Page 42 of The Happiness Project

‘You’ve improved since last time,’ Felipe tells me.

‘Well, I haven’t stood on your foot yet.’ I laugh.

It seems like no time at all before we’re swapping again and I get Patty back. Dad is with Marianne and Mum with Felipe. I can see him having the same effect on her as she gazes up at him and a little blush rises to her cheeks when he takes her hand.

Patty adds a little swing to her moves but they’re generally the right steps and it’s fun. I catch a glimpse of us in the mirrored walls and tell her that we make quite a handsome couple.

‘Maybe we should just ditch the men,’ I say. ‘After all, we already live together.’

‘If this cruise doesn’t work out, you’ve got a deal,’ Patty says.

I watch my parents across the room and note that Mum is no longer gazing up at Felipe; she’s staring daggers at Marianne, who is positively gliding across the floor with my dad. When the music stops, Marianne applauds Dad, who takes a bow. He has a huge smile on his face and is about to take the instructor’s hand for the next piece of music when Mum barges over.

‘Ladies, excuse me,’ she says, elbowing Marianne and firmly grabbing Dad’s arm, taking him to the opposite side of the room in a way that is the complete opposite of ladylike.

‘How can she want an affair when she gets that jealous?’ I murmur to Patty.

‘Cake and eat it,’ replies Patty as we start moving again.

I certainly wouldn’t put that past Mum, but I’m quite encouraged by what’s just happened. She chose Dad over Felipe.

* * *

‘It must be time for cocktails now,’ says Patty after we’ve said goodbye to everyone.

We head to a bar that is supposed to have the best espresso martinis in town and on the way there, my phone rings. It’s Zoe.

‘Mum, where are you heading now?’ she asks. I tell her the name of the place and she replies that she’s not far off so she’ll meet us there.

The bar is relatively quiet so we have no trouble getting a good table. Patty orders their signature espresso but when she goes to order the same for me, I put a hand on her wrist to stop her. I’m suddenly exhausted and know that I don’t want to risk being awake all night because of a shot of caffeine. I ask for a Virgin Mary and even saying the words makes me salivate at the thought of all that tomatoey vitamin C nourishing my body. When it arrives I suck a huge mouthful through the straw, giving me comically hollow cheeks in the process.

‘Blimey,’ says Patty when I’ve come up for air.

I spot Zoe coming in and wave her over. She bounds towards us with a smile on her face, gives us both a little kiss then sits down and signals to the waiter. She orders a virgin mojito and explains that she’s just been at a conference in town and is driving home.

‘I saw from social media that you’ve just been at the dance school so hoped you might be in town,’ she says. ‘I wanted to let you know I’ve sorted out Gran’s makeover day and it’s going to be amazing.’

Her eyes are gleaming as she explains her idea and it’s fabulous — Mum will love it.

‘I was wondering if you could get Poppy involved?’ she asks.

‘Patty’s dress?’ I’m as puzzled as my friend looks.

Zoe stares at us as if we’re mad.

‘It’s lovely but I have no idea what you’re talking about,’ she replies. ‘I mean Poppy O’Cherry — they seem to love you two.’

Zoe pulls out her phone and shows us the social media storm we’ve created today — or rather the #ladyinred has created, I’m just the sidekick. From the first picture in the boutique, through to our brunch date, the tram ride, the art gallery and the dance school, people have been ‘spotting’ us out and about and sharing it. On top of that, we discover that Poppy O’Cherry has hundreds of thousands of followers and has shared everything to their fanbase.

‘That’s brilliant publicity for all the places we visited today,’ I say, genuinely delighted that they seem to have benefited from our little day out.

‘I look pretty good, don’t I?’ says Patty, scrolling through the pictures with her usual modesty.

‘Getting back to Gran.’ Zoe takes her phone off us and regains our attention. ‘Could you ask Poppy if they’ll help?’

Patty promises to try but adds that as a performer, Poppy is probably already very busy.

‘We have audiences waiting for us and we can’t let them down,’ she adds with a diva-ish flick of the hair. ‘I should know.’

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