Page 88 of What Happens in Dubai

‘That’s amazing!’ Emily seemed thrilled. ‘How’re things with Tom there?’

I had a sudden flashback to our lingering moment the other night.

‘We’re getting on great!’ I exclaimed, completely compensating for how much I was struggling with understanding my feelings for him.

‘And you are OK with him now? You don’t feel weird or sad or …?’

My fanny once again contracted as I thought of his smug face.

‘No, no,’ I lied, shaking my head almost to the point of whiplash, wishing I could kid myself too. I needed to change the subject. ‘Tell me about you and the kids?’

‘They’re good, they’ve started the David Lloyd kids’ club and tennis lessons too. Honestly, the difference in one-to-one teaching is insane!’

Marco set down our drinks.

‘I take them to court on a Thursday night, and you should see their swing. Why don’t you come along one—’

I burst out laughing before she could finish.

‘What?’

‘Just this conversation, aye nae bother, Judy, fuck’s sake!’

Emily and I burst into hysterics. We tucked into our breakfast when it finally arrived and spent the rest of the morning chatting about our lives. I loved catching up with her. Our days were entirely different, but she cared for me and was with me through it all.

Emily was interested to see the clinic, and after breakfast, she drove us back through the city so she could have a look.

As her car parked up, Ashley and Tom belted out of the clinic door to greet us.

‘What’s happened?’ I sprang from the car seat, foreseeing a catastrophe.

‘Nothing,’ Ashley said, but she was being cagey.

‘We have a surprise for you inside,’ Tom said.

I turned to my sister, who laughed as if she was thoroughly aware of what was going on, and followed my friends inside. The clinic was gleaming. The vases, the candles, the accessories were all arranged perfectly. I turned to the main wall and gasped – the prints of our clients had arrived.

There were four vast pictures of unique, wonderful women. Each woman wore only their underwear, leaving visible their scars, pimples, cellulite and stretch marks. The first photo was of my client Michelle, who had been coming to me for Botox for a few years. Michelle was born with a large, rosy birthmark on her face, yet she was confident and content in her own skin. Her bright green eyes and striking features made her one of the most beautiful and captivating women I knew. The second photograph that hung was of Ikra. Raj had helped fill in large areas of her skin after severe acne scarring, and she stood proudly in the photo, make-up-free and glowing. Joan was the third model. She was one of our older clients, around sixty. She stood in a white bra, pushing her breasts together and laughing, totally carefree. Her body looked insane. And lastly, Kerry-Anne was there, one of my first-ever clients, a schoolteacher. She came for regular anti-wrinkle injections. She had her glasses on and beamed a bright smile coyly towards the camera.

I felt my eyes tear up.

Turning to the others, I said, ‘I love it! This is honestly phenomenal!’ I was bouncing with happiness. I couldn’t believe how proud I felt of my brave clients. How my vision looked so inspiring and unique. Normalising imperfections made me view my body entirely differently too. I suddenly realised that my arse crack may at times resemble Hagrid’s beard, and my tits may sit like a spaniel’s lugs without a bra, but that’s perfectly OK, and normal. My friends had taken a massive gamble taking the clinic in this direction with me and it felt so wonderful to witness the results.

Ashley snickered. ‘That’s not all.’

She grabbed hold of me and hauled me towards the desk. Tom placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

‘Look at this!’ Ashley removed the dust sheet that had been protecting the desk from the decorating. It took me a second to realise that she was unveiling my photoshoot from Dubai. I stood in the centre with Indie, Laureen and Skylar, and beneath us was the Individualise logo.

‘No way!’ I screamed. ‘I’m on the desk!’

‘No, you literally are the desk!’ Tom laughed, he ran around the desk excitedly and started typing into the computer.

‘How the hell did you get that? The pictures aren’t supposed to be out till spring!’ I was in shock.

Ashley nodded. ‘It was Andy’s idea. He was rooting for you on that bloody desk! And, he’s organised one last surprise!’

I glanced around the room curiously.

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