Downshire Diary – (12) Marrying Dorcas

(Part 01)

Ben and Dorcas had been living together for just over a month and he found it difficult to remember the time he lived alone.
It had been a bit of whirlwind romance and in just a few short months Bens cozy little life had been completely turned upside down.
From the moment Dorcas breezed into his life on a bright June day when she almost sent him into the afterlife from behind the wheel of her car.so they met in June, he proposed in August and they officially moved in together in November, although they were together virtually all the time from the moment of the proposal.
It was the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to him and she changed his life in a heartbeat.

The only blot on the landscape for them was “The Wedding” and that didn’t mean in any way shape or form that he didn’t want to get married to her, he did, very much so, and she felt exactly the same way, it was just the subject of “The Wedding” that was getting them down.
It had become all consuming, they thought they had been quite canny, leaving it in the hands of their parents but they were driving them mad.
And the wedding had taken on a life of its own, and it was not a life form that they recognized or wished to embrace.

They were constantly being pressed for a date and being told that the plans couldn’t proceed any further without knowing the date.
They had thought that once they got into December their focus would shift from the wedding to Christmas but no it seemed to get worse if anything and it was only the 1st day of the month.

They were both sitting in the lounge at the cottage having both come off the phone with their respective parents engulfed in gloom.
After about ten minutes Ben had a light bulb moment and he said
“Why don’t we get away?”
“Get away?” Dorcas replied
“Yes, let’s get away for a week and escape the harassment”
Get away?” Dorcas repeated
“We’ll be back in time for Christmas” he continued “but until then we can avoid all the talk of wedding plans”
Dorcas just sat looking thoughtful so he pressed on
“We’ve both got holiday to use up and we could do some Christmas shopping while we’re away”
She said nothing for a full minute and then suddenly she excitedly said
“Let’s go on line and see what’s available”
He switched on the laptop and she sat next to him as he opened the browser
“Do you want sun?” he asked
“No I’m not fussed about the sun” she said
“Ok, do you want activity?”
“Nah”
“America?”
“No, to America and nowhere that’s more than two hours flying time” she said decisively
“So Europe then” he said
“I think so”
“So how about Natural beauty?” he asked
“Nah”
“Well present company accepted” Ben added and kissed her
“You’re so sweet” She said and kissed him back
“Historic?” he asked
“Hmm” she responded thoughtfully
“Romantic?”
“Definitely” she replied
“City break then”
“Oh yes a city break” she said excitedly “but it must be a city I’ve not been to before”
“How about….” he pondered he knew she had been to the usual places, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels etc. so he cast his net a bit further.
“Berlin” he suggested

(Part 02)

They had decided on a city break somewhere in Europe.
“How about….” he pondered he knew she had been to the usual places, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels etc. so he cast his net a bit further.
“Berlin” he suggested
“Berlin?” she repeated “Oooh I haven’t been there”
“It has history, romance and a Christmas market to boot” he added
“Oooh a Christmas market” she said enthusiastically
“Ok then Berlin it is” Ben said
“Let’s find somewhere to stay” Dorcas added
An hour later they had a 10 night booking at the Regent Hotel and flights booked for the following Thursday, St Nicholas Day, the 6th December.
And a return flight on the 16th, which would give them a full week to do all the last minute stuff and enjoy the run in to their first Christmas together.

So on the Monday morning they put in their holiday forms to their respective employers and the wheels were set in motion.
They did however have a minor panic when Dorcas couldn’t find her passport.
She thought she had it last when she lived in Finchbottom but after an extensive search of the cottage and her unpacked boxes proved fruitless the realization that it must be at her parents’ house dawned on them.
The simple thing would have been to ask her mum but that would have alerted her to their plans and would have led to increased wedding questioning that would have to be answered before they departed and they didn’t plan on telling anyone they were going away until the last minute.
Dorcas had to leave it until Wednesday afternoon, when she knew her mum would be at the Women’s Institute, when she could sneak into the house and search unmolested.
It was cutting it very fine as they were due to leave the next day, but all the sneaky subterfuge and stealth paid off and she phoned him from the house to say she had it.
That evening they asked John and Carole from next door to pop in and feed Pandora while they were away and then they were all set.
At that stage they were the only two, outside of work colleagues, that knew they were going away.
So they were feeling very pleased with themselves when they reached the airport on Thursday morning and they had shown the family a clean pair of heels.
However once they got through passport control they phoned Helen to let her know what they were doing.
“Good for you” she said “I wouldn’t blame you if you got married while you’re away, Have a great time”

They flew into Tegel Airport just after 11.00am and arrived at the Hotel Regent about an hour and a half later and they were not disappointed by their choice, it was absolutely beautiful and very luxurious.
They had a beautiful room and from the main window there was a wonderful view of the imposing dome of, what they found out later was the French Cathedral.
Ben and Dorcas were so very pleased with their lovely room that they didn’t leave it all afternoon.
In fact they only left it in order to go and eat and then they went back to the room and had an early night.

