Thursday 27 July

"William. Warren. Alexander. Joseph. Alton. I swear, if that man comes back missing pieces, I will kill all of you and him." Ailith stood in front of us, giving us our orders before we left for London. She poked her wagging finger at Alton's chest. "You especially Alton."

"Yes ma'am." we saluted. She didn't look pleased. She turned to Buck, with an almost pleading look. "Lynn, don't let him get in a fight… or lose his wallet… or anything else while he's there."

"It's just one night! It'll be fine!" Alton said, trying to down play it. Lith whipped her head around to glare at him.

"If I was marrying you, I wouldn't be bothered. You're like a stray cat; everyone knows you'll show up at some point with some fur missing and one less whisker."

"I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or be insulted."

Lith just huffed and looked back at Buck, who gave her a sympathetic, but reassuring look. He put his large hands on her little shoulders

"Don't worry; I'll make sure he comes back in one piece, with his wallet and that he's stayed well away from other women."

"Although I can't guarantee we won't." Alton smirked. I think that was the last straw; you could almost visualise the imaginary pencil snapping in her hand, as she marched up to Alton, grabbing him by the cheeks with one hand, dragging him away to have words.

While we looked on, watching Lith pull his face down to her level, we all had a guess at what she was saying to him.

"You know what's bad for your teeth? A brick. Shut the fuck up."

"Nah, what about, I'll hit you so hard they won't have to bother burying you."

"I'll rip your arms off and hit you with the soggy end."

Penk turned to look at me, "D'you ever get scared of her?"

"Nah." I shook my head. "She's not scary to me."

"She's almost got Moore in a headlock and you ain't scared o'her?" Bill said, crossing his arms, watching Lith twisting Alton's arm around his back.

I crossed my arms, cocking my head to the side as I watched my future wife berate Alton. I knew her right from the beginning, I've seen every side of her I could think of; I've seen her laugh, cry, blow up, fight with her sister, grit her teeth and bear with the pain she was in just to get her job done, I'd seen her at her fiercest and most fragile. There was nothing that made me scared of her.

We looked at Lith, who was now looking satisfied, as she more or less frogmarched Alton back over.

"If I find out he's so much as breathed near another woman or gotten into a fight, the weddings off and I'll be blaming you. Get it?"

"Got it."

"Good."

Later that night – Buck

Malark was wasted. It was no surprise, really, since the boys were just buying him drink after drink. Toye and Moore were in no better shape either and I was surprised to see Penk drunker than usual. Between Skip, Bill and I, we managed to get them back to the hotel in one piece.

"I'm so nervous." Malark groaned, as we laid him on his bed. He rolled over on to his stomach, his face in his pillow. "She's too good for me! Why would she wanna marry an idiot like me? I don't even have anything! I had to borrow the money for her ring!"

"C'mon Malark, don't sell yourself short; you only don't have anything sometimes." Skip told him, pulling the blanket over him.

"I'm serious! She's beautiful and smart and sweet and funny and tough and brave and beautiful!"

"You said beautiful twice."

"Because she's twice as beautiful as any other girl!" He mumbled into the pillow, his eyes shut. "I never have any money, I do stupid shit all the time; I don't know what she sees in me… What if she realises I'm a good-for-nothing and doesn't turn up tomorrow?"

Bill and Skip looked at me, both with a roll of their eyes. I sighed and patted Malark on the shoulder. Poor guy, I guess he really was worried (albeit over nothing).

"She'll turn up because you'll be there. She loves you, you know that really, right?"

"I know… I love her too…" he suddenly sat up, seemingly with some clarity. "You sure she'll turn up?"

Bill looked at me, Skip pinched the bridge of his nose and Penk threw a pillow at his head.

"Malark, go to sleep."

After a while, it seemed like he was asleep, Skip, Bill and me were playing cards, when we heard Malark grumbled. We watched with some amusement as he sat up, un-buttoned his top pocket and took out a photograph, trying to prop it up against the lamp on the bedside table. I chuckled and went over.

"Here." I took the battered photo from him and looked at it for a little bit. It was in colour, a picture of Little Mouse, in an ankle length pale pink pleated skirt, white t-shirt, little backpack with white Chucks, in a ballet pose on a rock, overlooking a lake of some kind. She was looking right at the camera, her eyes shining.

"That's my favourite photo of her." Malark looked at it as I propped up across from him. "She's so beautiful… I just wish I could bring her family back… If I had to choose between sending her home and keeping her with me, I'd send her home."

"You would? Even though you love her that much?"

"Because I love her that much…" he reached out to touch the photo. "The day I bumped into her… I just thought she was so pretty… she's the nicest person I've ever met…"

Bill smiled at him, "Yeah, she's the sweetest kid… you really hit the jackpot with her."