Fast Forward (8 page)

Okay, now I couldn’t hold back the laugh. It burst out of me, splatters of cleanser spraying across the room. And then I snorted, inhaling a clump of cleanser and having to sit up quickly to cough it out.

“Sorry, Barb, maybe we should have booked private rooms after all,” Diora said.

“Not to worry, love,” she replied, wiping cleanser from the table, opposite wall and my gown.

“Must not laugh during facial,” Karina intruded. “Skin must relax. Laughter not good.”

“Sorry,” Elaine and I mumbled in unison, and I sunk back into position, feeling like a naughty schoolgirl.

As Barb exfoliated the inner walls of my pores, I wondered who this woman—this apparent best friend of mine lying in the bed next to me—was. What happened to Selena? I mean, I know what happened to her, but who was Elaine? How did we become friends? She couldn’t have been a model. No offence, but she didn’t have the bone structure for it. And divorced too … the poor woman.

Elaine moaned some more and Jilly said, “See, my client was right, wasn’t she?”. Barb shushed her daughter again.

“I can’t remember the last time I felt this good,” Elaine slurred. “Actually, I think it was when my youngest finally began sleeping through the night. After three kids I knew I was done with babies and that blessed morning I woke after eight hours straight, I thought I’d died and gone to Heaven.”

“So in your case it could be called the
Better Than Sleep
facial,” Jilly suggested.

“Now that, my friend, would get you a truckload of business from all the sleep-deprived mothers out there.”

“Speaking of sleep-deprived,” Barb said. “Looks like someone hasn’t been getting their forty winks lately.”

An earthy snore sounded from one of the beds. Diora was fast asleep! So much for being the life of the facial party.

“And the baby’s not even born yet,” Elaine commented. “She won’t know what’s hit her, ain’t that right, Kel? Remember what it was like when the kids were young?”

I’d only ever been sleep deprived through choice. Late night parties and early morning photo shoots—it wasn’t that bad. You’d just make up for it later. No big deal.

“It was so long ago, I don’t really remember,” I said.

“The sleep deprivation must have fried your memory! You had a terrible time with Ryan. You said it was the reason you never had any more children after him. Turned you off for good.”

Hmm, his overactive adrenalin must have started young then. Probably bungy jumped down the birth canal. “I guess I just shut out the trauma of it all.” I faked a sniff. “Anyway, I’m sure Diora will cope fine, she’s a strong woman.”

I barely knew Diora but somehow I knew that to be true and not only because I’d overheard her giving attitude to the baby store representative, but because I could sense it. She exuded confidence, commanded respect and most likely got her way quite a lot. I smiled to myself as an unfamiliar sense of pride appeared.

More snores sounded from Diora’s gaping mouth, despite Karina continuing her treatment. It must have been catching, because I yawned a big stretchy yawn and my mouth didn’t seem to go back where it was supposed to. My skin elasticity, or lack thereof, really sucked.

Beep
!

“Oh, Kelli, you really should mute your e-pad while you’re in here,” Elaine scolded.

“Yes, yes, sorry. In a sec.” Not that I knew how to do that. I lifted my wrist to look at my e-pad. It was a message from William:

Ryan said the bungy jump went well. I’m so proud of you
!

I replied with a quick
thanks
, then pretended to mute the e-pad.

Beep
!

Crap.

Speaking of bungy jumping, it’s given me some creative ideas for the bedroom *wink-wink* Looking fwd to trying them out tonight;)
^~
W

Double crap. Stunned, horrified and trapped in several other awkward states of emotion, I flung my arm back down, ignoring the message.

Beep
!

“Kelli!”

“Sorry!” I squinted at the e-pad:

Did you get my message just now? I said I’m looking fwd to trying out my bungy-inspired-bedroom-ideas tonight, after the guests have gone. xx

Arghh! He didn’t have to say it again! My finger shook as I typed a reply:

Yes, got your message loud & clear. Sorry, can’t chat, having facial right now.
^~
K

Beep
!

Of course, sorry sweets. Talk later. Mwah!
^~
W

Geez, he even tried to kiss me through text message.

I placed my arm back down, hoping no one else would send a message. Then I wondered why my dad hadn’t sent a happy birthday message yet. Oh well, it was still early.

