The Challenge

47

Harry left once Tina awoke from her nap and we went out to the neighborhood near the shop to do some more shopping for Christmas gifts. Harry’s gift had arrived on Saturday afternoon but I still felt I needed to get something more for him. I also had to get something for Louis and something for my sister as well. They were the hardest to shop for so of course I put them off to the last minute.

I caught Tina browsing some of the fashion books while we were in the Waterstone’s and had an idea for a few presents for her but couldn’t get anything since she was still with me. We finished shopping and headed off to Gemma’s for dinner.

“Hi Gee! Hi Tina!” She greeted us when we got to her flat. David was at his own flat for the evening so it was just the girls. “Juliette is on her way over, too!”

“Let’s get drunk!” Tina announced when we got inside.

“I love the way your sister thinks!” Gemma said, pulling out a few bottles of wine.

“Gem,” I protested. “We have work tomorrow!”

“Whatever, Georgia. We only have a week left of work left anyway. Let’s celebrate early and we can plan my bachelorette party!”

Juliette showed up a few minutes later and she joined us sitting around the kitchen table as Gemma poured us some wine and we sat around the table to the meal she had prepared for us of salmon and vegetables.

“Where’s the good stuff?” Tina asked, peering at the plate in front of her.

“Sorry, Tina, going carb free for the next few weeks until the wedding,” Gemma replied.

Juliette raised an eyebrow. “Really? What’s with the wine then?”

Gemma laughed. “I need to drink still!”

I rolled my eyes and we dug into the food. Tina wasn’t too impressed and rummaged around in Gemma’s fridge digging out a carton of ice cream for us to eat afterwards. We moved into the living room with the second bottle of wine and the ice cream.

“I can’t believe you’re getting married so soon!” I said to her after my third glass of wine. “I don’t think I’ll ever get married.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, you will. But enough about you! Let’s talk about me and my wedding!”

Christina laughed. “Yes, Georgia. We’re always talking about you. Let’s talk about Gemma and David!”

“Seriously, Gee, we are always talking about you,” Juliette agreed.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. Yes, Gemma. So what do you want to do for your bachelorette party? I can look into venues in London for a strip club if you want to do something like that or we can go away for a weekend to Prague or Krakow maybe? Or we could do Las Vegas.” I said the last part jokingly but Gemma’s eyes lit up.

“Yes! Las Vegas! Please, please, please can we go to Las Vegas? That would make my life. Oh, we would have the best time! Tina, you can come too!”

“Holy fuck, you guys in Las Vegas? I am definitely coming along too,” Juliette said.

“Of course you are!” Gemma exclaimed.

We’d have to get her a fake ID, though. The drinking age in the USA is 21. She’s only 18,” I said.

Tina pouted. “That’s so dumb. But, I would love to go. I don’t start Uni again until mid-February. Do you think mum and dad would let me go?”

“Of course not, but I will convince them!” I was now onto my fourth glass and feeling pretty tipsy.

Gemma went into her room and brought out her laptop. “I just realized, I only have you as my only bridesmaid er, maid of honor, Gee.” She glanced at Tina. “Would you be my other bridesmaid? David and I are serious about having a small wedding. It’s going to be about fifty people max. His best man is his brother. I’m sure I could get him to ask Harry to be his other groomsman so we have an escort for you, Tina.”