(Part 03)

On Friday the weather was very English and it bucketed down with rain so they decided to make use of the Hotel facilities for the day and they began their holiday proper on Saturday morning after an early breakfast and they crammed in a lot on their first day out and about.
They took full advantage of the unseasonably mild weather and did the Brandenburg Gate, the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and the Glienicke Bridge in the morning and the Christmas Market at Charlottenburg Palace after lunch and into the evening.
When they woke up on Sunday morning they were exhausted after packing so much into their day, so they decided that they should perhaps have a more relaxing day beginning with breakfast to be followed by Church.

After speaking to the waiter the pair took his advice and got a taxi to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on the Kurfürstendamm.
And when the driver turned onto the very broad, long boulevard full of shops, houses, hotels and restaurants he said proudly
“This is the Champs-Élysées of Berlin”
“Oh look” Dorcas said excitedly as they pulled up outside the beautiful blue church “they have a Christmas market here too”
As Ben handed the driver his money he said
“They have Christmas markets everywhere”
“Oh goody” she responded and he laughed
The service was lovely and the new part of the Church with the blue glass was spectacular with the winter sun shining through.
Afterwards they ate lunch of Frickadellen with fries and mayo from a “Schnellie” at the roadside.
Ben and Dorcas went to Wannsee After lunch and walked around the lakes in the sunshine enjoying the scenery until the evening fell and so did the temperature.

From Monday onwards there was very little sun to speak of and it was bitterly cold but they really didn’t mind as for the rest of the week they got to spend lots of time hugging.
But it was an action packed few days, they shopped at Potsdamer Platz, spent hours at Museums Island, had lunch at the rotating restaurant at the TV tower on Alexanderplatz, climbed the victory column in the Tiergarten, visited the Berlin Zoo, went Christmas shopping at the big department store, KaDeWe, and a attended a liberal sprinkling of Christmas markets, in fact you name it and they did it.
It was when they were at the Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market that life got very interesting.
It was an incredibly cold afternoon and they had both over indulged on Gluwein when her phone rang.
Dorcas looked at the phone and pulled a face, it was not the first call that week to have caused that reaction.
“My mum just doesn’t give up” she said and rejected the call.
“I suppose that’s the price we have to pay” Ben said “if we want to get married and have the big wedding”
“But I don’t want to” she retorted

(Part 04)

“I suppose that’s the price we have to pay” Ben said “if we want to get married and have the big wedding”
“But I don’t want to” she retorted
“You don’t want to get married?” he asked with alarm
“Of course I want to marry you hon” she said reassuringly
“But I don’t want a big wedding” Dorcas said
“I just want me and you” and then she kissed him
“Let’s do it then” he suggested “let’s do it today, right now”
“What about the family?” she mused “Oooh my Mum will be so mad”
“And mine” he said “But what are they going to do? Ground us?”
Dorcas looked thoughtful as she drank another Gluwein
“And we can have a blessing at St Lucy’s later for family and friends” he added
“Ok let’s do it” Dorcas said and hugged him tightly
“Are you sure?” Ben asked
“Well I’m sure that I love you,” she said in reply “and I’m sure that you love me, so yes I’m sure”

Having made the decision to usurp their parents and have a quiet wedding of their own, on their own terms, the first thing the next morning they went to the British embassy to get the relevant forms required to marry in Germany, which was surprisingly easy.
After they left the embassy they went to a variety of bureaucratic offices and queued up to sit in front of a variety of bureaucrats until in true German style every forms had all the relative stamps and seals.
However when they went to the registry office they came up against a brick wall.
“You must wait for 6 weeks” the registrar said
“But we’ll be back in England in six weeks” he retorted
“I’m sorry” he said “but it’s the rule”
“but we’ve spent most of the day queuing in dreary offices getting seemingly endless forms endorsed with many and varied stamps and seals and none of the faceless bureaucrats once mentioned a six week rule” Dorcas stated angrily
“I really am sorry” he repeated “but I can’t help you”
Dorcas was about to go again but Ben intervened
“Thank you anyway” he said and guided an unhappy Dorcas towards the door
“However” the registrar called “I know someone who could possible help”
“Oh?” Dorcas exclaimed
“It would be conditional” he continued
“On what” Ben asked
“On you being Christians” he replied

