Chapter 7

For a while, as I snuggled in my old bed, I thought of the absurdity of going out on a double date with my mother. That was followed by the other absurdity of me giving her one of my skirts. I had a little chuckle as I went to sleep, in my own bed and in my family home.

In the morning, I was up before Mum, the regime of the shoot still strong. I showered and dried, and padded back to my bedroom to prepare for the day. I had new underwear, tights, and the pressure to be as good as I could. I took my time dressing, up to the point of putting the suit on again.

I was in my old dressing gown when Mum walked into the kitchen.

“Good morning, Harry. Couldn’t sleep?”

“Holdover from the shoot, I’m afraid. We had a wake-up call at five to be ready on set by eight. Never let anyone tell you that modelling is standing around looking beautiful.”

“If you say so, dear. What are we doing now?”

“I’m not hungry after two big meals yesterday. How about we just have a piece of toast and leave room for breakfast with Sally. Then, can you please re-attach the wig after I’ve done my face and dressed.”

“Sounds good. I was looking at that wig when I took it off. It’s human hair and would have cost hundreds.”

“The numbers are just that, Mum, numbers. Not how many meals would it pay for, or how many starving people it would feed. These people work in millions, anything less is chump change. It’s hard to get your head around, so, for now I’m not even thinking about it.”

We had our slices of toast and a cup of tea, and then we went upstairs to get ready. I went into the bathroom to use the mirror in there, a mirror I had usually only glanced at to make sure that there weren’t remnants of toothpaste on my chin. Now, it was integral in my morning preparations.

I put the skirt suit on again, with another blouse that I had brought home, just in case of spillage. Mum sat me at the kitchen table, and we re-attached the head covering, making sure it was taut and well stuck. Having removed the wig, she knew where all the pins should be. She brushed it, carefully, to make it bounce and we put our coats on.

The weather was bright but chilly, so she warmed up the car first while we fetched our bags. She parked around the station side of the Village, and we got out. Sally was already in Wildwood when we went in, a cup in front of her. She stood up and hugged me, whispering that she had missed me. She gave Mum a hug as well and told her that the ivory skirt looked good with the red top and boots.

We had a cooked breakfast, taking our time to let the Village stores open and get their heaters going. Sally had spent her Saturday at home after we had left, with other family members dropping in to say hello. Mum told her about our dinner, giggling when she said that it was a double date. Sally looked hard into my eyes.

“Tell me more, Harry. Was he nice?”

“He was a complete little shite, my love. You would have been a couple of years ahead of him in school, but he was known as ‘Bernie the Big-Headed Bully’ when I was there.”

“That little shit! A couple of the juniors in the salon had spoken about him. He was too scared to pick on girls, but their brothers had a hard time. Did he recognise you, or more to the point, did he go for a goodnight kiss?”

“No to both. When we got home, I channeled my best ‘Haughty Zoe’ and he never even said goodnight. Mum and I took a while to gain our equilibrium, we were laughing so much. She has to work with his father, who was really a nice guy.”

When we had finished breakfast, we popped into their toilet to check our teeth and redo the lipstick, and then went into the Village. They had the hot air blowers going full blast, so it wasn’t that bad in the walkways. We strolled around, going into shops and looking at things. We all bought some items that caught our eye. Many recognised Sally and asked how she was getting on. She told them that she had gone down to London with Harry and had found a job as a cosmetician in a model agency. A few recognised Mum and asked how Harry was doing and if he had any luck with getting a job.

Mum was diplomatic, telling them that I had gone down to London and got a job in retail. It wasn’t totally the truth, but close to it. Some asked me what I did, so I told them that I was a budding fashion model that Sally had invited to see where she had worked, and that she and I had become instant friends during a two-day fashion shoot.

We walked into the salon to the sound of squeals from the girls, startling a couple of elderly ladies getting their weekly blue rinse. Janice came out of her office at the sound and immediately gave Sally a big hug.

“You’re looking good, girl. I’m sorry to have lost you to the big smoke, but you’ll always be welcome here. I’ll bank your holiday pay next week. Now, introduce me to your friends, one has a similar taste in suits.”

Sally grinned.

“Janice, say hello to the star of the photo shoot last week. This is Harriette and her mother, Maureen Sharpe.”

Janice looked closer at me, and the penny dropped.

“Good Lord! This beauty is that blank canvas we sent off with you on Tuesday. Did you create this look this morning?”

Mum was the first to reply.

“She did it all herself. She could always pick up things quickly.”

