The next morning the big clean up started, there were young guests asleep everywhere. The bungalow bedrooms were full as well as guest on the lounge floor and in the marquee outside. It seemed nearly everyone had stayed. Percy was sent off to the village shop to get more supplies as Freya tried to cope with breakfasts. Mithian and Gwen came to help and soon people were eating breakfast. Some had decided to eat the remains of the buffet for the night before. Merlin was his normal morning self and threatened to run over several couples, as he made his way through the tangle of people. He had clearly decided that the chair was the safest option. It was after lunch before they finally had the place to themselves once more. Luckily the hired staff had come in, and cleaned most of the garden, and the guests had cleaned up the bungalow and helped to wash up. The washing machine would be going for days.
Once the two men were alone Arthur got Merlin to settle down and watch some old films with him and had a cuddle to help him get into a better place. By the next morning Merlin had decided to make a start on the wedding photo's he had taken hundreds, determined to give the couple a lasting memory. At least that had helped him cope with the large amount of strangers. Although the wedding it's self had been small they do afterwards had grown in number over time. In the end there were over fifty youngsters in the garden as well as the adults.
Merlin downloaded everything and started work. He was happy with the quality of his photography and knew he had got the photos that the couple wanted. He had spent some time with them making a list of the groups they had wanted and well as the settings.
Arthur had gone to a specialist shop in London to get a really nice album so it was just a case of selecting the photos and mounting them. It took Merlin a week to get them how he wanted. During the day he had managed to get the ones with him in that they had wanted, using time lapse. Some of those needed a bit of work with the computer, but all in all he was pleased. All the extra photos he had taken he printed off and put in a box, they could either give those away or keep them separately.
He only showed Arthur before the couple got back, Arthur was stunned by the quality of work and suggested Merlin take it up as a job. Merlin just rolled his eyes.
After Merlin was happy with the album he went across to the couple to give them the album. He had to leave the wheelchair outside as the door wasn't wide enough. Once inside they made Merlin comfortable as they looked at the photos. They were very pleased with the result and soon realised they couldn't have done better. Everyone else they knew realised after the event that they didn't have one of the shots they wanted, but Merlin had done all they asked and more.
They had a surprise for him as a thank you. They had planned it over a month before to get it ready in time. They had found that Poole Pottery in Dorset had a paintress who with the aid of photos would undertake commissions and had a special plate made and decorated for Merlin. Arthur had managed to collect the photos without Merlin knowing. It had arrived just before the wedding
It was all three of Merlin's Jack Russell's. He was overwhelmed and so happy with the results, to have all three together was wonderful.