City Lives (33 page)

‘Can Kerry come and stay the night if Mimi’s going to a slumber party?’ Shona lifted her head from a puzzle on the back of the cornflakes box that she was trying to work
out.

Terry shook his head at Maggie. ‘Not a good idea if you’re not here,’ he murmured.

‘No love, Daddy will have enough on his hands, but I bet he’d let you get some videos,’ Maggie said brightly.

‘But I want Kerry to stay, ’cos she’s my best friend.’ Shona pouted.

‘I know, pet. When I come back, we’ll have her over to stay,’ Maggie soothed.

‘Mimi gets everything she wants and I get nothing!’ Shona stomped out in high dudgeon.

‘I just think it’s better, considering the day and age that we live in, for you to be here when the girls’ friends are staying over,’ Terry pointed out.

‘You’re right. It’s terrible. But what can you do?’ Maggie shook her head. For once they were in accord over something.

‘Don’t worry. I’ll make a fuss of her, she’ll be fine.’ Terry shrugged into his suit jacket, picked up his briefcase and headed for the door.

‘Will you be leaving your mobile switched on?’ he asked.

‘No. How could I if I’m having treatments done? Or if I’m in the pool or Jacuzzi.’

‘It’s well for some,’ he remarked dryly.

‘I’ll phone the kids at night. You can leave a message for me if you have to. I’ll check them every so often.’ Maggie ignored his tone.

‘Fine. See you Sunday. What time will you be home?’

‘Whenever,’ Maggie said evenly. She was damned if she was tying herself down to a time.

Terry scowled, and walked out of the kitchen. She heard the front door close.

‘I’ll have a wonderful time. Thank you so much for your good wishes,’ she muttered under her breath as she cleared dirty porridge dishes off the table and began to stack the
dishwasher. Josie her cleaning lady would be here any minute but Maggie hated her coming into a mess and always tried to have the breakfast dishes cleared away before she arrived.

Three-quarters of an hour later her three children were safely deposited at the school gates, and then and only then did Maggie finally feel a sense of anticipation creep up on her.

She drove quickly home and just as she was entering the cul-de-sac Orla Noonan was driving out. Orla nearly got a crick in her neck turning away.

‘Up yours,’ said Maggie, unimpressed. Orla was for the birds and she could fly away with them for all Maggie cared. She was going away with friends.
Real
friends. She pulled
up in the drive and hurried into the house, anxious to be ready when the girls arrived.

She checked her case to make sure she had everything and glanced at her laptop, neatly put away in its travel bag.

Should she or shouldn’t she?

She was going on a break, she reasoned. That meant a break from writing as well as family. Only it would be the ideal opportunity to fit in a few hours’ writing in peace and quiet with no
interruptions. She was desperately anxious to get the book finished. She was on the last lap. Another thirty thousand words and she’d be done.

Then she could get the builders in to do her attic conversion. She hadn’t told Terry of her plans yet. Time for that when the book was ready to go to print.

‘You’re not bringing your computer,’ protested Devlin when she saw Maggie’s luggage.

‘Come on, Maggie. This is a pampery weekend,’ remonstrated Caroline.

‘I know, girls. I might get a few hours done early in the morning and then I wouldn’t feel so guilty about not working,’ she explained weakly.

‘And Luke Reilly calls
me
a workaholic,’ Devlin teased. ‘Get in the car and relax, for God’s sake.’

‘I’m perfectly relaxed,’ Maggie retorted.

‘Well, would you ever take off your rubber gloves, then. Or are you bringing them with you?’ Devlin asked quizzically.

‘Oh! Oh sorry,’ Maggie said flustered. ‘I was just cleaning the downstairs loo, before Josie cleans it, if you know what I mean.’

‘Maggie, you’re the only woman I know who cleans the house
before
the cleaner comes. You’re a hoot!’ Devlin said fondly. ‘Come on. Get your ass in gear.
We’re out of here now.’

‘Some things never change, Caroline. Remember how bossy she was when we were in the flat in Sandymount?’ Maggie drawled. ‘How high will I jump, Delaney?’

Devlin laughed. ‘As high as I tell you if it means you’re going to relax and enjoy yourself.’

Maggie removed her gloves, washed her hands, brushed her hair and called goodbye up the stairs to Josie.

‘Let’s go.’ She beamed. ‘I’m ready for this.’

‘Me too,’ Devlin echoed. ‘I know I have treatments in City Girl but I always feel a bit guilty. Silly, I know. But there it is. So I’m really going to give myself up to a
thorough pampering.’

