Chapter Text
Ada sighed as she put down the invitation. She was fond of Ursula in a way but being invited to her wedding was just another chance to witness some truly insufferable behaviour. Ursula was prone to being a big fat show off at the best of times and here she would be in her element, quite rightly this time.
Dimity bounced in and declared that she hadn't a thing to wear so let's go shopping.
'Let me consider my options.' Ada sifted through her wardrobe in her head and wondered how much longer her trusty old outfit would hold up for. She'd have to check it later.
'I take it the usual crowd have been invited?' She asked. Dimity got on the phone to confirm. She was the hotline to gossip. Ada supposed it was kind of Ursula to invite them all. A less than genial thought was that she needed to boost the numbers at the venue. She was big on keeping up appearances.
'Even Hecate Hardbroom!'
Ada pricked up her ears at that. Hecate Hardbroom had been a most intriguing character. She and Dimity had been some of the youngest interns back then but the difference between them was immense. Hecate had been notorious for being rigid and old fashioned. She was incredibly distant and never cracked a smile. The least popular person on the programme, only Dimity could get anywhere with her, not without considerable effort. Ada had tried but was rebuffed for the most part. She nevertheless kept her offer of friendship open and sometimes Hecate would join her for lunch. In silence. Ada thought it might have been crippling shyness and treated her gently.
'Guess what, HB's been invited.'
'I heard.'
'I wonder if she'll turn up.'
Ada wondered that too. Hecate had not turned up for the end of internship party. Nobody had realised that when she'd politely bade them goodbye on the last day, that would be the last they would see of her.
'I wonder why Ursula invited her.'
'To boast about her rich husband-to-be and swanky new life. I bet Hecate won't attend. Too much like a school reunion I suppose. I can't imagine her at a school reunion, can you?'
'I can't imagine her at a wedding either' said Ada.
'If she does, the photos will be grim. She had a face like a wet weekend.'
'Don't be uncharitable' scolded Ada gently. 'She may have changed. People do over the course of a decade. It was…twelve or so years ago? You were all so young then.'
'Always younger than you, mummy dearest' teased Dimity, ducking out of the way as Ada's hand made for her shoulder in outrage. Dimity was Ada's goddaughter, for her sins, as Ada liked to say. Dimity had always been a livewire, running around, climbing trees and roller-skating into trouble. The times that Ada used to pick her up from school were some of the most exhausting, she could barely keep up. But watching Dimity grow up had been marvellous, made Ada feel like she was part of a family.
'Don't be cheeky' she said sternly. 'If she does turn up, at least be civil to her.'
Dimity tended to be too cheerful for the likes of Hecate Hardbroom and she certainly had found her overwhelming.
'I always was' protested Dimity.
'Well…calling her HB and asking her where she kept her broomstick didn't help.'
They both recalled Ursula's few choices words at how far the broomstick was wedged up Hecate's arse but Dimity had never repeated it. That was a mockery too far.
'If she does come, I'll make sure she doesn't feel left out' she promised. 'Ok?'
'Ok.'
Ada had to be satisfied with that.