“Come on into the office, you three. You can tell me all about it, in private, and then you can buy me a coffee and cake, Sally, seeing that you’ll be under contract by now.”

We went into her office, which had just enough seats, and Sally and I related our time in London, starting with our arrival on Tuesday. It was odd to put it all into context, as it had passed by in a blur as it was happening. It was lunch time by the time we had explained everything, so we left our shopping bags in her office and went to BB’s for coffee, cake and a sandwich.

Mum was looking at me, her drink untouched, so I quietly spoke to her.

“What’s wrong, Mum?”

“Nothing, love. It’s just that hearing the details of what you’ve done over just a few days has made me realise what a huge thing the two of you have done. When you go back on Monday, it’s going to be a while before I see you again, isn’t it?”

“I’m afraid so. We’ll only be an hour away on the train. I’m told that the apartment has two bedrooms, so there’ll be somewhere for you to sleep if you visit. We could go shopping together.”

“So, you’ll be sharing a bedroom then?”

“Probably, although we may use the separate rooms to store our clothes, I doubt that even a Knightsbridge apartment has a wardrobe big enough for what we’ve been supplied with.”

“I like Sally, if she’s the one for you then you’ve done well. Make sure that you don’t mess with her career by getting her pregnant.”

“That hasn’t been talked about yet.”

When we left Janice at the salon, we went into the central walkway, which looked oddly empty.

“The Kiosk has gone!”

Mum headed for the information booth and admin office. Inside, she demanded to talk to whoever was in charge. An older man came out of his office at the kerfuffle.

“Can I help you ladies?”

“Yes, you can. What has happened to my brothers’ kiosk. I was told that it was to be closed until closer to Christmas, not taken away!”

“Mrs. Sharpe, is it? Just the person I was hoping to talk to. Come into the office.”

We followed Mum in, and she took the only spare seat. Sally and I stood by the door, close enough together that our hand holding was hidden. He sat at the desk and pulled a folder out of a drawer.

“Mrs. Sharpe. On examination of our accounts, your brother is now three weeks behind with the site rent. We haven’t seen him, or that young lad who works there, for a week, so we’ve moved the kiosk into the maintenance area until things are sorted out. I have the original contract here, and it shows you, madam, as a director of his company, and a guarantor for any outstanding funds.”

My mother took the paper and looked at it.

“Right! Number one. I was told by the authorities that are looking into his finances, that I’m listed as a director of his three companies and was being paid a directors fee. Number two. I am not, and never have been, a director in his dealings and have received no payment. Number three. That signature is not mine and, if you like, I can show you official cards in my purse that will prove it. Number four. I really don’t care what you do with the kiosk. You can use it for a pop-up client if you want. If you repossess it for unpaid bills, I won’t stand in your way.”

“I get your drift, Mrs. Sharpe. Can you tell me where the young lad is?”

“My brother laid him off and paid him out. He went to London on Tuesday and got a good job in retail and is happy there. If you’re after keys to the kiosk, then ask my brother.”

“We would, if anyone could find him. I’ve tried to ring him but all the numbers I was given aren’t connected. I’ll decide, right now that we will repossess the kiosk over unpaid accounts and will get a locksmith in to get inside. Then we’ll ask around to see if anyone is interested in a pop-up for the festive season. Thank you for being so forthright and understanding. I know it’s your brother, but he isn’t in a good light, right now.”

We filed out and stood where I used to work while Mum cooled down. I said that I wanted to look at books and went into Jims’ shop. Among the biographies, I found one on the life of Zoe Hamilton, so took it to the counter. Jim smiled as he rang it up, and more so when he looked at the card that I had given him to pay for it.

“Looks like you’ve read that book I gave you.”

“It has had a positive effect on my life, Jim. It did point out that you made more friends if you made yourself easier to know. The number of people that have told me that they like me in the last week have been impossible to count.”

“Looking as good as you do, now, I can understand it. Is this the future you?”

“As long as they keep paying me, it is.”

I opened the book and found a picture.

“Yesterday, Sally and I were in a photo shoot, and we recreated this picture in the Grand Hall of Kenwood House. The results will be in the magazines in December. Do you see some likeness?”

He looked at the picture and then at me.

“Bloody hell, girl! You could be her daughter.”

“That’s the main reason I look like this and will do for six months. You’re the first one to have recognised me, the only one with an older card reader. All the shops we’ve been to have had touch and go.”

“It sometimes pays to keep the old ways. I wasn’t going to spend money that I didn’t need to spend. I’ll be having a big discount sale up to Christmas, and then I retire for good. I believe that they’re looking for your uncle.”

