This mother of the bride was about to receive a rude awakening from her fantasies of frills and fizz . . .
BY LYNDA FRANKLIN
When Danielle announced her engagement, Maria was delighted. She couldn’t wait to start the wedding ball rolling.
Danielle was her only daughter after two sons, so Maria was beyond excited at the prospect of visiting wedding fayres and bridal boutiques. She couldn’t wait to sit on a velvet chair, glass of sparkling wine in hand, watching Danielle float in and out in endless beautiful dresses.
There would be flowers to choose and table gifts to sort. A photographer to arrange and wedding cake to order.
And, of course, her very own mother of the bride outfit.
Danielle’s wedding was going to be a day she would always remember.
It was Easter time now. From the open back door, Maria could see a display of early colour in the garden. Scents of spring flowers drifted into the kitchen where she sat perched on a stool opposite Danielle.
“Spring would have been a nice time to get married,” she said, half to herself.
Danielle took a sip of tea and smiled.
“We’ve decided on a date at last.”
“Really?” A tremor of excitement ran through Maria. “So, when’s the big day?”
“May the twenty-fourth.”
“Your birthday – that’s a lovely idea.” She hesitated. “It doesn’t give us much time to make arrangements though, does it? Most wedding venues need months, sometimes years, of notice.”
Danielle shrugged.
“You can get a registry office appointment any time.”
“Registry office?” Maria felt her stomach roll.
“We don’t want a lot of fuss. We just want to get married. Jack’s mate Zac will be a witness. He’ll bring his girlfriend of course, so she can be the other one.”
Maria sat upright on her stool.
“What about your family? Me, your dad, your brothers, Nana and Grandpa?”
Danielle dunked a biscuit into her tea.
“It’s fine, Mum – we’ll have a party or something later. I don’t know when exactly, but we’ll sort a weekend out over the summer.
“We’ll have to see when everyone’s free, I guess. It can get tricky with holidays and stuff, can’t it?”
Maria didn’t know what to say.
Her mind was in total overdrive. Visions of dress shops and floaty bridal gowns were drifting through her brain and out the other side at speed. A picture of her niece Tara in a stunning bridesmaid dress was fading fast.
What w
