Скачать книгу

to ensure that Bobby and Freddy would remain at their private school until they are 18. Jade said defiantly, ‘I know people think I’m betraying my roots by sending them to a private school, but I want them to have the very best chance in life. And that’s what my money is for. What’s the point of everything if I can’t do that for them?’

      The drama and tension around Jade’s big day was building by the minute, with newspapers reporting on her heartache over the fact that due to her fiance’s prison tag and curfew, her wedding night would be spent alone. But a day later it was announced that, like everyone else in the country, the government was also moved by this sad event. Justice Minister Jack Straw intervened, lifting a curfew on Jack Tweed so the couple could stay together for one night after the ceremony. Mr Straw said it was an exceptional case. ‘It is crucial that offenders are treated equally within the rules regardless of the publicity surrounding their case but I was satisfied that it was reasonable to allow this.’ Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed the decision, saying: ‘I think everybody is sad at the tragedy that’s befallen Jade Goody. Everyone who suffers cancer has the thoughts of me and I think the whole country over what they’ve got to go through.’

      Jade and Jack were over the moon. Something Jack, on a trip to the tailor with his mates to be fitted for wedding suits, seemed to take a bit too literally – when he was photographed mooning at paparazzi. ‘I was so embarrassed when I saw those pictures,’ snapped Jade in an interview just before the wedding – illustrating that her relationship with Jack was still as feisty as it had ever been. ‘It wasn’t the right circumstances for him to be doing that, there I was lying in hospital and he was flashing his bum with his mates at the tailor’s. It was ridiculous, he’s 21, nearly a husband – was I flashing my tits at 21?’ But Jack retorted good-naturedly, ‘Hey, what about you on Big Brother? You got your kebab out!’ At which Jade couldn’t help but laugh.

      Jack’s mates had further plans to embarrass him. Dressed in a white bra and women’s underpants, a sheepish Jack Tweed was snapped leaving his mother’s house on the morning of his stag do. He was joined by friends who were also dressed in women’s underwear, as they made their way to the Down Hall Country House Hotel where the wedding was to take place. Meanwhile, a giggling Jade stepped out with her bridesmaids, all of whom were wearing bald caps on their heads – ‘We’re all egg heads now!’ she laughed.

      On Sunday, February 22nd Jade sat in her suite at Down Hall having her makeup carefully applied while barking orders to people around her about what needed to be done. She was resigned to the fact that she would be in constant pain – even the smallest movements caused her to flinch – but this was her day and she wasn’t going to let anyone spoil it. Having flown in on a helicopter the night before (‘It’s something I’ve always wanted since I was a little girl’) her wedding dress was fitted with painkillers so that the brave bride could walk down the aisle.

      200 guests, including Antony Costa from Blue, Jamelia and husband, Davina McCall and Richard and Judy had all been gathering since 11.45a.m. marvelling at the flower arrangements that had been provided by Sir Elton John’s florist. They might have planned the wedding in only nine days but Jade and Jack had been flooded with offers of help and financial assistance from well wishers. At 12.45p.m. harpists signalled the start of ceremony and Jade, escorted by her 70-year-old granddad John Craddock, beamed as she walked down the aisle while guests tried their best to fight back tears. In typical Jade style the ceremony was full of laughter and when Jack was asked if he would take her as his wife, Jade joked ‘Are you sure?’

      Repeating words movingly crafted by Bishop Jonathan Blake, Jade told Jack, ‘I love you forever and without reserve. When I see you I feel well again’, before turning and telling the congregation that she had to take off her Christian Louboutin shoes because her feet hurt. As Jack put the ring on her finger she giggled nervously. ‘You’re clumsy and funny but I love you and I want to marry you’, Jack said. The pair then made a pledge to light a candle every year on this day – him on earth and her in heaven – before Jade’s two little boys ran over and flung their arms around their mum’s neck. The boys helped carry their mother’s train as she and her new husband made their way out of the church to a standing ovation.

      At the reception, Jade welled up as she read out a letter five-year-old Bobby had written – ‘Mummy and Jack, you both look lovely and Mummy you are the best Mummy in the whole wide world. Congratulations on your best day ever, love Bobby and Freddy.’ Before the ceremony Jade had given her sons friendship bracelets, telling them gently, ‘You should never take them off and if you’re sad, missing Mummy or upset, rub them and think of me.’ The boys were also delighted to receive two signed AC Milan shirts from their hero David Beckham – who said that he and Victoria wanted to help in any way they could.

      The brave star somehow danced through her pain as pop trio Sugababes played live at her wedding reception. Her proud grandfather John told the Daily Mirror: ‘You should have seen her dancing with all those dolly birds. She was jumping up and down dancing like a jive bunny. It was brilliant. She had a wild time.’

      Jade also enjoyed her first dance with Jack as husband and wife to Aerosmith’s wedding classic ‘Don’t Want To Miss A Thing’ and the loved-up pair fell into a passionate kiss as the crowd cheered wildly. Jade said ‘That last kiss felt like we were in heaven’ before reluctantly agreeing to go to bed at 10.30p.m. after just managing to stay awake for the fireworks display.

      The nation was desperate to know how the wedding had gone, so Jade gave her consent for Jade’s bridesmaid Kelly Reading to speak on ITV’s This Morning. Kelly told Fern Britton and Philip Schofield that the Jade had given each member of her bridal party a ring engraved with the message ‘With you always’ and brought along a few slices of wedding cake as a gift from Jade.

      The exertion of the wedding had taken its toll on poor Jade, and a few days later she left her home to go to a nearby hospice after suffering from hallucinations. Sucking on a pain relief stick and dressed in a loose white sweatshirt and trousers, Jade told photographers she would be ‘going away for a few days’. Her publicist Max Clifford told the waiting press she needed to get her pain medication adjusted. ‘She was in a very frail state,’ he said. The terrifying hallucinations, caused by her medication, left her ‘shaking like a leaf’ and asking ‘Where am I?’ But he stressed Jade had not gone into the hospice to die and was expected to return to her Essex home.

      Despite her thoughts being now firmly on a christening for her young sons – ‘I want them to know about god so they can be close to me when I die’ – Jade faced yet another setback. In crippling agony she was rushed to hospital on March 2nd for an emergency operation to help relieve the ‘terrible pain’ in her stomach. Her publicist Max Clifford sadly told the press, ‘Her prognosis is two to four weeks – but there are worries she won’t make it to the weekend.’

      On 25th February, Jade had gathered friends and advisors together to discuss her final chapter. Yet even then, the down-to-earth star was trying to continue life as normally as possible and she served up spaghetti Bolognese for everyone to eat. She told her confidantes that they needed to start planning her funeral – and when they protested she insisted, ‘No, we NEED to sort things out, I want to tell you what I want’.

      Jade was also delicately planning how she would finally tell her boys. ‘I have a book that the hospital gave me. It’s about a badger that’s dying and it explains about heaven and where people go,’ she said. ‘So I have been reading that to my boys. I think my boys know that I am dying. Yeah, I think they do now. I’m going to read the book to them so they know what happens when I’m gone.’

      Even in her last days, her friends told how they were astonished by her bravery. ‘Jade seems to be comforting us’, said her friend Jennifer Smith. ‘I was breaking down and she said “life’s for laughing, don’t get upset.”’

      Even at her lowest ebb, Jade was determined to see the funny side of life. Throughout her illness, although she was really suffering, Jade found strength in her humour. Speaking about her death she told friends to look in the sky ‘not for the brightest star – but the fattest one. That’ll be me.’

      Lucie

Скачать книгу