Page 38 of The Second Chance Supper Club

By some miracle, the woman reflecting back at her in the mirror already looked so much better than the half-naked saggy one she’d spotted a few moments before. She paid a bargain price for the two items, happy to be helping out the local hospice charity too, and left feeling a positive surge. Boho chic might be the way to go, thought the new-style Cath.

And to the hairdressers next! There was one at the end of the high street. No time like the present. Pausing outside the door, she suddenly felt embarrassed that she hadn’t set foot inside a salon for … well, a very long time. And her locks would certainly be showing it. She took a deep breath and opened the door to a blast of warm air and fragrant hairspray. ‘Good morning,’ a lady with a classy blonde bob greeted her from behind the counter.

‘Hi, umm, I’m new to the area. Looking to get a cut and colour done. It’s been a while …’ She grimaced apologetically. ‘Do you happen to have any spare appointments?’

‘Actually, it’s unusual, but I’ve just had a cancellation for Monday morning, 10 a.m. How does that suit?’

‘Sounds like it’s my lucky day. I’ll take it, thank you.’ The trip to the local town was proving to be positive.

The hairdresser gave her a swift and sweeping glance above shoulder level. ‘Are we talking restyle or just a trim? And colour-wise, any thoughts?’ She was trying to be polite, but Cath knew she must be thinking this is some kind of a bird’s nest I’m dealing with.

‘Better be a restyle …’ Cath conceded. ‘And I used to be a brunette, but I’m not sure quite what to do with it colour-wise now.’

‘No problem. We can do a quick patch test now if you’d like, and then why not take one of these hair magazines, and also have a look online at any styles you think you might like, and we can chat about that and the colours that might work with your skin tone on Monday. Sound okay?’ She came across as practical but friendly. Cath had already warmed to her.

‘Sounds great. Thank you.’

Crikey, the supper event had somehow turned itself into a makeover.

Well, it was about bloody time, a voice in Cath’s head shouted out.

Chapter 25

All dressed up with somewhere to go, Cath walked up the village street carrying a wicker basket filled with six mini-bottles of Babycham (which she’d been delighted to find online) and a hand-tied posy of pink roses from her garden for Nikki. She felt a little warm in her tall leather boots on this balmy summer’s evening, with her knee-length green-and-red floral dress swishing about her, but looked very much the Seventies part. She was pretty happy with her new look, but also a little nervous about arriving in this alternative guise. Was it too much? Mutton dressed as lamb, perhaps? The knees were out, plus a fair amount of decolletage in this hippie dress, and her hair, well … Louise, at the hairdresser’s, had performed miracles indeed.

‘Wow, well who do we have here?’ Nikki, in full Abba-style white-and-blue-trimmed kimono plus long blonde wig, stood open-mouthed. And, on her feet, the charity shop white lace-up boots! They’d found their perfect home. ‘Goodness, Cath, you look amazing.’

‘Hah, well I could say the same about you. A real Dancing Queen. Brilliant. And those boots – Kirkton Charity Shop by any chance? They look fantastic on you.’

‘Yes! Come on through. The lads are here, and Lily.’

‘Oh my! Cath, is that you? You look fabulous, darling. And the hair, is that real?’ Dan leaned across to stroke her lovely locks. ‘Has to be, it’s far too good to be a wig … I love it.’ He was dressed in orange corduroy flares teamed with a black silk shirt, open-necked beneath a hilariously dreadful patterned tank top. Andreas, who stood beside him, had gone full ‘Magnum Pi’ Tom Selleck style, his naturally dark hair in a bouffant, and a bushy fake moustache in place, above flared denim trousers and a Hawaiian-style red floral shirt. It made Cath chuckle seeing the pair of them.

Cath’s hair had indeed gone from hanging in a shaggy greying mop to a wavy shoulder-length bob that was now a glossy mid-brown shade. It might need a bit of root work doing now and again to keep it in order, but she felt so much more like her old self that it’d be more than worth it. The colourist at the salon had advised that full brunette might be a step too far, but a mid-brown with some lighter tones through it would be ‘a gorgeous and more natural-looking alternative’.

‘Drinks anyone? I’ve made a jug of Blue Lagoon cocktail. Or there’s a G&T alternative,’ offered Nikki.

‘Oh, go on, I’ll give the cocktail a try,’ answered Cath.

‘It’s lethal, I warn you,’ Dan said, with a grin.

‘This is our second. Rocket fuel,’ added Andreas.

‘Don’t be so soft,’ tutted Nikki.

‘Oh, and here’s a little contribution to the evening, and some flowers for the chef.’ Cath offered over her basket of goodies. Nikki pulled out one of the mini bottles. ‘Hah, Babycham, that’s brilliant. Used to love that stuff. I’d be allowed one at Christmastime. Made me right tiddly back in the day.’

‘Needs a whole bottle of Prosecco nowadays, Auntie Niks,’ Lily chipped in, as she came through from the kitchen with a bowl of Hula Hoops in one hand and one of prawn-flavoured Skips in the other. She was striking with her dark hair edgily cropped into a short style, her red lipstick bold, dressed in boot-cut jeans with a flowing white broderie anglaise hippy-style top.

‘This is Lily, folks. My niece.’

‘Hi, everyone.’ She had a broad smile, which came right from her kohl-lined green eyes. ‘Snacks? Do help yourself.’ She popped the bowls down onto the wooden coffee table.

‘Sorry, I warned you I was no chef,’ added Nikki. ‘Though, I have actually made the next two courses myself.’

‘Well, they fit the Seventies theme. And who doesn’t love a Hula Hoop,’ said Dan, helping himself.

Nikki’s front room was neat and tidy, painted a soft grey, with a traditional open fireplace and oak-wood mantelpiece. There were pictures of her family dotted around. The two sofas were a cosy dark-blue velour and a little on the large side for the room. A big TV stood in one corner with an X-Box and controllers tucked beside it. It was a family room, and Cath had the feeling that it was never normally this orderly, for sure. The doorbell then went. Nikki soon coming back with an apologetic Will on her heels. ‘Sorry, I know I’m cutting it fine, everyone. Been a busy day at the shop. Then I had to get my costume sorted. It’s been thrown together a bit last minute.