I took a moment to consider that after the last week things had gone so well, the
one thing I will say for my baby sis is if you give her the order to organize
well then she won’t let you down and I honestly can’t say without some near
dictatorial behaviour from her over the last week we may not have quite made
it. So despite all of our grumbling sat here watching them finally looking as
happy as we all had hoped for them I could forgive Andy for putting her in
charge.

Dinner had been divine and as I glanced around I could see I was not the only one
slouched back in my chair trying to ease the new tightness the food seemed to
have caused in my clothes. Waiters made the rounds ensuring everyone had a full
glass of champagne, and cider for those under age or like myself not inclined
to indulge, in preparation for the evenings toasts.

I took one last look at them as Bette tapped her glass to get quiet as she had
drawn the short straw as the first speaker. Andy sat leant back in her chair an
arm around Rachel’s shoulder as Holly sat on her lap and I knew we were all
where we should be as I changed my focus to Bette’s voice.

            “Wow, not massively eloquent but every time since I was asked to make this speech it
seems to be the first word that makes it to paper so as against my nature as it
seems I decided that as a theme for a speech suitable for today I would just go
with.

            Wow to how amazing my two friends look, wow to the unadulterated love that I see in
them, and wow that after all that they have survived they have made it here.

            Less than a year ago I had a meeting at my gallery which resulted in an invitation
to that agent to a BBQ I was holding. As most of you know an external invite to
one of our family evenings is rare but invite I did. And I still do not know
why to this day I broke our usual rule of no outsiders on family night but I
did and I do not think I am the only one for once grateful for my spontaneous
nature and double standards.