I must admit, there's something quite satisfying about a simple tea of chicken and chips especially from Nandos when you haven't been in a while. I was feeling a lot better at this point and my food was deciding to stay down which was good. We had a nice night with my Auntie M and had a decent catch up but we didn't stay out for too long as Katie had to leave early in the morning and Victoria, me and my Auntie M had stuff to do tomorrow also. She dropped us off outside our dorm and sped off back in to Hitchin where she was staying at one of the local pub hotels. She told me to get plenty of sleep as she was picking me up early tomorrow so we could go have our girly day out. Auntie M said she'd take me to Watford so we could do some serious shopping.
I slept surprisingly well considering how rough I was before. I didn't wake up in the night and I didn't have any nightmares or weird dreams. Auntie M picked me up on Saturday morning in her BMW for the trip to some shopping mall in Watford, blaring her eclectic music all the way to which we had a good sing-a-long to.
'So, you spoken to your mum recently?' Auntie M asked me as we were wandering around some department store cosmetic and fragrance department, having a squirt of the occasional perfume as we went.
'Um, earlier in the week. She rang me for ten minutes just to see how I was getting on being back studying again.'
'I see she's still as attentive as ever.' Auntie M shook her head. 'I take it her work is still occupying her every moment?'
My mum and my Aunt were pretty much the only people in my family that I spoke to. They came from a large working class family; all the siblings were women. The eldest was Miranda who was unfortunately in a care home after having several strokes, then the second eldest was my mum Miriam, then my Auntie Morrigan, and the youngest was Monica who died a few years ago in a car crash; I never really got to know her. I had a few cousins but I never got to meet them. Mum went quite peculiar after my dad died so Morrigan was the only family member she spoke to, sort of.
'I suppose I should go see her at some point.' Auntie M sighed. I knew that sigh, I did it myself a lot when my mum was involved; the woman was hard work.
Sufficiently smelling like tarts handbags, we continued wandering round the shopping mall popping in to random shops that took our fancy. I found a few things I liked, namely cosmetics and some clothes. I bought some essentials I needed; nothing special just socks and underwear but I allowed myself to get some new pyjamas and a fluffy bathrobe to match, some new jeans, a hoodie and some new boots. Auntie M hadn't found anything she liked so far.
'Come on lets go get a brew and some food, dunno about you but I'm getting a bit hungry.'
Auntie M let me choose where we were eating so I suggested Yo Sushi as the meals were pretty small and went round on a cool little conveyor belt. We both grabbed a few plates which we decided to share.
'So, there any boys you fancy at school then?' Auntie M asked me just before she shoved a chicken gyoza in her mouth. I sort of scoffed and cackled a bit before I replied.
'Absolutely not!' I exclaimed. 'Most of the guys in my year or classes are either already hooked up or they're just not my type.'
'Aw come one there's bound to be one that's like really popular that everybody fancies?'
'Well, there is Liam Blakeley. I guess he's the popular one that makes all the girls swoon or something.' I said as I poked at a strip of chicken katsu on the plate in front of me.
'Not your type? Has he got someone?'
'I dunno. He just seems, pretty unobtainable? He was staring at me though on that day I fell really ill.' I had worried the strip of chicken enough by this point and smeared it through some of the curry sauce before I ate it. Wow it was good.
'Oh that reminds me.' Auntie M started digging through her handbag then produce a small, black flat box which she handed to me. 'I got you a present, I was gonna give it you yesterday but I left it in my hotel room.'
'Thank you Auntie M but you don't need to be buying me gifts.' I smiled at her as I took the box and carefully opened it. Inside was a beautiful bracelet with alternating purple and glassy white round beads.
'It's made of amethyst and white moonstone.'
'Oh wow Auntie M I love it.' I took it out of the box and put it on my left wrist, taking a moment to admire it and how it shined.
'Just promise me you'll wear it at all times? Never take it off, even when you shower, okay?'
I don't know why she was so adamant I wore it all the time but I wasn't going to argue with her. Besides knowing my luck if I ever took it off I'd probably end up loosing it. It was too nice not too wear. I stood out of my seat and gave her a quick hug in thanks.
'I promise, I won't take it off.'
'Good. It's a full moon tonight too all the crazies will be out. C'mon, lets finish up and get back to shopping!'
We must have gone round the entire shopping centre twice and been in every single shop twice too. I didn't end up buying any more but Auntie Morrigan had finally found some things she wanted. She had bought some new perfume, some black eyeliner and a really weird smelling face mask from Lush. All she had bought had fit in to a small bag while I was walking around with umpteen bags full of stuff. Deciding we'd had enough, Auntie M bought us both a take out coffee each for the journey home which took a bit longer than it did getting here because of the Saturday afternoon traffic. I didn't mind though, I liked being in the car, singing away to whatever random tune came on the stereo.
Auntie M dropped me off outside my dorm and bid me farewell for the night as she had some work to do and calls to make. She said she'd come and get me tomorrow and we could go get dinner somewhere in town.
Victoria was in our dorm room when I made my way in, dumping my bags at the foot of my bed before I kicked off my shoes and sat down.
'Your hair looks nice Vic, you have some layers put in?' I asked admiring her new hair style.
'Yeah I didn't have much off the length but I had some shape put in. How was your shopping trip?'
'Great yeah! I got some new things nothing special. Auntie Morrigan got me this though.' I lifted my left arm up and twisted my wrist, showing off the bracelet I was given. Victoria ooh'd at the purple and white jewellery commenting on how pretty it was.
'Shall I put the telly on for a bit? You're not going out for food later are you?'
'Yeah see what's on. Auntie M has some stuff to do tonight but she's coming for me tomorrow.'
'Sweet, well we have about an hour before we need to head down to the dining hall. Ooh Antiques Road Trip is on!'