just that? But
he would find her more prepared to meet him half way. A fresh start,
she thought, yawning again.
She
slept dreamlessly and awoke feeling refreshed and eager for the day
ahead. Catching sight of herself in the mirror as she buttoned the
jacket of her navy suit she was suddenly struck by the dullness of
her appearance. I look like a lift attendant, she thought with
dissatisfaction. She loosened her hair from its usual smooth roll and
looped it in various positions. But it was still boring.
“ I'm
going to get my hair done,” she told her mother over breakfast.
“Can you phone Jenny for me at nine and tell her I'll be an
hour or so late?”
She
saw the suit on her way to the salon that she visited once every six
weeks or so for a shampoo and trim. For a few moments she watched the
boutique owner assembling the suit on a model that lay with severed
arms and legs in the tiny window. It was a colour that she had never
worn, a light singing red, the colour of a ripening tomato. Quite
unsuitable for the office.
She
opened the door of the shop. “Can I try that?”
“ It
looks wonderful on you,” said the woman as Gabriella marvelled
at her transformed image in the mirror. The jacket rounded and
cinched in all the right places, the skirt, shorter and tighter than
she normally wore, followed the curves of her legs and lengthened
them. But most of all it was the colour. The light red brought a glow
to her face, a sparkle to her green eyes and a gilding to her hair
that made it difficult to recognise herself.
“ You
don't think it looks too – too -?”
“ Oh
no!” said the woman. “Of course, you'll need a new
blouse.”
When
she walked into the salon with the five bags that contained her new
wardrobe, Simon, her usual hairdresser, greeted her.
“ Morning,
Miss Stevens. Trim?”
“ Not
today. I'd like it restyled. Something less dull. What do you
suggest?”
She
couldn't watch as he snipped at her shampooed locks and the pile of
cuttings on the floor grew larger.
“ Don't
worry,” he smiled when she risked a brief glance. “Nothing
too dramatic, just a little layering.”
She
thought the cutting and blowdrying would never end, but at last he
switched off the drier.” It's all right, Miss Stevens, you can
open your eyes now.”
She
looked at her reflection and was speechless.
“ Amazing
what a new style can do, isn't it?” Simon examined her with
professional pride.
Her
head felt light. She touched the soft layers that felt and looked
like silver thistledown.
“ Do
you like it?”
She
croaked something, nodded vigorously.
“ Special
occasion?”
“ I'm
getting married!” she blurted.
From
the salon she returned to the boutique. “I wonder – the
red suit, I'd like to wear it now. Could I change into it here?”
Collecting
on her way a couple of wolf whistles from across the car park and a
startled glance from Amanda in Reception, she walked dreamily to her
office.
Jenny
looked up as she entered. “Wow!” she gasped, eyes
saucer-round. “Is this my boss ?”
Gabriella
smiled sheepishly. “I thought it was time for a new image.”
“ It's
sensational. Sue Langdon will have to look to her laurels. She'll be
losing her place as Englands' number one pin-up!”
Gabriella
felt a small glow of satisfaction. Yes indeed! Although somehow today
she couldn't regards Sue as a serious rival.”
“ Has
Rod seen the new you?” Jenny asked.
“ Not
yet.”
“ Then
for goodness sake, go and show him.”
Going
down the corridor to Rod's office, feeling as if she were floating
inches above the grey carpet rather than walking on it, Gabriella
wondered if he would sense that her new image went deeper than the
bright sit and new hairdo. Even if he didn't, she would derive great
pleasure from showing him that she was no longer an also-ran in the
glamour stakes. She remembered all too well his disparaging comments
about her appearance on their first outing together. He would have
he would find her more prepared to meet him half way. A fresh start,
she thought, yawning again.
She
slept dreamlessly and awoke feeling refreshed and eager for the day
ahead. Catching sight of herself in the mirror as she buttoned the
jacket of her navy suit she was suddenly struck by the dullness of
her appearance. I look like a lift attendant, she thought with
dissatisfaction. She loosened her hair from its usual smooth roll and
looped it in various positions. But it was still boring.
“ I'm
going to get my hair done,” she told her mother over breakfast.
“Can you phone Jenny for me at nine and tell her I'll be an
hour or so late?”
She
saw the suit on her way to the salon that she visited once every six
weeks or so for a shampoo and trim. For a few moments she watched the
boutique owner assembling the suit on a model that lay with severed
arms and legs in the tiny window. It was a colour that she had never
worn, a light singing red, the colour of a ripening tomato. Quite
unsuitable for the office.
She
opened the door of the shop. “Can I try that?”
“ It
looks wonderful on you,” said the woman as Gabriella marvelled
at her transformed image in the mirror. The jacket rounded and
cinched in all the right places, the skirt, shorter and tighter than
she normally wore, followed the curves of her legs and lengthened
them. But most of all it was the colour. The light red brought a glow
to her face, a sparkle to her green eyes and a gilding to her hair
that made it difficult to recognise herself.
“ You
don't think it looks too – too -?”
“ Oh
no!” said the woman. “Of course, you'll need a new
blouse.”
When
she walked into the salon with the five bags that contained her new
wardrobe, Simon, her usual hairdresser, greeted her.
“ Morning,
Miss Stevens. Trim?”
“ Not
today. I'd like it restyled. Something less dull. What do you
suggest?”
She
couldn't watch as he snipped at her shampooed locks and the pile of
cuttings on the floor grew larger.
“ Don't
worry,” he smiled when she risked a brief glance. “Nothing
too dramatic, just a little layering.”
She
thought the cutting and blowdrying would never end, but at last he
switched off the drier.” It's all right, Miss Stevens, you can
open your eyes now.”
She
looked at her reflection and was speechless.
“ Amazing
what a new style can do, isn't it?” Simon examined her with
professional pride.
Her
head felt light. She touched the soft layers that felt and looked
like silver thistledown.
“ Do
you like it?”
She
croaked something, nodded vigorously.
“ Special
occasion?”
“ I'm
getting married!” she blurted.
From
the salon she returned to the boutique. “I wonder – the
red suit, I'd like to wear it now. Could I change into it here?”
Collecting
on her way a couple of wolf whistles from across the car park and a
startled glance from Amanda in Reception, she walked dreamily to her
office.
Jenny
looked up as she entered. “Wow!” she gasped, eyes
saucer-round. “Is this my boss ?”
Gabriella
smiled sheepishly. “I thought it was time for a new image.”
“ It's
sensational. Sue Langdon will have to look to her laurels. She'll be
losing her place as Englands' number one pin-up!”
Gabriella
felt a small glow of satisfaction. Yes indeed! Although somehow today
she couldn't regards Sue as a serious rival.”
“ Has
Rod seen the new you?” Jenny asked.
“ Not
yet.”
“ Then
for goodness sake, go and show him.”
Going
down the corridor to Rod's office, feeling as if she were floating
inches above the grey carpet rather than walking on it, Gabriella
wondered if he would sense that her new image went deeper than the
bright sit and new hairdo. Even if he didn't, she would derive great
pleasure from showing him that she was no longer an also-ran in the
glamour stakes. She remembered all too well his disparaging comments
about her appearance on their first outing together. He would have
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