Famously Yours - Sequel to A Famous Affair

Famously Yours chapter 17

"Are you feeling better now?" I ask Lydia, pouring an ice cold Chardonnay into her glass.

With her brow arched and a knowing expression, she smiles. "You know I am." She holds her glass high in the air.

Pleased to see Lydia free of her wedding woes, I toast to them being banished forever. "Here's to a much more chilled out bride-to-be," I tell her with a grin.

Lydia brings her glass to mine, enthusiastically clinking it. "I'll bloody drink to that, darling."

I shift in my seat slightly, excited to tell her all about my hen do plans. "So, about your hen night . . . I've already made some enquiries about a spa break in Hertfordshire. It has every kind of pamper treatment, you could ever want. With a pool, Jacuzzi, and steam room, the place looks divine, Lydia . . . and the best bit? Our fine dining, later in the evening, will be with Buff Butlers for company!" My voice gets girlishly high as I tell Lydia the last part of my sentence.

Her eyes bulge at the same time as her mouth drops open. "Are you bloody serious?" she asks in amused disbelief.

I repeatedly nod, grinning from ear to ear. "Do you want to do it then?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

Lydia doesn't even have to think about it, she replies without any hesitation whatsoever. "Abso-bloody-lutely, darling!"

"Great! Who do you want to come?" I ask, enjoying another sip of my chilled wine.

"Well, I think I'm going to end up having a few hen nights, so I'm not sure whether anyone will be joining us in Hertfordshire, other than Katie." Lydia sits back in her seat, grinning.

I'm grinning back, although completely confused. "A few hen nights?"

Lydia crosses her long legs, caressing the stem of her wine glass. "It would seem I'm going to end up with a few because different people are suggesting different things."

Now I'm more confused than ever, I lean forward with curiosity. "But it's your hen night, people should be wanting to do what you want."

Lydia smirks, her eyes widening. "That's the thing, all the things that are being suggested, I really want to do!"

My casual conversation quickly changes to more pointed questions. "Okay, so what are you wanting to do?"

"I think I'd like to spread them over the course of a few weeks. That way, I'll have different things to look forward to, with different people. Do you remember my friend, Jennifer?" Lydia asks.

Realising whom Lydia is talking about, I smile at my recollection of her old friend. "Yes, I do, I haven't seen Jen in ages."

"Well, poor Jen has been having a thoroughly shit time, darling. She's split from that pig of a husband and suggested that we relive our youth and reacquaint ourselves with tequila and dancing. So we're going to be spending some quality girlie time together in Cardiff. Next up, we have my lovely mother and sister; they've suggested a trip to London to watch a show in the West End. It's going to be fabulously sedate, but I think the Buff Butlers really would finish my mother off." Lydia smiles over the rim of her glass, before winking at me. "No, I'm very happy to keep those beauties, just for me, you, and Katie," she adds, before taking another wicked sip of her Chardonnay.

"Maybe I should try and organise something that we'll all enjoy?" I ask Lydia, beginning to fret.

Lydia's sophisticated hand swooshes through the air, dismissing my comment as nonsense. "Don't be silly, Jessica. This way, I'm going to be the centre of attention on three different occasions. I'm milking this hen lark for all it's worth, darling!" Her mischievous lashes lift, as she tops up both of our glasses.