Amy arrives through the door with four big bags of stuff hanging from her arms. She plonks the bags onto the sofa before commenting on the lovely smell of food.

‘Too late Amy, it’s all gone.’

I can see her disappointment but she walks into the kitchen area anyway and rubs her finger in the sauce that’s stuck to the bottom of the pan.

‘Yum,’ she says, licking more. ‘Are you ready?’

‘Sorry, Amy. I should have called you, we don’t have to go to the airport; Andriu got an earlier flight.’

‘Great,’ she says, without moaning. I would have moaned. But Amy is relaxed, and lives in the moment, a bit like Lucas. I’m glad I asked her to be chief bridesmaid because she has practically organised everything for me. She helped me pick a dress, book the hotel, order the cake, the band, everything really.

Amy has moved to the bags she brought in with her and is lifting out what looks like dressing gowns. Three silk dressing gowns with ‘Tara’s Wedding’ embroidered on them.

‘Amy, they’re gorgeous, where did you get them?’

‘Online.’ She then pulls out three pairs of fluffy slippers, one with ‘Bride’ and the other two pairs with ‘Bridesmaids’ stitched onto the front.

‘Amy, you’re too good to me, you shouldn’t have.’

‘I didn’t.’

I look at her, waiting for an explanation.

‘Your dad rang me and asked me to get something that would make getting ready at his house special.’

‘What?’ I swallow hard. Don’t feckin cry again, Tara.

‘Yes. He said your mam would have looked after all that for you, so he wanted to make sure it happened exactly as if she were there, the morning of the wedding.’

My heart is swelling. I turn to Lucas. ‘Lucas, did you see what Dad did?’

He smiles, nods, then walks to me and kisses my head and I feel blessed, happy, the way I should be feeling the week before my wedding.

‘Amy, thank you so much for arranging this for my dad.’

‘Are you joking?’ she says. ‘I thought all my Christmases had come together. Shopping… and I didn’t have to pay for it. I loved it. I’m actually thinking of going into business.’

‘Well thank you anyway, Amy, you’ve been brilliant.’

Amy puts her hand out to ward away my inevitable embrace. ‘Don’t thank me yet, I’m only warming up,’ she says, then proceeds to put the gowns and slippers back into their bags.

‘Will we take them over now?’ she offers.

‘What? I’m not really in the humour of going there now.’ I can see the disappointment in her face so I look to Lucas for guidance. I don’t want to leave him again but soon I won’t be able to go to my dad’s. Lucas winks at me.

‘Okay Amy, we’ll go now.’