Chapter 23: Mr and Mrs Dougherty - Kirstie

The seconds tick by...

A sound...

We both jolt, heads turning to follow the sound...

It repeats: a knock on a door, coming through from the lounge. And a voice: Michael. "Ryan? Kirstie? We're good to go."

Ryan grins. "We'll be with you shortly, Michael."

"Fine. No hurry." The voice echoes through. "Whenever you're ready."

I lift away, sitting back at my end of the bath. "Well, Mrs Dougherty..." says my new husband... "Shall we go greet our guests?"

"What do you think we'll find out there?"

"I don't care if we find peanut butter sandwiches and orange squash waiting for us. They've turned the day around."

"That's what friends are for."

*****

JAMES

Michael leans back against our makeshift bar, arms folded, wearing a warm puppy grin. "I'd say we did it."

"I'd say we did."

A stream of aunts, sisters, cousins, grans, moms and daughters ferry dish after dish from the kitchens. Each one sets down some platter or server then beelines for the bar.