Page 49 of The Happiness Project

He stands and leans into the microphone and I can tell the poor guy is nervous. He adds to the other comments saying how stunning Mum looks and, in all honesty, she looks so much younger. He says an age and there’s a murmur around the room as everyone does the calculations. Poppy gets handed a piece of paper as James sits back down.

‘So here’s the result,’ they say as, on stage, Zoe hugs her gran.

‘Mrs S, the audience here think you look an amazing sixty-four years old. That’s not ten years younger . . . that’s an amazing fourteen years younger.’

Balloons are released from the ceiling as everyone cheers and I can see Mum wiping a tear from her eye as carefully as she can. Dad leaps onto the stage and kisses her tenderly on the cheek before holding her hand and then presenting her once again to the audience. Zoe’s crying too and I realise I’m on the brink of it. I’m so happy for Mum and Dad — so happy.

The red carpet has been rolled away and the space is now a dance floor. ‘Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves’ starts us off and I leap up to grab my mum and daughter from their respective partners and whirl them around to the music.

What a day.

Chapter Twenty-Five: Club Tropicana

Zoe managed to get a local lifestyle magazine to attend the event on Saturday and although they came to cover the fashion show and charity fundraiser, they were as captivated by Mum’s transformation as everyone else. They posted their photographs in their weekend online addition, which added to Mum’s elation as she now thinks she’s as famous as the reality TV crowd.

‘Though far more dignified than most of them,’ she says to Charlie as they scroll through the pictures in the shop on Monday morning.

Mum arrived at around ten and looks as if she’s taken up residence, so I ask if she has anywhere else she needs to be.

‘Of course I do,’ she declares. ‘Your father is taking his young wife out to lunch, although I might wear sunglasses as I’m afraid of being pestered for all those shelfies.’

‘I think you mean selfies,’ I say, getting a shrug in response. ‘But I imagine you’ll be okay.’

I have to eat my words when the next customers enter the shop and give a wide-eyed gasp when they spot Mum.

‘We saw you online,’ they exclaim to her delight. ‘You look amazing. We have to have a picture with you.’

They snap a few photos and Charlie quickly passes Mum a Mercury Travel mug to hold but she puts it on the table behind her, saying she doesn’t do endorsements yet. I barely hold back a snort of laughter.

After Mum leaves we settle down to a full day of bookings and customer enquiries. The charity event has left us on a bit of a high and I always find that if we’re all smiling when a potential client walks in, they’re far more likely to walk out having booked a trip and so be smiling along with us. The lifestyle magazine also gets in touch and wants to write an article about Mum and bucket lists in general. It’s a fabulous opportunity to promote some of the big destinations people tend to dream of going to but also to simply talk about retreats. Charlie and I instantly agree to be interviewed later in the week.

‘I’m beginning to believe in karma,’ I tell my business partner as we finish the call.

‘There’s never a downside to being kind to people.’ Charlie sounds so wise that I might just find him a wizard’s hat to wear whenever he wants to say such things. He asks me why I’m smiling at him but I decide against telling him that I’m picturing him in Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. Instead I just say that I’m happy.

That changes quickly when, as we’re about to close, Patty bursts through the door like a woman on a mission.

‘You two,’ she says, pointing at me and Charlie. ‘Sports kit on and meet me in the leisure centre at six o’clock.’

She turns to leave.

‘Whoa — hold on, cowboy,’ says Charlie. ‘Why?’

‘Clubbercise,’ she replies. ‘They’ve had three cancellations for tonight and I’ve signed us up. They’re booked up for weeks ahead so we’re lucky to get them.’

I don’t feel particularly lucky but keep my mouth shut. After all, we did all say that we wanted to get fit — but I think we meant it in the theoretical sense.

‘And it won’t be that long until I see Jack again. I need to get this magnificence into even better shape.’ Patty gives us a little shimmy. Oh, to have only an ounce of this lady’s confidence.

Charlie looks quite excited by the prospect and tells us that he’s seen Clubbercise classes on YouTube and that it’s just like dancing so he’s up for it.

‘They all have glow sticks and shake them around, don’t they?’ he adds.

Patty nods and tells him that’s why she’s meeting us there.

‘Number one,’ she says, ‘I need a stronger sports bra to keep the girls in check, and number two, I need to get us all some glow sticks.’

Like a superhero she then disappears in a whirlwind off to complete her mission. Charlie locks the door behind her then claps his hands together in delight.

---