Apparently the cost of replacement made a refund the only real solution to her problem and she was ushered off to the right behind the back to school stationery to join another queue. The tall woman in front was crowing into her pink mobile about her holiday and a well dressed child kicked his elder brother for something to do. Flo noticed the girl at the service counter was talking slowly to an elder woman in a suit whilst wearing a very bright smile. Breathe, Flo told herself and wished she used the loo. This new diet was playing hit and run with her bowels . Garlic and butter bean soups night after night. Flo carefully breathed onto her palm and licked. Impossible to tell. She put a last parma violet in her mouth and sucked gently.
The woman in the suit was no longer smiling. Purple nails on hips and a rigid jaw line now: the girl was holding a deep red flowery camisole and looking for someone over the heads of the now- long line of customers and the child whose name was Jo confidentially told his mother that she had ruined his life and he was never never going to school ever again. The mother lifted her eyes to Flo’s and mouthed ‘bloody holidays’ .Flo nodded wearily and scanned the fixtures for a sign for the loo. There it was in the corner next to the barbq and pottted plants. How many paces.
The woman with the nails held up a small black bottle and sprayed just the once over the heads of the queue.
‘This is the most fun we are going to have all day.’
Ginger. Smoked leather. Vanilla. Flo sank into a deep buttoned brown chesterfield chair.
