“You mean how your mum wanted them.”

“Well yes obviously, but the point is, the bridesmaids were on Ava’s list. And she said she wasn’t having any. So you’re out of luck.”

“I’m never being your best man again.”

“Think I’d ask you anyway?” Paul checked his watch. “Ten minutes. Ten minutes is normal, right?”

“You look gorgeous.” Finn gave Ava a hug.

“You don’t think I should have got my hair put up?”

“All in a pile and frizzy like a poodle? I do not.”

Ava looked at herself critically in the mirror.

“Stop that,” said Finn. “You look amazing. He’d marry you even if you turned up in jeans.”

“If we’d got married at the Registry Office, I’d have worn jeans. Those jeans you made me years ago. Do you remember?”

“Course I do.”

“But we’re getting married in a church, so I’m wearing a long white dress. And it’s a very pretty dress, so that’s all right. Let’s go.”

In the hall, flowers trailed magnificently over the dusty floorboards

“I know what,” said Finn. He plucked off a long trail of ivy and tucked it into Ava’s hair, coiling it around her ears like an Alice band. He picked off a rose and put it behind her ear, then drew three more out of the slightly collapsing cascade and put them in her hand. Then he knocked on the door of the ground-floor flat.

“Quick, let’s go,” he said, as shuffling feet approached the door. “She thinks I steal stuff out of her bins.”

“So why have you given her my flowers?”

“When she was younger she was a fantastic beauty, and men gave her flowers every night and begged her to dance. But they were all so lovely, she couldn’t possibly choose one to marry. So she just kept on accepting dances from strangers and letting them bring her flowers. And now she’s old and she doesn’t get flowers any more, so I thought it would be nice for her to have some. There’s the bus, we’ll have to run.”

“I can’t run in these shoes,” said Ava, struggling.

“Take them off. I’ll hold the bus up.” Finn ran wildly down the street to the bus stop and stood in front of the bus, his arms held out. Ava took off the high-heeled slippers and ran in her bare feet.

“Thank you,” she said gratefully to the bus driver, who looked at her dress and grinned.

“Two, please,” said Finn, dropping the coins into the slot.

“Twenty minutes.” Paul chewed his lip. “Maybe I should go outside and look?”

“It’ll be fine,” said Nate.

“I know!” snapped Paul. “Shit. The vicar’s coming to talk to me. What do I say? What do I say?”

“Don’t worry,” said the vicar cheerfully. “I had a wedding last Saturday, the bride was an hour late. The wedding car had a flat tyre. I’ll have a word with the guests, let them know this is all very normal and expected.”