Book 2, Chapter 7

Bill dropped me off at my house then raced off to be with Grandma leaving me wondering if he would ever tell her about the money - and indeed if it mattered. After sharing a light lunch with Mum, Dad and Litara I changed into a variation of my workout clothes (different scarf), only to find Mum and Dad waiting for me smartly attired in formal dance clothes. Although it had been agreed with John that they could join my Saturday practice session it was just to enjoy the dancing, not for tuition, and I never expected them to treat it so seriously.

The look on Mum's face said it all - I needed to make more of an effort. My clothes I couldn't do much about at short notice but I refreshed my make-up, put my hair up using a copper barrette and found a pair of matching earrings that wouldn't swing as I danced. I won't say Mum approved but at least she disapproved a little less obviously although that might change when she saw what I planned to wear tonight if Litara would let me borrow it.

As in previous lessons John started with the dances I had done before salsa, waltz, rhumba and quickstep but this time the bulk of the lesson was devoted to a dance I could only associate with Scent of a Woman. Is it possible for a brain to go into meltdown? I know I survived my own lesson and went on to dance with just about every member of the disabled class, including one of the cerebral palsy girls, but at every break my mind went back to 'the tango' and I'd glance across at John!

Back home I rang Serena to confirm that we still had her special invite to a club in the city then I had a douche and stood under the show for a good 10 minutes - I really wanted a bath but my nervousness about getting an infection had increased since the doctor's ban on swimming. Dried and deodorised I went into Litara's room to borrow the catsuit I had seen earlier.

"Got a special night planned?" Litara asked, and I explained that Serena had got us an invitation to a very pricey club on in the city centre.

"Probably not a good idea to wear the cat suit then."

I was quite shocked and annoyed as it was the first time my sister had put any restraint on what I could borrow. "Are you going all mumsy on me Sis? You must have worn it yourself at some time!"

"Oh I have my new little sister but it wasn't where I'd have to strip off completely in a public toilet just to have a pee!"

It took a moment to sink in what she meant and then I got it… "Whoops, I never thought that!"

My final choice owed as much to Litara's taste as mine but it wasn't 'mumsy' and I felt pretty daring showing off my tattoo and most of my back.

The evening's invitation had come about as a thank you for help given, by the company Serena's father owned, in a real-estate deal. Serena had grabbed it as an opportunity for a bit of 'Glam' during a very unglamorous period in her life at the very bottom of the estate agent business. As I just knew she would be 'pushing out the boat' with her clothes and make up I turned to my sister.

"Litara?" I wheedled. "I don't want to let Serena down with my look tonight and I don't really want her to make me look dull in comparison either… Any suggestions?"

My sister is amazing! I know Kelly is a professional but I could hardly ask for her help getting ready to go to a club she couldn't afford and for an semi-amateur Litara really knows her business as I found out when her first move was to get out an airbrush. The false eyelashes I had to promise to replace with new ones but the final effect was more than worth the time and effort. My nails I'd been keeping on top of with a natural polish that went with my skin tone but for this evening I added a coat of shimmer to lift their look. That was it except for my diamond stud earrings which gave a touch of less-is-more class.

As I looked in the mirror before heading to Serena's place I thought 'You look a million dollars girl!' Then I reconsidered… 'Make that a billion pounds!'

Being shown to our table in the roped off area my ego was fairly purring from the attention. Sure I'd been to nice places with good company in recent months but this was special pampering and Serena and I were a definite focus of attention. The arrangement was that we were the guests of the CEO of a large property development company and nothing was too good for us including the champagne that arrived to replenish those bottles the other dozen guests had already emptied. We were the youngest there except for one other girl our age who seemed to be with her boss if I got the body language right. Some of the party did seem a bit full of themselves over what sounded a dodgy deal but most were reasonable and I was soon on the dance-floor giving it my best, which after my lessons and musical immersion was getting pretty good even if in a place like this they'd never see my ballroom moves.

Just after midnight it all went pear-shaped! Serena and I had headed for the ladies with one of the wives and the other young girl who was becoming agitated from the constant groping she was being subjected to by what indeed turned out to be her boss. The wife put it down to 'the price you pay' but Serena was having none of it. When we got back to the table Serena thanked the CEO for his hospitality but said it was time for us to go and that Penny, that was the young girl's name, would be sharing a cab with us.

That should have been that but just as we were getting Penny into the cab her boss turned up announcing it was his responsibility to get Penny home and roughly grabbed her arm.

"I don't think so" was Serena's response putting herself between him and Penny with her face just inches from his.

"Just go you stupid cow" he shouted pushing Serena back against the cab.

Bad move! Serena didn't get to be the second best woman tennis player in Cardiff by lacking aggression. She rocketed off the cab straight at the surprised man as I dropped to my knees behind him. In rugby there are illegal tackles and I think growing up in Cardiff Serena must have absorbed them all by osmosis or maybe it was an accident that resulted in her knee landing in his groin at the same moment his back hit the pavement! She was first to her feet and offered her hand to help me up from beneath his legs and into the cab, leaving the 'letch' still whimpering in pain on the ground.

"Home James and don't spare the horses! Where is home by the way Penny and please don't say Mumbai."