Chapter 23
Ruth called round on Saturday morning unexpectedly and said that she was taking Grace for a surprise day out because they had some planning to do to organise fat club – although they agreed they really must stop calling it that. If nothing else came from their day, it would be a new name for the group. Grace was stunned and totally unprepared. She told Ruth that she couldn’t go out for the whole day because of Becks and Archie. It had been a long time since Grace had been able to be spontaneous; she was always fully aware of the responsibilities she had at home.
With a twinkle in her eye, Ruth said that she had already sorted that out. ‘Vinnie is going to arrive here any moment to look after Archie for the day – between them, they will make sure that Becks is looked after, too.’
She added that it would be good for Vinnie and Archie to spend some ‘bonding’ time together and that Grace needed to grab a swimming costume. Grace groaned internally. There were few things she hated more than showing off her wobbly bits in beachwear. However, she did what she was told, touched by the fact that someone had actually taken the time to make some decisions for her, as she seemed to spend her whole life making decisions for everyone else.
Grace had tried to get out of Ruth where they were going, but she was giving nothing away. They chatted on the journey about how they were going to run the slimming club. They were both delighted that they had the same ideas and shared the same beliefs and values. They were so in tune with each other and it was a wonderful feeling for Grace.
When she saw the sign for the spa, Grace gave a little squeal. And then thought she’d better not get too excited, just in case that was not their destination. She was beyond ecstatic when they pulled up in the car park.
‘Little bro’s treat to his lady and his sister!’
‘Really?’ Grace asked. ‘Your brother is a proper Prince Charming. I really do love him to bits.’
Ruth smiled at her and Grace didn’t notice that she’d admitted to loving him.
They were greeted with a fruit cocktail and the strong fragrance of essential oils which, along with the sound of ambient music, gave an immediate feeling of peace and tranquillity. Grace thought she’d died and gone to heaven. She’d dreamed of having a spa day for so long, but because so many other things came first in her life, she had never thought it would happen. In fact, not only had Vinnie arranged a spa day, but he had booked the very spa she had always wanted to go to. There was an image of it on her dream board. He was amazing. He was doing everything he could to make her happy and she loved the feeling that someone wanted to make her dreams come true. She felt loved and valuable.
After a morning of relaxing, they ambled along a corridor, following signs to the restaurant where they were seated at a table by a window which overlooked a beautifully serene lake. Swans gracefully glided on the surface and the women watched them, sharing a comfortable silence. Even speaking seemed to be a bit of an effort; they were so blissfully relaxed.
They devoured the most exquisite meal and, stuffed to the brim, spent a bit of time after lunch brainstorming names for the club. They laughed till they cried as they tested out names on each other.
‘Skinny Minnies!’
‘Cakes Be Gone!’
‘Cakes No More!’
‘Get Stuffed!’
‘Hippy Hippy Shakes!’
‘Spare Tyres United!’
‘Lard Arses No More!’
Ruth shouted out, ‘Fat Fuckers Anonymous!’ and an elderly lady who was reading got up, threw her book down on her lounger and stormed past them in disgust, which, though Grace tried to blurt out an apology, made them roar with laughter until neither of them could breathe.
Calming down but realising how good it was to laugh, they decided to head over to the relaxation lounge where they grabbed a chaise longue each. They pulled cashmere blankets over themselves and snuggled down for a rest while watching the dancing flames of the huge log burner, which hypnotised them to sleep. A minute later, Grace heard a strange noise and realised that it was herself, snoring. Maybe Vinnie was right and she did snore, after all! She was mortified but as she looked around, it seemed that no one else had heard her and it looked like Ruth was equally sparked out. She looked at the clock and to her surprise, she saw that an hour had passed.
She grabbed a passing waitress who returned with two steaming coffees in gorgeous blue-and-white polka-dot Emma Bridgwater mugs accompanied by a selection of pastries on matching plates. ‘Oooh, I couldn’t possibly eat anything else,’ Ruth groaned as she woke and immediately reached for a cinnamon swirl. ‘OMG, these are exquisite!’
Grace laughed and took one herself. She didn’t know how they could possibly eat any more after the three-course lunch they’d not long devoured, but it seemed that it was possible after all.
Grace pointed out two fifty-something ladies who were sitting drinking out of champagne flutes around the hot tub area. ‘Bet the glamorous one on the left is a rich widow and she’s brought her friend along on a spa day for a bit of company. I hope those glasses are plastic. Health and safety, you know!’ Ruth laughed at her, which encouraged her to gossip some more. ‘And what about that couple over there? They can’t keep their hands off each other and she keeps sticking her tongue down his throat in full view of everyone.’
‘Clearly having an affair,’ Ruth giggled. ‘Ew! You’d never do that with your husband now, would you? What about her behind the desk? What’s her story do you reckon?’
‘Oooh, we’re proper busybodies, aren’t we?’ Grace laughed. They both stopped dead still and looked at each other.
‘Busybodies! Busy Bodies. That’s it!’ The name they’d been looking for. It was perfect.
They high-fived each other and toasted Busy Bodies with their mugs.
They were quiet in the car on the way back, not because they had run out of things to say, but because they were so relaxed and there was no need to fill the time with anything. It had been such a perfect day. Adult company had been missing from her life for a while, but no longer.