advertising-for-love by Rakhibul hasan (fb2 epub reader .TXT) 📖

each step. The pattern added inches to her height and revealed curves Tizzy did not think she possessed.

She had already decided to have her dark hair encircled in a net of delicate yellow and white roses, above which she was going to wear her grandmother’s veil. The sheer lace had made her look almost angelic bringing back memories and tears to Betty’s eyes. Now looking at the complete outfit they all agreed that the veil complimented the dress perfectly.

Becky too chose her outfit from the same shop in order to blend in with the bridal dress. This too was a gift from Betty. Of similar style but pastel lemon in colour, Becky’s skirt was much shorter, falling to just below her knees. It had the same double-skirted pattern, but the bodice was of simple chiffon. Becky was quite proud of the little bulge that was now visible and refused to be persuaded by the shop assistants into buying a more concealing outfit. Betty chose a baby blue two- piece silk suit.

Having sorted out the wedding outfits, Tizzy went on alone to do the difficult part of her shopping namely the 'going away' dress, and her wardrobe for Hayman Island. She found the perfect outfit in a white floral chiffon dress that came with matching sandals and a large floppy hat just five doors away from the bridal shop.

That evening however when she spoke to Grant, he sounded exhausted and Becky sounded just the same. No one was going to keep her away from work any longer and she landed up after the rest of the staff had left for the day. Reverting to her old disguise, she put in five hours at work before Grant found her, and forced her back home. But seeing how determined she was to go through her workload, he agreed to let her to go in for a few hours until their wedding.

By the end of the fourth day all her shopping was complete and so she spent her days with Betty.

During the afternoon she worked on the folders and in the evening she went over to the office but the moments that brought her the greatest joy was when Grant would pick her up from work and they would drive over to his place for coffee.

Tizzy thought that seeing Grant daily would lessen the butterflies she felt, but the moment she set her eyes on him, they would return and her heart would beat away at an erratic pace. At the end of each night he would leave with a simple little kiss, and every time Tizzy found herself wishing that the kiss would never end.

Becky faithfully rang her during the day with the gossip from work. Everyone had accepted his or her invitations. At first many thought it was some kind of a joke but when Grant had himself confirmed his engagement, the acceptances began to arrive. “Tizzy, I think some of them are going to drop dead this Sunday, and I can’t wait to see that happen.” Then she related Marina’s vicious remark ‘Well at least we know what the bride will wear, something old and something gray, maybe borrowed from grandma’s days.”

For the first time, Tizzy realized how much Grant must have loved her. Even before her makeover, he had been prepared to marry her, and more importantly face the world with her by his side. He had accepted her as she was, stutter and all. ‘Grant, I will work on everything, I promise. I will make sure that you will always be proud of me’ she told herself.

On Friday morning the last free day before the weekend, Tizzy went out and bought herself a whole new wardrobe. She was going to be Mrs. Grant Mallaby and by jove she was going to look it.

Grant in the meanwhile found himself thinking of Tizzy every moment that he was away from her. He looked back on the past few days and realized if any one moment deserved to take the credit for their love it was when his car broke down. That one small journey brought with it the

happiness he felt today. Thank God he told himself that the wedding was only a couple of days away. It did not matter if they did not say a word to each other; his joy now was just to have her by his side and in his view.

On Saturday afternoon Grant took a very nervous Tizzy with him to the airport. His parents were arriving from Perth for the wedding and even thought Tizzy had spoken to them over the phone a couple of times, meeting them in person unnerved her. And nothing Grant said could ease that nervous feeling. Only when an hour later she stood enfolded in her mother-in-laws embrace did she wonder at her foolishness. She should have trusted Grant’s words, for he knew his parents well. They had already welcomed Tizzy into the family, sight unseen. Now she looked gratefully at Grant’s mum as she heard a mother tell her son “she was worth waiting for, my son.”

They drove back to Grant’s penthouse happily chatting all the way. His parents were spending the night there with their son. And the next day they were moving in with Betty and Peter. Betty and Peter had insisted on having Grant’s parents with them until Gant and Tizzy returned from their honeymoon.

After leaving their luggage, the four of them went straight to the rehearsal. There, Grant met Greg and his children. That they adored Tizzy was an understatement. They accepted ‘the new look’ Rizzy without a second look saying ‘but Tizzy was always beautiful’ and Grant wondered if kids always saw the beauty within in a person, before they saw the packaging outside. Through the rehearsal they stood by Tizzy. That they soon accepted Grant too, was also source of great relief to him. With them Grant saw another side of Tizzy. The maternal side and he prayed with every breath in his body that God would one day grace them with a child their own.

