Fast Forward

by Juliet Madison

  As I waited for Diora to catch up, my eye caught a large poster displayed in the window of a beauty salon: Take Ten Years Off with our YouthMagic Facial! It had a before and after photo of a woman about forty, but in the after photo she looked about thirty. Clinically proven to work* it said under the heading and there was some fine print at the bottom but I didn’t bother with that. I pushed through the door and into the salon.

  “Mum, what are you doing?” Diora asked, panting slightly.

  “I must have one of these facials!” This could be it. I’d close my eyes while the beautician did her magic and when I opened them I’d be twenty five—and it would be much more enjoyable than bungy jumping.

  “Mum.” Diora tugged at my arm again and ushered me away from the counter, much to the disappointment of the eager beautician. “I’ve already booked you in for a YouthMagic facial, remember? But not at this dodgy salon, at Queen of Beauty,” she whispered.

  “You have?”

  “Uh-huh. For all three of us, remember?”

  I was sick of people saying remember, but my eagerness for a magic facial overtook my irritation. Hang on. “Three of us?”

  I hoped she didn’t mean the unborn baby was having some kind of pre-natal, transabdominal Foetus Facial. But this was the future and after experiencing yolkless eggs, e-pads, PB-whatchamacallit miracle brain scanners and talking self-driving cars–anything was possible.

  “You, me and Elaine,” Diora replied matter-of-factly. “Only I’m having the Pregnant Princess Facial.” She smiled and raised her ample bosom with pride.

  “Oh, right.” I had no idea who Elaine was.

  “And, they’re going to do your hair and make-up. So you’ll be all prepped for your big meeting this afternoon.”

  The only meeting I planned to attend would be my birthday party. With my twenty-something friends and no one even close to the age of fifty. I picked up my pace.

  “Mum, can you slow down? Don’t you remember what it was like when you were pregnant?”

  No, I bloody didn’t! I just wanted to hurry up and have this facial! Although, I had no idea where I was supposed to be walking to. “Yes, of course, sorry sweetheart.” I was getting good at this mother talk.

  Ten painful minutes later, we arrived at Queen of Beauty and I’d barely pushed open the door before a woman with a frizzy mop of blonde hair threw her arms around me.

  “Oh, Kel. Happy Birthday! This is going to be so much fun!”

  I jerked backwards and stiffened my shoulders at the intrusion.

  “Mum’s a little on edge after her bungy jump, Elaine,” Diora explained.

  “Yes, that’s right. I can’t wait to see the video!” Elaine said, before switching her embrace over to Diora and then placing a hand on her belly. “How are you, sweetie?”

  Oh God, I’d forgotten they’d taken a video of the jump. Just routine, they said, for visual evidence if anything went wrong. Not that it ever did, Bungy Ben had assured me.

  “Happy birthday, Kelli,” a velvety voice said from somewhere behind Elaine’s curly mop. Elaine moved aside and a large woman with hair rolled neatly into a bun on the top of her head stepped forward and grasped my hands in hers. “Welcome to your morning of pampering.”

  This must be the Queen of Beauty herself. A garland of tiny gold beads was strung around the base of her hair bun, looking somewhat like a crown. She wore a black and gold uniform, falling with a liquid-like drape over her curves.

  “Thanks,” I replied, glancing around the waiting area which resembled a palace. The chairs for guests to sit on and await their appointment were mini-thrones! Subtle ambient music permeated the air, as did a warm woody scent, while a triple-tier water fountain trickled peacefully in the corner. I’m sure I’m not the kind of mother to favour one child over another, but Diora hit the jackpot with this birthday gift.

  I met my reflection in an elaborate gilt-edged mirror on the left wall and startled slightly, but was then drawn to the beautiful design of the frame. Its curves and swirls gave it a classic elegance, but with a hint of modern spark. A lamp stood below the mirror on a small table, the swirly design of the mirror repeated in the gold of the lamp base. “These are beautiful, aren’t they?” I said, tracing the curved design with a finger.

  “Of course they are, you designed them,” Elaine said with a chuckle.

  My finger froze and I looked up at Elaine, this woman I’d never seen before. “Huh?”

