My take on John and Kayleigh attending Donna and Rick's Wedding.
Peter Kay's Car Share: A Christmas Surprise
Chapter 1
It was the day of Donna and Rick's wedding. 7 inches of snow had fallen in the North West between Christmas Day and today itself. Preparation for the big day was certainly going to throw up one of many challenges, thanks to the weather conditions. Getting to Abigail's Church before 2:30 for the guests was certainly going to prove very tricky, to say the least. The church and Haigh Lodge Hall were easy places to find. The hall was a proper massive building, it also happened to be a swanky hotel. John and Kayleigh weren't surprised that the couple's parents had forked out their money on having the reception there, in the indoor and outdoor facilities.
Three days earlier John had taken Kayleigh to his mam's house for Christmas Dinner. She and his Nana Rose got along with each other like a house on fire much to John's delight. Later in the evening, Kayleigh was left with the kids while John and Paul were playing Fifa 15 on Paul's PlayStation 4. Sophie had warmed to Kayleigh more than Ben did. The two talked about celebrities and hair/beauty. They realised they had a lot in common with each other. Sophie declared she wanted to become a hairdresser by the time she's 21, her. much to the amusement of her brother.
All in all, Kayleigh was a hit with John's family. His mum, Doreen liked her so much, that she pulled her son to one side by his wrist, asking him if he thought Kayleigh might finally be the one and when will he get down on one knee to propose her.
"John, I know you don't want to rush things, after what happened with Anna and Charlotte. I think Kayleigh is a lovely girl. Finding love during a car journey, how romantic You're crazy about her, aren't you?"
"I am. Everything's happened so fast between me and Kayleigh. Didn't get off to the best of starts. She spilt piss on me on our first Car Share together."
"Oh dear." Doreen chuckled. She placed her hand on John's shoulder. "Well, some relationship don't always start off great. Take me and your father. You know what the silly bugger did, he only went and asked my best friend Sheila at a rock and roll ball, didn't he?" Tears of laughter rolled down her cheeks while she reminisced. It was such a funny story to tell. John gave a "What were you bloody thinking, dad?" look upwards to the ceiling as if he was communicating with him.
"Anyway. I think there was always a spark there between me and Kayleigh. I suppose we were scared to act on our feelings when we thought we wouldn't be car sharing again."
"But you did what you thought was right, you followed your heart in the end. What I'm saying is John. I think it would be lovely if you proposed to her."
"What? Mum, we've only been together for three months. I can't. Not yet. I just need time to think things through, day by day, that's all. You know the funny thing is, she has been dropping me the hint that she's put a deposit on a wedding dress about three times since we' started courting."
'Courting, this word John had been taught by his father from the age of 16. After he caught his son trying to kiss the next door neighbours' daughter Dawn in the back entry. 'Girls, women deserve to be treated with courtesy and respect. Listen here. You have to ask a girl out on a date, not try and kiss her straight away. Then if she says yes. That's when you know you're courting.' John's father's old-fashioned advice had in a way, influenced his way of thinking throughout his mid 20's to early 40's.
"Well, there you go..." John's face dropped from being reasonably cheerful to being suddenly embarrassed. "I'm only joking. Your face is priceless. Listen, when you feel the time is right to propose to her, it's up to you. I promise I won't nag you again."
"You sure?" John double checked with her. He nearly had a slight panic attack when she insisted on him proposing to Kayleigh. Of course, he knew within the next few months or a year or two he will have to find the courage from somewhere, to get down on one knee and surprise her with his proposal.
"Me nagging you, John. I don't think there's any need for me to write my promise down on paper. I'm as sure as Simon Cowell on The X Factor when he gives the thumbs up to a contestant." Doreen had a hilarious, mischievous side to her, which she enjoyed showing off every time she had the family around for special occasions; birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas and New Year.
