How I Became Mrs May (With Words)

The year is 2004. Tony Blair is the Prime Minister, velour tracksuits are so hot right now and Britney is making breathy passenger announcements while dressed in a bum-skimming blue uniform that seems entirely impractical for serving miniature cans of Coke at 38,000 feet.

10-year-old Frankie is spending the majority of her time playing Crash Bandicoot on her brother's old PlayStation, experimenting with interesting eyeshadow colours or running around the back garden barefoot. She is certainly not thinking about how the boy she is about to meet will one day become her husband.

When her mum makes a new friend at work, Frankie finds herself frequently attending barbecues and parties at a house on the other side of town. She also finds herself massively crushing on the lanky teenage boy with massive hair who resides in said house and has no idea she exists. Over the years that follow, both go about their lives and occasionally cross paths. Most notably at a 40th birthday party where Frankie is inexplicably dressed as a nurse and manhandling a drunk relative away from her childhood-crush with an oh-so-cool, "Oh...erm...sorry about him." Nurse, a rock to crawl under, stat!

Fast forward to August 2018.

Tony Blair has been replaced by Theresa May, Juicy tracksuits are now vintage and Britney is fighting against conservatorship. A sorry state of affairs all around. Frankie is now a teacher and returns home from work to hear that her parents' friends are coming round to watch Panama v England. As they arrive, she spots a familiar figure accompanying them, only with a smaller haircut and more stubble. Panic ensues. He enters. Glances up and down. "Wow... you've changed!" Bingo.

After spending the rest of the evening engaging in what the youths call flanter (that's flirty banter, Grandmother), and personal circumstances shifting, Frankie finally plucks up the courage to message him in November and they arrange their first date at The Red Lion. Frankie is late, she quite literally falls through the door of the pub and spots him smirking at her across the bar. She does not stop fiddling with her napkin all night and has a terrible case of verbal diarrhoea and tells him all about the spelling test that day where a child had an interesting spelling of the word "pennies" which makes it seem as if they have a very special fondness for their piggy bank. At one point she adopts a Welsh accent. Finds out his family are Welsh. But it works. They share their first kiss outside the pub and see each other whenever possible throughout December and into the new year.

2019: Every weekend is spent together and they take their first trip abroad to Brussels.

2020: They move in together and a few weeks later, the pandemic hits. They are fortunate enough to have a wonderful time locked down together and he proposes on Christmas Day in their living room, in front of the tree.

2021: A haze of colour palettes, venue visits, supplier meetings and dress shopping. Stress city.

2022: They buy a house, finally tie the knot and celebrate with a whirlwind trip to Rome. He finds out that she will sprint on cobbled streets in heels just to get to the best tiramisu place before it closes.

2023: A May With Words is launched, an essential Golden Retriever is purchased and they are happier than ever.

I'm a sucker for a good love story, and while I adore writing about them for others, I have to say that ours is my favourite.

Frankie x