It’s a Saturday during a mild Australian spring when we take our vows under the big, purple jacaranda tree in the park. The air is alive with bees and birds and friends and family, a swirling, scented day of love and happiness and sunshine.

Dan and I are pretty perfect as the bride and groom, though I say so myself, but the real stars of our wedding day are two little petal throwers: Rosie, now five, and Clover, eighteen months, both in ballerina pink, both sporting unicorn headbands (naturally!) and both wobbly on their feet. Holding hands, they walk ahead of me, scattering rose petals along the ground, Rosie instructing Clover loudly on where to stand and how to walk. Dan is waiting at the other end to catch them (and me!) if we should fall, as Rosie explains loudly to Clover that ‘when Nana marries Dam, we’ll be sisters’, which causes a ripple of laughter that dances on the breeze. I laugh too, while hoping my granddaughter doesn’t go on to inform the wedding guests of more personal family details – like the enormity of ‘Nana’s big pants’. I think she’s probably saved that revelation for the reception.

Emma looks proudly on, Richard’s arm around her, tears in her eyes, her mother and daughter walking through the grass barefoot, dressed in pastels. As I pass, she nudges Saffron, who hands her a tissue. Both women smile at me through their happy tears. I’ve become so fond of Saffron, and despite being two different women from the other side of each other’s worlds, we’re just two mothers caught in the same storm. And here we are now standing together in the sunshine after the rain. Saffron is my friend. She makes me laugh, we share frustrations over life, men, children – and most importantly, she knows where to go to get the best cocktails in Sydney. She’s my honorary daughter, along with my other cocktail-guzzling honorary daughter Mandy, who has promised (threatened?) to join us both for a ‘girls’ night’ before she goes back to the UK.

Looking at her now, among all my other family and friends, she lifts her hand discreetly, and we give each other a special, almost secret wave. I’m glad Saffron didn’t settle for Kevin, that she’s gone from strength to strength following her career, and next month heads to France for the first time, and Dan and I can’t wait to look after Clover full-time for a few weeks. I give her a little smile, and just know we’ll be there for each other, through thick and thin. And when Saff meets her forever man, I’ll cry with happiness at her wedding too.

I see Dan’s nephews, his sister-in-law Kimmie, and some of his old friends who are here and their smiles as I walk past tell me that I belong. These are my new friends and family, in my new country. I’m so lucky to be here and the love is overwhelming.

Along with my petal throwers, I also have a very special bridesmaid in Mandy. Not the obvious choice, you might think, but she turned up in Sydney with a koala tattoo and a pink lace bridesmaid’s dress, so how could I refuse? She even turned up a week early to do my ‘makeover’, which involved the signature orange skin, surprised eyes and taut smooth forehead from so much Botox I looked like I’d had a stroke. Fortunately it’s ‘thawed’ and with the help of Camilla’s herbal calming lotion, I am able to smile again on my wedding day. Camilla is here too, holding onto Sue, whose latest boyfriend hasn’t joined her in Sydney as he’s apparently been struck down with ‘psoriasis’ of the liver. She showed me the beautiful ring he’s given her, which she insists is ‘a purple anarchist stone’. Sue’s hopeful of her own proposal soon and I’m looking forward to a visit home and a wedding in Devon in the not too distant future.

Marriage isn’t for everyone, but this time feels so much different to my first because I’m with the man I love, and I want this more than anything in the world. Marriage has been good for Emma too, she is positively glowing, and I have a feeling it won’t be long before we have another little flower to add to our collection (she refused a glass of Prosecco when she arrived – that’s not our Emma!).

Not so long ago, I thought I’d seen the last of any more babies, but now with maybe another grandchild on the way and our own little bundle of joy, Clover, I feel like there’s so much to be happy about. I’m glad for Dan that he is finally able to know what being a parent is – the unconditional, all-encompassing love we have for our children is something that just imprints on your heart forever. And I know we don’t have them long and when all of the kids have grown up and flown the nest, I’ll still have Dan by my side and plenty more adventures to look forward to.

Meanwhile, my Australian adventure is only just beginning. I’ve started teaching at a nearby uni, and I love it, sharing the knowledge, the passion, the ideas of literature and learning from the students too. I also spend as much time as I can with Clover, and between us, Dan, Saffron and I share the childcare. I learned through Rosie and Clover that I was good at this, that being with my girls made me happy, and that’s what life’s all about. We shouldn’t have to choose between career and family, but so often we are forced to. But I’m one of the lucky ones, and for now I’m having my cake and eating it, in the Sydney sunshine, with the love of my life and I reckon that’s a pretty good place to be. I’ve found a man who gave me the courage to chase my dreams, build a new life from nothing, and become the me I’ve always known is there.

As the registrar says, ‘You may kiss the bride,’ I’m swept up into Dan’s arms arriving finally at my destination, after our long, rocky road to here. We’ve travelled continents to be with each other, we spent a year apart and against all the odds we’re finally together forever.

Marrying Dan is my second chance, and this time I’m not settling for anything less than the best, it has to be perfect. There will be ups and downs as there are in life, but together we’ll get through them. And as we eat the lemon myrtle cake he baked for our wedding, and toast the bride, he tells everyone that he loves me, he’s always loved me, and he always will. And I glow, bathed in his sunshine, under the purple jacaranda tree eating lemon wedding cake, this is my happy ending.