‘It’s not fine. You look like the girl at the party nobody asked to dance, reading a book in the corner and trying to pretend she doesn’t care.’ He squinted at me, the storm clouds in his irises dissipating. ‘You weren’t that girl, were you?’
‘I didn’t go to many parties.’
‘Well, I went to a few. And I could never leave her sitting there. Even if I did get grief for it later.’
‘Grief? From who?’ I asked.
‘From my mates, who couldn’t believe I always asked the least popular girl to dance. From the girls, one of whom developed a terrifying obsession with me. From Jennifer Jones, who I actually wanted to dance with.’ He shook his head, sorrowfully. ‘She wouldn’t look at me because I chose another girl over her.’
‘So you were always this noble, even in your wilder days? Rescuing the damsels in distress?’
‘I was. I can’t help myself. Ask me the first question.’
Rattled by his presence, I gabbled out the question without thinking. ‘What are the three things you love most about your partner?’ A rush of prickly heat engulfed my neck and chest.
Dylan didn’t pause. ‘You’re incredibly brave. And make a mean turkey pie at a moment’s notice. You’re the kind of inside and out beautiful that makes men want to forget everything that matters and go on some crazy quest to conquer the world, just to lay it at your feet.’
Oh my. I gaped at him, utterly undone.
He smiled and shrugged, resting his chin on folded arms, still on the back of the chair. For a moment, I had a sudden fantasy this might be real – that I was here on the marriage course with Dylan, preparing to spend the rest of my life with him – kind and gallant, and who rescued lonely, unloved girls who didn’t feel beautiful.
‘Your turn.’
I tried to get the cogs in my brain turning again. ‘The three things I love most about you?’
He raised one eyebrow at me and said nothing, but I caught the faint flush of pink rise up his cheeks.
‘Perry! Of course, Perry. The things I love about Perry. My fiancé. I knew that. You were answering as Perry. I knew that. Obviously. Perry. Right. What was the question again?’
Rescued lonely girls, even though he didn’t really want to dance with them. Get a grip, Faith.
‘That’s it! What do I love most about Perry? Well. I love that Perry, um, likes to take care of me…’
Dylan narrowed his eyes. He was right. I didn’t especially like being taken care of.
‘And he makes me laugh. And, well, if I’m honest, I don’t know what I’d do without him. Does that count?’
‘I wouldn’t know.’ Dylan stood up so fast, he had to grab the chair to stop it tipping over. He shook his head, lowering his voice so I could barely catch it. ‘You were right. This was a stupid idea.’
He strode over to Gavin and Zoe, smiling at them and saying something too quiet for me to hear. After nodding at the clock on the wall, Zoe clapped her hands to regain our attention and we moved on.
After a brief talk from Dylan, and a short Q&A session, Dylan made a hasty exit, and Zoe and Gavin closed the marriage course by giving out gifts to each of the couples, and me, then praying for us. Their prayer for me included requests regarding Perry’s work-life balance, valuing our commitments to one another, and making wise decisions. Gavin then asked God to make sure Perry turned up on time for the wedding. Everybody laughed, so I guess he meant it as a joke, but I’d never heard anyone make a joke prayer before. I couldn’t wait to get out of there. Those prayers about lifelong commitments, giving ourselves to each other, being devoted and loving each other more and more every year, and becoming as one. Really? I mean, really? I didn’t know a single couple like that. Except for Zoe and Gavin, who were now gazing at each other as they reminisced about their forty-odd years as one.
Class dismissed, the others giggled and smooched their way into the night, while I stayed behind and helped stack chairs andwash mugs. Relieved the mortification was over, I still felt sorry to leave. I liked Zoe and Gavin. I liked coming to Grace Chapel’s easy peace the first Tuesday of every month.
I did not like waiting half an hour after the class had finished for Perry to pick me up.
Not wanting to seem like a nag, or as if I suspected I’d been forgotten by my husband to be, and definitely not wanting to be the first to call after Perry had hung up on me, I loitered for another fifteen minutes until Zoe and Gavin were packed up, coats on and ready to leave.
‘Have you rung him, checked he’s on his way?’ Zoe asked.
‘It’s fine, he’ll be here in a few minutes. You go. I’ll wait in the car park.’
‘You can’t do that! It’s bucketing down. We’d give you a lift, but we don’t have a car.’
Zoe and Gavin laughed as one.
‘It’s okay. I don’t mind the rain.’
