Tasha and Owen are not having bridesmaids at their wedding, which I won’t lie is kind of a relief as I like to choose my own clothes, although I would have gone along with whatever she chose for my bridesmaid’s outfit, of course, as it is her special day.
Instead, I am to be her maid of honour, but as all preparations are in hand, I don’t have the traditional role of actually arranging anything.
‘So, you kind of don’t have to do anything, other than sip champagne with me and keep me calm while I get ready,’ she had told me when we chatted.
Tasha’s mum passed away a year ago, and I know she will miss her presence, but luckily she has a close relationship with her dad. I’ve let her know that my friend Lulu will be my plus-one, and I just can’t wait as I know the wedding will be a lot of fun.
I check my socials and the upload from the café has thousands of likes and people commenting that they didn’t even know the place existed, which is really good and makes me feel like a real influencer. Last week, I reviewed a new Italian restaurant in town after being invited there. Two courses and a bottle of wine for free in exchange for a review.
I’m really excited that just recently restaurant freebies are starting to come my way as I enjoy dining out.
There’s a new cocktail bar opening in town next month, and I would love to get my hands on an invitation for the opening night. Especially as it’s rumoured that a hot dancer from a well-known Saturday evening show who has recently become single will be doing the opening. He’s not currently on the dance show, but is now carving out a career as a presenter and frequently pops up on reality shows.
I’m putting the finishing touches to my packing, when Lulu calls.
‘Hi, honey, just wondering do you have any mosquito spray?’ she asks. ‘I’ve been in work this morning and don’t have time to nip out and get any now as I want to give the house a good going over. I think I might need a mask and a hazmat suit to enter Tom’s bedroom though.’
‘I have indeed,’ I reassure her. ‘And don’t you think Tom is getting a bit old for the slobbish teenager routine?’ I can’t help asking as he is almost twenty years old.
‘I know, but he’s been a bit stressed lately. Not only has his girlfriend recently dumped him, but he isn’t really enjoying his uni course.’ She sighs.
I resist saying that I hope he tidied his bedroom before his girlfriend came around, also that he needs to grow up a bit and treat his mum with a bit of respect.
‘Anyway, it will make me feel better if the place is all clean before I go away. Clean sheets on the bed ready to flop into after I return from a late flight.’ She laughs.
‘I agree with you about the clean bedding,’ I tell her, thinking of how I like to do the same thing.
‘Right I had better get on,’ says Lulu. ‘See you Friday, text me when you get to Santorini on Thursday.’
‘Will do. It can’t come quick enough,’ I tell my friend, hoping that she can switch off and enjoy a well-earned break from everything. No one deserves it more.
SIX
Sipping a caramel latte at a Starbucks in the airport, I feel a tinge of excitement at the thought of soon being on the most photographed island in Greece. I can hardly wait to share it all with my followers.
Lulu is joining me tomorrow, so I’m travelling alone, although I am so looking forward to seeing her when she arrives and we can stretch out on a sunbed and really catch up before the wedding.
Checking through my socials, I see a guy has told me to ‘sort my eyebrows out’ which is unusual for a bloke to make such a comment. Not that any of that bothers me. I learned early on that if you want to make a career out of social media, then you must learn to ignore such remarks and grow a thick skin. If you can’t, then as unfair as it is, you are maybe not cut out for it. We seem to live in a world where some people like to drag others down. At least from behind a keyboard.
Interestingly, there is no photo of the guy, who I politely thank for his comment and tell him I hope his inner trauma heals. (BTW my eyebrows are just fine. Not too thick and perfectly tinted. At least I think so. My gran would certainly have told me otherwise.)
‘If you put yourself out there, then you are going to attract the opinions of a lot of people, some good some bad,’ my gran told me the first time someone made a nasty comment. ‘But as they are not the ones living your life or paying your bills, well stuff them,’ she said, or maybe something a little less polite.
Sage advice indeed.
Checking my flight, I can see that it is on time, and soon enough I am climbing the stairs of the plane, before taking a selfie, wearing a straw fedora and sunglasses, even though it’s cloudy and overcast.
I find myself seated next to a couple around my age, who smile, the woman engaging me in chit-chat for a few minutes before we take off. The bloke seems to be staring at me and I smile politely. After a few minutes, he asks me a question.
‘Excuse me, but are you Mia from TikTok?’
OMG, am I being recognised?
‘Yes.’ I smile. Hardly able to believe that someone actually knows who I am.
‘I thought it was, I love your travel videos.’ He beams. ‘Montenegro looks cool, I like the look of that climb up the Ladder of Kotor.’
‘Thanks, oh that was fun, but maybe not in the height of summer. The scenery was stunning at the top though,’ I tell him, recalling the beautiful forest all around.
