The Accidental Wedding
The summer was sweltering, and Lillian wandered about her flat in her swimsuit. Why should she care? She lived alone, after all, and if she fancied walking about undressed, well, who was to stop her? Besides, her long-awaited holiday had finally arrived, and if her two best mates managed to wangle a week off from their boss, theyd all dash straight to the seaside.
One morning, Lillian stepped into the kitchen to put the kettle on when she suddenly felt eyes on her. She glanced across the narrow gapno more than twenty yardsto the flat opposite and spotted a middle-aged man watching her intently from his balcony. Though not entirely bare, she instinctively grabbed a tea towel to cover herself. From that day on, the stranger seemed to track her every move. So much for her carefree daysnow she had to wrap herself in a dressing gown in that stifling heat, her kitchen lacking even a fan.
One afternoon, she stepped outside and looked up to the fifth floor of the neighbouring building. There he was, right where she expected. She waved him down. He pointed at himself*Me?* She nodded. Who else?
He appeared swiftlya portly fellow with curly hair, though a shiny bald patch crowned his head.
*Good Lord*, she thought. *Hes even worse up close.*
“Afternoon,” he said, dipping his head slightly with a sheepish grin.
“Hello,” she replied. “Whyve you been staring at me?”
“Already on first-name terms?” He floundered, caught off guard.
“After seeing me in my swimsuit, youve no choice but to marry me.”
“Dont mind if I do,” he answered easily.
“When shall we file the papers, then?” she teased.
“How about now? Got my passport right here.” He patted the pocket of his waistcoat and studied her. Lillian peered into her handbag.
“Mines here too.”
“Off we go, then?”
“Off we go,” she shrugged, as if it were nothing.
*What on earth am I doing?* she wondered in the cab, but she didnt turn back. They signed the papers at the registry office, only learning each others names thenhe was Geoffrey. Geoffrey Whitmore.
“Where to next?” he asked. “Shame my cars in the garage, but I hadnt exactly planned”
“Nowhere. Home. And dont look at me like thatno courting period. After the vows, its straight into proper married life.”
“Have you lost your mind?” her friends shrieked when she told them the wedding was set for a month later. “You must be daft!”
“Oh, come off it. We can always withdraw the paperwork.”
“Think about *him*! Hell be heartbroken.”
“Not my problem. Shouldnt gawk at strange women.”
“Youre single, not strange. Lil, you dont even love him.”
“And what good did love do for you?”
“Now I despise him.”
“Precisely. I dont love him now, but who knows? Maybe I wont be able to live without him later.”
Geoffrey kept watching his future wife, baffled by her odd behaviourthough he was hardly better. Who was she, really? Yet here he was, ready to follow her anywhere. All because she was beautiful. He also noticed Lillian avoided the kitchen now, aware of his peeping. So he hid behind the curtains, but still, he watched. And his patience paid off.
One day, he spotted her lugging an enormous suitcase, disappearing round the corner in a hurry.
*Thats why she wont let me nearone last fling before the wedding. Well, lets see if shes worth marrying after all.*
He threw on some clothes, stuffed a wad of notes into his trouser pocketno time to packand raced to the airport. He spotted her almost instantly, standing with her two friends before boarding a flight to Brighton. Geoffrey booked a ticket for the same destination, though his flight left hours later.
*What am I even doing here?* he mused, sitting on the pebbled shore. *Brightons packedhow will I ever find her?*
Then, like a stroke of luck, he glimpsed a familiar swimsuit. Lillian.
The girls were lounging on the beach, sipping white wine, utterly unsuspecting. Lillian hadnt a clue her fiancé knew where she was.
He checked into the same hotel she and her friends were staying at, observing unnoticed. No suitors in sightjust her, letting loose. Still, he was pleased.
Then, one day, they collided on the street. Lillian, ever the one to strike first, snapped,
“So this is how you prepare for a wedding? Lounging about the beach?”
“And youre here on business, are you?”
“I didnt see you around, so I thought Id sneak off for a break.”
“I saw you bolting with that suitcase and chased after you.”
“Pfft. Youre *following* me?”
“Hardly. Just having a pre-wedding holiday.”
“Same. You married before?”
“Aye.”
“Kids?”
“None. You?”
“Divorced. No children either. Marrying me to spite someone? You didnt even argue.”
“Not spite. But given my looks, you must be doing this to spite someone yourself.”
“Not at all.”
“Then why?”
“Tired of italways expected to chase after handsome chaps, athletes. Thought Id try something different with an ordinary bloke.”
“A crane operator.”
“Aye, a crane operator. Speaking ofhows the crane managing without you?”
“Retired.”
“*What?*”
“Worked in a steel mill. Retired at forty-five.”
“Thank heavens. I thought Im only thirty-eight, you know.”
“Lillian, youll never regret marrying an ordinary crane operator.”
“Hope not.”
Ten years later
“Remember how we met?” Lillian murmured, nestling against her husband.
“Like it was yesterday,” Geoffrey chuckled.
“Hush, youll wake the boys.”
“I promised you wouldnt regret it. Ever forget to askdid I keep my word?”
“More than kept it. My friends are green with envy.”
“What can you do? Theyre still looking for love”
“As they should. Were not exactly the usual sort, are we?”
“Doesnt matter. So long as were happy. Thats what counts.”
