Chapter 25
TWENTY-FIVE
Life Makeover Principle #8:
GIVE often. When you give the gift you wish to receive, you receive the gift you wish.
‘33 Days Until Christmas’, the electronic sign on a skyscraper flashed brightly as Miranda sat in the passenger seat of Cara’s car. The city; alive with festive spirit, busy with anticipation, stores putting out all the stops to secure as many sales as possible in the lead up to the silly season.
Miranda welcomed the bumper-to-bumper traffic on Elizabeth Street, giving her a chance to admire the David Jones Christmas window displays. A soft smile formed as she looked out the window. Automated elves hammered away at wooden toys in Santa’s workshop, while others moved from side to side, appearing to add toys to a conveyer belt gliding across the window. When she first moved to Sydney, Miranda and her mother came into the city for late-night shopping one Thursday in December, as a special treat, and since then Miranda always made the effort to visit the windows each Christmas. They always seemed to transport her back in time...
As an eight-year-old, with sparkling eyes she’d gaped at the displays. One had been dedicated to Barbie’s Christmas, and for a few moments, Miranda had felt like she was a part of the scene in the window, away from the empty window of her life left by her father’s death. There, she joined Barbie and friends at the dinner party, chandelier twinkling from above, a feast of glorious food on the table, and dolls dancing on the marble floor. Colourful gifts surrounded the lush Christmas tree, and a Barbie-sized grand piano played festive tunes with the help of Ken. This had been Miranda’s idea of heaven. Her mother had to peel her off the glass so they could shuffle along with the crowd to the next window.
Miranda’s memories dissolved as she and Cara walked through the doors of City Health and Fitness and entered the warm embrace of The Ruby Room. Their mouths dropped open at the sparkling mini Christmas tree taking pride of place on the oval table, and small gift boxes sitting expectantly on each chair.
‘Pressies? Oooh!’ she exclaimed.
Liz stood smiling at the front of the room. ‘Hi ladies, come on in. Miranda, how are you?’
‘Good thanks, Liz, my ribs are mostly healed now, but I still have to take it easy for the next couple of weeks.’
‘Glad to see you back.’
Miranda smiled, then turned as Zoe launched herself through the door, holding up a newspaper. ‘Did you see it? Did you see it?’ she asked .
Miranda read the headline of the full-page newspaper article:
‘Mysterious Grandma Brings Joy to Sydney.’
There was a photo of Liz, and a photo of Grandma Joy with her smiling eyes. At the bottom was a small photo of Zoe, who’d written the article.
‘I sure did, Zoe. It turned out wonderful!’ Liz exclaimed. ‘And I’ve already had a lot of emails and phone calls from people who’ve read it.’
‘Oh, I didn’t know it’d been printed yet,’ Rebecca said.
‘Me neither, give me a squiz.’ Shauna sidled up to Zoe.
‘I haven’t seen it yet either.’ Miranda was unable to read it properly as it moved around while everyone tried to look. ‘Is it online too?’
‘Yes, but I think for subscribers only. Instead of all of you fighting over it, why don’t I read it out loud?’ Zoe chuckled.
‘Great idea.’ Liz motioned for Zoe to sit in the Hot Seat.
Zoe pushed her glasses higher up on her nose. She told how these mysterious ‘words of wisdom’ cards from Grandma Joy were being left in random places around the city, for a few lucky people to find, and how Liz Ashford had brought her grandmother’s wisdom to life through The Life Makeover Club. The article also asked for people to come forward if they’d found one of the cards, and to send through or share on social media a photo of themselves holding the card, and a note on where they found it and what it meant to them.
‘...If you happen to be one of the lucky people to find a gold-rimmed card lying around, you may just find the answer you’ve been seeking, or the reassurance that you’re on the right path. Read it, act on it, and pass it forward. And as Grandma Joy would say: ‘ Make the most of your life NOW. All you ever have is now, and then now, and now. See? It’s gone so quickly.’ ’ Zoe finished reading the article, and accepted a hug from Liz.
‘Thank you, Zoe. I’m sure Grandma Joy is dancing with delight in heaven,’ Liz joked. ‘I can just see it in my mind!’