Once John and Kayleigh left his mum's house. She was curious to know what he and Doreen were chatting about, while she had been playing football with Ben and Paul in the back garden. She kept falling over embarrassingly on her arse in the snow whenever she tried to shoot at goal. Nana Rose even managed to laugh a couple of times as she watched on in her deckchair.
"Your Mum and Nana were lovely. So glad I met them today. Sophie said she liked my hair and she asked me why does it look so wavy at the bottom? Aww, bless her. Hope she does become a hairdresser. I think she'll be a brilliant stylist to the stars" Kayleigh was so happy with how well the day had gone, spending it with John's family.
"Yeah, I think so too. Our Paul didn't look too happy when she said about wanting to become a hairdresser." John remembers the look of surprise on his brother's face when his daughter announced her future ambitions.
"Well, he can't make the decision for her, can he? It's her choice to make when she grows up. John, can I ask you something?" Kayleigh got on well with Paul, who loved sharing one or two very funny stories with her about his brother. John had once got his arm wedged in a machine at the Blackpool amusement arcade while trying to retrieve a cuddly toy from a grabbing machine. The second story, John ended up stuck in a lift with Paul O'Grady while on a tour of the old Granada Studios.
"Yeah. Go on." John held his breath. His gut feeling told him, she will want to know what he and his mum were talking about. He couldn't blame her really, seeing as he'd left her in the lurch, after originally promising he would join her outside in the garden to play football.
"So, you and your mum, what were you two chatting about?" Kayleigh was curious to find out what nice words Doreen will have said about her.
"Oh, you know stuff about work. Have I given that horrible boss of mine, a piece of my mind yet." John smiled.
"Surprised she didn't call the Nob head all the names under the sun. Did she mention me? I could swear I felt my ears burning as if someone might have been talking about me when I was outside in your mum's garden." Kayleigh liked his mum and was hoping for him to reveal if she had received John's mum seal of approval.
"Well, mum said she liked you and she said she's glad to see me looking happier than ever." John half lied to her. He hated himself for doing so. She didn't deserve to be fobbed off especially by him.
"Nothing else?" Kayleigh wasn't sure whether to fully believe him or not. If he wasn't being completely honest with her, she knew pressuring him into revealing what Doreen said, wouldn't be the right thing to do. She was pretty sure John would tell her when he's good and ready.
"No..." John couldn't face telling Kayleigh not quite yet, over his mum trying to encourage him to propose to her It wasn't that he was afraid to open his mouth and let her guess the rest of what he was going to say. No, he thought if he did decide to pop the question, he had to go down the traditional way of pulling this off, by keeping quiet until when he finally chooses the perfect moment and perfect place to surprise her.
"Oh. Okay. Hey, do you mind if I cuddle up to you? because I'm bloody freezing here." Kayleigh shivered. Her winter coat wasn't warm enough for her. Having a cuddle with John hopefully should do the trick.
"What, while I'm driving? Christ, you do pick your moments, don't you?" John raised his voice unexpectedly, while still keeping his eyes clearly on the road ahead. She was bloody mad to suggest a possible a warm-me-up cuddle with him while he was supposed to be driving. Better to have one later when they're off the motorway, he thought.
The conditions he was driving the Fiat 500L in, were what could only be described as risky and dangerous.
"Uh yeah!" Kayleigh said, a little stunned by his snappy behaviour. Perhaps the cold weather was getting on top of him and he was feeling worn out from all the travelling he's had to do today. Travelling back and forth, up to almost an hour and 15 minutes. Bless him. 'He could certainly teach Our Mandy a thing or two about getting out the house instead of staying on her arse in it until New Year's Eve' she thought.
"Sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you. Course, you can cuddle me. Just promise me one thing. Don't squeeze the life out of me, will you? Because last time you ended up doing this, took me 3 hours to get the feeling back in the front of my neck and my back." John felt awkward and bad for raising his voice. He knew hadn't meant to react in the wrong way.
"Yeah, sorry about that." Kayleigh dipped her head, blushing and biting her lip nervously.