‘This brings back memories.’ Maggie sat back in her seat and stretched. ‘Remember the trip we did for our girls’ weekend away to Rosslare and Caroline drove us in her
brand-new Fiesta all those years ago?’

‘Yeah and remember the shrieks of us when she passed the little old Methuselah on the tractor,’ Devlin guffawed.

‘This is going to be fun!’ Caroline grinned. ‘Did anyone bring a sin bag?’

‘Oh Lordy! Remember the sin bag on the Shannon? We simply have to stop and fill up with goodies. It wouldn’t be a girls’ weekend away without a sin bag,’ Maggie declared.
‘After all, we are going to a
health
farm.’ They shrieked with laughter as the years rolled away and they felt as young and carefree as they had been when they’d first
become friends.

They stopped in Avoca Handweavers to shop and have a giggly, giddy lunch. Maggie treated herself to a set of beautifully cut champagne flutes with an eye to the Al Shariffs’ arrival.
Devlin bought Luke a chunky-knit jumper and Caroline bought a wooden salad bowl and matching salt and pepper set for her new home. It was delightful to meander around the displays knowing that
there were no demands to be made on their time.

It was with mounting anticipation that they drove along the winding country roads of Wicklow until they turned into the long curving drive, set in acres of lush meadows, that led to the
attractive cluster of whitewashed buildings that was Powerscourt Springs Health Farm.

‘This is very nice,’ Caroline said admiringly as they followed the small white signpost and turned left for Reception.

‘I love the horses.’ Devlin observed the quietly grazing animals with delight. ‘We won’t be able to have horses, our grounds are so small. And they’ve got ducks
too. Did you see them in the little stream? This is going to be a hard act to follow.’ She glanced at Caroline with a wry smile, all her competitive juices flowing.

‘Never mind, Devlin. We’ll stick some goldfish in the pond and maybe a frog or two,’ Caroline countered.

‘Maybe we could get a pair of swans!’ Devlin suggested seriously.

‘Matthew Moran – he’s a very sexy landscape gardener,’ she turned back to explain to Maggie, ‘if I wasn’t mad about Luke I’d set my cap at him, anyway
he’s putting in an ornamental pond. Maybe he could get me two swans. What do you think, Caroline?’

Caroline wasn’t listening. She was performing a complicated backing manoeuvre into a parking space between a Saab and a BMW. The small circular car park was almost full.

‘Sorry, Devlin. What did you say?’ She straightened up the wheels and switched off the engine.

‘I was thinking that perhaps Matthew Moran might get us a pair of swans for the pool.’

Caroline laughed. ‘Now Devlin,’ she warned,’ stay calm. There’s no need to go overboard.’

‘Look at the gym,’ Devlin said enviously. ‘Look at those fabulous floor-to-ceiling windows. Look at the view.’ The three of them gazed in delight at the stunning
uninterrupted views of the gently undulating Wicklow hills stretching as far as the eye could see, no matter what direction you looked in. The grounds surrounding the complex were well tended,
filled with rockeries and shrubs, and seasonal flowers.

‘It’s like a little paradise set in the middle of the country where no-one can get at you,’ Maggie exclaimed in delight as she resolutely switched off her phone. ‘Come
on, girls, phones off,’ she ordered.

Devlin and Caroline complied without dissent.

‘Let’s check in,’ Devlin suggested happily.

‘This is what I was born for.’ Maggie grinned as she got out of the car and took long deep breaths of fresh air.

The reception area was very welcoming and enticing. Wood and glass filled it with natural light. The highly polished floors gleamed, mirrors sparkled, plush sofas invited guests to sink into
them. An enormous cut-glass chandelier dominated the ceiling, radiating golden sparkles in the glass of the floor-to-ceiling double doors.

I’m having one of them
, Devlin thought privately. And then was amused at her childishness.

The staff at reception were very friendly and welcoming. Devlin, Caroline and Maggie were shown to their room and invited to come to the lounge, when they had settled in, for coffee and an
introductory tour and consultation.

‘I love the décor. This is a very cosy room,’ Maggie approved when they were on their own. Decorated in warm tones of yellow and gold, it was a light, airy room that was
fresh, restful and soothing. The three beds with their striped yellow and gold covers looked so inviting that Maggie lay down on the nearest one, said, ‘This is mine, wake me up when
it’s time to go home,’ stretched luxuriously and closed her eyes.

‘The bathroom is dotey,’ Caroline announced as she unpacked her toilet bag.