Claus, the registrar, directed them to St Georges Anglican Episcopal Church in Westend and they were soon in a cab driving along Bismarkstrasse through Charlottenburg in the direction of Spandau.
It was a very pretty little church, modern looking with a high sloping tiled roof, but very pretty.
After exiting the cab Ben and Dorcas looked at each other and both nodded their approval simultaneously and walked up the path to the doors.
Claus, had phoned ahead and made them an appointment with Pastor James Morgan, who turned out to be a very jovial Welshman not at all dissimilar to the late great Harry Seacombe.
“Welcome, welcome” he said when they walked through the doors,
“You must be Ben and Dorcas?”
If they were impressed with the outside of the church then they were doubly so with the interior.
It was light and modern but in a traditional way and was as far removed from St Lucy’s in Bushy Down as it was possible to get.
After the introductions were made they sat in the pews and the Pastor said
“Well I’m not sure I can be of any more help than Claus was, it’s just a bit short notice”

(Part 05)

Despite Pastor Morgan informing them that he couldn’t help Ben and Dorcas went on to explain why they had come to the decision that they had and the pressures of the big family wedding that had built and built and finally led them to take the course of action they were proposing.
“We haven’t made our decision lightly”
Dorcas said
“Oh I’m not questioning your motives” he said “but it’s just not something we do, its Thursday now and I understand you’re going home on Sunday, it’s just such terribly short notice”
Dorcas and Ben were both crestfallen.
“Come on both of you let’s have a coffee” he said

They were sitting in quietly in his office drinking a very decent coffee when he asked
“Where is home anyway?”
“We live in Bushy Down, it’s a small…..” I began
“Oh I know Bushy Down” the pastor said with delight “and St Lucy’s”
“Really?” he said “I normally have to explain where it’s near”
“I’ve been there many times, the Reverend Oliver was my Verger for five years before she got St Lucy’s” he said “we remained friends until the end”
“She was well loved” He said “and very much missed”
Katie Oliver had passed away earlier that year after a short illness.
“So sad” he said with melancholy
“She was such a lovely person, I was in the Village for the funeral” He paused in order to gather himself
“Listen why don’t you both stay and have dinner with me and my wife Clair? She’s from Finchbottom by the way” he said his joviality fully restored
“So am I” Dorcas chipped in
“Excellent” he said “you’ll have lots to talk about then, let’s go and surprise her”

They had a marvelous evening with the Morgan’s, good company, excellent food and a liberal amount of alcohol thrown in for good measure the pair of them were fair steaming by the time they got in the taxi to go back to the hotel.
But amidst the friendly banter, reminiscence and over indulgence Pastor Morgan agreed to marry them on Saturday morning.

When they woke up the next morning cuddled up cozily together the realization of what they had done suddenly dawned on them as they lay comfortably beneath the duvet.
“We’re really doing it aren’t we?” Dorcas said as she hugged him
“Yes I think we are” he replied
“Cool” she said
After a few minutes she suddenly went rigid.
“What about witnesses?” she said with real alarm in her voice “or a bridesmaid?”
“Well…..” Ben began but she was already making a call and heading for the bathroom.
“Helen!” she said

After half an hour sitting in the bathroom with the door shut talking to Helen, Dorcas emerged and was much calmer.
“Helen was a great help” she said “I feel much better now, but we need to go shopping”

So he took her to the Europa Centre where he sat watching the Water Clock as he drank a pint of Guinness outside the Irish Pub.
Ben watched the glass bowls empty over and over again while she was buying a dress for the wedding which he wasn’t allowed to see and then she chose a suit for him which he wasn’t allowed an opinion on.

