Eve   Chapter 43   by Topsy   © 2010 Topsy   Makeover

 
Previously:
 
The morning after the joint 17th birthday party, hijacked by the engagement
 
Now the story continues.
 
Eve Chapter 43
 

Saturday morning arrived very quickly, I'd lost every stitch of clothing on the way to Claire's bed and there was a trail on the floor. Somehow my dress was hanging up, I don't remember doing that for myself. Claire woke up at the same time, probably sensing me moving.

"Morning lover."

"Morning sweetie."

I was shoved out of bed with Claire right behind me, we grabbed our gowns, I now had my own in Clarie's room. The two of us reached the bathroom door as Sharon shouted up the stairs.

"Eve, your mum has sent some clothes over, I'll put them on the bed. Jenny phoned, she'll be here in forty-five minutes. Don't spend too long in the shower."

Why was Jenny coming over? Never mind, Claire switched the shower on and we both jumped in. Fifteen minutes later we declared ourselves clean, but we'd had to make certain. There were indeed some clothes on the bed, a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, along with the necessaries.

Downstairs we managed egg and soldiers, don't ask why, before I took my LBD home. A quick inspection saw it needed cleaning, a check of the label said it was dry clean only. I phoned Claire and told her to bring hers across, we'd get a discount for both dresses in one job, I'd sort that out early next week.

Jenny arrived with her mum and us girls were pushed out the door with instructions to be gone for hours.

The three of us decided against staying in town so rode the bus to the bus station then took the first bus out of town, it didn't matter where it was going so long as there were decent shops there. We bought all day tickets, just in case.

The journey took forty-five minutes to cover the twenty years, pretty typical, we were sat on the long back seat, remembering last night, both the meal and after we got back. Most of the passengers near us moved a few row forward, particularly when we skirted around Claire's and my love life, I'm sure there were some 'tut tuts' from the forward seats.

When we got off we were a few hundred metres from the centre of town. The town was built almost 2000 years ago and had a Roman wall that severely restricted traffic into the centre, it also meant that most of the shops within the walls were small, the larger shops were close to the bus station outside the walls.

The first job, as ever was a coffee shop. There was a delightful one in the small town square, where today there was a market. We sat inside and a waitress in a smart uniform walked over.

"Good morning, what can I get you?"

"Three skinny lattes please. Can you recommend any good clothes shops?"

"There's 'Underground' that specialises in off-beat stuff, 'Delight' with the more expensive one-offs and 'Dash' that does end-of-line discounted stock from the catalogue and web shops."

"Thanks, how far are they?"

"Not more than twenty or thirty metres from here."

She went off to the back of the shop to pass on our order then returned to serve an older couple who'd walked in. I recognised them as passengers off our bus.

There were a couple of glances in our direction but no obvious comments. A minute later our coffees arrived and we concentrated on the long frothy glasses. The drinks cost less than I thought, perhaps a sign of the recession. Outside the town was not very busy, unusual for a Saturday morning anywhere.

We looked around the town square and saw 'Delight' directly across. We'd finished the lattes so wandered across the square, we weren't in a hurry. The waitress hadn't been kidding about her description of the shop, all the dresses in the window cost over £100, with one over £400. Inside we were treated to a wonderland. I mentioned to Claire that we had tickets to the ballet in a fortnight and she needed a dress. She looked but knew she couldn't afford any of them, a suggestion that I paid was shot down, she didn't want me paying for the occasion of my birthday. Jenny asked out loud about the ballet but I suggested her mum spoke to mine as I had nothing to do with the tickets.

We finally left after fifteen minutes, the proprietor didn't bother trying to help us, after all how could three schoolgirls afford her clothes? We looked around the square and then started looking along the side streets. There were more antiques shops than I've seen before, plus plenty of estate agencies trying to sell houses that no-one wanted to buy. There were also several boarded up shops, a distinct sign of the hard economic times.

Next we took a look around the market, it was the usual collection of fresh veg, fishmonger, pirate DVDs, duff electronic bits, and leather goods. Jenny and me bought new shoulder bags, Claire a wide white belt.

We eventually found the discount shop. Most of it was very plain out of season stuff, but I picked up a new bikini, my first bikini! There were also some one piece swimsuits but I doubt if they had even been in fashion. In the end we bought some everyday tops and shorts, they would be fine for the late spring and summer.

We never did find the Underground shop, which disappointed Jenny, she'd hoped for some Goth bits and pieces. I got the feeling that it was one of those economic victims we'd passed. We walked back towards the bus station and the larger shops. There were a couple of factory outlet stores, the 'direct from manufacturer' type plus a Primark.

We headed for the Primark, it was bedlum! Obviously the quiet in the town centre was offset by the seemingly two hundred in here. There were bargains to be had, but the rails were all mixed up and some of the stock was on the floor. I found a long gypsy skirt, Jenny grabbed a denim skirt that was little wider that Claire's belt.

We spent another hour going round the other stores, we tried plenty of tops and bottoms but bought nothing more. We were getting hungry and it was gone one, various options were considered, in the end we headed for the nearest pizza restaurant.

Half an hour later we were refreshed, so we took another walk around and still didn't buy anything. By two thirty we were back at the bus station waiting for the next bus home. We each had several bags and just had to put them down, even if it was another twenty minutes until the bus, twenty minutes of valuable retail therapy wasted.

The bus was five minutes late and already half full, we ended up sat apart so had a very boring ride home. Back in town we caught a local bus that stopped at the end of our road. We finally walked back into my house just after three, straight into the kitchen.

"You're back early."

"We've been gone for five hours, isn't that long enough?"

"Long enough for what?"

