Damaged Goods by Diane McNab - HTML preview

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

ZAC & ALEX'S WEDDING

The Wedding Day arrived.

Jane got dressed hoping she had made the right decision. The dress she was wearing was almost in a flapper style but she had felt it was appropriate for the occasion.

She knocked on Alex's door expecting to find him in a state of nerves but was happy to find him calm, cool and collected.

“My God you look drop dead gorgeous” said Alex giving her a big hug.

“I so return the compliment” replied Jane.

“Well it's on for young and old in about twenty minutes. Would you care for a champagne?” asked Alex.

“Don't mind if I do.”

They clinked their glasses together with cheesy grins on their faces.

“Without getting too maudlin on my Wedding Day I just want to thank you Jane for having the guts to walk in to Zac's life. I know it couldn't have been easy for you finding out your Father had another family for years. Personally I don't know if I had found out something like that whether I would have had the strength and fortitude to delve deeper in to the past. It took a lot of resilience on your part to reach out to your Brother.”

“Zac had told me he had always wanted a sibling. Not that he didn't have a wonderful upbringing. God knows Summer and Madge made sure of that. But perhaps he felt that there had always been a piece of the puzzle missing in his jigsaw of life and you made it easy for him to find it” said Alex sincerely.

“Don't make me cry you big lug” said Jane tearing up.

“Okay!” said Alex wiping a tear away from his own eye “Let's get Louie in to his tuxedo. We have approximately ten minutes until show time and I reckon we are going to need all the time we can get as he fidgets something terrible.”

The two of them walked up to the alter, Alex carrying Louie in a steadfast grip. Standing at the alter Alex handed Louie to Jane as if handing flowers to a Bridesmaid. When Zac arrived on his Mother's arm Louie took a huge leap out of Jane's arms and raced up to him, putting on such a performance everyone fell about laughing.

The words Zac and Alex shared were sincere and beautiful. Summer, Jane and Madge watched on with their arms intertwined. Jane could not imagine a more perfect day.

Zac and Alex went to the Maldives for their Honeymoon both coming back sporting a golden tan and smiles on their faces.

They had entrusted Louie in to the care of Summer while they were away. After being picked up from the airport they were looking forward to seeing him.

“Geeze Mum, Louie has got fat!” said Zac.

Before Summer could speak Madge said “Hush your mouth, the dog has ears, no need to offend him.”

With that both men zipped their mouths and picked up their precious larger little bundle and smothered him with kisses. Louie was having no bar of it, jumping out of their arms and running to Summer's side.

“What on earth has got in to him?” asked Zac.

“Probably felt you had abandoned him. Even a dog doesn't like the feeling of abandonment” said Summer regretting the words as soon as they had left her mouth.

“Oh fiddle faddle” said Madge “give him a day and he will be right as rain”.

Jane invited the newlyweds over to her place for dinner and of course included Summer and Madge.

Talking to Zac on the phone she asked if it was ok she invite her Personal Assistant Michael. “I guess you could say he is a big part of my life and I would like you and everyone to meet him.”

“Hey Sis, it's your place, invite who you want. I am just looking forward to seeing your home, I imagine that it is divine and wow, location, location,”

After ending the call Jane looked around her home and saw it with new eyes. She recognised there were no personal touches in any of the rooms. “Jesus it looks like someone has just moved in” thought Jane. Yes the art work with lights highlighting them were beautiful but the whole place lacked warmth.

She had bought the home shortly after her Father's demise and it was sacrosanct to her. The only people who had visited apart from Michael was her cleaner and gardener/pool man.

Jane had in the past several years taken lovers but not one of them had ever been invited to her home. She never told them where she lived or handed out her direct number, only Michael had access to that. If a man she was enjoying a fling with started getting all gooey eyed she would say goodbye, never looking back.

Now however Zac, Summer, Alex and Madge had her direct number and they were all coming to visit her in two nights time. The whole idea of that made her feel excited and apprehensive at the same time.

The next day Jane went in to panic mode and rang Madge. “Help me Madge. I have invited all of you for dinner and I have no idea what to make. I mean I don't actually cook and I don't want to disappoint anyone!”

Madge's answer was curt and to the point “We are all coming over to see you no matter what you put on the table. How about you get take in and then you can relax?”

“I don't know, that just doesn't seem right, what was I thinking?” said Jane.

“Okay I hear what you are saying.” said Madge. “Now do you have a barbeque with a grill?”

“Yes, I do, but Jesus Madge I have never used it.”

“Well now is the time to learn” Madge declared. “Grab a pen and paper and I will give you a list of what you need to get. I will come over two hours earlier than everyone and will walk you through the process that way you can honestly say you did it all by yourself,”

“You are a God send Madge.”

“Second time you have called me that and I don't mind hearing it” laughed Madge.

Jane was in the middle of the preparation of the meal, with Madge talking to her as if she was a drill Sergeant, when Michael arrived. He was holding a cheese basket which had obviously been delivered to the magazine.

“You cheeky bugger” declared Jane.

“Didn't want to arrive empty handed” Michael answered nonchalantly.

“So you are Madge” Michael said kissing her firmly on both cheeks. “I hear you are a Saint.”

“A God send and now a Saint, be still my beating heart” laughed Madge.

They all sat down to dinner with Zac saying “That was delicious Sis and I thought you couldn't cook.”

“Well to be honest I couldn't have done it without Madge. She told me how to chop, stir and time everything, saying the end result would be my doing and mine alone.”

“Oh God” said Summer “Madge took you through the art of cooking, you poor thing. That only happened between me and her once and that was enough for me.”

“Well you weren't a receptive student unlike others I am happy to be acquainted with” said Madge a little stiffly.

Summer laughed and said “Don't get your knickers in a knot Madge. I am only joshing you. The kitchen is your domain. I just thank God after the first experience you were happy to leave things the way they were.”

“Well nice to know that's settled” said Michael. “I have brought a cheese platter which I can dish up on my own.

“Don't push your luck Michael” said Jane.