  The Queen stepped forward again. “They’ve stood the test of time too, these classic pieces never go out of style. And although I adore your new season designs, I won’t be changing the decor in a hurry. We get so many compliments from clients on the look of our salon and I always tell them it’s thanks to KC Interiors.”

  KC Interiors … KC Interiors. The ad I saw in the virtual magazine at the doctor’s! Do I really work for this company, designing homewares? Or could it be that I even own this company?

  “My best friend certainly has talent, doesn’t she?” Elaine said to The Queen, who nodded. “Anyway, are we going to get cracking on our YouthMagic facials or what?” She rubbed her hands together. “I think I’m beyond help, but it’s worth a shot,” she said, tipping her head back in a laugh.

  “It’s never too late, Elaine. Everyone can be a Queen of Beauty.” The Queen glided towards a long red carpet that ran down the hallway and gestured for us to follow. When I caught up with her, she stopped for a moment and placed a hand on my shoulder. “You’re going to feel like a new woman when you walk out of here, Kelli. I promise.”

  A hopeful smile stretched across my face. “I’m counting on it.”

  Chapter 7

  Facials, Friendships and Fairytales

  “Youth is a disease from which we all recover.”

  –Dorothy Fulheim

  After changing into black and gold gowns, the three of us took residence on our respective tables in the group treatment room. Apparently Diora had asked a few weeks ago if I wanted a private room, but I’d suggested we have a group session, so we could chat and catch up. Or more likely, so Diora could chat and Elaine and I could lie there quietly. Although, I got the feeling Elaine could probably give Diora a run for her money.

  As I was the birthday girl, I was being treated by The Queen herself, who I found out had the rather unroyal name of Barb and had apparently been doing my waxing for the last ten years.

  Elaine’s therapist was Barb’s daughter, Jilly and Diora was to be given the Pregnant Princess treatment by Karina, a beautiful Asian woman with hair that appeared glued in place and who assured Elaine and I that we too would feel like Princesses after our YouthMagic facials. Hopefully, because the only princess I felt like was Princess Fiona from Shrek. The ogre version.

  Elaine released a sigh as Jilly lathered cleanser onto her face and Barb did the same to mine. “That feels so good,” Elaine moaned.

  “Our YouthMagic cleanser has a proprietary skin-relaxing ingredient, which opens up the pores for deep penetration of the cleansing nano-particles,” Jilly explained.

  The creamy yet textured sloshing around my face sure felt great, but I hoped they would ensure my pores were closed on leaving the salon. Enlarged pores were unforgiving in certain light conditions, although they kept photographic airbrush artists in business.

  Jilly continued her well-rehearsed script about the powers of Egyptian crushed micro-sand and then her tone lightened. “You know, one of my regular clients calls this the Better Than Sex facial.”

  “Jilly!” Barb scolded and I held back a laugh for fear of drowning in microscopic Egyptian sand if I opened my mouth.

  Elaine had no such fear. “Honey, I’d be happy with a facial even half as good. I’ve practically been living like a nun since my divorce three years ago,” she said. “Well, minus all the praying. Unless you count holy crap, bloody hell and dear God, why me?”

  Okay, now I couldn’t hold back the laugh. It burst out of me, splatters of cleanser spraying across the room. And th
en I snorted, inhaling a clump of cleanser and having to sit up quickly to cough it out.

  “Sorry, Barb, maybe we should have booked private rooms after all,” Diora said.

  “Not to worry, love,” she replied, wiping cleanser from the table, opposite wall and my gown.

  “Must not laugh during facial,” Karina intruded. “Skin must relax. Laughter not good.”

  “Sorry,” Elaine and I mumbled in unison, and I sunk back into position, feeling like a naughty schoolgirl.

  As Barb exfoliated the inner walls of my pores, I wondered who this woman—this apparent best friend of mine lying in the bed next to me—was. What happened to Selena? I mean, I know what happened to her, but who was Elaine? How did we become friends? She couldn’t have been a model. No offence, but she didn’t have the bone structure for it. And divorced too … the poor woman.

  Elaine moaned some more and Jilly said, “See, my client was right, wasn’t she?”. Barb shushed her daughter again.

