Page 7 of Hidden Gem
“Sure. It just feels... fake.”
Luna narrowed her eyes, her smile curling into a cheeky grin. “I’ll let you in on a secret. Everything about me is fake, as you say. Luna Bella’s not my real name. My hair’s not this colour. I’ve had two mini facelifts this year and microdermabrasion. All this”—she swept a hand down her body—“is just material to work with. You’re free to do whatever you want with it. I don’t think of it as fake or natural. Rather, original or upgraded. It’s like renovating a house. You can replace a lot of stuff and increase its value. You can do it badly or well, but you have no responsibility to stick to the original. It’s in no way better. It’s just the starting point.”
“S ... sure.”
“Look, I have to love you and leave you. But just think about it. Allow yourself to be someone else tonight, just for fun. You deserve it.”
Marnie nodded. “Thank you.”
Luna kissed the hairdresser goodbye, waved her hand at Marnie and made for the door. Marnie stared at the picture of the magazine woman, wondering if she could pull it off. The hairdresser appeared behind her and guided her to the washing station. Leaning her neck against the cold rim of the basin, she closed her eyes. It would be nice to be someone else for one night. Someone gorgeous, carefree, and healthy. Someone like Luna. And maybe if she could take a small part of that new self home with her... maybe she could be someone else for a little bit longer.
Chapter 4
Up close, the Beehivereally did look like a beehive. Marnie circled the round grey construction on foot, wincing with pain every time her strapped heels hit the pavement. And these were supposed to be the comfortable shoes! Clearly she and Luna had very different ideas about comfort. The icy Wellington wind made her shiver, and she secured the bolero tighter around herself.
Finally, she spotted the function signs and simultaneously, Tom. Thank goodness! Marnie picked up speed, ignoring the pain, and waved to get her eldest child’s attention. A gust of wind tried to steal her bolero, and she grabbed it with her free hand, desperately pulling the inadequate pieces of fabric to meet in the middle. They did not.
Tom looked handsome in a Sherlock-style overcoat. The dress code was smart casual, possibly to allow room for the young artists and their dates to express their personalities. They’d gathered on the steps, splashing more colour around the government buildings than Marnie had ever seen before. Browsing the statement sideburns, overlong bangs, oversized blazers, loud T-shirts and shin-length pleated skirts, Marnie felt overdressed and old-fashioned. Her figure-hugging dress harked from a different era. To these edgy youngsters, she must have looked like a wannabe fifties movie star.
Marnie approached Tom’s group. “Hi there!”
“Oh, my God, Mum!”
Tom’s appreciation gave Marnie a warm glow and she smiled, smoothing the fabric of her dress. “You found a very fancy stylist. She insisted on... this.”
“Yeah, I follow her on TikTok. I always thought she’d be perfect to work with you. That dress looks amazing!”
Luna was on TikTok?
“Shall we?” Tom asked, taking her arm.
He led them up the stairs to the double doors that an usher had just opened. They were guided through security, into a huge foyer. Marnie tried to follow the crowd to the wide staircase, but Tom escorted her to the coat check. He peeled off his overcoat, handed it to the redhead in charge and turned to Marnie.
She tightened the bolero around herself, panic constricting her throat. “It’s part of the dress.”
Tom narrowed his eyes. “I feel like I should check with Luna. It doesn’t look like something she’d pick...”
