Happy Ever After (6 page)

When Poppy had finished writing all the letters, she had a sandwich for lunch, then went round to call on Honey again.

“Will you help me deliver these letters?” she asked.

“Yeah, definitely. I'll just tell my granny,” replied Honey.

“Good luck, girls!” called Granny Bumble as the two friends walked down towards the river. After posting a letter through Aunt Marigold's door they set off across the fields to deliver a letter to Saffron and another to Farmer and Mrs Meadowsweet. The next house on their list was the Turners' pretty cottage, which was in the grounds of Cornsilk Castle; then they headed back through the fields and over the bridge to give a letter to the Woodchesters at the Hedgerows Hotel. The last deliveries were to other local friends who lived on the outskirts of the village. Then they went past the post office and posted the remaining letters to the people who lived a little further afield.

“I can't wait to see what people bring to Bumble Bee's Teashop!” exclaimed Poppy. “Now I need to make a really beautiful box to put all the stuff in. Will you help me?”

“I'd love to,” replied Honey. “Let's go back to your house now.”

The girls found an old wooden box in the loft and covered it with silky wedding fabric from Mum's remnant box. Then they decorated it with white ribbons, sequins and pearly beads.

“Let's use this wrapping paper to line the inside,” suggested Poppy, who loved craft jobs like this.

“Good idea. It will look really pretty,” agreed Honey.

“And when this is finished,” announced Poppy, “we can get on with the rest of the plan – the best bit. We need to write the love letters. I can't do it because Mum and Dad will recognize my writing, so
you'll
have to.”

“Oh, Poppy, I
can't
write love letters to your parents!” said Honey, who was really worried about getting caught.

“But, Honey, if you don't then the plan won't work and my mum and dad will carry on fighting all the time. Pleeease,” begged Poppy.

Honey didn't want to let her best friend down but she was definitely not going to write love letters to Mr and Mrs Cotton. What if they found out? She'd be in such trouble with them
and
with Granny Bumble.

“I know,” she said suddenly. “We could use my
new
computer. If we type the letters they won't ever be able to tell who wrote them!”

“That's a brilliant idea, Honey!” said Poppy. “Let's go and do it now.”

“Poppy, Honey,” called Mum, “what are you girls up to?”

“Nothing,” they replied in chorus.

“Well, you'd better both stop doing nothing. Poppy, it's time for supper. Honey, I'm sure Granny Bumble will be wondering where you've got to. I'll ring her and let her know you're on your way home.”

Honey looked at Poppy. “Come round to my house tomorrow morning and we can do the letters then. My granny will be at the teashop so no one will know what we're doing,” she suggested conspiratorially.

“Cool – see you then,” replied Poppy. She couldn't wait.

The next day the girls sat in Honey's lovely yellow bedroom in front of her new computer and started to write the letters.

“A bit of mystery and romance is required here. It needs to be like Prince Charming writing to Cinderella,” explained Poppy.

“I've never seen a love letter,” confessed Honey. “I don't know what people put in them. I bet they're really yucky and lovey-dovey though. Did you read the love letters you found with your mum and dad's wedding stuff?”

“Ew, no,” replied Poppy. “That would have been gross. I know what their pet names for each other were, though, so let's start with that.”

Poppy dictated while Honey typed.

“There, that sounds good,” said Poppy as she read what they had written. “Let's print them out!”

Poppy and Honey had it all organized. Tomorrow they were going to decorate the garden with fairy lights and set up a table with candles and flowers. Just before Mum and Dad were due to arrive Poppy planned to lay out the delicious feast that Granny Bumble was making for the occasion. The wedding box would be placed near the table for her parents to discover during dinner. Now all she had to do was make sure they both received the love letters . . .

Chapter Eight

WHEN POPPY GOT
back, Mum was busy getting the twins ready to go to Grandpa's for the afternoon. He'd promised to look after them to give Mum a break for a few hours. This was the perfect time to plant the letters!

Poppy decided to leave the letter for Mum on the desk in her studio. Dad never went in there so he definitely wouldn't find it, and because Mum was working so hard at the moment she was in there all the time. The question of where to put the letter for Dad was more tricky. She thought about putting it in his golf bag, but then she remembered that he only played on Saturdays
so
he wouldn't find it in time. His trouser pocket was a possibility – but what if he decided to wear a different pair? Eventually Poppy decided to leave the letter in the drawer of his bedside table. Dad definitely looked in that every night because he kept his reading glasses and ear plugs there.

That should do it
, thought Poppy when the letters were both in position.

Just then Honey arrived to pick her up for a dress fitting at Saffron's Sewing Shop. Mum seemed to be in a very good mood when the two friends set off, Poppy thought.

“Have fun, girls!” her mum called.

“Bye, Mum!” replied Poppy.

Poppy and Honey were both very excited about being measured for the dresses. They were still surprised and thrilled that they had been asked to be flower girls at all. It would be so much fun doing it with their friends.

“Right!” said Saffron as everyone assembled in her little shop. “Stand in a line alphabetically. We'll start with Abi at the front, then we'll have Helena, Honey, Lola, Mimosa, Poppy and Sweetpea. Now, I've made a chart for each of
you
. I need your height, and then your waist, chest, arm and shoulder–to-waist measurements. And look, the fabric has arrived! Isn't it divine?”