"Yes, so you should be. Come here then Miss Trouble Maker" John placed his arm around her shoulder and guided her towards him. The feeling of her nestling her head on his shoulder sent the warmest and fuzziest of feelings straight to his heart.
xxx
- 3 Days Later -
John now looking dapper in a tailored made grey suit was on the road again. Despite both their wedding invitations cards specifically indicating 'No Plus One'. John and Kayleigh still intended to go together. She would get lost if she tried to drive up there to the church on her own. Knowing Kayleigh she was likely to turn up at the wrong church.
- Forever FM was playing a ton of Christmas adverts, some of which were boring him to tears and making him want to switch to the Now That's What I Call Christmas CD, Kayleigh had given him as a Christmas present.-
He even had a top hat on the back seat. Kayleigh talked him into buying it but he didn't feel he should wear it in case he upstaged Rick. He was only a wedding guest, he wasn't the one getting married. Married. That word again, the word that he couldn't really forget in a hurry. Getting engaged after 3 months would feel like a bit of a whirlwind if he got round to proposing to her. John felt like he had now become a new man. Over the past few months, he had slowly bid farewell to the bashful and playing it safe side to him before welcoming this loving, open and thoughtful side to him.
The SatNav lady was misbehaving herself, much to John's annoyance. John's new car, a White Fiat 500L, came with hundreds of problems mainly the SatNav flicking itself on whenever it feels like. Even when he tried to give Kayleigh a goodnight kiss on Christmas Eve, the bloody nuisance decided to spoil their moment. Kayleigh found it rather hilarious.
"Please make a U-turn."
"I can't do a U-turn. I'm in the middle of the motorway, love. Honest to god." John placed his chin on the steering wheel for a few seconds, seeing as the traffic was moving slower by every minute.
"Prepare to make a right turn at the bottom of the road."
The car was finally edging nearer to the end of the junction, much to John's relief.
"Please make a right turn, carry straight on before then making a left turn."
"Can't have this today of all days." John quietly said to himself. He'd arranged to pick up Kayleigh at 11:30 that morning. Minutes later the White Fiat came off the A58 and was now heading through the town, Mandy's house was only a 5-minute drive away.
"You have reached your destination." The SatNav Lady happily announced.
"What? I don't think so, love. Listen. you're already on thin ice. No thanks to the other night. Picking your moment to tell me where my next destination was when I was trying to give Kayleigh a goodnight kiss. I've had it up to here with your shenanigans" John pointed out one or two mistakes the SatNav Lady had made.
The SatNav went quiet. "What's up? are you sulking now because I told you off?" John asked. No reply was given. John immediately assumed that was the end of that then. "Good. Glad we got that sorted then."
He put Forever FM back on after giving it a rest for 20 minutes. The station was playing Kayleigh's favourite song, All I Want For Christmas' as the White Fiat was pulling into Mandy's road. John pulled the car up right outside the gate. He was surprised they were still playing the song, three days after the big day.
"I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
And I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
Thereupon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas Day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas
Is you
You, baby"
He gave a beep of the car horn, to let her know he was waiting outside. Out of nowhere, he heard loud singing coming from one of the bedrooms. So he glanced up at Kayleigh's bedroom window and saw the novelty heart lamp glowing. He gave the car horn a second beep, it was then the blinds were opened, Kayleigh was standing there unveiling her V neck silk purple knee-length dress. Just looking at her in that eye-catching dress quite literally took John's breath away. He didn't allow his mind to drift off into a daydream sequence for too long.
Kayleigh came out of the house and gave a twirl on the pathway. John thought she could give Naomi Campbell a run for her money with modelling skills. He liked her cardigan she was wearing to cover her arms. John being the gentleman he is, opened the door for her and took her handbag which she had brought with him. It had her phone, lipstick and hairbrush in it.
"So what do you think, Jonathan? Like what you see?" She did a curtsy for his eyes only. Kayleigh was certainly in a very happy mood that morning.
