Discussion

"Well, what are you doing here?" he asked and stood up to face her.

She came towards him, holding out the envelope to me. "I didn't want to use the front door."

Martin started to open the envelope, which was sealed, as Louisa said, "It says that I love you, and I really do. But…"

"I know," he countered. "I wouldn't make you happy."

Louisa shook her head side to side slowly. "No."

Martin swallowed hard. "You wouldn't make me happy either."

Her face went from anxious to a considering look. "Oh," she replied. "Right. No… I don't suppose I would." She took a deep breath. "Is that why you're still here then?"

"What?"

She said, "Sorry, Martin, I'm just a bit… confused."

Martin pointed to the sofa. "I thought if I just sat there, it would be in your best interest."

Louisa stared right into his eyes, with a confronting look. "Humiliating me as I stood in the church alone, would be in my best interest, would it?" she stated in a flat tone.

Martin's brain went on the attack. "But you weren't going to be in the church."

"At least I had the decency to write you a letter."

"That's not the point," he retorted. "Louisa, look…"

Suddenly, there came a bang at the back door and the dry cleaner stood there, awkwardly propped on one leg, holding a bag of clothing and a cane. "Doc? Oh, I'm too late. I'd thought I'd catch you before the big event. There's been a bit of a mix-up with your dry cleaning." The man smiled. "I hope it went well. I don't suppose - well you did say if it got worse – my knee – I should come see you."

Martin sighed at the fool.

"And," the man went on, "Now I can barely walk after rushing up the hill. If you don't mind? Knee's killing me! Then you two can get on with your honeymoon."

Louisa turned back to face Martin and said, "I'll leave you to it."

Martin was torn between tending to the gimpy fool and trying to salvage – something – from the encounter with Louisa.

"No! Wait!" Martin blurted out.

The dry cleaner and Louisa replied in unison. "What?"

Martin pointed at the man. "You. Go home, take paracetamols and apply an ice pack to your knee. Rest it. And leave my suit!" Then he addressed Louisa. "Louisa, stay. Just let me…"

Louisa started to walk away but Martin touched her elbow. "Please, Louisa, don't go."

"Oh, I am interrupting, aren't I?" the dry cleaner groaned. "Fine, fine. I'll go then."

"Come see me on Monday," Martin told him, "And close the door after you.."

Louisa stared at him, turned her head to watch the man shuffle away until the door closed. "You turned him away," she said slowly.

Martin took a deep breath. "He'll be fine."

She shook her head. "You never…" she gulped, "first time."

Martin took her hands in his. "We're making a mess of this."

She smiled briefly. "Oh, we're awful," she stated.

The two of them stood there silently for a solid minute until Louisa moaned. "What are we going to do?"

Martin sighed and shrugged. "I am also puzzled. It's… we're complicated."

She chuckled, took a hand away from his and wiped her eyes. "Sorry, Martin, been weepy for a bit."

Martin whipped out his handkerchief and gave it to her.

She dabbed at her eyes and blew her nose. "I told myself I wouldn't cry, but…" she started to blubber.

Martin's eyes burned, and his throat was dry. "Louisa, don't cry."

"I have to!"

He took a deep breath. "Getting married would be, is, an adjustment. Expectations could be inflated and…" he shrugged. "We two are not a perfect fit, are we?"

She shook her head. "Far from it, but… who is?" Then she smiled. "Martin, maybe I just got cold feet. Today has had a lot of ups and downs."

"Right," he told her. "Me as well."

She smiled. "You know… just take a breath. I say that to my students before a choir or assembly thing. The little kids get nervous, you know, so I tell them to take a breath. Center their minds; push all the other stuff out of the way to get on with it."

Martin nodded, thinking of an emergency surgery. Horrid Holly dying on Louisa's kitchen floor. He'd known what to do then. A spurting artery, swallow his gorge and tie it off. External cardiac massage and adrenaline. But marriage? He sighed. "We're out of our depth, aren't we?"

Louisa looked around the room and then smiled. "Where's the lifeguard?"

He screwed up his face. "Lifeguard?"

"Joke, Martin."

"Oh. Yes."

She reached out and interlaced her right hand in his and then pulled him close to kiss his cheek.

Martin turned his head and returned the kiss, but on her lips.

She broke the kiss, then sighed, resting her forehead against his chest. "Now what?"

Martin had no answer so stayed silent.

Louisa looked up at his face; a hint of a smile. "Ready?"

"For?"

She hugged him. "Cold feet and all, let's get married."

"You mean that?"

"I didn't know what I expected, but here we are. You and me. No one else. We only have to please each other – or at least try to."

Martin gulped with a dry throat. "Yes. I suppose we could learn to please one another."

She grinned as she stroked his hair. "It'll be just like being in school. Might take practice."

"Louisa, just moments ago, you were ready to walk away, but you didn't. You gave me – us - a chance; to talk. And now you're saying just what, exactly?"

She put her arms about his waist, pulling him close. "And cold feet can be best warmed by lying close to another person."

Martin hugged her back. "Kenzo Flower," he sighed, with his nose in her hair.

They stood like that for a few seconds until she loosened her tight hold.

"Martin, by now Joe and Pauline will be sending out search parties."

He looked at the wall clock and it was now 4:15. "We'd better go."

She smiled then kissed him again. "Right. Let's. Your car; come on."

"You told me earlier it was bad luck for the bride and groom to see one another on their wedding day."

"I did," she chuckled. "Just an old superstition."

Martin nodded. "Right."

Louisa towed him towards the front door. "Got your car keys?"

He patted his trouser pocket and it jingled. "Got 'em."

She led him out of the house to the Lexus, waited patiently until he unlocked the car, swung open the passenger door and helped her climb in. She held his hand for a moment before he closed the door.

Martin saw Louisa smiling just as she had the day he proposed, and the morning after. "I love you," he said to her.

"I love you too, Martin. Now hurry! Before they all leave the church!"

Martin got into the car, buckled up, started the motor and drove quickly, yet safely, out of the village.