Chapter 25

"Well, I guess that was an omen that it shouldn't be a white dress," Stevie said, as Mike inserted the key into the door and turned it.

"Perhaps, could also be proof that people called Max really are mad," Miranda added, sighing as she practically fell onto the sofa.

The chain of events that occurred after Max threw the fruit carton onto her were… interesting, to say the least. First, the shop manager laughed at Miranda, then became very serious and insisted that they find the child and make him pay for damages. The manager didn't quite seem to understand that this was a very young child - how was he meant to pay for an expensive wedding dress?

"Oh Miranda, wonderful, you're here," Penny said as she strode into the house. In one hand was a clipboard, in the other was her mobile phone. "I've booked the what-I-call engagement party for 6pm, tomorrow, at Wilson's."

"I didn't know we were having an engagement party," Mike said in surprise. If he was honest, he didn't quite know if he needed one. He was just happy that they were engaged at all. Miranda gritted her teeth, and through a forced smile replied, "oh, well, neither did I!"

"Mother, we do not need an engagement party! There's good reason why w-"

"Such fun!" Don't do this to me, mother!

"You're not listeni-"

"Such fun!"

"We REALLY don't-"

Penny simply continued what she was doing. "Such fun. Such fun. Such fun, such fun, such fun!"

"She's hopeless!" Miranda said, exasperated with her mother's antics. She always embarrassed herself at parties, and she doubted this one would be any different.

"You know what she's like," Stevie said, placing a hand on Miranda's shoulder. "Once she gets an idea in her head, she'll never let it go!"

"Let it go! Let it goooo!" Miranda immediately burst out singing. "Sorry!"

"Look, it'll be fine," Mike reassured, taking her hand and holding it in his. "If anything, we'll go, stay an hour, and then I don't know, Stevie can phone us, and tell us that the shops has flooded, or something like that. I'll say I have an urgent news report to do, and that you can't stay alone! It'll be fun," he said, waving a careless hand to show her just how unserious it would be.

Later at the party…

"Go to the party, you said," Miranda whispered through a gritted smiled to Mike, as they entered to the applause of the restaurant. "It'll be fun, you said!"

"Well," Mike said, slightly in shock. "I wasn't quite expecting that!" Miranda and Mike had expected a small party - perhaps 30 or so guests that her mother had invited. However, there were over 100, most of which also apparently had no idea what was going on. Even the people that Miranda would have expected to have been invited, such as Stevie, Tilly, and Finn, hadn't. Obviously, it was more so that Penny could brag to Belinda.

"Now Miranda," Penny said quickly, "don't ruin this party. This years laugh, should you need it, God help us, is based on the song It's Raining Men, by The Weather Women. Ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha, ha, ha ha ha ha - HAHA!"

"The Weather Girls, mum, they're called The Weather Girls!"

"Well, they look like women to me!"

"Ugh!" Miranda simply walked away.

While Mike went to sort out how his father had managed to turn up, someone who Miranda thought was a stranger approached her. "I'm so happy to hear about your engagement, you know! I've been waiting for this for absolute ages! When did Mike change his name?"

"Sorry, what do you mean change his name? He's always, been Mike, or Michael, I guess," Miranda replied, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Mike had never been someone different, had he?

The woman, who still hadn't revealed herself to Miranda, laughed. "From Gary to Mike, you silly goose!"

Miranda's eyes then widened and her jaw dropped slightly. "No, no, no, th-that's not Gary, that's Mike. Gary and I broke up over 9 months ago," she explained.

"Oooh, of course! This is the guy who came back from Africa for you, then you rejected… I remember now! So, wait, did you get back with him because you couldn't be with Gary? Oh, I'm sorry."

"No! You've got it all wrong, I didn't turn back to him because Gary and I spilt up, Mike and I bumped into each other, and I just… I don't know, I fell in love with him."

"Glad that you were able to clarify that," the woman said cheerily, walking away from Miranda, before stopping and turning her head. "Oh yes, I'm Alice, by the way!"

"Alice who?"

