THE CANCELLED APPOINTMENT

She was as jumpy as hell. Having had to wait at the salon, everything was now half an hour behind. She clipped across the parkey flooring glancing at the answerphone as she headed for the bedroom. There were two messages she’d need to check. She had an hour and forty to dress and makeup, do-able except for all the help she was getting which was bound to slow her down.
Just ten minutes behind schedule and the whole team of them bustled out to the waiting cars. Traffic permitting the delay was fully acceptable.

Later that day her hardened face looked again at the answerphone. Those two messages. Unread. She pressed play. The first was her step father wishing luck from Mozambique. The second was Carl. Her chest tightened:
“Hello Bella my love how are you? You doing okay? All nerves? Look, well of course, I’m ‘all nerves’ too. I mean, well you know. Sorry about this my love, I know I’m not supposed to see you today till the big moment and I guess you’re at the hairdressers but I know you’ll get this before hand. I know I shouldn’t speak to you on the big day. It’s bad luck and all that but, well you see, well I’m in Guernsey with my brother. I know what you’re going to say: “What the fuck are you doing in Guernsey you little shit?” And yes it’s true Jason was here, I mean there, I mean in London yesterday with me on our stag night and everything. I know I told you he wasn’t coming but he just bowled up. And then we all got drunk and we ended up moving the party from La Barca to the night train along with Trev and Jilly. I know what your going to say: “Not that bitch?” Right? But we just bumped into each other at Trevor’s house by chance, as she’s staying there and you know and then I got all panicked like I do and she said that you…”
There was a brief pause.
“Well never mind that. I mean. Oh no. Can I delete this message and start again? How do I do that? Shit!” There were a couple of beeping sounds as he punched the hash and star buttons, then lower tones as he tried one and two. “Bollocks.” He said under his breath but clearly audible from the little white box.
“What I mean is that it got late. Well not that late, as we got the last train, but… You know: We started early and the last thing I wanted was just to have you standing at the church and have no one turn up. Especially me. I mean, not no one, just not me…
“Not me turn up and the best man and Jilly. Well not her, because you wouldn’t let me invite her, didn’t you. You said “No old flames,” so no old flames it was, even though somehow both Bill and Stewart wheedled their way onto the guest list. I’ll be honest, if Jilly had turned out to be a dyke I can’t see you having allowed her along, but it was all different with Stewart and his big gay kisses and cuddles and as for Bill. I mean what’s that all about Bella? When was he ever a photographer? No way did he have to do the photos. I mean, he’s shit and my dad’s a pro. What’s wrong with my dad for fuck sake. He wanted to do it. No. Had to be hunky Bill. Bella. Anyhow, that’s not the point. I’m too far away and me and Jilly…”
She flung her forefinger out and stabbed at the delete. “Bleeep,” said the machine. One bleat sounding much like the other. She stood in the middle of her hallway dressed like a complete fucking fool and started to think about all the other ways she could have blown sixteen grand.