The Gay Delusion

Epilogue: The Griffin Delusion

Epilogue: The Griffin Delusion

Three Years Later

'For fuck's sake!' Andie – the wedding planner – curses, hanging up on the poor soul on the receiving end of her fury before throwing her phone onto the bed in unrestrained anger. 'I can't believe they've managed to cock the bloody bouquets up! We sorted the shitting things months ago! I'll murder the damn bastards!'

I catch Nova's eye in the mirror from where I'm stood behind her, sweeping her loosely curled hair into an updo with bobby pins held between my teeth. We both have to hold down smiles at the way Andie's sailor mouth is going off at full speed - the culmination of months of stressing out over the planning of Nova's wedding.

Nova's mum gasps, clapping a hand to her chest. 'Oh no, what a disaster! What are we going to do? The whole wedding will be ruined!'

'Good Lord,' I mutter so quietly that only Nova can hear me, 'Misplaced flowers are clearly the catalyst for Armageddon.'

Nova chokes down a laugh. 'Andie, Mum, please don't worry about it. If the worst comes to worst, we can honestly just pick whatever's growing on the damn beach and use that. There's no point worrying if there's nothing else which can be done about the situation,' Nova says soothingly, offering Andie a reassuring smile. She reaches an arm out for the glass of water resting on top of the vanity, taking a small sip as I finish off her hair by pinning white flowers in it.

'Regardless, I'm getting our money back – with compensation,' Andie says stubbornly. 'This is unacceptable.'

'Unacceptable,' Nova's mum repeats. 'Quite right.'

'If it'll make you happy, please feel free,' Nova replies, although I can hear the laughter hidden in the folds of her voice. She's clearly too happy to care about anything going wrong, drenched in it and glowing like a star which won't ever go out. 'Although actually guys, do you think you could give me and Laina a few minutes?'

The room is filled with people – Andie, Nova's mum and sister, various friends and cousins, as well as the other two bridesmaids, who all immediately begin to file out. The biggest perk of being a bride, I've noticed, is probably that everyone seems to listen to you like your words are the law of the land.

As I step back to study Nova's makeup to see what finishing touches need to be made to her hair and makeup, she reaches for my wrist and takes my hand.

'Finally - some peace! They're all a noisy bunch, aren't they?' she says a little exasperatedly, although fondness creeps into her expression. 'I've been waiting all morning for it to be just us two!'

'They're mental,' I agree easily, before asking, 'Everything all right, Supernova?'

She nods, a smile slowly pulling her lips upward. 'Everything's perfect, babe. Well – except for the bloody bouquets, apparently, but I'm not fussed about those. I clearly just wanted to get you alone so we can do the dirty one last time before I get married,' Nova says jokingly, making me snort.

'Don't tell Lachlan that!' I tease. 'Now tilt your head back so I can put a bit more eyeliner on you,' I say, reaching for the brown eye pencil.

'In a sec,' Nova interjects, patting my hands away. 'I have something I wanted to give you first.'

Stepping back, I look at her questioningly. 'Why, you crazy woman? You've already given us so much just for being your bridesmaids,' I protest, pointing at the small pile of gifts over in the corner for each me, Essie and Clover.

'My maid of honor has to have something extra special, obviously,' Nova counters, opening the drawer on the left hand side of the vanity. 'Especially having travelled thousands of miles just for me.' She removes something packaged up in pale pink tissue paper, handing it to me.