Warmth spread across my face. “Time for the special YouthMagic regenerating mask,” Barb said. “This will penetrate deep to target wrinkles at their core and work with the skin’s own healing system to encourage collagen formation. In other words; reducing fine lines and adding firmness and radiance.”

“Do you think you could put that on my whole body?” I asked.

Barb laughed. “We do have a YouthMagic body wrap, but that will have to be for another day,” she said.

It didn’t matter, I swore I could feel myself getting younger with each stroke of her hands, like she wiped away the old and revealed the young me. Warm blood circulated through my skin, as though I was lying on a Caribbean island, soaking up the sun. Whatever was in this mask must be doing the trick. In fact, it seemed to be spreading throughout my whole body. My gown suddenly seemed too hot, like I’d been lying in the sun a bit too long. Maybe that was how this mask worked, giving the skin a rush of heat to eliminate the evidence of age. Only now I felt like I was lying in the sun and someone had rubbed chilli on my face and then put me into an oven.

My heart raced and I squirmed on the bed. “What’s in this stuff? I’m on fire!”

“Kelli, are you alright?” Barb removed her hands from my face and I sat upright, fanning my face with my hands, but they too were hot.

“What’s happening to me?” My breathing quickened and Elaine sat up too. Diora stirred slightly then released another snore. “Arghh! I need water, or a fan, or ice—something cold, quick!” I stood and turned this way and that while Barb urged me to sit down and take a deep breath.

I didn’t listen, but went to the sink and splashed water on my face, undoing Barb’s handiwork. I continued until all the mask was off, my face a dripping mess, but still burning.

“Kel, calm down. You’re probably just having a hot flush,” Elaine said stiffly through a masked face, trying not to move her mouth.

“A what?” I kept fanning my face and Barb handed me a glass of water which I sculled instantly.

“Hot flush. You’ve been having them for a while now, since you started going through menopause.”

Oh no, it couldn’t be true. I was fifty, a mother, a grandmother-to-be
and
menopausal. I must have been a terrorist in a past life to deserve this.
Why, oh why was this happening?

“Breathe slowly, Kelli, in and out,” Barb instructed, as she massaged something cool onto my temples and then onto my wrists.

“Don’t worry,” Elaine said. “They’ll gradually reduce in frequency and severity. Mine only lasted a couple of years and then went away, about the same time as Peter left me. Funny that.”

That’s it. If I could wish for anything right now, I’d wish to be a man. They have it so easy, they don’t even realise how good they’ve got it. Bastards
. I slowed my breathing and drank another glass of water, and gradually the heat dissipated, relief flooding my body.

“Feeling better?” Barb asked.

“Much.” I replied. “Are you sure it wasn’t one of the ingredients in that mask?”

Barb shook her head. “If anything, the mask should have a slight cooling effect. I’d say it was definitely a hot flush, I’ve had them too, I’d recognise one anywhere. Why don’t you lie down and we’ll start again?”

“Well, if you’re sure the product won’t cause it to happen again, then alright.” I wasn’t about to lose my chance of becoming the real me again.

I shifted position to lie down again and Diora woke up. “Did I fall asleep?”

Everyone nodded.

“What’d I miss?”

“Oh, nothing much. Just another day at the office,” Jilly said with a grin.

Diora settled back down and closed her eyes again, all of us silent as the facials continued. Drowsiness followed and for a moment I thought I’d even fallen asleep, but couldn’t be sure. My mind drifted, thoughts and memories floated around, and I relaxed for the first time today. When Barb announced softly that it was time to get up and she would meet me in the next room for hair and make-up, I felt like telling her to get stuffed. I could lay here forever. And then I remembered.

Take Ten Years Off. Proven to work
. I opened my eyes and stood. Elaine, Diora and the therapists were nowhere in sight. With haste I walked to the mirror above the sink and prepared to see my youthful glow again. My smile sunk into a frown as the same old Kelli McSnelly stared back. I was somewhat softer around the eyes, my skin moistened with a dewy glow, but there was no denying my age. It hadn’t worked.

My frown lifted for a moment when I realised I still had my hair and make-up session to go and maybe that would be the final trigger that would shoot me backwards in time. Yes, I just had to stay positive. The facial was the primer and the make-up would do the rest. It had to. It bloody had to or I would consider jumping off that bungy tower without the rope this time.

