TWENTY
"Barbra and Tom are getting married in three weeks." Cora let out a long breath with her eyes wide.
"Cutting it close, aren't they?" Trixie nodded flicking through a few bridal magazines,
"Well with Barbra's father going to New Guinea they want it done as quickly as possible." Cora let at a long breath before reaching for the telephone,
"In which case I have to make a call, she's trying to do her own dress isn't she?" Trixie nodded slightly confused,
"Yes, why?" Cora smirked,
"Tell her not to bother. I have a connection." The phone rang and a woman picked up on the other end,
"Yes Hello this is Cora King, Sir Charles King's daughter I was wondering if you might be able to squeeze a friend of mine in for a fitting out of hours? Yes I will be paying for it all, the weddings in three weeks, of course that's no issue. Thank you, tomorrow at 6pm shall be perfect." Trixie shook her head with a fond smile as she kissed her wife sweetly,
"You are one of the kindest women I have ever met Cora King." Cora grinned bashfully,
"You only think that because you're you." Trixie shook her head,
"No I think so because that's the truth."
Said dress fitting required Cora to dress in her best suit, limping into Phyllis' car with a smile.
The midwives were all surprised when they arrived at the given address, Barbra panicking slightly, "Oh Cora you shouldn't have, this will all be too expensive."
Cora smiled at Barbra with a reassuring expression, "Don't you worry about the price Barbra is all taken care of trust me."
Cora herself was parked in a chair simply observing, observing Barbra, Trixie, Valerie, Delia and even Phyllis fawning over dresses. Evelyn had unfortunately agreed to take the shift on call with Sister Winifred, bridal shops were still a sore spot for the Midwife.
Cora watched, particularly as Trixie lingered on one dress for a long while. As she was dealing with the payment she also had that dress made to Trixie's measurements exactly.
Because they would marry even if not officially, they would throw a party and Trixie would wear that damned dress, walking down an aisle to meet Cora at the other end.
"Cora this is too generous, you're basically paying for the entire thing." Cora smiled kindly at the Vicar,
"I insist Tom, you and Barbra have been so kind to me, and Ev and Hayley. Not only that you and Barbra have looked after the kids so often that it's the right thing. Not to mention your best man isn't turning up till morning which means it's only fit that I give you a proper stag night."
It took a moment of persuasion but he eventually agreed.
Cora did not in fact wake up at home that morning no, Fred woke up in the shed of the allotment and Cora woke up surrounded by bikes in the bike shed, she was simply thankful that her leg cast had been removed some days earlier relaxed with a brace which mean limping home a little easier.
Hayley woke up under Phyllis's car, dragging herself out stumbling before laughing at a rough looking Cora, of whom in turn smacked her on the upside of the head, dissolving into laughter as Hayley groaned.
"Come on Junior, we've got work to do." Hayley grumbled at the mention of the nickname,
"I still can't believe I got Junior and you got Kingy, it should be the other way around." Cora shrugged, as the pair stumbled their way back to the house,
"We'll take it as a compliment that you look younger than me." Hayley rolled her eyes,
"That is not what it means and you know that."
"Mum? Where have you been?" Cora blinked tiredly, still slightly drunk on the path to being hungover as she looked at her daughter.
"I honestly don't exactly remember, are the girls nearly ready?"
Alex nodded, biting back her laugh as she directed her mother up the stairs to get dressed.
The entire King clan made their way to the church smiling joyfully as they did, the twins sitting contented in their little dresses, Hayley in her dress uniform, Cora in a fine suit and Alex following suit ;) in her own suit. With Evelyn, Trixie, Valerie and Delia dawning lovely dresses for the occasion.
"Oh the girls look absolutely wonderful, don't you my girls." Cora let out a small chuckle as Trixie fixed her arm sling before taking her seat.
The wedding itself was beautiful and Tom thanked Cora profusely for all that he was able to do thanks to her.
And the pictures taken would forever display in their home.
Alex nearly broke out into a sprint at the sight of Patsy and Delia approaching, Cora smiling as Patsy came to stand next to her wrapping her arms around the ginger.
"Welcome home Pats."
"Do you think we will ever have this?" Cora smiled at Trixie wrapping her arms around the blonde,
"Of course we will, one way or another we will get married surrounded by our friends and family, but it won't be like this, no it will be more you."
Although the comfort was short lived as Lena ran toward them, and Cora hoisted her granddaughter into her arms, "Papa, look."
Cora smiled, "I'm looking darling."
Contented by her Papa's response Lena turned to Trixie, "Riki look."
Trixie smiled, Riki had been what she'd become known as in favour of Nana thankfully, the girls weren’t quite able to pronounce Trixie so Riki is what they'd settled on.
"I'm looking sweetie."
Trixie's eyes sparkled at the sight, Cora was right, it wouldn't be like this, it would be entirely more them.
With their unconventional large and growing family, and their friends. Their Granddaughters’ running down the aisle ahead with Alex, Patsy as Cora's best man, Barbra as her maid of honour. She had it all in her head, she simply longed for a time when it could be enacted.