(Part 06)

On Saturday morning they were up early and got downstairs for breakfast as soon as they started serving and all the time they were there breakfasting Dorcas kept fidgeting and looking at her watch or fiddling with her phone and she hardly ate a thing in fact Ben ate most of hers as well.
He assumed that it was just pre wedding nerves so he didn’t say anything and just enjoyed the extra helping.
They had been in the breakfast room for about an hour and he had just poured himself another coffee when all of a sudden Dorcas leapt up and said
“Come along, things to do”
“What?” Ben replied “I haven’t finished my coffee”
“No time for that” she insisted “Let’s go”
Well, a lesser man may have thought that if that was a sample of what was to come he might have been making a mistake, but not him, he just attributed her demeanor and tone to the same nerves that provided him with two breakfasts so he trotted out after the beautiful and excitable little minx.
When he caught up with her in the reception he was just about to make himself comfortable on a luxurious sofa when his sister Helen and his best friend Gary came bustling through the front doors.
Dorcas squealed and ran to embrace Helen.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you”
She screamed as she kissed and hugged Ben’s sister
In the meantime he went over to Gary and asked
“What are you doing here? How did you….”
Then it dawned on me, the previous day’s long conversation in the bathroom between Dorcas and Helen when they had obviously hatched this plan.
“We couldn’t miss it mate” Gary said accompanied by a man hug
“I even suffered the budget air redeye just to be here”
And much to his chagrin he would be returning that night by the same mode.
With all the squealing and giggling from Dorcas and Helen the group had attracted the attention of Christophe, the hotel manager, who they had come to know quite well over the previous week.
Ben caught his eye and he had that look on his face that all Hotel Managers wear when something has occurred that they was not expecting.
So he spent the next five minutes explaining the circumstances of how they came to be in his reception and causing a commotion.
“You are getting married today?” he asked and vigorously shook his hand and then kissed Dorcas on both cheeks
“That is wonderful news”
Then he repeated the process with Helen and Gary, he couldn’t have been happier if they had been his own kith and kin.
Ben went on to explain that his sister and his best friend had only flown in that morning and would be returning to England that evening.
“Ach so” he exclaimed and raised a finger “Ein moment” and went over to the desk.
After a few moments converse with the receptionist he returned to him brandishing a key card.
“The groom must not see the bride before the Church, I think” he stated “So the gentlemen may use this room as a dressing room”
“Thank you so much Christophe” Dorcas said and kissed his cheek like he was a kindly uncle.

(Part 07)

Gary and Ben left the hotel at 11.30am in one of the two cabs Christophe had secured on their behalf and made their way to St Georges Church in Westend.
When they walked in to the Church it was as he expected, largely empty.
Pastor Morgan and his wife Clair were standing by the altar, and there was an elderly man, who he presumed was the organist as he was seated at the organ, other than that there was only Gary and the groom.
Ben stopped suddenly and said
“Rings? I haven’t got any rings”
“Don’t panic” Gary said “I’ve got them, Helen picked them up from your house last night”
He relaxed again and then they continued up to the altar where James and Clair welcomed them and then a tall gangly young man then came to join them
“Ah Sebastian” The pastor said “come and meet the groom and best man”
Then he turned to Ben and said accompanied by an inclination of the head
“Sebastian is going to video the service so you have something to show your parents”

By the time the organ started playing the bridal march a small congregation had assembled and he recognized a handful of familiar faces among them as being from the Hotel, one of them was the Hotel manager Christophe, even the registrar Claus was there.
But his eyes were quickly drawn to his bride to be, Dorcas, and she looked absolutely stunning.
The ceremony itself seemed to pass by in an instant but at the moment they said I do, they both felt complete.

After the wedding breakfast in the Hotel restaurant Helen and Gary had to leave for the airport which despite the fact they would be home the next day was a tearful farewell.
The newlyweds returned to the bar for another drink before they decided to retire and when they reached the reception desk Christophe was there waiting for them and said
“Mr. and Mrs. Overton, please accept with our compliments an upgrade to one of our deluxe suites for your wedding night, I have already taken the liberty of having your personal belongings transferred from your old room” and handed him a key card
“Oh wow” Dorcas said and planted another kiss on the cheek of the “kindly uncle” before they went upstairs to consummate their union in a luxury suite.

He awoke first in the pale winter light of dawn with Dorcas cuddled into him with her head on his chest.
And when she eventually stirred he said
“Good morning Mrs. Overton”
“Oh I like how that sounds” she said and kissed his chest
“It doesn’t sound as classy as Fox-Martin” he suggested
“No” she agreed “but I like it a lot”
“I love you Dorcas” he said
“I love you too” she replied and they made love in the half light.

Later they reluctantly had to leave their luxurious suite and the comfort of their duvet and begin their journey home as Mr. and Mrs. Overton and break the news to their respective parents that there will be other things for them to talk about for the foreseeable future.
It was all going to make for a very interesting Christmas dinner at his mums but the two of them definitely thought it was worth it though.