Robbie & Jamie

One - Two Gay Men?

"I know, darling, I'm absolutely thrilled! I can practically hear the wedding bells now!"

Upon hearing her neighbour's end of the phone call, Margaret found herself growing curious. Why was her neighbour so thrilled about a wedding? Who's wedding was it? Leaving behind her bed of tulips which she had been tending to, the sixty-year-old crouched low as she stepped over to the wooden fence that separated her from her neighbour. Margaret's ears pricked up.

"Of course you're still welcome to stay, for as long as you need!... Honestly it's a miracle that your boss let you take this time off... No, that's not my decision to make. Perhaps we should discuss it tonight? Okay, darling. I love you, see you both soon!"

From the other side of the wall, footsteps could be heard going down the path and towards the front door.

Margaret popped her head up. "Good afternoon, Rose! Beautiful day, isn't it?"

Rose, who was halfway up the stairs to her home, gave Margaret a smile. "Yes, it's lovely! How are your tulips?"

"Oh, marvellous!" Margaret gushed, glad Rose had remembered, and completely forgetting they were all she had talked about for the past week. "Do forgive me, I didn't mean to pry, but is someone getting married? One of your children, perhaps?"

Rose looked proud, her pale cheeks blushing pink and complimenting her auburn hair. "We only have the one, but yes! One day you're teaching them to walk, and before you know it they're walking down the aisle!"

Margaret beamed. "Absolutely, it's wonderful watching them grow up. My two boys are happily married and enjoy every moment! When's the date?"

"If all goes well, fingers crossed, in three months time."

"June," Margaret said approvingly. "A lovely, sunny time of year. But why fingers crossed? Is there an issue?"

"Just little things," Rose shook her head. "Their worries are mainly over guests, or how few there are."

"Oh dear, can't everyone make it?" Margaret asked sympathetically, although her mind was buzzing, ready for any sort of gossip, and possibly hoping for an invite herself despite not knowing who were actually getting wed. Already, Margaret's mind cast to her wardrobe (with a built in dressing table - top of the range) and the ruby coloured dress she had bought for a cocktail party which had unfortunately been cancelled. The dress hung in the closet, lonely, desperate for attention.

"Everyone who has been invited can make it, it's just that they haven't invited too many people. But I think it's better that way."

"Lovely. Well, I won't keep you," Margaret nodded to the shopping bag in Rose's hand, wondering what was in it. Hopefully there wasn't another bottle of that awful, cheap wine Ross seemed to like. Honestly, some people had no refined taste.

Rose smiled politely. "Thank you, perhaps I'll see you later."

Margaret bent down behind the wall, counted to five, and then popped up again just as Rose skillfully pulled the key out of the handbag in the crook of her elbow - still holding her shopping in one hand and her phone in the other.

"Would it be okay if I popped over later this evening? We can share a bottle of wine and wind down together?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rose said hurriedly. "I'd love to, but tonight the soon-to-be weds are coming over, and they're staying for a few weeks."

"I won't be round for too long," Margaret assured her neighbour. "The moment they arrive, I'll leave."

There was a moment of hesitation before Rose smiled. "Alright, I suppose you could come at around five o'clock, and we'd have an hour or so."