"Your mother's counsellor, of course!" Miranda just sighed in exasperation and waved an irritated goodbye. Why would her mother invite her counsellor to her engagement party? Because she's my mother, Miranda thought. She quickly ran over to Mike, who was seemingly okay, despite the fact that his father had showed up without warning.

"You okay?" Mike asked, clearly able to tell Miranda was flustered.

"No, yes, maybe, possibly, likelihood of sixty percent? That's an economic forecast! What is with me and forecasts? Anyways, people don't know what is going on, someone thought you were Gary but had changed your name, I'm fairly certain Mum is going to put on a t-shirt to celebrate, and I'm already sick of everyone here!"

"Everyone?" Mike smirked.

"Well, almost. Not you, Marple"

"Look, we'll just text Stevie now-" Mike was interrupted by Penny, who was standing on a chair, tapping her glass. Her t-shirt read 'MY DAUGHTER IS FINALLY GETTING WHAT I CALL MARRIED!' and on the back, it read 'the previous time was a false alarm!'

"Thank you all so much for coming," Penny said rather loudly. With pride in her voice, she added, "my daughter, Miranda, has finally had some sense knocked into her, and decided to get what I call married!"

"It is married! It's not just what you call married! I call it married, so does EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS ROOM," Miranda mumbled to herself with annoyance, then realising several people were looking at her, added, "is very lovely! Ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha, ha, ha ha ha ha - HAHA!" She smiled embarrassingly, and nodded slightly.

"And no, it is happening this time," Penny continued, "it is not a drill!" Several cheers rung out in the room, and then the text tone of Mike's phone went off. He quickly checked, and had to stop himself from laughing.

"We have to go," he whispered, unable to contain his laughter.

"Well, yes, I know!" Miranda said. Obviously they had to leave, they'd agreed on that, Stevie would 'text' Mike, and then they'd make a run for it.

"No, we actually have to leave."

Miranda raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Apparently Stevie and Finn were having a chair fighting competition, and they're actually stuck in the chairs. I just got a text from Tilly, with a picture!" Miranda peered over to Mike's phone, and immediately snorted with laughter. Stevie and Finn were sitting in wooden chairs, and were both quite stuck.

"Penny, I am so sorry to interrupt, but we have a slight problem back home which has to be dealt with," Mike said quickly. "But thank you everyone for coming, we really appreciate the… support."

"Bye!" Miranda yelled, quickly running out of the restaurant.

At the shop…

"Right, let's see what's really going on here," Miranda said, opening the door, and her eyes widened as she saw what was really happening. Stevie and Finn weren't so much stuck in chairs, but had thrown a 'celebration which isn't really a celebration' party, as stated by the banner in the shop.

"Surprise!" Stevie, Tilly, and Finn yelled, throwing confetti in the air. "It's a party, but it's also not a party. It's like an anti party!" Stevie explained. Miranda smiled, and gave Stevie a massive hug, until she squealed slightly and Miranda let go. "We were actually invited to the party, but thought this might be a good thing to come back to."

"Did you know about this?" Miranda asked Mike, who shook his head. "Thank you," she said to everyone. Tilly was sitting down, and got up to say hello, as she hadn't seen Miranda in a while. It was easy to see that she was expecting a baby - surely it couldn't be long now, Miranda thought.

"You look so healthy!" Miranda said. She was, however, secretly hoping that Tilly wouldn't ask her to be her birthing partner, or anything like that. The last time that happened, she ended up reading Mein Kampf to children.

"It's all the babymin," Tilly said excitedly. "It's fantasticimissmous! Kong, Mike, since you are now both fiancés, do you two think you'll have children?"

Miranda and Mike both smiled and said "perhaps". Considering that they were completely unaware that they were both going to say the same thing, the timing was remarkable, if Miranda did say so herself. The only thing she was worried about, was whether or not she'd actually cope as a mother - what type of mother would she be? She was glad that for the time being she didn't have to worry about that, and simply worry about her own mother, and if Penny could even cope attending the wedding without fainting.

"Enough of that, let's anti-party!"

Author's Note: Wow, guys, I am completely astonished at the amount of people who are still reading. I appreciate your support so much since I really enjoy writing this story and hope you enjoy reading it as much I enjoy writing it.

Sofie x