Miranda wondered if her dad was looking down on her with pride. She wasn’t sure if she believed in life after death, but some of the self-improvement books she’d read had encouraged the belief in it; that we were all just collections of energy, and would disperse into the universe after death. She liked to think so, to have hope that her father still existed in some way.
Everyone congratulated Zoe on a job well done, and Rebecca handed Zoe a business card, telling her to get in contact should she ever wish to do a story on Successful Women in Real Estate.
‘Speaking of newspapers,’ Molly said. ‘I’ve just hired a copywriter to create an advertisement for Glamour Pets, and I’m going to put it in the lifestyle lift-out of the Sunday newspaper. I’m also going to splurge on ad space in a magazine for affluent retirees, and do a social media campaign. See if I can drum up some extra business.’
‘You go girl.’ Rebecca gave her thumbs up.
‘Let us know how it goes,’ Shauna said. ‘I’m trying to create some flyers and ads for the environmental empowerment workshops I’m planning to promote. But maybe I should get professional help writing the ad. Trying to sum up in only a few words what I can teach people is tough!’
‘Sure, I’ll send you the copywriter’s details,’ Molly said.
‘Sounds like you’re all moving ahead in leaps and bounds,’ Liz said. ‘By the way, has anyone heard from Gina? She hasn’t returned my calls, although she did send an email a while ago saying she’d be back when she can.’
I wonder if she’s left her husband? Miranda thought.
Heads shook and shoulders shrugged. They waited a few moments, then Liz encouraged everyone to open their gifts. ‘I handpicked them all, hope you like them.’ Liz had given each of them a unique Christmas decoration.
‘Oh, how beautiful!’ Miranda held hers up with a smile. It was a fairy holding a heart in her hands. Cara’s was a miniature framed painting of a Christmas scene, and Gina’s lay unopened on the remaining chair. The women thanked Liz, and took their seats.
‘With only two months left of your membership to The Life Makeover Club, let’s see where everyone is at. First though, I wanted to confirm with all of you the date for our graduation dinner. How is the twentieth of January?’ Liz scanned the room.
‘I don’t know what I’m doing tomorrow, let alone in January, but it sounds good to me, Liz!’ said Cara. ‘I’ll confirm who’s available for babysitting ASAP.’
‘I’m making it a priority, so I’m fine with that date,’ said Miranda, giving a thumbs-up sign.
The door clicked open and Gina Longwood entered the room, dressed in black pants and a grey shirt, her skin pale.
‘Gina!’ Liz approached her. ‘It’s great to see you! Have a seat, we were just confirming the twentieth of January for our graduation dinner, how’s that for you?’
Gina removed her phone from her bag and tapped away on the screen. ‘I’ll be there.’
‘Great! Oh, and this is a little gift for you.’ Liz handed her the package .
‘Thanks, Liz,’ Gina said, slipping it into her bag. ‘I’ll open it later. Sorry I’m late, and sorry I’ve been absent.’
‘No problem, we’re just glad to see you.’
Miranda smiled at Gina as she settled herself into the chair, and handed her an invitation to the New Year’s Eve ball.
‘Oh yes, Miranda,’ Liz said. ‘Thank you for the invitations that Cara passed around on your behalf last month. My husband and I have already booked in. We’re looking forward to it!’
‘Great! It should be a wonderful night.’ Miranda smiled.
‘How are things going for you, Miranda?’ asked Liz.
‘Good.’ She nodded. ‘As you all probably heard, I had a little tumble down the stairs, and broke my ribs. But I’m almost one hundred percent again, and the time off work actually helped me get some perspective on my life, so overall, the accident was a good thing.’
‘Oh, I didn’t know. Sorry, Miranda.’ Gina leaned forward.
Miranda waved her hand. ‘That’s okay, I’m alright now. Shame about my dress though!’ Miranda filled them in on her experience at hospital, including how she saw a man die. ‘And then I realised ... I’m scared of losing someone special in my life again, like I lost my dad. That’s why my relationships never get too serious. Somehow, I sabotage things in order to protect myself, or the guy never seems to measure up to my high standards. It’s like ... I keep looking for my dad in every man I meet.’