"You look a million dollars, Kayleigh. Come on. Quick get in before some local Ted Two tries to woo you from me." John proudly gave his verdict and then advised her to get in the car before she caught the attention of some sexy single male neighbour, who might be watching them.
"As if they would. Besides I'm quite happy being in love with my boyfriend right now and having all his babies soon..." Kayleigh said with a very visible smirk. John had gotten used to her round-the-clock teasing about what she had planned for their future together.
"You best put that crystal ball of yours away Mystic Kayleigh. We've got a wedding to get ourselves to, remember." John reminded her, as she lifted the bottom part of her dress up upon getting into the car. She almost flashed herself in front of him, much to his shock which was then quickly replaced by amusement.
"Sorry. Did I just?" Kayleigh realises what she had done as soon as felt it bunched up on the seat. She therefore quickly put the hem of the dress back into place and then relaxed back in her seat, once she put her seatbelt on.
"Yes, you did, you nearly dropped a right clanger there" John confirmed. Keeping a straight face was a skill he knew very well he couldn't master. Within a matter of minutes, the white Fiat was driving down the long stretch of road, away from Mandy's house.
"John stop it. You'll set me off." Kayleigh was on the verge of laughing herself.
"I can't help it. It's you, who sets me off not me." He glanced over at her briefly before returning his attention to the road. "You really do look gorgeous in that dress you know." John really was blown away by how fabulous she looked.
"Thanks." Kayleigh dipped her head momentarily. She loved it every time he took an opportunity to compliment her.
"So which way do you reckon we should take to get to the church from here?" John knew Abigail's church was 40 minutes drive away from Bury. Parking was going to be a nightmare, so a minute walk was no doubt going to be required.
"Why don't you ask your No.1 fan? Shall we?" Kayleigh smiled knowingly.
"Eh? what you talking about?" John hadn't a clue who she meant.
"The SatNav Lady." She assumed John was being deliberately thick. She was impressed. He had definitely learnt a thing or two from her, in that department.
"No chance. She'll get us lost." John didn't want anything to do with listening to the SatNav's poor sense of direction.
"Worth a try." She gestured with her hands.
"No." John was adamant.
Kayleigh didn't feel she should say no more, so she changed the subject to what festive decorations Rick and Donna will have decided on for their wedding.
"Elsie said..." Elsie a name who always struck a fear in John's thoughts, every time her name was unfortunately mentioned. "Donna wants the decorations at the church to be like something out of a Hollywood movie. Oh god, I hope Rick doesn't start giving a speech at the reception about how he and Donna got together. Everyone will be looking at me, probably thinking 'such a shame you never went out with Rick, Kayleigh. He's such a nice guy Urgh.'
"He's not a nice guy. He's a bit weird if you ask me." John never liked Rick. This was a well-known fact. He hadn't liked what Kayleigh told him about once Rick trying to go with her first, slapping her arse before he moved onto Donna.
"I know, tell me about it. I'd rather talk to Donna more than him." Kayleigh liked having chats with Donna during lunch breaks when Rick was busy working and couldn't find the time to hang around with her.
"Me too." John nodded his head in complete agreement.
"Thank god he's not getting married in that crap Mrs Brown costume." Kayleigh giggled. She remembers how she and John both thought at the Summer work do a few months ago, that Rick looked ridiculous/nothing like the character in it.
"Don't let him or Donna hear you say that." John didn't want to see her landing herself in trouble with the happy couple.
"I don't care if the both of them hears me. I'm speaking the truth. You thought the same as me if I remember correctly on that night" Kayleigh strangely had a good memory of that evening despite spending most of the night of the party, having to listen to Elsie slagging off her cheating husband which resulted in her getting drunk...fluffy drunk.
"Aye, I did. Surprised you remember. You were...what were you...leathered? Steaming? No...you were funny drunk that's it!" It was John's turn to wind her up and boy did he rise to the occasion.
"Cheeky fish. I was fluffy drunk" Kayleigh gave him a playful punch on the shoulder.