‘Look at the view. This place is magnificent,’ Devlin remarked, drawn to the window like a magnet. ‘I’m really glad we came.’

‘Me too,’ echoed the others.

‘Come on, let’s go for coffee and the consultations. Have you decided what treatments you’re going to have?’ Caroline picked up one of the brochures. ‘I’m
having the manicure and pedicure, for starters.’ She perused the glossy leaflet intently. ‘The Honey and Almond Body Polish sounds gorgeous.’

‘I like the sound of the Peppermint Twist, and the Thermal Mud Treatment. Oh and look at the Repécharge Four-layer Facial, and you get a scalp and hand massage as well,’
Maggie enthused as she read out the details.

‘Oh I’m going to have that,’ Caroline agreed eagerly. ‘I’ve had it in City Girl a couple of times and it’s divine.’

‘I suggest we all have the Body Exfoliant first. It leaves your skin so fresh and clean,’ Devlin added her contribution.

‘Good thinking! And we should have a swim, sauna and a Jacuzzi before we have any treatments,’ Caroline declared.

‘Is anyone going to do the walk, or the body-toning and aqua aerobics?’ Maggie asked.

They looked at each other and laughed.

‘Well, it
is
a pampery weekend,’ Caroline pointed out.

‘The emphasis seems to be much more on relaxation than killing yourself on the treadmill and stepper,’ Devlin noted. ‘I like that. We’ll bear that in mind, Caroline.
Sometimes a health farm can sound so regimented and killjoyish.’

‘Come on, let’s go down to the lounge and get organized,’ Maggie urged. ‘I’d love a Jacuzzi.’

An hour later they swam leisurely up and down the pool, their soft luxurious towelling robes draped over three chairs. In each robe’s pocket reposed a three-day timetable of head-to-toe
treatments that had been worked out for each of them by one of the therapists.

They were in the seventh heaven as they swam in the heated pool and listened to the soft pitter-patter of rain against the enormous French windows that overlooked the grounds.

A while later, Devlin sat dangling her legs over the edge of the Jacuzzi, while Maggie and Caroline luxuriated in the bubbling hot cauldron as powerful jets of hot water soothed their tired,
stressed bodies.

‘Am I dreaming this?’ Maggie murmured contentedly.

‘Even though I’ve done all this kind of thing a thousand times in City Girl, I really feel I’m switched off completely here,’ Devlin admitted.

‘Yeah, but you or I can’t totally relax in City Girl. You’re the owner and employer. I’m one of the bosses. It’s different,’ Caroline observed. ‘Here
we’re just clients to be looked after.’

‘They do a very good job of looking after you. The atmosphere is excellent. Clients’ requirements are a priority. I’m impressed. And you know what?’ Devlin grinned.

‘What?’ Maggie grinned back.

‘Within ten minutes of putting on the robe, I forgot that I was here to suss out the place and get ideas for Galway. I intend to forget about work completely.’

‘Atta girl,’ Maggie encouraged. ‘Let’s have another swim.’

By six thirty that evening they’d been exfoliated from head to toe and had soothing moisturizing creams massaged into their skin to leave it soft and silky. They’d each had a back
massage.

‘I feel so clean. My skin feels so soft,’ Maggie rubbed her arm against her cheek. ‘This has been a fabulous day.’

‘I’m glad we got a three-bed room.’ Devlin smiled at her friends. ‘It wouldn’t be the same otherwise.’

‘Me too,’ agreed Maggie.

‘It’s nice and informal here, isn’t it? Not at all posh or intimidating,’ Caroline remarked as she slipped into fresh underwear and sat at the dressing-table to dry her
hair.

‘I like the fact that you can be weighed and measured and have all your meals calorie-counted and go on a diet if you want to, but it’s not a regimented system. The emphasis is much
more on de-stressing and unwinding. Definitely I think that’s the way we should go, Caroline. The more I see the more certain I am that it’s right for us,’ Devlin commented as she
rummaged in the wardrobe.

‘What are you wearing for dinner?’ Maggie asked.

Devlin took out a pair of cream linen trousers and a chocolate-brown silk shirt.

‘That’s what I’m wearing.’

‘I’m wearing trousers too, and my little lilac cardigan,’ Caroline said.

‘Those little cardigans are lovely on you. I’d look like Dolly Parton in one,’ Maggie said enviously, eyeing her voluptuous curves in the mirror.

‘Oh Maggie, I’d love to have a figure like yours. It’s dead sexy,’ Caroline declared.