‘That’s understandable, Miranda, and very insightful of you,’ said Liz. ‘How do you think this realisation will affect your relationships now?’
‘I don’t think I’ll be as scared to open up to someone special, and let them be part of my life. Now that I know why things keep going wrong, I can try my best to stop it from continuing. Even though losing someone is awful, not having had them in your life to begin with is even worse.’
‘How very true,’ Liz agreed. ‘And what’s next for you?’
‘After the big Three-O hits on the third of December, I’m off to Byron Bay to spend time at a health retreat. It’s a gift from my mum.’
‘Can I come?’ asked Cara, followed by a few others.
Miranda laughed. ‘We could all go and have a Life Makeover Retreat! Seriously though, I think it will be good for me. I’m going to learn more about healthy living, and really look after myself. For the first time in a long while, I don’t feel in such a rush anymore.’ She leaned back, the high back of the chair a comforting support, and clasped her hands together. ‘If there’s a man out there for me, when the time is right, he’ll appear. I’m not going to try controlling the situation anymore. I know what I want, and I am getting out there, but for now, I’m happy to let nature take its course. If it turns out I can’t have children, then at least there are other options, like egg donors, surrogacy, or adoption. I know it’s not exactly the same as having my own biological child, but it would still allow me to be a mother and give a great life to a child who needs it. I’ve realised, that’s all that really matters.’ A smile grew on Miranda’s face, and gratitude enveloped her heart as the women clapped for her newfound peace and acceptance.
‘Good on you, Miranda,’ said Cara. ‘I think we all have to find peace with where we’re at if things are to improve. I’ve learned that the more irritated and frustrated I am, the more irritated and frustrated I get!’
‘How’s the art going, Cara?’ asked Liz .
‘Do you want the good news or the bad news first?’
‘You choose.’
‘Okay, good news is, my painting sold at Queen of Arts, and Alice bought another four pieces last week!’ She pumped her fist in front of her. ‘They were a set of four decorative paintings, and she wants me to make more of the same.’
‘Fantastic!’
‘Bad news is, Alice commissioned me to draw a portrait for a friend of hers who wanted it the next day for someone’s birthday, and they were willing to pay top dollar for such short notice.’
‘How is that bad news?’ Rebecca piped up without waiting for Cara to continue.
‘Well, I thought I’d work on it after the kids had gone to bed, so I did, but the drawing was taking forever, as the subject was ... how can I say it? Rather wrinkled . I kept imagining the poor old woman getting this portrait and freaking out at all the lines on her face, so I kept erasing them and trying to make her look ‘less old’ while still retaining her natural appearance. Anyway, I’d had about a gazillion coffees to keep me awake and by midnight I was busting to go the bathroom, but when I got back to the table Jacob was there, drinking a cup of water.’ Cara drew in a quick breath. ‘Not only had he spilt a few drops on the drawing, smudging the poor woman’s eyeballs, he’d taken the liberty of drawing a very ornate moustache and beard on her face.’ She shook her head and sighed.
‘Oh no!’ Miranda exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand, and someone in the room – probably Rebecca – snorted.
‘Oh yes, and boy was I angry . ‘Jacob Collins you must not, I repeat, you must NOT touch Mummy’s drawings, ever!’ I scolded him. I scooped him up, returned him to bed, then surveyed the damage he’d done.’
‘Did you manage to fix the drawing?’ asked Rebecca.
‘I tried. I rubbed out the moustache and beard, but he’d drawn so firmly that she was left with a permanent five o’clock shadow. And the water mark on the eyeball couldn’t be erased, so I started the drawing all over again. From scratch.’
‘Oh, Cara.’ Liz brought her hand to her mouth. ‘You must have been exhausted.’
‘I drank another coffee and resumed drawing, staying up till about two-thirty, but my pencil would no longer cooperate. Pete came in and ordered me to go to bed, but I refused, and snapped at him to leave me alone. At this stage I’d only completed half her face and still had the detail of the hair to do, but I just couldn’t work any longer.’
