Chapter Three
The remainder of the day with my youngest was spent shopping at Bluewater. It was both fun and exhausting. And, yes, I did buy a miniskirt.
Now I was seated in Browns Restaurant. The rest of the family had joined me and Ella for an evening celebratory dinner. Ruby wanted to see the skirt I’d bought. Just as I’d suspected, she suggested it should be teamed with tights and chunky boots.
‘Ta da!’ I trilled, thrusting another carrier bag at her. ‘Take a look.’
She peered within and dutifully oohed and aahed.
‘Show me what you’ve been buying,’ Tim interrupted. He was sitting at the far end of the table. ‘Just because I’m a bloke, doesn’t mean I’m not interested – unless you and Ella paid a visit to Victoria’s Secret. I draw the line at wanting to see my mother’s new frilly knickers.’
‘Ha!’ I said, rolling my eyes.
I passed the carrier along the table. Archie took it and handed it to Josh who gave it to Steph who dumped it on Tim’s lap. He looked inside.
‘Very trendy,’ my son announced. ‘If I didn’t know better, Mum, I’d say you were reinventing yourself.’
‘Maybe Mum should reinvent herself,’ said Ruby thoughtfully. ‘Out with the old Maggie King, and all that.’
‘Less of the old,’ I chided. I retrieved the bags. Shoved them under my chair. Picking up my wine, I took an appreciative glug. ‘I was toying with the idea of having some of those injectable thingies,’ I said idly.
Ruby’s eyes widened.
‘You mean dermal filler?’
‘That’s it,’ I said.
She looked aghast.
‘But… why?’
‘Why not?’ I countered. ‘After all, you girls regularly have it done and you’re only in your twenties.’
‘We have our lips done,’ Ella corrected. ‘I’m not sure it would look right on you, Mum. Not with…’ She trailed off.
‘You need to do the other bits first,’ said Ruby kindly.
‘Brazilian bum lift?’ I said sarcastically. The wine was hitting its spot and making me feel somewhat rebellious.
‘Oh, please,’ Tim interrupted. ‘I heard that. It was bad enough not thinking about the frilly knickers, never mind the butt lift. Archie’ – he turned to Ella’s boyfriend – ‘do you have an embarrassing mother?’
Archie laughed good-naturedly.
‘If you want to reinvent yourself, Maggie, don’t mind me. However, I think you look fabulous just the way you are.’
‘Stop sucking up to my mother,’ said Ella. She gave Archie a shove in the ribs, although it was done in good humour. ‘Seriously though’ – she turned back to me – ‘if you’re up for it, there’s a clinic on the upper floor. We could pay a visit after dinner. Have an impromptu consultation.’
‘Oh, why not,’ I shrugged.
The birthday meal got underway. We ate chargrilled steaks and garden veg, chatted, and laughed. For the next ninety minutes I forgot about the pressures of life. Responsibilities. Challenges. Sadness.
The kids had clubbed together for my birthday present. They’d bought a beautiful chain with heart-shaped locket. Inside was a picture of Tim, Ruby and Ella taken with a selfie stick and grinning away.
I swallowed down the lump of emotion suddenly wedged in my throat. Said thank you. Embraced them one by one. Each hug said what words didn’t. Thanks for everything. Thanks for being here. Thanks for your love and support.
Eventually, the others peeled away. They headed home, leaving me and Ella standing outside the beauty clinic.
‘Come on then, Mother,’ said Ella as she led me into the clinic’s brightly lit interior. ‘Ruby is right. It’s time to reinvent yourself.’
‘I was joking,’ I said nervously.
Unusually – or maybe not, due to the recent hike in inflation – the consultant was available. She talked me into an on-the-spot treatment. I left with slight bruising but was secretly impressed.
The blue undereye bags had disappeared and I had plumper cheeks. The difference was subtle, but fresh. As if someone had taken my crumpled face and given it an iron.
‘You look great,’ Ella beamed, as we headed off to the car park. ‘Really fab. I wonder if Aunty Freya will notice.’
My stomach instantly contracted with anxiety.
‘Please don’t tell her,’ I implored. ‘I don’t want a lecture about whatever was in those syringes. It will either be bad for the environment or bad for me.’
‘Don’t worry,’ Ella assured. ‘Your secret is safe. Anyway, so what? Aunty Freya has injections in her face.’
‘Yes, but they’re different. Organic. Liquid vitamins and whatnot.’
‘Mum, you do you, okay?’ Ella looked cross for a moment. ‘Stuff Aunty Freya, and stuff her opinions.’
‘You’re right,’ I said.
Later – much later – I showed Greg my birthday purchases. I also opened the locket. Let him see the precious photograph within. He made no comment, so I decided not to tell him about the visit to the beauty clinic.
Feeling slightly deflated, I went to the bathroom to clean my teeth and get ready for bed.