“They’re not the only ones. I think that the companies office are after him, but we were just told that he’s not contactable by phone.”

“Times are tough, but some of us keep going. You look after yourself, Harry. When I see you in the magazines, I’ll raise a glass to you and remember the wonderful person that I’ve come to respect, and now stand in awe of.”

“Thanks, Jim. I might get back sometime, but my next few months are going to be hectic.”

He put the book into a bag, with my receipt, and I smiled my farewell. I went off to find Sally and Mum, who were in a store that sold swimming costumes. As we knew our sizes by heart, we didn’t have to try anything on. Mum paid for three costumes. A bikini for Sally, and one-piece costumes for us. I wondered if we would find a pool which two girls would be happy in.

We went back to the salon where Mum was ushered into a vacant chair while I helped Sally give her a make-over. We took all our shopping bags back to the car and discussed dinner. With us all looking good, we went to the one Village restaurant that we hadn’t been to before, La Piadina, where we had a good Italian meal with wines.

After that, we dropped Sally at home, with the two of us having a hug and promising each other that tomorrow we would be back together. That evening, I packed my things to take back to London, especially my laptop in its own bag. I sat while Mum watched TV and read the book on Zoe. She hadn’t been a nice person once she was famous, and the haughty look was her natural one. She had married three times, the second only lasting months and destroyed by her delving into drugs. Starting out with getting addicted to weight-reducing pills and then opiates to reduce her constant pain, mainly a result of falling off a runway while intoxicated.

It made interesting reading, as well as a good lesson in how not to live your life. When I looked at the pictures, there were more than one that I could pick as an example that had been followed last week. Mum and I shared a hot chocolate and chocolate biscuit time before we went to bed. I was already packed, with the skirt suit folded into the sports bag in its garment bag. I would see if I could get it cleaned when we were back in London.

In the morning, I woke early, went to the bathroom and showered. I dressed to travel, in a pair of my old slim leg jeans that didn’t make me look too boyish, set off with a tie-dyed top that I had bought on Sunday. I packed small things in the laptop bag and my shoulder bag. I used a couple of the shopping bags for the rest. All I needed to do was to wrestle it on, and then off the train. After breakfast, Mum attached the wig and we had a long hug with a few tears, as she left to go to work. I carefully washed and dried the dishes and put my bags by the front door. All too soon, there was a beep outside and I went out, using two trips to put the bags in the taxi, made sure the door was locked and then rode away from my family home in the taxi, possibly for the last time.

At the station, there was a handy trolley near the drop-off area, and I loaded my bags on it after I had paid the driver. Sally arrived in her taxi, and we piled her bags on top of mine. We pushed the trolley onto the platform and sat on a bench waiting for the train. We had both opted for jeans to stay warm.

“How was your morning, love”

“A lot of tears.”

“Same with me. We’re starting a very new career today. It will make the shoot seem easy.”

“At least we’ll have today to settle into whatever place they’ve got for us. We’ll need most of that time to unpack those cases.”

“I told my Mum that we would have two bedrooms, so there would be a bed for her if she wanted to visit.”

“How did she take that?”

“She told me to have a talk with you about not getting pregnant.”

“It’s all right, I’ve been on the pill for a few years. If we aim for a family, I’ll stop taking them.”

“I’m wondering if it may have been a mistake coming home, but then think about all the people that we’ve met, some old and some new. I’m amazed at how well Mum accepted me as I am, and how much closer we are.”

“It’s typical mother daughter connection. I’m closer to my mother, although some have said I’m daddies’ girl. I’ve brought my laptop but left my printer.”

“Same here. We can buy a new printer if we need it, although we may not have a lot of time to be on the net. I’m sure that there are nerds that work for the store who have been creating our own web sites and social media pages. I wonder what name they’ll use for me, and how they’ll explain it all. You realise that there are a lot of people in the country who will be appalled at a model being a boy in a dress, no matter how good I look.”

“We just have to wait and see how they work it.”

“I read most of the book about Zoe last night. Everyone so far, wished they were her or lusted after her. She was one totally stuffed up person, and nobody remembers that, just the appearance. She was a druggie, couldn’t hold her booze or her men, yet she’s remembered as a goddess of the catwalk. I’ve got it in the shopping bag if you want to have a look.”

“I’ll do that while you look at the countryside going by, while thinking about our future. I’m just taking it a day at a time.”

“With you next to me, love, I’m happy to take it a night at a time, without you leaving me to mess up your own bed.”

“Hold that thought, lover, here comes the train.”

