getting ready for an evening of debauchery. My costume arrived yesterday and I’m looking forwards to trying it on later. I know that a few other women from Chambers will be there so if I’m honest, I’m terrified about seeing them. As I walk into the kitchen to make myself some breakfast Pop Tarts, I spot Sebastian sat at the table eating his usual bowl of bran flakes. He looks up at me and smiles.
“Big night tonight then Gaga?” he jests.
“You bet!” I laugh, pulling out a chair next to him. “I sincerely hope I’m not the only one in fancy dress though! Can you imagine?”
He looks at me with a wry smile on his face. “You’ve dealt with worse,” he says seriously, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear.
I nod in agreement.
“How very true. Anyway, what are you up to tonight?”
“I’m going out with Ewan and a few of the guys. Nothing too hardcore, just off to the pub then maybe into town if we have the energy.”
“Fair enough. I think we’re off to Zeus, so steer clear if you know what’s good for you! What time are you going to work?”
He looks up at the kitchen clock.
“I’ll be leaving here in about half an hour. Do you need me to get anything from the shop on the way home?”
“No thanks. I imagine I’ll be long gone by then.”
“What have you got planned for the day?” he enquires.
“Well, I’m going to spend the morning trying to sort my hair out and make myself look vaguely human. I know its fancy dress, but even so!”
Sebastian rises and opens the fridge door. He rummages about for a few moments and I can hear him moving food and cartons within.
“What have you lost?” I enquire.
“Just looking for some juice. I think we’re out. Did you get any when you did the shopping?”
I pause and think for a moment.
“No, sorry. It totally slipped my mind.”
“Lauren, I have noticed that you seem to be getting through an extraordinary amount of wine.”
Immediately I stiffen.
“So? I’m over the age of 18.”
“That’s not the point. I’m just worried about you. It can’t be good for you. Plus your diet seems to have, well, changed.”
I stand up abruptly.
“Great so you’re saying I’m a fat alcoholic?”
The look on his face makes it clear that he was thinking no such thing but I’m too angry to care.
“Enjoy work,” I snap sarcastically before storming upstairs into the bathroom and locking the door. He follows me and tries to get me to talk but I’m having none of it.
I run myself a hot bath and immerse myself in the scented bubbles until I’m sure that he’s gone, all the while quite literally stewing over his remark. When I’m wrinkled by the water I get out, wrap myself in a fluffy white robe and pad downstairs, back to the kitchen. If he thinks I’m a bloated lush, then that’s exactly what I’ll give him.
I open the fridge, fish open a bottle of champagne we’d been saving for a special occasion and pop open the cork. From the cupboard I retrieve a new packet of Penguins and take my breakfast up into the lounge. Whilst watching Jeremy Kyle I consume my contraband and I confess, make several return trips to both the fridge and the cupboard to replenish my supply.
I decide to start getting ready at four. I start by applying a skull cap over my dark hair in order to make way for the glossy platinum wig. I line my eyes with black kohl and a smoky grey shadow, finishing with two coats of mascara and some extremely thick and long false lashes. I smile at my reflection in the mirror; this is something that I did in my ‘former life’ and makes me feel almost, almost as if things are back to normal. I colour my lips a dark shade of red and blow myself a kiss. Right, costume time, but before that, I may as well polish off the rest of the bottle of wine I’ve just opened. As I’ve been drinking pretty much all day I feel pretty drunk already, but I’m going to need some Dutch courage to see my former peers later. As I gulp down the cold liquid I feel slightly better about seeing the girls later, I mean, they’ve known me for years, they can’t think ill of me, surely?
I rip open the large brown cardboard box that contains my costume and reach inside