"Come on Gaby, up an at 'em" that was 'Aunt' Carol

"Shower, dress, breakfast, come on"

I tried to get my head round what was happening; here I am in a
nightdress, in my girlfriend's spare room. Ah well! The shower cut off
and a couple of minutes later there was a tap on the door.

"Gab, showers free" Mad advised

"How much was it before?" I replied

"What?"

"Never mind"

"I'll put your clothes out while you shower"

What delights of Maddy's wardrobe would I wear today?
Please let it be something not too girly. Please? I showered quickly
and returned to 'my' room where Mad had left my outfit for the day.

"Morning Gaby"

"G'morning Auntie"

"Well don't you look nice this morning"

"Thank you"

"Eat up you two, we are picking the others up at eight thirty" Aunt Carol stated

"Okay mum" Mad replied for both of us as I had a mouthful of muesli.

I checked the clock, seven fifty - bags of time. Wrong!

Mad dragged me up to her room where she quickly did a double makeup application then started on my hair.

"What are you doing now?" I asked

"I thought we could try something different with your hair today"

"Really? Why can't I have like usual?"

"You are such a geek Gaby Thomas, live a little" she exclaimed

So I sat as she played then redid some of my makeup. When I saw me in the mirror I screamed.

"In the car, both of you, I'll be out in a minute."

So I had to go outside looking like an overdone
pre-teen. I sat and fumed. It was bad enough that I was armlocked into
this trip and now my girlfriend, no make that ex-girlfriend, had made
me look ridiculous to boot. Hmmm!

"Look I'm sorry Drew, I just got a bit carried away" Mad tried to apologise

"Well do it on yourself next time" I sulked

"Right you two" Mrs Peters prevented the recriminations starting, "here" she presented her daughter with a wash bag.

"You Madeline Peters will clean that gunk off your cousin and then do a proper job, understand?"

"Yes mum"

"Okay Gaby?

"Yes Auntie Carol"

We set off to pick up the others and by the time we got
to Bernie's my face was mostly clean of the gunk Maddy had painted it
with. Ally and Bernie sensed there was something going on and just gave
us sideways glances while Mad repaired my makeup to its former 'glory'.
By the time we reached Chesterfield I looked like Gaby's usual self and
the tension in the car lifted.

With the makeup put away, a more normal conversation
started up and whilst not forgiven, I was softening to Mad again by the
time we got to Manchester city centre just after ten.

Before we left the car, Aunt Carol checked my makeup
and grunting approval we headed for the shops. You don't need all the
details but by the time we stopped for lunch near the town hall I was
already beyond bored. The others pored over racks of clothing and
displays of footwear, occasionally trying something on. Now I know that
shopping with the girls can get tedious but I was still not in a great
mood after this morning. What didn't help was realising that the low
cut jeans I was wearing exposed my underwear everytime I left the
vertical!

"Okay girls, enough clothes for now" Mrs Peters advised us

"Aw!" Ally whined

"Gaby has been very patient so far today, let her choose a few shops, okay Gab?"

"Yeah?"

"Well where are we going Gab?" Bernie asked

"There's a big bookshop I saw not far from here"

"Lead on Macduff" Aunt Carol instructed

So we despatched Mrs P to the coffee shop whilst we
sieved through the shelves of Pratchett, Aldiss, Heinlein etc for best
part of an hour. Maddy disappeared while I was queuing to pay for the
new Pratchett 'Thief of Time'.

"You all done?" Aunt Carol asked when we met her and Mad by the lift.

"Yep"

"I'm not sure what you'll think of this Drew but my
daughter really does want to apologise for this morning. She want to
buy you a present to ask forgiveness, she realises you are really quite
annoyed with her"

I nodded and Mad lowered her eyes. Ally and Bernie,
still didn't know what was going off and just stood watching the
scenario develop.

"That's not really necessary Mad, Mrs Peters, I'll get
over it" I stated. Although my first instinct was to shout yes, I
really wasn't that mad with her.

"I thought you might say that but my daughter really wants to make amends. Go on Madeline"

"Drew er Gaby, oh heck I'm really sorry"

We ended up in each other's arms, breast to breast me comforting a sniffling Maddy.

"Aw come on you two, put each other down" Bernie commented

Ally snorted and Mrs P chuckled too.

"What were you proposing on getting me then?" well I had to ask didn't I?

"Well I thought a new bike helmet"

"But that's at least forty pounds Mad" I stated

"I know, but I think you deserve something. I mean you
take all this dressing up stuff from us girls, we've coerced you into
going to the party next week and, well today is the first time you've
really complained."

We were now walking back towards the Arndale Centre.

"She's right Gab, we all keep on at you and you just go with the flow" Ally put in

I was trying to cover all the colours from blush to crimson.

"And I've not helped either" Mrs P added, "I should have stopped these Wight's but instead I've encouraged this masquerade"

"Hey it's not all you guys, I could, should have said no so I'm partly to blame too" I insisted

"No Drew I don't think you could" Mrs P finished. I didn't pursue it.

Even Ally and Bernie were feeling guilty by this time and they still didn't know what had sparked all this off.

"I know" Bernie enthused, "we all put in towards Drew's new helmet, how's that Drew?"

"Only if you really want to"

"Say yes Drew, we'll feel better and you get that new helmet you keep on about" Mad put the case succinctly.

"I surrender" we were of course now stood outside of the cycle shop that Mrs P had been herding us toward.

I knew which helmet I wanted, a proper racing lid,
loads of vents and a smart metallic blue finish so it didn't take long
to select that but while my companions sorted out payment, I lost
myself in the lovely shiny bits. Now me in a bike shop and this is
inevitable, whilst mum is a pro, our own kit is mostly good mid priced
stuff so nothing flash. So I usually ooh and ah with the best at the
fancy stuff, Campag Record, Middleburn, Hope, nope none of that Shimano
stuff for me if I can help it!

"Come on Gaby, time for a couple more shops" Mrs P called to me.

I decided to wait outside while they all piled into Top Shop but soon
wished I hadn't as nearly every male under 95 that walked past was
eyeing me up. The others found me just before I got paranoid and we
headed off to the car park.

We stopped in Bakewell for tea and arrived back in Warsop just before seven. Gaby returned to Drew and Mrs P drove me home.

"Here Drew, don't forget this" she passed me my new helmet, "you'll need it in the morning!"

"Thanks Mrs Peters, I'm sorry I spoilt today"

"Not your fault Drew and you can call me Aunt Carol anytime eh?"

"Goodnight"

"Nite Drew"

She waited until I was inside before driving away.

Maddy Bell 29.09.03