Third In Line

Chapter Forty Three - We're Just Getting Started

There may as well have been fake smoke and stage lights behind them as they left the salon, what with all the polish and hairspray that had been used on them. They were like pop stars preparing for the stage, with that stage being the entire world. But Ellie didn't want to think about that.

She left the salon with a newfound confidence that she wasn't expecting, but the girls that worked on her just had a way of getting to her. With masses of her hair in their hands, it was hard not to find them convincing. You could really make a person listen when they couldn't really move and you were holding a long, sharp pair of scissors.

Not that they had any bad intentions. Ellie had been treated more like a delicate porcelain doll than she was used to but strangely felt stronger than ever, despite her sprained wrist. She couldn't understand how a fresh hairdo, some colour on her nails and a few weirdly cool skin treatments could make her feel so much better, but they did, and now she had a better understanding of why all the women in her family visited the salon so often.

Ellie knew she would probably end up being the same, there was no reason to believe she wouldn't. Not a single bad experience.

Well there was the leg waxing. How can Emma be able to walk after that? She may as well have sprained my other wrist – she was holding it that hard!

That was one of two things she now feared for the rest of eternity, the other being getting her ears pierced. Their mother would have probably made them wait a little bit longer but Alex had been insistent, and had been showing off her new studs ever since.

The gems were ocean blue like Mum's engagement ring, but also the same colour that now covered Ellie's nails. She knew Alex had done it intentionally to one up her, but she wouldn't rise to it. She didn't want to think how many piercings she would need to do that. Alex could have that prize to herself.

"My ears feel too funny." Alex complained. Good, she's already regretting it.

"Because you've now got metal spikes in them." Ellie quipped, feeling smart.

Alex told her to shut up whilst Emma swatted the back her head and gave her a scolding look. "It's just a new feeling dear, one you'll get used to after a week or so."

Steve brought the car around so it was waiting right at the salon exit for them, but when he held the door open for them their aunt abruptly changed her mind.

"Wait." Emma brought them all to a halt just as Alex was climbing into the back seats. "Steve, can you park the car somewhere and meet us around Charing Cross later?"

"Ma'am..." Steve was reluctant to answer.

"Steve." Emma narrowed her eyes at him.

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded begrudgingly. "We'll figure it out ma'am, it's fine."

Then, after a quick "See you later girls", they were stranded in Tourist Central without either an RPO or a ride home.

"When's the last time either of you rode on a London bus?" Emma asked them, eager to jump on the opportunity to try something different.

"A bus?" Ellie and Alex were aghast "Never!"

They took it more as an ambush than an opportunity.

"Oh come on girls, you can't live in London all your lives and never ride on the bus. We have to do this, I won't take no for an answer unless you have a good excuse."

Ellie couldn't think of one, neither of them could, so they ended up trailing behind their Aunt and her supreme confidence as they made their way to the nearest bus stop. It was only a short walk because there were stops practically every hundred meters, but then again it was a London high street, at noon on a weekday. There were people everywhere. She could think of few other worse places to be.