The hiccup

Since Ryan wasn't back yet, Marissa decided to take the opportunity to call Emma and just make sure that everything was going according to plan. Emma had been going to keep in touch with Cathy so if there were any problems with the plans for the wedding then she should know about them.

"Hello." The very prim English voice answered.

"Emma. It's me."

"Thank God. I've been going insane trying to work out how to get in touch with you without Ryan catching on. I didn't want to ruin you honeymoon but if we don't do something … then your wedding is going to be ruined anyway." Emma said obviously concerned.

"Sorry. I just had to wait for an opportunity when Ryan wasn't around. He's gone to the village to pick up some fresh eggs so I have a few minutes. What's going on?" Marissa asked.

Emma started to laugh.

Marissa was puzzled. "Hang on. What's with you? One minute you're all panic stricken and the next you're laughing?"

"Probably a little hysteria but I was just thinking that most people aren't on their honeymoon while their wedding is being planned. Takes you to do everything backwards." She giggled finally able to see the funny side of everything. Now that she could warn Marissa hopefully they could sort something out to prevent everything from going belly up.

Marissa smiled. "When have you ever known me to do things the 'normal' way?"

"True. But that doesn't really help." Emma replied. The concern obvious in her voice again.

"Okay. Just settle down. What's the problem?"

"You really have no idea what's going on?" Emma asked.

"No." Marissa replied totally clueless.

"Haven't you seen a newspaper? Or even watched television?" Emma asked.

"No. You know what it's like down here. It's not like there's a newspaper sitting at the front door in the morning and we haven't been out anywhere. And as for TV … well … I've sort of been busy." Marissa chuckled, thinking about what or more importantly who … had taken up most of her time. "Should I?"

"Well." Emma said not really sure where to start. "Firstly … I should be angry with you … You didn't happen to mention to us that your husband … as well as being hot and sexy … is also some multimillionaire whiz kid of some sort. We had to find it out from the press."

"Would it have made any difference?" Marissa asked.

"Only that we may have been prepared. Once word of your marriage got out there have been reporters and press everywhere. It's insane. I worked with Karl yesterday and there were reporters camped out there. They even bailed up Karl trying to find out your movements. And let me tell you he is as grumpy as all hell. What did you do to him?" Emma asked.

"Nothing." Marissa replied.

"Not buying it. He's been like a bear with a sore head ever since all this came out. Something must have happened?"

Marissa said nothing. She didn't want to air her dirty laundry in public.

Emma could tell that she wasn't going to get a response to her question so she carried on. "I'm glad that they didn't pick on James or me. We had to sneak out the back way just to get home because we didn't want to be interrogated. And at the Chanel parades today Claudine went off her tree at the fact that the press seemed to be more interested in where you were than the new line. It wasn't pretty." Emma commented.

"Sorry about that. But I still don't see how any of this can ruin the weekend?" Marissa asked … the news about the paparazzi only making her even more appreciative of the privacy that they had enjoyed over the last few days.

"Well … James and I went to Marie and Claude's for dinner last night and it was absolute bedlam around there. There must be 50 or 60 paparazzi camped out in front of your apartment building and Marie said they have been there around the clock, for the last couple of days. It seems that they think that you are probably both holed up in your apartment and they aren't moving for anything. You and your dear husband are BIG news and they'll do anything to track you down."

"Oh." Marissa said. She and Ryan had been so happy on their own the last few days that she hadn't even thought about what they may have left behind.

"If you return to your apartment before the wedding they will follow you and hunt you down." Emma assured her.

"Well what else can we do?" Marissa asked. She had planned that they would return to Paris on Thursday evening … spend the night at her place and then fly to Venice on Friday. But the last thing she wanted to do was let the paparazzi know what they were up to.

"Well James and I have been talking. At first we thought that maybe you could just come to my place and leave from here. But we reckon that they probably have people watching the airport and most likely the train station as well thinking that you might make a break for it and head off to London."

"So how are we going to get to Venice without the prying eyes tracking us down? They would wreck everything." Marissa said feeling her high hopes suddenly crashing down.

"Well we've spent ages tossing ideas around and … the only thing that we can think of … is that you'll have to drive there. It's probably only about 5 or 6 hours from where you are. And except for getting gas you should be able to do it without anyone being any the wiser. Just get Ryan to put a cap and some dark glasses on when he fills up and you stay in the car. You're too recognizable around here."

"Drive? But what about all our clothes? They are all back at the apartment. I only brought the bare essentials with us down here." Marissa explained.

"I can imagine that there has been plenty 'bare' down there." Emma laughed. "I'm sure that you wouldn't have found the need for many clothes at all."

"Very funny. But that still doesn't help." Marissa stated. She wasn't prepared to admit just how right Emma was. They hadn't needed many clothes at all.

"Could you just buy more when you get to Venice?" Emma suggested trying to think of someway to solve the problem.

"How? If it's really as bad as you say then we can't risk showing our faces anywhere until after it's over." Marissa replied and then frowned trying to think of a solution to the problem. She smiled as she thought of an idea. "How about …." She started and then hesitated as she tried to think it through with all its ramifications.

"How about what?" Emma asked.

"I need another favour?" Marissa asked.

"Fire away."

"Marie and Claude have a key to my apartment. I gave it to them to water my plants while I was away and I haven't gotten it back from them yet." Marissa explained.

"Okay. So what do you want me to do?" Emma asked.

"If I give you a list of what I need … could you go and pack it up and bring it with you?" Marissa asked.

"Sure … but how are you going to explain to Ryan how your clothes magically appear?"

"I'll tell him that you called and said that the paparazzi are camped out at our apartment. And I'll explain that I asked you to go and pack a suitcase and send it to Venice for us. I just won't mention that it is being hand delivered." Marissa explained.

Emma thought about it for a moment. "It could work." She said.

"It's the only way that I can think of for us to have any chance of keeping a lid on it all."

"Okay. So tell me what you need and I'll make sure that it gets to Venice."

"Are you sure that you don't mind us taking your car?" Marissa asked.

"Not at all. Just make sure that you watch out for those crazy Italian drivers. I think that they are even worse than the French ones." Emma laughed.

"Don't worry. We'll be careful. There's too much riding on all this. I'm starting to feel a bit like Julie Andrews in 'The Sound of Music' escaping over the Alps." Marissa said.

Emma laughed. "How well do you sing?"

"Not well at all." Marissa responded. "Are you sure that you don't mind doing this?" Marissa asked again.

"Are you kidding? I can't wait. This is the most fun I've had in years. Just give me a minute to find something to write on so I can take down your list. I don't want to forget anything. James and I have booked a flight for Friday evening. Will that be okay or do you need the clothes before then?"

"No that's fine. We'll leave here about lunchtime Friday so we'll all get there about the same time. But maybe you should just get Cathy to pick up the bag from the airport. I don't think that we should chance you delivering it just in case we run into you."

"Okay. I'll sort that out with her. Now … what do you need?" Emma asked.

Marissa thought for a moment. "Okay. We'll do Ryan's stuff first and then mine."

Emma laughed.

"What?" Marissa asked wondering what was so funny.

"Do you have any idea how much fun James will have going through Ryan's stuff? He'll probably want to try it all on." She commented.

"Well just tell him hands off." Marissa laughed in reply. "Or maybe I should take pity on him. Maybe you should just assure him that it's the closest he will ever get to the real thing. Otherwise I'll scratch his eyes out."

"This will be fun." Emma assured her. "But you'd better hurry with the list or Ryan will come back and I won't know what to bring."

"Okay. Here goes ……."