The drought
She looked beautiful in her ivory silk wedding dress. Dad had even hired morning dress which suited him even though the one button keeping the jacket closed was struggling a little. The size he had given Moss Bros was more wishful thinking than factual. The wellies they both wore seemed a little incongruous at first but, as most of the wedding guest in the congregation were wearing them as suggested on the invitations, they were an incongruety that soon faded into the background.
They walked slowly arm in arm along the path from the gate to the church porch, through the graveyard that was now empty of the long dead parishioners. Dad turned to Daughter and whispered. ‘You look so beautiful darling, I just hope you will be happy with this stupid clown you are marrying.’
‘Thanks Dad, I love you and I know you like Michael a lot really.’
The portable electric organ was slowly cranked into life by Miss Bidson from the local jeweller’s who had been the parish organist for many years – no one knew how many but it was more than a few as she had outlived several organs before donating them for research – how could a well made instrument make such terrible noises?
‘Come on Dad, let’s do it’
They slowly started walking up the aisle towards her future, Dad with a furtive tear in each eye, his heart bursting with pride as he prepared to give away his gorgeous daughter.
The service went well, no one forgot or dropped the rings, Registrar had turned up on time. She was necessary because the church wasn’t licensed for weddings – or funerals come to that but that didn’t matter much today. Even Vicar had arrived on his bike, wishing he had mudguards and remembered most of the words.
Husband and Wife slowly walked back up the aisle to the entrance arch accompanied by Miss Bidson’s extraordinary rendition of Widor’s Toccata. Just before they reached the church entrance a few spots of rain fell on them and the congregation.
‘I knew we should have got married in a church with a roof,’ said Husband.
‘I just wanted to get married in the same church as my Mum and Dad,’ said Wife.
So sweet, their first domestic.
The rain got heavier and the water level started to rise. It was now creeping across the path towards the church, umbrellas mushroomed. The congregation quickly abandoned the church, Vicar helped Miss Bidson push the organ out of the church, towards the waiting white van where Eric helped them lift it into the back and drove off. Vicar dashed back for his bike before the water engulfed it.
The drought had broken, the church would soon sink below the waters once again.
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