  “I can’t remember the last time I felt this good,” Elaine slurred. “Actually, I think it was when my youngest finally began sleeping through the night. After three kids I knew I was done with babies and that blessed morning I woke after eight hours straight, I thought I’d died and gone to Heaven.”

  “So in your case it could be called the Better Than Sleep facial,” Jilly suggested.

  “Now that, my friend, would get you a truckload of business from all the sleep-deprived mothers out there.”

  “Speaking of sleep-deprived,” Barb said. “Looks like someone hasn’t been getting their forty winks lately.”

  An earthy snore sounded from one of the beds. Diora was fast asleep! So much for being the life of the facial party.

  “And the baby’s not even born yet,” Elaine commented. “She won’t know what’s hit her, ain’t that right, Kel? Remember what it was like when the kids were young?”

  I’d only ever been sleep deprived through choice. Late night parties and early morning photo shoots—it wasn’t that bad. You’d just make up for it later. No big deal.

  “It was so long ago, I don’t really remember,” I said.

  “The sleep deprivation must have fried your memory! You had a terrible time with Ryan. You said it was the reason you never had any more children after him. Turned you off for good.”

  Hmm, his overactive adrenalin must have started young then. Probably bungy jumped down the birth canal. “I guess I just shut out the trauma of it all.” I faked a sniff. “Anyway, I’m sure Diora will cope fine, she’s a strong woman.”

  I barely knew Diora but somehow I knew that to be true and not only because I’d overheard her giving attitude to the baby store representative, but because I could sense it. She exuded confidence, commanded respect and most likely got her way quite a lot. I smiled to myself as an unfamiliar sense of pride appeared.

  More snores sounded from Diora’s gaping mouth, despite Karina continuing her treatment. It must have been catching, because I yawned a big stretchy yawn and my mouth didn’t seem to go back where it was supposed to. My skin elasticity, or lack thereof, really sucked.

  Beep!

  “Oh, Kelli, you really should mute your e-pad while you’re in here,” Elaine scolded.

  “Yes, yes, sorry. In a sec.” Not that I knew how to do that. I lifted my wrist to look at my e-pad. It was a message from William:

  Ryan said the bungy jump went well. I’m so proud of you!

  I replied with a quick thanks, then pretended to mute the e-pad.

  Beep!

  Crap.

  Speaking of bungy jumping, it’s given me some creative ideas for the bedroom *wink-wink* Looking fwd to trying them out tonight;) ~ W

  Double crap. Stunned, horrified and trapped in several other awkward states of emotion, I flung my arm back down, ignoring the message.

  Beep!

  “Kelli!”

  “Sorry!” I squinted at the e-pad:

  Did you get my message just now? I said I’m looking fwd to trying out my bungy-inspired-bedroom-ideas tonight, after the guests have gone. xx

  Arghh! He didn’t have to say it again! My finger shook as I typed a reply:

  Yes, got your message loud & clear. Sorry, can’t chat, having facial right now. ~ K

  Beep!

  Of course, sorry sweets. Talk later. Mwah! ~ W

  Geez, he even tried to kiss me through text message.

  I placed my arm back down, hoping no one else would send a message. Then I wondered why my dad hadn’t sent a happy birthday message yet. Oh well, it was still early.

  Warmth spread across my face. “Time for the special YouthMagic regenerating mask,” Barb said. “This will penetrate deep to target wrinkles at their core and work with the skin’s own healing system to encourage collagen formation. In other words; reducing fine lines and adding firmness and radiance.”

  “Do you think you could put that on my whole body?” I asked.

  Barb laughed. “We do have a YouthMagic body wrap, but that will have to be for another day,” she said.

  It didn’t matter, I swore I could feel myself getting younger with each stroke of her hands, like she wiped away the old and revealed the young me. Warm blood circulated through my skin, as though I was lying on a Caribbean island, soaking up the sun. Whatever was in this mask must be doing the trick. In fact, it seemed to be spreading throughout my whole body. My gown suddenly seemed too hot, like I’d been lying in the sun a bit too long. Maybe that was how this mask worked, giving the skin a rush of heat to eliminate the evidence of age. Only now I felt like I was lying in the sun and someone had rubbed chilli on my face and then put me into an oven.

