Incendiary by Chris Cleave

Author:Chris Cleave
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780307264299
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published: 2005-08-16T04:00:00+00:00

Autumn

Dear Osama I could of been Petra Sutherland.

I looked at myself in Petra’s dressing table mirror. I was putting her Sisley Lychee Glossy Gloss on my lips. I pressed my lips together mmm mmm. I am Petra Sutherland I said. I wouldn’t need to work if I didn’t simply adore my job. I can do whatever the hell I please.

I looked at myself and I tried to think what earrings she’d wear with those lips. I was watching the clock. 7:45 a.m. There was still an hour before I had to head off to Scotland Yard. I opened the drawer and I took out Petra’s pearl earrings. I hooked them into my ears and they felt heavy and perfect. I turned my head to the side and the earrings followed like well-trained money.

I held my chin up just the way she did. I was almost there. Just my eyes to do and I was her. It was still half dark outside and there was rain beating against the window. I took her mascara. Yves Saint Laurent False Lash Effect mascara. It came in a lovely thin gold bottle. It was cold and heavy in your hand like the barrel of the gun the hit man screws together in spy films. I put it on my lashes and blinked at myself. My heart was racing. I was her. I was her. I am Petra Sutherland I said into the mirror and I smiled just so.

The real Petra was in New York. It was just me and Jasper in the house and he wouldn’t be awake for hours. The poor chap was dead to the world on their bed behind me. I was all alone in Petra’s life and I was thinking wouldn’t it be nice if I didn’t ever have to give it back. I was pretending if I could just get ever so good at being Petra then one day she’d come back from her week with American Vogue and I’d be all like WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING LETTING YOURSELF INTO MY FLAT LIKE THAT? and I’d send her packing to the Wellington Estate.

I looked back in the mirror. I am Petra Sutherland I said. This season’s colours are jade and tan and burgundy. I had one of Petra’s Sunday Telegraph articles on the table in front of me. I was practicing talking posh. Talking posh is like anything else Osama you can get used to it pretty quick. The trick is to read one of Petra’s sentences aloud and then straight away say something of your own. It’s an effort but you can trick your brain into doing it. Like when me and my husband used to bump start the Astra. I picked up Petra’s article and I read aloud.

—At a basic level the democratisation of high fashion is demonstrated by the hipster boot-cut pant, which is now the most common trouser shape.

I watched my lips in the mirror.

—At a basic level the democratisation of Petra Sutherland is demonstrated by the fact that I am her.

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