Missing Martha

121

They decided to take their instruments out of the back of the van, and walked around in the sunny cobbled streets of Verona.
Martin and Zoe decided to get food while the band found a street grand piano and immediately ran towards it.
"Go on Jemma!" Ryan Exclaimed, seeing her sit down on the seat while Cloda sat on top of the piano with the lid closed and they all sang a rag blues tune, immediately getting attention from the public as Lucy, Ollie and Ryan began to join with their guitars.

Martin and Zoe were walking around the streets with no real destination, their arms linked as they crossed the castle bridge and walked down towards the shore beside the river.
"I'm not sure if I can walk on the stones with these heels!" Laughed Zoe, before Martin let go of her arm and stood in front of her, not facing her as he kneeled down.
"What are you doing?" Zoë Asked,
"Come on, piggy back." Offered Martin,
"I'll break your back!" Zoë Exclaimed.
"Oh come on!" Encouraged Martin, "hop on!"
"This is your fault if your spine snaps!" Warned Zoë, putting her legs either side of Martin's back and holding onto his shoulders.
"Let's go!" Called Martin, not caring who was around them, breaking into a sprint as Zoe screamed and laughed, holding him tightly. Martin continued to run around the waters edge before quickly splashing into the swash, soaking the bottoms of his trousers and Zoe's legs.
"Let me down! Let me down!" She squeaked as she wrapped her arms around Martin's neck and he held onto her thighs and walked towards the bank, leaning down and letting her go, causing her to gasp as she fell onto the sand, her fall being broken slightly by Martin placing his hands behind her back and neck. He kneeled down beside her and buried his face in the crook of her neck as they both laughed out loud.
"You've wrecked my wedding dress!" She Complained, though not seriously.
"Really, how much did it cost you?" He asked her, raising his head just to look at her.
"Twenty quid in H&M." She giggled,
"Your fucking wedding dress." Laughed Martin, "this is why I love you."
Smiling, Zoe ran her finger's through Martin's hair and kissed him the way she had longed to kiss him all morning. Martin rolled onto his back and she crawled over him, her lips locked with his, till she whispered honestly,
"You're my whole world, too."

About half an hour later the teachers began to walk back towards the open area with the colosseum but found a crowd of over fifty people and heard loud blues music.
"It's not.. is it?" Zoë began, not able to see who was playing. More and more people were crowding around and some had started to dance with their partners.
"I think it might be them." Martin grinned, "I can't see, though."
"Let me up on your shoulders." Asked Zoë,
"Oh now you're volunteering?" Flirted Martin before kneeling down and letting her dangle her legs over his shoulders as he strained and stood up.
Zoe looked around and indeed saw the band playing,
"Oh my god it is them!" She exclaimed, waving to them. Ollie noticed almost immediately and burst out laughing, waving back as Zoe screamed a cheer.
After another half hour of singing and dancing with a crowd of well over a hundred they concluded, thanking the crowd and walking over to Martin, who was trying to let Zoë down from his shoulders.
"Need some help?" Chuckled Ryan, till Zoë pushed herself over Martin's head and onto the ground, surprising her husband.
"Well, that's one way of doing it..!" He chuckled, standing up straight, before patting everyone's shoulders, "that was brilliant, man! There must have been over a hundred people watching you at one point.
"My guitar case is filled to the brim with money- it wasn't supposed to be a collection pot!" Laughed Ollie, shaking the case which was now significantly heavier.
"Well let's stop off at the bank and get that exchanged then!" Said Martin, taking the case for Ollie and putting it over his left shoulder while holding Zoe's hand with his right.
"So what were you two doing?" Asked Lucy, eating some of the snacks they had bought each other.
"Just having a walk." Zoë replied, "across the bridge and by the river is absolutely gorgeous."
Martin nodded in agreement, stroking the palm of her hand with absolute adoration.
"Jeez, I feel like I'm third-wheeling on a honeymoon." Remarked Ollie, noticing the affection his teachers had been giving each other as he walked behind them.
"Shut up." Chuckled Martin, "Come on lets get back to the van before the sun starts to set."
Jemma laughed, "Yes, let's!"
Ollie smiled at her and wrapped his eager arm around her shoulders. While Martin spotted a bank nearby and told them that he'd be back in ten minutes.

The band resorted back to the van with Zoe who opened up the sliding door and found her place on the bed at the back.
"Somebody tired?" Chuckled Ollie, placing his guitar on the top bunk.
"Wrecked." She replied, lying on her back and brushing her long blonde hair off her face.
"Come on, brides can't go to sleep before their first dance!" Encouraged Ollie, tapping her shoulder before sitting on the other end of the bed.
"Oh shut up I slept about two hours last night." Justified Zoe,
"Why- were you too busy with my music teacher?" Joked Ollie, lying back perpendicular to Zoe.
"Oh my god, Ollie! Since when did you become so rude?!" Zoë exclaimed, sitting up slightly with raised eyebrows.
"Ey- shes not denying it!" Ollie chuckled,
" as a matter of fact I barely laid a finger on your music teacher last night, I just happened to have a lot to think and worry about while also being three months pregnant and in quite a significant amount of pain." Zoë replied, trying to avoid making a smug face.
"Oh, Ollie." Laughed Jemma, "need some ice for that burn?"
Ollie bit his lip before scoffing, "right I'm sorry."
Zoe rolled back onto her back and smiled until Martin entered through the front door with Ollie's guitar case at hand.
"Right, I've got your payment." He announced, shifting around into the driver's seat, passing Ollie's guitar case backwards. Martin took out five white envelopes from his inside pocket with everyone's names on them, "pass these out."
"God look at you, Mr Professional." Remarked Cloda, impressed, sitting in the front seat and slipping the money into her bag.
"How much is in here?" Asked Ryan, taking a quick glimpse in the envelope and seeing a multitude of notes.
"Not sure, just asked the lady to divide all the money in the case equally into five." Lied Martin, adjusting his rear-view mirror before spotting Zoe lying in bed and smiling,
"You alright, Zo?" He asked her, turning around to see her eyes gleaming at him as she lay in bed, nodding at him.
"Yes, Mr McCafferson."