Free Lipstick and Lies by Debbie Viggiano Page B

you know and then he answered her phone and I was so mad I broke ours but I bought a new one and Morag says I must see a herbalist with a sleep plan so I’m having my hair done and now I need Rocket.’
    ‘Cass I didn’t understand one word of that,’ Nell replied faintly. ‘But you are very welcome to see Rocket.’
    ‘Excellent,’ I purred into the handset. ‘I’ll pop by after the school-run tomorrow.’
    I ended the call just as Chloe materialised by my side with the coffee and a pile of magazines .
    Forty minutes later, she was back. ‘Time to be shampooed Mrs Mackerel. And then Miguel will be ta king over with your re-style.’
    In due course Miguel minced over. ‘What would Madame like me to do?’
    ‘Make me look amazing.’
    ‘My name is Miguel. Not Jesus. But I’ll do my best.’
    An hour later I walked out of the salon not entirely displeased. When I went to collect Eddie, Morag complimented me on the transformation.
    ‘Did you read the sleep plan?’
    ‘Yes,’ I lied scooping up Eddie.
    ‘Good. Start it today. No time like the present. And did you ring the herbalist?’
    ‘Yes,’ I lied again.
    ‘And what did he say?’
    ‘He said I could see him tomorrow.’
    Morag folded her arms across her jutting chest. ‘Why are you lying?’
    ‘How do you know– ? ’
    ‘Because he is actually a she . A nd there is at least a week’s lead time on appointments. I’ll bet you didn’t read that sleep plan either.’
    ‘Morag stop nagging me.’
    ‘I’m not the one moaning about my husband keeping the company of another woman,’ she pointed out.
    ‘I should think not!’ said an indignant voice. Matt came through the door, grinning away. He reeked of horses. ‘Hello Cass. I won’t kiss you on the grounds of being a bit whiffy. So, spill the beans. Whose naughty hubby is having an affair?’
    I shot Morag a warning look. ‘We were simply hypothesising.’
    ‘Ah.  Then I’m out of this conversation.  I don’t even know what hypothesising means.’ ’
    ‘Idiot,’ I grinned at him before turning to peck Morag on her proffered cheek. ‘I promise I’ll read the sleep plan tonight. And I’ll sort out the herbalist appointmen t first thing in the morning.’
    All I had to do now was devise a way to see off Selina.

 
Chapter Six
     
    That evening we ate without Edna. She’d been invited to dinner by an elder ly gentleman she’d met in B&Q.
    ‘Aye aye, my mother’s landed herself a toyboy,’ Jamie had informed me earlier.
    ‘Who i s he?’ I’d asked in amazement.
    ‘ Some chap she met in the paint aisle. He’s five years younger than her. Transpires he’s making a rocking horse for his grandson. Just like she ha s for Eddie.’
    ‘Fan cy that.’
    ‘I think she does,’ Jamie had chortled.
    Sitting now around the dinner table eating a rather adventurous chicken stew I’d managed to throw together, the children regaled us with their woes. Their complaints centred on teachers setting overly large amounts of homework.
    ‘Mrs Peterson is a right old bag,’ announced my step-son. ‘She gave me an A minus in French when it should have been an A star.’
    ‘Stop showing off Jonas,’ my step-daughter chided good-naturedly. ‘We can’t all be brainboxes like you.’
    ‘Speak for yourself Petra ,’ Toby shrugged.
    It was a fact that both our boys were academically gifted, whereas Petra and Livvy had to work hard to achieve good grades.
    ‘Okay kids, if you’ve finished you may be excused,’ Jamie said.
    There was a moment of noisy chair scraping followed by a mass departure .
    ‘So, with the exception of our little boy, I have you all to myself,’ Jamie stood up. He moved around the table and pulled me into his arms. I melted against him. ‘I don’t believe I’ve yet complimented you on your hair,’ he kissed the top of my head. ‘It’s stunning. You look like you used to. When I first met you.’
    ‘Before I became a mother again,’ I said ruefully . I wound my