After the rehearsal, Grant, Tizzy and his parents drove over to the same Italian restaurant for dinner. Peter and Betty drove in their own car. Becky and Roger joined them too. During the meal, Tizzy learnt all about Grant’s childhood, his antics, and his relationship with his brother and their family life. It turned out to be such an enjoyable meeting that when the clock struck

mid-night they forced themselves to return to the car. Grant first drove his parents home and then took Tizzy to her grandparent’s place.

When they were once again alone in the car he said “I am going to be the envy of every person at the wedding tomorrow. My parents already adore you”

“I hope I do make you very p proud of me t..tomorrow.”

“You did that a long time ago. Now each time I see you, you simply take my breath away.”

The look in his eyes confirmed his feeling. And this time instead of looking away, she returned his look. This wonderful man had not only become her friend and her protector but also the love of her life. Grant’s feelings were equally visible. Sitting beside her, for the first time in his life he felt at peace with himself and with the world. His heart ached with the love he felt for the woman by his side, the woman who had come to mean everything for him. He was going to share the rest of his life with her and never again would he ever let her go. Her running had ended; his searching had finished.

When he said goodbye that night, it was not Grant who bent down to kiss her, but it was Tizzy who reached up to him. Taken aback, Grant hesitated for a second and then enveloped her in his tight embrace. And this time, for the first time, they kissed as lovers and not once did Tizzy try to break the spell that enveloped them.

Breathless they had finally parted. “Go in Tizzy, otherwise I won’t be able to drive away.” Tizzy walked back to the house while Grant looked on until she had gone inside. Then he drove off. He could not wait for his wedding day. This was their final parting. There would be no more partings after tomorrow. That was a promise he made to himself.

Chapter 17

Sunday morning, the sun woke everyone up with eager anticipation. More than five hundred people wanted 10 am to arrive soon. And no one wanted that more that Grant and Tizzy themselves.

Betty had transformed her home into a floral garden. The lawn had been broken up into segments. The wedding was taking place in the central lawn, with the aisle, in line with the back door of the house. Ten seats had been placed on either side of the aisle, going back into twenty-five rows. A gazebo had been set up on a raised platform. The pillars were covered with yellow garlands that wound themselves up to the top. On the left of the wedding area, an open air dining area had been organised with each table holding a central floral decoration of yellow roses. The area on the right had seats scattered all around, a sort of waiting room for those that came in too early. At 9.30 the guests that had been waiting in that area were asked to move into the central region.

The guest room downstairs had been opened up for Grant and his best man. Tizzy got ready in her own room and Becky was given the room next to her. The make-up artist and the hairdresser had already completed their jobs and Tizzy now stood in her wedding dress in front of the mirror. Even she was astounded by her reflection. She prayed she would not let Grant down. A knock on the door brought her out of her reverie, as Peter and Betty came in. She need not have worried. The look in their eyes, told Tizzy that Grant would be just as astounded.

Betty opened the box in her hand. Set amidst the blue velvet was a diamond and pearl set. Hanging from the center of the necklace was a large teardrop shaped blue sapphire pendant. Tizzy found herself gaping at the magnificent jewellery.

“Tizzy, this was Peter’s gift to me at your mother’s birth and we want you to have it.” Betty tried to place the box in Tizzy’s hand.

“Grandee it’s truly beautiful, but I can’t. It is ...” Tizzy replied.

“Tizzy, it will give us so much happiness. When Cynthia was a little girl she always wanted to wear this. I never let her. It is something I have never forgiven myself for. Let me make amends today.” Betty said tearfully.

“Grandee don’t you start crying. It’s taken over an hour to get me looking like this. If I start crying now….” Tizzy said

“Oh no you don’t child. Grant wants the wedding to start at 10, not a minute later. Honey you are everything we have now. Don’t disappoint your Grandee, she has waited a long time for this moment.” Peter said

Tizzy looked at both of them then turned so that Betty could clasp on the necklace. The matching earrings completed the picture. Not wanting to ruin the dress and makeup, Betty gave her a gentle hug and then left the room in a hurry. The tears in her eyes were just as threatening as the one in Tizzy’s.

Peter looked at his grand-daughter. ‘Thank you Lord, for the miracle that you have performed in our lives’. With that prayer