  My heart raced and I squirmed on the bed. “What’s in this stuff? I’m on fire!”

  “Kelli, are you alright?” Barb removed her hands from my face and I sat upright, fanning my face with my hands, but they too were hot.

  “What’s happening to me?” My breathing quickened and Elaine sat up too. Diora stirred slightly then released another snore. “Arghh! I need water, or a fan, or ice—something cold, quick!” I stood and turned this way and that while Barb urged me to sit down and take a deep breath.

  I didn’t listen, but went to the sink and splashed water on my face, undoing Barb’s handiwork. I continued until all the mask was off, my face a dripping mess, but still burning.

  “Kel, calm down. You’re probably just having a hot flush,” Elaine said stiffly through a masked face, trying not to move her mouth.

  “A what?” I kept fanning my face and Barb handed me a glass of water which I sculled instantly.

  “Hot flush. You’ve been having them for a while now, since you started going through menopause.”

  Oh no, it couldn’t be true. I was fifty, a mother, a grandmother-to-be and menopausal. I must have been a terrorist in a past life to deserve this. Why, oh why was this happening?

  “Breathe slowly, Kelli, in and out,” Barb instructed, as she massaged something cool onto my temples and then onto my wrists.

  “Don’t worry,” Elaine said. “They’ll gradually reduce in frequency and severity. Mine only lasted a couple of years and then went away, about the same time as Peter left me. Funny that.”

  That’s it. If I could wish for anything right now, I’d wish to be a man. They have it so easy, they don’t even realise how good they’ve got it. Bastards. I slowed my breathing and drank another glass of water, and gradually the heat dissipated, relief flooding my body.

  “Feeling better?” Barb asked.

  “Much.” I replied. “Are you sure it wasn’t one of the ingredients in that mask?”

  Barb shook her head. “If anything, the mask should have a slight cooling effect. I’d say it was definitely a hot flush, I’ve had them too, I’d recognise one anywhere. Why don’t you lie down and we’ll start again?”

  “Well, if you’re sure the product won’t cause it to happen again, then alright.” I wasn’t about to lose my chance of becoming the real me again.
/>   I shifted position to lie down again and Diora woke up. “Did I fall asleep?”

  Everyone nodded.

  “What’d I miss?”

  “Oh, nothing much. Just another day at the office,” Jilly said with a grin.

  Diora settled back down and closed her eyes again, all of us silent as the facials continued. Drowsiness followed and for a moment I thought I’d even fallen asleep, but couldn’t be sure. My mind drifted, thoughts and memories floated around, and I relaxed for the first time today. When Barb announced softly that it was time to get up and she would meet me in the next room for hair and make-up, I felt like telling her to get stuffed. I could lay here forever. And then I remembered.

  Take Ten Years Off. Proven to work. I opened my eyes and stood. Elaine, Diora and the therapists were nowhere in sight. With haste I walked to the mirror above the sink and prepared to see my youthful glow again. My smile sunk into a frown as the same old Kelli McSnelly stared back. I was somewhat softer around the eyes, my skin moistened with a dewy glow, but there was no denying my age. It hadn’t worked.

  My frown lifted for a moment when I realised I still had my hair and make-up session to go and maybe that would be the final trigger that would shoot me backwards in time. Yes, I just had to stay positive. The facial was the primer and the make-up would do the rest. It had to. It bloody had to or I would consider jumping off that bungy tower without the rope this time.

  I removed my gown, revealing my coral coloured outfit, then, raising my chin I pushed open the door into the adjoining room to find Elaine showing Jilly photos of hairstyles on her e-pad and Diora sinking her feet into a footbath.

  “We thought you’d never emerge,” Barb said. “C’mon, it’s time for your hair to get some attention.”

  I sat in a chair and Barb fluffed my hair about with her fingers. “I take it you’ve already washed it today, so I’ll just style it. I hear you’ve got a business meeting soon. I’ll make it professional yet feminine, classy yet sexy.”

  “What are you wearing tonight, Kel?” asked Elaine.