We managed to get our bags on the train, and they took up the seat across from us, so making sure that we remained private. Luckily, it was after commuter time, so didn’t get told to move them. I sat by the window and looked out while Sally read the book. As we were approaching London, she put it in the shopping bag.

“That was interesting. There’s a lot there that we should be careful that we don’t repeat. Nothing was said about what Mavis had to do in her life. It skates around her time with the store. That was a good buy, love, and we’ll need to talk every night about what we’re being asked to do.”

At Liverpool Street, there was a porter with a trolley, close to where we unloaded our bags, and he cheerfully loaded then on and walked us through the gate. Jerry was there and led us to the car, tipping the porter and opening the doors for us to get in. We left the station and he drove us to Knightsbridge, pulling up outside the Knightsbridge Apartments in Hans Crescent. As I got out, I noticed a Lalique store across the road.

Jerry went into the main doors and came out with a luggage trolley and loaded our bags onto it. We had our shoulder bags and shopping bags and followed him inside. In a big lift, he pressed five and we were going up.

“You’re in Five A, which means that there aren’t any people above you. There are residents under you, so don’t tap dance on the hard floors in heels. Otherwise, this will be your home for the next six months or longer.”

The doors opened to a short corridor with just two doors, one marked A and the other B. He reached into his pocket and gave Sally a ring with a few keys on it.

“There you go, welcome home. It’s a deadbolt lock, so a full turn.”

Sally put her shopping bags down and unlocked the door, then stood aside to let him wheel the trolley in. I followed as she picked up the bags and joined us, closing the door. Jerry took the trolley to a pair of doors and parked it in the space between them.

“I’ll leave this here so you can sort yourselves out and explore the apartment. The fridge and cupboards have been stocked. There’s a list of places that deliver meals by the phone. It’s a silent number and there are some programmed in the quick dial. There’s me on mobile and the security office, and Mavis on mobile and her office. We’re the only ones likely to be calling for a few days. I’ll see myself out. If you want to explore across the road, give me a call and I’ll guide you through the back areas.”

We thanked him for his help, and he left us. I opened up one of the doors to see a large bedroom with a huge bed. We went in and looked out of the window, which looked out on the rear of the apartments. There was a huge walk-in wardrobe with my blue cases sitting on the floor. That led into a twin vanity, twin shower, twin toilet ensuite. I then realised that one that I thought was a toilet was actually a bidet.

Opening the other door, we saw a mirror image, only this one looked out across Hans Crescent to our workplace. Sally laughed.

“That’s what I call being within walking distance.”

The walk-in had her red cases in it.

“So, lover. One room with all our things, or two rooms.”

“I vote for one.”

“Motion carried. Go and get your bags and we’ll sleep in here, overlooking a beauty salon, by the looks of the signs.”

We carried our sports bags into that bedroom and put our laptop bags in the lounge that we had entered through. It also looked out over the road and had a work shelf with power plugs and internet connections. There was a printer underneath, and I opened a small cupboard to see spare inks and paper, as well as cables. We found the kitchen / diner with the fridge and basic cooking appliances. Then we set to unpacking our bags and cases.

The one walk-in easily swallowed all our things, with enough space to provide demarcation. As we hung outfits and put things in drawers, we were amazed at what we now had to choose from. We had tried on a lot of things last week, but I was sure that there were things that I had rejected at the time.

The rooms had obviously been designed for two women to share, as there were two vanity tables with enough room to unload our new cosmetics. When we finished, I stood at the window and looked down and to my right, along the pedestrian area.

“Hey, there’s a sign in that walkway that says Crazy Pizza. How about going out for lunch and getting some fresh air.”

“Sounds good. Let me touch up your make-up to highlight the Zoe before we go. There’s denim jackets among that stuff we’ve hung up. They’ll be perfect for a short walk with these jeans. You look like a tomboy in yours. Did you wear an old pair?”

“They’re almost new, and I didn’t want to leave them behind.”

We made sure that we had put everything away that should be put away and did a quick search of the apartment for a laundry, finding a washer and drier in a cupboard next to the fridge, with a pull-down ironing board and a cupboard with the iron and powder.

“It’s not a lot but will be good for our smalls.”

“I was wondering about getting the skirt suit cleaned. I’ve worn it three times.”

Sally laughed.

“You’re such a girl, but I love you.”

She gave me a key to the door, with another on the ring that was marked ‘After hours entry’. I pushed the trolley to the lift as she locked the door. Down at ground level, I left the trolley in a place that looked like its home, and we walked out and across the road, to get our first pizza of our new adventure.

Marianne Gregory © 2026