I removed my gown, revealing my coral coloured outfit, then, raising my chin I pushed open the door into the adjoining room to find Elaine showing Jilly photos of hairstyles on her e-pad and Diora sinking her feet into a footbath.

“We thought you’d never emerge,” Barb said. “C’mon, it’s time for your hair to get some attention.”

I sat in a chair and Barb fluffed my hair about with her fingers. “I take it you’ve already washed it today, so I’ll just style it. I hear you’ve got a business meeting soon. I’ll make it professional yet feminine, classy yet sexy.”

“What are you wearing tonight, Kel?” asked Elaine.

I almost said, ‘the red shimmery dress I bought last week’, but then realised that would have been twenty five years ago and I’d bought that dress to wear to my twenty-fifth birthday party. Tonight was my fiftieth and with any luck I wouldn’t be around to have to decide what to wear. “It’s a surprise,” I said. “What about you?” Might as well humour her.

“Oh, you won’t believe what I picked up, I can’t wait for you to see it,” she replied.

The poor woman would have to wait because I wasn’t going to see it.

“How many guests are you having?” Jilly asked.

Oh, she was looking at me. “Um …” Diora, help me out here.

“I think around forty people are coming,” Diora revealed.

Thanks Diora. Talk about mother-daughter mind reading. And forty people, huh? So that’s how many friends I had in this life. Not bad. I wondered who they could be and if I would recognise them. But I wouldn’t have to wonder, because tonight I’d be seeing my closest friends for a classy dinner, followed by Grant’s proposal. I had to keep that in the forefront of my mind. The image of him on one knee (he was used to that, being a photographer and having to get into weird positions to get the right shot), popping open a velvet case and dazzling me with a shiny ring that could be seen from the moon.

“What are you thinking about?” Elaine asked. “You’re smiling like you’ve just, you know …”

‘Huh?” I snapped myself out of my visualisation. “Oh, I was just thinking about the man I love.”

“Aww, how sweet. Will is so lucky to have such a caring wife.”

“What makes you think I’m talking about William?” I snapped.

“Mum!” Diora shot me a fierce questioning look.

Oops. William was her father and I couldn’t upset a pregnant woman. “Just kidding!” Not. “Of course I’m thinking of your father. He’s so… nice,” was all I could think of to say.

“He’s better than nice. That man’s been an absolute winner of a husband in my opinion,” Elaine said. “I wish I’d married him instead of Peter. Sorry, Diora.” She laughed.

She could have him as far as I was concerned. The only man I wanted was Grant. Barb combed some gooey product into my hair.

“Oh well, there’s no turning back time,” Elaine mused. “Peter gave me three beautiful children and we did have a good marriage mostly. We just … grew resentful, I guess.” Jilly slid a straightening iron over Elaine’s hair, forcing her curls into submission. “If I hadn’t given up my dreams for him so he could have his career, maybe things would have been different, who knows?”

“It’s not too late to follow your dreams now, Elaine,” said Barb.

“I’m fifty-three, love. My boat sailed out years ago.”

“I’m fifty-six. And I think you can always catch another boat,” Barb said, tipping my head forward and attaching a clip to the top portion of my grey-black head of hair.

“Hear, hear,” Diora agreed. “Most women live to one hundred these days and men to about ninety-two, so there’s plenty of years left in you yet,” she reassured Elaine, while Karina rubbed something into Diora’s feet. She’d opted for a pedicure instead of a hairstyle, since she apparently hadn’t been able to reach her feet for the last two months and they’d been unacceptably devoid of coloured polish for far too long.

I almost told them about my plans for an international modelling career, but bit my tongue. That boat sailed out twenty five years ago, but as soon as I could get back, I’d be on it, steering that boat to the future I wanted and no way in hell would I let any icebergs get in my way.

“There, what do you think?” Barb asked when she’d finished my hair.

My lifeless strands had been converted into a voluminous mass of windswept hair, brushed back from my face like I had a permanent high speed fan in front of me. It was an improvement and obviously the latest trend as I’d seen other women with a similar hairdo, but not what I’d choose for myself. Anyway, bring on the make-up.

I asked Barb to turn my chair around from the mirror so I could be surprised when she finished. If this worked, I’d be looking back at the real me in the mirror and Diora and Elaine would either not be there or would simply be strangers who’d come into the salon for a makeover like me.