Behind Every Cloud by Pauline Lawless Page B

service , the music , the vows , the photographer , the cars . . . it went on and on. She had never imagined that there would be so much to do.
    Very important, of course, was her dress and all the paraphernalia that went with it : flowers – again! – shoes , veil , headdress. The make-up , fake tan , nails and hairdresser would not be a problem – Chloe and Keisha would take care of all that. She had asked them to be her bridesmaids along with her sister Sandrine . Then there was all of the above for them and the flower-girl and her mother too, of course. It was overwhelming .
    She ’ d have to decide on her hen weekend too and last but not least the honeymoon. She was thinking of either Mauritius or Cuba. She ’ d never realised that weddings were so much work. No wonder people hired wedding-planners! Well, it would already be expensive enough without having to pay one of those. No matter, Ellie wanted to plan her own wedding and it would be just perfect. David would take care of himself and his best man and groomsmen. She sighed. She understood now why people s aid that it was a very stressful time. Still, it would be worth it in the end.

    Friday nights were not the same any more and Ellie was annoyed with her two friends, Chloe and Keisha. They had started going steady lately with two brothers who now tagged along to the disco every Friday night with them. Ellie felt like a gooseberry and this Friday night was even worse than usual. While her friends smooched on the dance floor she was left fending off numerous drunks who wanted her to dance.
    “ Dance, huh! ” she snorted to the girls when they joined her again. “ More like a free feel is what they ’ re after. ” She was having a miserable time. She hadn ’ t pulled out of their Fridays when she ’ d met David, not even when she ’ d become engaged. Now it was no fun any more with the two boys hogging her friends ’ attention. She had no intenti o n of getting up to dance with the four of them.
    She decided to leave. She went into the hallway and had just called a taxi when she felt a tap on her arm and a masculine voice say, “ Hello there. ”
    She turned around , scowling , to see who was annoying her now , about to snap his head off. Her eyes opened wide with surprise when she saw it was Sam . She saw the cheeky grin as he threw back his head and laughed.
    “ Sam! What are you doing here? ” she asked.
    “ About to have my head bitten off, I gather, by the look on your face. ”
    “ Sorry, ” she said sheepishly. “ I ’ ve been pestered by drunks all night and I can ’ t stand it a minute longer. I ’ m just waiting for my taxi .”
    “ And where ’ s Sir Galahad – your fiancé, I mean? Is he not protecting you? ”
    “ Oh no, it ’ s not David ’ s kind of thing. ” She gave a little laugh , shaking her head at the idea. “ I come here with the girls every Friday but now they ’ ve met two guys and I feel like a right gooseberry. ”
    “ Poor Ellie, ” he said , trying to suppress a smile. She looked so forlorn and fed-up.
    “ What about you? I wouldn ’ t have thought this was your scene either. ”
    “ It ’ s not. I was dragged here by some friends. ” He made a face. “ Wish I could leave now too, to be honest wit h you. ”
    She could see every girl who passed eyeing him and trying to catch his attention. Just then Chloe and Keisha came into the hallway, on their way to the ladies ’.
    “ Hey, Ellie, we ’ ve been looking for you !” Chloe cried, looking Sam up and down.
    “ Fine, well , I ’ ll see you Monday, Sam, ” Ellie said.
    “ See you !” Sam said , giving a little wave to all three girls and grinning broadly. He knew Ellie would be in for the third degree from the inquisitive looks on her friends ’ faces.
    “ Yummy . . . wouldn ’ t charge him a penny, ” Chloe drawled as Sam started to walk away, winking as he looked over his shoulder at them .
    “ Hey, who ’ s the gorgeous hunk? ”