Don't Tell the Groom Read Online Free PDF Page A

them to the needy.
    But before I can protest that that is far too soon, Nanny Violet is back to her head-shaking.
    â€˜No, no, no, Mark. That’s far too far away. You really are going to have to do it sooner, like May.’
    May? What is Nanny Violet trying to do to me? At this rate I’ll be the one in danger of not making it to our wedding, if my racing heart is anything to go by. May is only three and a half months away. There is absolutely no way we can get married in three and a half months.
    â€˜Is there something you’re not telling us, Nan?’ asks Mark. I can see the look of concern written all over his face.
    â€˜I just think you’d be better off having a wedding in May.’
    â€˜Well, that will be fine, won’t it, Pen? We all know you’ve got the wedding planned out on your mood boards and Pinterest, anyway.’
    I shoot a look at Mark and wonder what else he knows about my secret wedding planning. If he knows about Pinterest, maybe he knows about my online memberships to Confetti and Hitched. And if he knows about them, what if he knows about the bingo? But I shake my head. If he knew about that there wouldn’t be a wedding to plan at all.
    â€˜That is a relief then,’ says Violet, staring directly at me.
    There’s something in the way she’s looking at me that makes me think she knows what I’ve done. It’s like she knowsthat I am a bad egg her grandson shouldn’t marry. Maybe this is a test.
    â€˜Yes, May is it then,’ I say, holding Violet’s gaze to show her I’m not scared. ‘I can plan a wedding in that time. It will be no problem at all.’
    â€˜Splendid,’ says Violet, as I try to come to terms with what I’ve just agreed to.
    If only I could share her enthusiasm.

    To be honest I don’t quite know why I agreed to take Nanny Violet to the library. I should have just run as far away as possible from her. I guess I naively assumed that I’d be able to use the time in the car to try and push the date of the wedding back. Even if we went for Mark’s autumnal suggestion I might be able to save some of the money.
    â€˜Right, Penny. It will take me about half an hour to choose my books. Is that OK?’
    I glance at my watch. I’ll never make it back in time for the Saturday afternoon
Midsomer Murders
repeat now. ‘Yes, Violet, take your time.’
    Violet walks off with a spring in her step that makes me doubt that she’s an eighty-eight-year-old who won’t be with us next year.
    It’s been years since I last set foot in a library, and I look around to see if it’s changed. It still gives me that I’m-scared-to-breathe-too-loudly feeling, but somehow there’s something comforting about the space. I walk around seeing if anything takes my fancy – and then I see a sign on the door ‘Citizens Advice’. I remember the card the bank manager gave me and what he said about them being able to help me.
    I walk across to the door, looking over my shoulder to check that Nanny Violet isn’t watching, and when I see the sight of her blue rinse over in the large print section, I hurry through it.
    I wait outside on an uncomfortable plastic chair, and it isn’t long until a woman pokes her head out of an office door.
    â€˜Do you want to come through?’
    I follow her into the little office and sit down opposite her. This time the chairs are more comfortable; it’s like I’m progressing to the headmaster’s office.
    â€˜So what can we do for you?’
    I had expected the woman to be older, but she is probably only in her mid-thirties. I’d pictured a little old lady dispensing the wisdom.
    â€˜Well, I sort of need financial advice.’
    â€˜OK. Are you in debt?’
    â€˜Not really.’
    â€˜You either are or you’re not.’
    â€˜Not, then,’ I say for clarification. Blimey, this woman isn’t taking any