Love In The Air | ✓

Love In The Air (12)

A week later, my dad comes in to my room and wakes me up. "Rise and shine, sweet pea." I groan and throw a pillow at him. "Come on, remember when we used to play football in the garden at home? I want to see if your skills have improved."

I get dressed and go into the back garden, it's big with a goal post at the end and colourful plants bordering it. My dad stands in the middle doing keepy ups. Sophie is sat at a table in the garden tanning. She pulls her sunglasses to the end of her nose and looks at me. "You guys playing soccer?"

"Football, yeah."

"Oh, right. Forgot you guys call it the wrong thing."

"Hey, it's you American's that have it wrong."

She shrugs and laughs. "Whatever."

I walk over to my dad and we get in to a game. I play for my team at Uni, and have improved a lot since my dad last played me and I end up stealing the ball immediately. I shoot and it goes in the top left corner. I cheer and turn to look at my dad. "What the hell, pea. Last time we played you could barely dribble."

"I'm on the team at Uni."

"I'm glad, I knew all those times beating you would pay off."

"Dad!"

"Just kidding. Anyway, seen as you can beat your old man no problem now, what about just going for the crossbar?" I nod and we spend the rest of the day trying to hit the crossbar with the ball. Sophie even has a shot and gets it first time. We end up calling it a draw and playing with Baxter until we call it a day.

While we're eating, we talk about the wedding. "How do you know...Jenny and James was it?"

"Sophie knows everyone, so pretty much everyone knows me as well. You'll be our plus one, so don't feel like you're intruding or anything." My dad says smiling.

"I'll do your make up if you want?" Sophie offers. I smile.

"Yes please, I can do everyday stuff but I'm rubbish at anything fancy."

"Don't worry, honey, I got you covered."

"When is it?"

"It's in a couple if weeks."

We continue to talk until I decide to go up to my room, but before I go Sophie asks me, "Do you still sing?"

"Yeah, every now and then."

"I love it when you sing, you have a beautiful voice." I smile, saying thank you before continuing up to bed.

The next couple of weeks fly as the four of us spend time together. I miss my mum, but being with my dad and Sophie keeps it at bay. I feel just as at home with them as I do with her. Everyday I feel closer to my dad and Sophie (and Baxter obviously).

The morning of the wedding, we're all in my dad and Sophie's room getting ready. I'm in my dress and it's just as perfect as the first time I wore it and Sophie is doing my hair and make up. She looks gorgeous in her dress and my dad looks very smart in his suit.

Once we're ready with my hair in a fancy braid-bun thing and my make up impeccable. I give myself a last once over in the mirror, happy with what I see.

"You look so grown up!" Sophie claps her hands, proud of her handy work.

"You look gorgeous sweet pea." I give them both a hug and we go get in the car.

The wedding venue is beautifully decorated with white and red roses positioned around the church and white cloth draped along the rows of pews.

I take my place between my dad and Sophie. It's a lovely wedding, but I can't help zoning out, especially because I don't actually know the bride and groom. I wonder if Cameron has already been his wedding, or if it's on later in the month.

I bet he looked good in a suit. Maybe he played guitar for them and sang, maybe he found a beautiful girl to take to the wedding and they'll live happy ever after, never thinking of me ever again. He's probably already forgotten about me. Maybe I should move on too, the boy in the park, someone at Uni back home. I shake my head and try to concentrate.

After the service, I walk outside to see people in small groups in the garden outside. I find my dad and Sophie talking to the bride and groom. I walk up to them and stand between my dad and Sophie. "This is my daughter Mae." My dad introduces me.

"Mae! We've heard so much about you."

"Nice to meet you." I shake their hands.

"Sophie and your dad have told us you sing?"

"Yeah, it's a hobby." I shrug.

"We were wondering if you'd sing something for us at the after party? My cousin sings and plays the guitar so you could do a bit of a duet?"

I haven't sung in front of a crowd for a while, and singing with a stranger? Doesn't sound great, but I feel like I can't say no. "Sure, no problem." Jenny claps her hands in excitement.

"Wonderful! Do you know Superman by Joe Brooks? I love that song."

My breath catches in my throat but I manage to reply, "Yeah, I know it."

"Great!" Jenny and James go over to talk to someone else and I turn back to Sophie and my dad.