‘You did well to get that far, I have trouble staying up past eleven these days,’ Wendy commented. ‘Just getting old, I guess.’
‘You’d think I’d be used to it by now, the sleepless nights. But no. The tiredness just gets worse!’ Cara added. ‘So I set my alarm for six, although why I have no idea because the kids always wake up around then, give or take an hour. But with Pete having to do a morning shift, I had the kids to deal with, and I only managed to finish the woman’s ear before it was time to do the morning drop-off. Alice wanted me to drop the picture off around nine, as her friend would be picking it up on the way to the airport, so I had to call and tell her it wasn’t yet complete.’
‘Oh, that would have been difficult,’ Miranda said.
‘Yep. Needless to say, she wasn’t impressed, although she said she understood. But I was the one who assured her I could get it done in time in the first place. I don’t know why I always think I have to be SuperMum.’
‘At least you’ve learned from that experience, Cara,’ Liz said.
‘Yeah, and I’ve learned never to leave my drawings alone, even for a minute. Somehow, it’ll always be that minute that one of my children decides to do something naughty.’
‘That’s kids for you,’ Wendy said.
Miranda hadn’t thought that far ahead. She’d always been so focused on finding the right man and being able to get pregnant, that she hadn’t really considered the challenges that having a growing child entailed. ‘Do you think Alice will get you to do more portraits?’ Miranda asked.
‘Who knows? Maybe if they’re not urgent. But I wouldn’t count on it. Selling paintings are one thing, but commissioned work is a whole different ballgame. If I don’t deliver the goods, it reflects badly on her too.’
‘True.’ Miranda nodded. ‘Hey, you could do a group portrait of all of us!’
‘I could, but it might take me a year. And be warned, you may end up with moustaches, beards, and God knows what else if Jacob gets his hands on it!’ Cara laughed. ‘But I really love doing portraits, so what I’ve decided instead of pursuing the issue with Alice, is to set up a website to promote my portrait drawings. Now it’s just a matter of figuring out how to do that technical stuff, how much to charge for the portraits, and how to get people to, well, buy them!’
‘Here’s a thought, Cara; perhaps you could hand flyers to the parents at your son’s pre-school, with a special offer for a portrait of their child, before the website goes live. Then, you’ll have a showcase of examples to display on the site, and it will give you some money to help set up the website,’ Liz suggested.
‘Fantastic idea, thanks!’ Cara scribbled in her notepad, then sprang up in her chair. ‘I could even advertise in the newsletter at my daughter’s school, maybe around school photo time, so parents could give me a copy of their child’s photo to draw!’ Cara scribbled some more, and her skin seemed to be jumping with excitement at the possibilities awaiting her.
‘Then you’ll need to work out how long each portrait takes to complete, and add on some extra time for unforeseen circumstances, so you can give customers a realistic turnaround time and plan a schedule around your children.’ Liz waited for Cara to write down her further instructions before adding, ‘And don’t pull any more all-nighters!’
‘Definitely not!’
After more discussion from other members of the club, Liz turned to Gina.
Finally! Miranda was dying to hear her latest news.
‘So, tell us, Gina, how are you?’ Liz asked.
‘Actually, I’m pregnant.’ The words came out with her lips barely moving, like someone had spoken for her.
Whoa. The room fell silent. With Gina’s desperate confession during the last meeting she’d attended, Miranda was sure she was going to say she’d left her husband. Plus, although she was in a much better place emotionally, she couldn’t help but feel a tiny twinge of envy at her pregnancy.
‘Wow ... how do you feel about that?’ asked Liz.
‘I think this is going to change things in my marriage. I know what I said the last time I was here, but I think this is a sign I’m meant to stay with my husband and work things out. This is what he’s been wanting for years, and he’s over the moon it’s finally happened.’
‘Well, if you’re sure, then I guess congratulations are in order.’ Liz clapped, and the others joined in.
As Miranda clapped, she couldn’t help noticing that Gina didn’t seem as excited about the pregnancy as she’d seemed about the possibility of a fitness career. This club was way more interesting than watching television. What would Gina’s future have in store for her now?