. "The pub isn't all that big,"

"No but our garden is," Jennie said. "So you call these people now" - she handed George a slip of paper with a name on it written in the Rector's neat and altogether illegible hand, followed by a phone number that could be deciphered - "they are the people that provided the tents for the big church do last year. 'Efficient and reasonable' the Rector's wife called them."

George picked up the phone, but then put it down again. "Jennie, sweetheart," he said. "How many people are we going to be?"

"Dunno," Jennie said. "I'm working on that. The raw list is somewhere over 100. Better ask for room for 150 - we can always adjust it with the table setting."

"Jesus - do we even know that many people?" George asked in horror.

"Yes, well, your extended family is rather large your mother told me - even though the Japanese may not be able to come. From my Mum's side it will only be her, Cedric and Cedric's sister and brother-in-law - Mum's boss that is, but my Dad's family is huge and they will all want to come. They're Irish, you know!"

"Doesn't your mother have two sisters?" George asked.

"I'd rather dig up my stepfather than have those two coming, I swear!" Jennie said hotly.

"OK, OK," George said. "But these tent people. What if they can't?"

"They can," Jennie said. "If they don't have what they need then ask them to buy it. And they can set it up days in advance if that is an issue."

"Right you are Ma'am," George said and got on the phone.

Jennie was doing a lot of telephoning her self. "I've gotten hold of all the ushers and flower girls," she said an hour later. "They are all coming over next Saturday afternoon for a fitting."

"Fitting?" George asked.

"Yes, fitting," Jennie said in a voice suggesting George was a bit dim. "All the flower girls will be in a version of the bride's maid dress and the four ushers in grey morning wear with toppers. Kirstin couldn't ask Jimmy if he was free - he's in Paris with his band, but she was certain he would do this for his favourite uncle."

Kirstin was George's second-oldest sister. Jimmy - James, actually, was her only child. He was around 24, very good looking and fronting a pretty successful band.

"So who are the ushers again?" George asked,

"Jimmy, Jeff and my little brothers Ryan and Sean," Jennie said. "Two for each side - that will work charmingly."

"You have thought of everything, haven't you?" George said with reluctant admiration.

"Yes, I think I have - including asking your Best Man if he was available," Jennie said. "His wife said that under threat of complete withdrawal of marital rights, he was."

"Ha!" George said. "I'd like to see her go without. I am sure that since Annie lost her virginity to Henry - during my last wedding reception I might add, she has had Henry between her legs more or less continuously."

"Good for her," Jennie said. "And good for Henry. I like them both!"

"I think it is fair to declare that is mutual," George replied. Annie had been exceedingly welcoming to Jennie and the girls already called her 'Auntie Jennie'.

On Monday at end of the regular morning meeting, George made an announcement. "This year's staff-party will be at Jennie's and my place on Saturday in three weeks. Bringing spouses and kids is compulsory. Dress festively. The party starts at five unless you want to come to the church too - then it is at two."

Whatever else he had been planning on saying was drowned out in loud cheers. When calm had been restored Jennie quietly asked for RSVPs ASAP. "We'll make sure kids can be entertained and put to bed," she said. "We're hiring a flock of babysitters. If anyone wants to stay over night, let us know - we shan't be there! And the pub has 4 or 5 rooms too."

The fitting-at-home-party was huge fun. It was a very warm day and the kids were told to change into swim wear, but not to go into the pool before they had been measured by Fred - a friend of Cathy and Jeff who worked in the Bridal Outfitters shop were Jennie and Cathy had found the wedding dress and the bride's maid dress.

"I can't have a man touching me everywhere!" Emily protested - she was just starting to have the first hints of a female shape. "No way!"

"Believe me honey; you have nothing to worry about. The boys might," Jeff laughed.

"Meaning what?" Ryan asked nervously.

"Meaning Fred prefers boys," Jeff said. "But he has promised to behave."

"He can measure Sean then," Ryan said. "We're identical, remember?"

"Don't worry - I'll go in with you," Jennie said.

"Like that would make it any better!" Sean exclaimed.

Fred behaved. He liked men, not boys. And he knew enough to only admire Jimmy.

The girls were easy too - a lot of giggling, but it was over quickly. Not so to the coming job. "You don't leave us much time Jennie Love," Fred said afterwards. "Beside Cathy's bride's maid dress - and your wedding dress - there are 7 flower girl dresses, pretty much all different - ranging from room for a nappy to room for a trainer-bra."

"Can you manage?" Jennie asked in concern.

"We will have to work overtime," Fred said.

"Then work overtime," George said. "Money is not an issue."

"We'll get it done Mr. Sanders," Fred said to George as he saw him out. "Don't worry. Working with dresses for girls like Jennie and Cathy is a joy. They are drop dead gorgeous from the outset - no need to work miracles, just enhance what's natural!"