Chapter 25
25
‘What the fuck? You groom girls? What the hell is going on here?’
When I turned, each of them was laughing till tears ran down their cheeks.
What the hell was in fact going on here? Was I the only one not in on this clearly hilarious joke? I was getting more furious by the minute.
‘I’m sorry. We’re joking with you. I do kind of groom girls but not in the way that’s all over the news these days. I help people who would like to look, feel and be different to do just that. Calista, for instance, is hoping to get engaged soon. The love of her life, Hugo, is landed gentry and she’s just a, according to his mother, commoner. Most of us are compared to them, to be honest. Which I know is funny coming from someone like me.’ She laughed but it didn’t reach her eyes and I wondered what was behind this sad smile.
‘So I’m helping her to fit in with them. I’m teaching her how to use the right cutlery, wear the right clothes, use the right make-up, use the right words even. Hugo adores her the way she is, but teaching her the things that I’m teaching her will allow her to fit into his life in a more comfortable way for them both. I suppose I’m a style and image consultant or coach – a cross between Professor Higgins and Gok Wan.’
It took a moment or two to sink in. And eventually, I felt calmer and became more understanding about how this might affect me.
‘So I’ll be able to help you find something fabulous to wear to fit in at your daughter’s wedding. You’ll look amazing and that will give you the confidence to feel amazing too. We can try different hair and make-up styles to suit you and when we find the best look, I’ll teach you to do it yourself.’ Aggie reached forward to click the mousepad of the MacBook Pro which was sitting on the table in front of us. ‘Watch this. This will explain a little more.’
A promotional video popped up of a lady who looked quite plain in jeans, T-shirt and trainers. A banner at the bottom of the screen showed that her name was Wendy. Wendy talked about applying for a job interview and whilst she knew she could do the technical aspects of the job, she worried she wouldn’t fit in with all the glamorous young people who worked at the company. In an interview-style format, Aggie chatted with her and they talked about why she lacked confidence: a divorce, menopause, the loss of her mother to dementia and kids fleeing the nest. Aggie brought out the reasons why Wendy deserved a second chance at life and they went on to choose outfits that would give her confidence, along with the body parts that she did and didn’t like. At the end of the interview, Wendy went off into another room to get a facial, and her hair and nails done, while Aggie went shopping and brought back a number of outfits for her to try. The video ended with Wendy entering a room full of mirrors and bursting into tears when she saw herself. She couldn’t believe that she was looking at herself.
I felt my heart swell with love for Wendy and it brought both a tear to my eye and a flutter in my belly. This was what I wanted for me. This was the feeling that I wanted when I went to my daughter’s wedding. I wanted to hold my head high and show that I wasn’t adversely damaged by my recent divorce and the loss and deception of both my husband and my best friend. That the situation had given me the opportunity to grow my mindset and change my ways. To have the confidence to rightly sit there with the rest of my family and know that I would look bloody fabulous while doing it. And if I could have an ounce of Aggie’s grace, sophistication and style, I would be one very happy lady.
I looked at Michelle and she smiled at me nervously. When I looked at Emma, she asked, ‘Did we get it right, Jo? We only want the best for you. I hope you know that.’
I reached across for both of their hands.
‘I don’t think anyone has ever done anything so kind for me in my life.’ I heard my voice break when I whispered, ‘Thank you.’
Aggie stood and clapped her hands twice.
‘Right, come on then, ladies. Let’s crack open a bottle of Prosecco. We have work to do.’