Chas and Dave

Ayesha is from Margate but her kids have never been there.

There’s never been anything to go back for

but her friend is getting married so we’re here,

eating two for £12 lasagnes in a Travelodge bar.

There’s still no word from the hospital and we’ve been warned

it’s unlikely there’ll be good news. A wedding’s not the same

without a best man. It felt wrong to ask someone else

so there’ll be no speech. He’ll keep the ring in his pocket.

Ayesha said no when Claire asked her to be a bridesmaid.

The wedding is in the pub she used to work in

and her dad was a chef there. We get there early

because she really wants some red wine.

Tottenham are playing on the big screen and are winning.

‘Claire’s dad would have been happy about that,’ she says

and he’s not mentioned again for the rest of the day.

At the bar a man remembers there used to be a piano in the corner.

The rapport between her brothers is beautiful.

No-one would be able to tell anything had ever happened,

maybe it’s the kilts. Weddings are improved by a Scottish groom.

She told me to wear trousers. We say hello to Claire then sit on our own.

The groom’s old boss can play piano and after a Wendy Cope poem

he plays All Things Bright and Beautiful. The Wonderwall of hymns. 

Everyone joins in and it’s the first time Ayesha’s ever held my hand

without me reaching for hers first and she sings.

I didn’t think she’d sing. We share a taxi back to our hotel

with a couple we don’t know. Nigel and Gail.

The driver is listening to Chas and Dave. He tells us

they weren’t just a novelty band. They wrote proper songs.

Nigel agrees and they go back to their room

and we go back to ours. We don’t stick around for breakfast.

Claire is married now, moving to Motherwell

and it looks like there’ll be no need to come back to Margate.