"So you're denying what you said that night?" The punch on the arm didn't put John off from asking one last question.
"Course, I am. Since when did you become Sherlock Holmes?" Kayleigh giggled. John was becoming too cheeky for his own good.
The snow fell lightly through the air, not as heavy as it had done three days earlier. The worst of the weather was beginning to ease off and was now making travel on the road trouble-free and safer. Kayleigh couldn't wait to dance with John at the reception. Come to think of it, she couldn't wait to hear what unpredictable song Rick and Donna had chosen for their first dance.
"What song do you think they've chosen for their first dance?" Might the song be an improvement on Wrecking Ball or a poor choice? Kayleigh couldn't help but wonder.
"Well, I've heard a rumour they both like One Direction songs." John suggested. He'd heard a lot of light-hearted rumours about the staff, some you could piss yourself laughing at once you've heard it or some which made you think 'hang on that's something that would happen to me.'
"It'll be Whatever Makes You Beautiful knowing them two. " Kayleigh said without thinking.
"Ooh get you. Don't tell me you're a fan of One Direction." John was impressed with her quickness when it came to making a random guess. She was getting too good at this.
"Me, a fan of One Direction. Please tell me you're joking Jonathan?" The fake outrage on Kayleigh's face said it all. The band's music wasn't her favourite style of music.
"Oh sorry, I must apologize for my mistake. I thought you were." John knew she didn't like their songs. She liked better songs than One Direction's.
xxx
The time was now 1:15 pm. What should have been a 30-minute journey had turned into an hour and 45 minutes journey. There had been an accident on the junction and cars were now being diverted off the road, meaning John had to find a new route to get to the church. The only other route he knew, would take a 15-minute drive from where they currently were. He had to drive through the Lancashire countryside. John put his foot down once the car was out of sight, away from the motorway.
Kayleigh gazed over at John, with a tight-lipped smile. She was seeing a whole new side to him. "I hope we get to see some horses. I mean it would be nice to get a photo with one in the background."
"Kayleigh we've got no time to take a selfie with a horse! We've got a bloody wedding to get to"
"Alright Ok. Maybe we could get one on the way back tomorrow. I mean we've booked a room for the night, haven't we." Kayleigh winked her eye at him in a suggestive manner.
"So we have. Nice hotel it is." John responded. Since the beginning of December, he hadn't felt as nervous or uncomfortable about them taking their relationship to the next stage. He had a few moments at work, where he fantasized about Kayleigh in swimwear on holiday. Dave Thompson wasn't best pleased and dismayed when he had learnt about John dating a one of the Promotions Rep and how it happened to be Kayleigh Kitson of all people.
"It is. Have you thought about maybe the two of us taking our relationship to the next level? I know I want to but I know you've been giving me mixed signals. I just want to know what your thoughts are." She was unsure what he must be thinking, so she needed to find out if John was ready or not to take their relationship further.
"All the time. That time I came over to yours three weeks. Thought you might have worked out then, why I was desperate to take you upstairs because I was...gagging for it wasn't I. But Steve wouldn't leave us alone would he? Sort of ruined my chance there didn't he?"
"This time it'll be different. No Steve. No one phoning or texting you or me. John, I want tonight to be about me and you more than us attending Rick and Donna's wedding reception"
Kayleigh wanted tonight to be special. She loved John but the thought of them having never slept with each other, worried her.
"Kayleigh, I'm not fobbing you off if that's what you think. Look, I'm ready if you're ready." John announced.
"What right now here in the car?" Kayleigh placed her hand on her chest, her mouth agape.
"No! not right here in the car." John looked at her like he couldn't believe what he'd just heard her say. She was gagging for it more than him.
"Sorry I thought you meant we could do a warm up in the car before we...you know...have sex later tonight." She whispers, half concealing her mouth with her hand.
"Kayleigh. That would be classed as...I can't believe I'm saying this...Dogging." John didn't like having to bring up that word after a previous encounter which he and Kayleigh had with a dogger, who they'd mistakenly believed was a dog walker.
