Not Dead Yet

92

‘That is so much better!’ Gaia said, sitting wrapped in her silk dressing gown as her hairdresser, Tracey Curry, standing on killer black heels, finished cropping her blonde hair.

Gaia stared approvingly in the mirror at her new cut, which was even shorter than a few days ago.

‘You’ll find that a lot more comfortable under that wig,’ the hairdresser said.

‘You’re a treasure!’ She turned to her assistant, Martina Franklin. ‘What do you think?’

‘It kinda suits you!’

Eli Marsden, her make-up artist, nodded approvingly. ‘It looks terrific!’

Gaia turned to her little boy, who was seated at a table further along the motorhome, watching a video on his iPad. ‘Roan, hon, you like Mama’s new hairstyle?’

‘Uh huh,’ he said glumly. ‘I’m bored. Can I go take a look around the palace?’

‘Sure, hon. Go take a wander, I’ll be in soon. Ask one of the security guys to walk you over there.’

Roan, dressed in a baggy blue THE KING’S LOVER T-shirt, jeans and trainers, jumped down from the table and scampered out of the air-conditioned chill of the trailer into the warm, clouding over, evening air. Deciding to ignore his mother and explore alone, he walked jauntily across the Pavilion lawns and up to the front door. The security guard looked down at him. ‘You’re Gaia’s son, right? Sloan?’

‘Uh, Roan,’ he corrected.

‘Sorry, Roan.’

The boy shrugged. ‘S’okay. Mama said I could take a look around.’

He gestured. ‘Go right ahead, Roan. Turn right when you go inside and follow the corridor and you’ll get to the Banqueting Room where your mum’s going to be filming.’

‘Okay.’