"For whatever you've been up to."

My aunt and Sharon walked into the kitchen, that completed the set of our mothers, there was a definite look of conspiracy on their faces. Jenny, being the one who doesn't know what a secret is, had told me a few weeks ago they were planning to decorate my room. The question was, could three single mothers achieve anything close to the makeovers they show on the telly?

"Why don't you go and see a film?"

"Still want to get rid of us? It'll cost you."

Three ten pound notes suddenly appeared, far too quickly. Did I mention a conspiracy? It would pay for the tickets but not the refreshments. I decided to try for more.

"There's another tenner, no more. Now, get moving and don't come back before six."

We left our shopping bags on the kitchen floor where they'd been dropped and wandered back to the bus stop. It was the same driver, he'd reached the end of the route a few stops from us and had turned around to head back into town. We exited at the bus station and caught another local bus to the multiscreen the other side of town.

We decided on 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus', but don't ask me why. There were posters for Avatar but it hadn't opened yet. Two hours later I still didn't know why we'd chosen this movie, but Claire and I had enjoyed a two hour long cuddle, much to Jenny's faked disgust. We'd bought drinks, at silly prices, but couldn't finish them, a waste. If only there had been a smaller size.

We got out at five forty-five and just made a bus into town. One quick change later and we arrived home. It was dark, we were cold and hungry. If it had been suggested that we went back out then we'd have mutinied, as it was we walked into a kitchen that smelt of garlic. I spotted some pasta, a bolognaise sauce and garlic bread, all sins were instantly forgiven.

The seven of us ate, Annie had got back just before us but I never did find out where she'd been. After dinner I was asked to pop upstairs to put my purchases away. I played along, no need to let them know, and walked up to my room.

Not only had the curtains and bedding changed, the entire room was different. My bed was now in the middle of the room, not jammed against one wall. There was extra hanging and drawer space plus a couple of mirrors and a dressing table. It had everything a girl could want, except I'd only been a girl for six or seven weeks so wasn't too sure. Anyway, I loved it.

"Claire, come up here!"

Claire came running up the stairs, almost tripping herself in the process.

"Wow!" She was a little short on words. "I love it."

I looked around the room again, previously the walls had been cream in colour, now they were lilac, the curtains were mauve. The bedding matched, everything just felt right. Claire grabbed me and gave me such a kiss that my knees buckled, we fell onto the bed.

"So I take it you like it?"

I looked around, still locked to Claire. The comment had come from mum but the others were stood there as well. I waved them away, mum closed the door and they retreated.

The two of us made it back downstairs after nine, only mum remained. We'd put gowns on but hadn't worried about PJs, we wouldn't need them later. I thanked mum for their hard work then went to the kitchen for two hot chocolates. We went back up fifteen minutes later, fully intent on furthering our relationship, but fell asleep.

On Sunday morning we woke at the same time and turned to smile, followed by a passionate kiss. Unfortunately, my bladder rang its little bell and I dashed to the bathroom. I hadn't locked the door and Claire walked in as I sat there. I was dragged, kicking and screaming, I jest, into the shower.

When we walked downstairs half an hour later our hair was still damp but at least we were dressed. I looked at the clock, it was nearly ten.

"Good afternoon you two."

"Thanks mum, it's not that late."

"No, but you've missed breakfast. I'm making a coffee but how about some brunch?"

"Sounds good, I take we'll not bother with lunch."

"That's the idea, I need to go shopping for the next few days and I suggest you come with me. You can come too, Claire, if you want to."

"Mum wants Annie and me to help her so I'll pass if you don't mind."

We sat and had our unhealthy cooked breakfast, filling the dishwasher with the plates and pans. I gave Claire a long kiss and smacked her rear as she headed for the door. You should have seen the look I got for that.

Mum and I went to Tesco and, as quickly as possible, gathered food for the next few days. Somehow we ignored the clothing section but I lingered in the TV department, looking at the small wall-mounted ones. Maybe another time.

As we were at the checkout, mum noticed the instant photo booth and sent me to get my picture taken. I found her five minutes later with a set of four passport-sized mugshots, but wasn't quite sure why.

Back home we stowed the food, I was about to go upstairs to tackle my homework, but mum stopped me.

"Eve, I've filled in the form for you, you need to check it and sign."

It was an application for a provisional driving licence. My birthday was two weeks from now and I couldn't drive before then, but I could apply for the licence. I signed and went up to my room.

I took a look at the coursework, it wasn't as bad as it seemed. I sorted the work into piles of easy, difficult and impossible. By four o'clock the easy pile was gone and I was an hour short of finishing the difficult pile. I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, the smell was wonderful.

"Mum, how long until dinner?"

"Not before six."

"I'm getting hungry."

"You can manage, have a banana if you must have something."

I took my glass and a banana upstairs then settled down to finish the second pile. By five thirty I had the first impossible item started but I was feeling weary. I'd spent far too long in front of my laptop, I printed off the work I'd finished then closed it down and headed back down.

"That's good timing."

"Why?"

"I brought dinner forward, it'll be ready in five minutes. As it's just the two of us we'll eat in the kitchen, can you set the table?"

I got the table prepared as mum dished up the dinner. If the aroma was good before, it was stunning now.

We stacked the now empty plates in the dishwasher and set it going. A few pots didn't fit so we quickly washed them up at the sink.

"Eve, I had Sharon countersign your photo and I've put the form in the post with one of Dr Preston's letter."

We sat in the lounge after the meal, I was ready to surrender to whoever was willing to accept it, but somehow found the energy to take my homework over to Annie. Claire got a quick kiss then I walked back.

I was in bed by nine, shattered.