"Urgh! Eww! Dogging. Oh god, wish I hadn't suggested it now." That word was nauseating enough to hear than actually attempting to imagine what kind of activities, doggers got up to with each other.
The White Fiat was now passing by cottages and village shops, one of the shops' was aptly named Fellaini's hairdressers. John soon caught a glimpse of a street sign for the church, which indicated the church may be a mile or two away. The car started slowing down and indicating it was running low on diesel.
"John, did you forget to fill the car up with Petrol?" Kayleigh asked. She slipped up again, confusing petrol and diesel for the 100th time. No surprise there.
"Diesel."
"Diesel."
"Not filled the car up since the 23rd."
"Oh, no wonder then. What are we going to do now? Walk?" The only option was left to walk it, seeing as there was no buses or taxis anywhere around.
"Bollocks to walking in this weather. We'll manage it." They weren't far from the church, surely the car won't give up on going that extra mile.
- Minutes later -
The White Fiat had come to an eventual stop outside a French restaurant 'La Bastardes'. "Well, that's it then. We're both gonna have to get out and try and push the car along the street." John was forced to change his mind.
"What? Not in this dress I'm not, Jonathan!" It was Kayleigh's turn to be annoyed, for a change.
"We don't want to be late, do we?" John tried to persuade her with helping to push the car along the road. The place looked extremely quiet and there was no hardly any other cars passing through the village. "I can't manage it on my own, can I?"
A minute later; Kayleigh had reluctantly agreed to help John and was now giving the car one or two pushes every 30 seconds. John and Kayleigh were doing well with getting it along the road, despite her wanting to have a rest for half a minute. It was when they saw the church up ahead, John decided to do a big massive push of the car which then backfired spectacularly. John ended up missing it, he fell sideways on the grass verge and his arm landed in a slushy part of the grass. The sleeve of his suit was now wet and his upper jacket pocket was covered in mud.
"Oh My God! John! John! Are you okay?" Kayleigh went to check on him, little realising the car behind her was slowly rolling back. John knew straight away, he'd forgotten to put the brakes on the car.
"Never mind asking me if I'm okay. Quick stop my car it's rolling back down the street!" John shouted. An instruction she quickly followed. She couldn't run in her heels, so she struggled to keep up with it. Because of the panic on her face, her hair soon fell out of place and looked a bit wild. The car eventually ended up in the car park of the local village pub. Thankfully there was no damage to it, not even a scratch.
Kayleigh spoke to the manager of the pub and told him who the car belonged. She had asked him to make sure it wasn't removed by anyone.
Kayleigh then returned to John with the news, that his car was safe. He'd managed to get to his feet without the need of any help. Kayleigh noticed how his hair now looked sexy and ruffled.
"Christ, look at the state of you. You look like you've had a catfight with Rachel." John chuckled to himself. Her hair looked a right state. Her dress looked very creased.
"What?" Kayleigh placed her hands on her hips. Still managed to look divine in her dress despite her now wild appearance. She didn't like Rachel's name being mentioned.
"I'm joking." The two of them burst into tears of laughter temporarily as they began to walk up the road together. Kayleigh linked her left arm with his.
"You better had be. Anyway never mind how I look. Look at the state of you John." She had to point out his current appearance as well.
"I know. I don't think I look too bad. Not bad as the time I fell over on my arm and had to wear a Peppa Pissin Pig arm sling." John had always considered that day in early July to be the most embarrassing day of all for him.
Kayleigh laughed softly and leaned in to give him a gentle kiss on the cheek when they got to the gates of Abigail's church.
"What's that for?" John asked. He was touched by her latest affection for him.
"For you being an amazing boyfriend to me." Kayleigh smiled.
They entered the church to find the wedding had already begun. Rick and Donna were there at the altar and everybody had taken their attention from the happy couple to John and Kayleigh.
End of Chapter
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