text: Say ‘Thirty, Flirty and Fabulous!’ Shelby rolled her eyes at her two sisters. Both of them holding up their phones to take a photo of the birthday girl. Shelby held out her own phone and took a selfie. She preferred her own camera to theirs. Shelby stood holding a flute of champagne, she was wearing one of the hotels white towel robes with a black swimsuit underneath. She posed a little for the photos holding up her glass. They were planning to go down to the spa after a few selfies and pics and of course after a glass of bubbles. The three of them all looked alike. They all had blonde hair with the same green-blue eyes. Shelby and the older of her sisters-Erin, both had long hair of a similar length. Whereas Kayleigh, the middle sister had shoulder length hair. Each were beautiful. Erin had brought a bottle of champagne and Kayleigh had rang down to reception for the glasses to celebrate the last sister to turn 30. Erin held out her glass and said ‘Happy 30th Birthday Shelby!!’ Shelby and Kayleigh both clinked their glasses with Erin’s and then all three of them took a sip. Each sister were now already in their 30s, Shelby having just turned 30, Kayleigh who was 32 and Erin who was 34. They all were married with children. Shelby had 3 daughters, Kayleigh having 1 daughter and 1 son and Erin with 3 boys. They certainly needed this night away and it was all they have talked about for ages. The Farnham Estate Hotel was one of the top hotels in Ireland. And nearly impossible to get a booking for. Kayleigh who is always the most organised had been able to secure a booking one year in advance. They had planned to book treatments as well. Erin was to book them a little nearer the time, but Erin being Erin, she left it too late. Although the sisters all looked alike, they were totally different in personality. Kayleigh was the one who definitely had OCD and had everything organised to the finest detail. Erin was scatty, always went with the flow, never organised and Shelby, she was nestled right in between. Not as OCD as Kayleigh but there were definitely some traits, and not as chilled out as Erin, but there were days she just chilled out without a care in the world. ‘I have been looking forward to this since forever! A child-free night!! Ahh, we should have booked 2 nights!’ Said Erin whilst taking a sip of her champagne. ’I know! Get me down to that spa! Are yous ready? Or will I meet yous all down there? For I’m heading now!’ Kayleigh replied whilst setting her empty flute down on the dressing table. Shelby was reaching for the bottle and pouring another glass, it might have been her third glass. She hiccupped and said ‘aye, gone you on ahead, I’m drowning my sorrows here, I can’t believe I’m bloody 30, i’m actually depressed at the thought of it!’ ’Wise Up Shelb! That makes us feel amazing with us being older than you! Will we meet you down there then?’ Asked Erin as she grabbed her handbag and walked towards Kayleigh who was already standing at the room door. Shelby replied ‘Aye, il meet yous there in 10 minutes.’ They waved the key at Shelby to show that she needn’t worry about bringing one down with her. Before leaving the room Kayleigh asked ‘Do you know where the spa is yeah?’ Kayleigh and Erin had both been to this particular hotel before, whereas this was Shelby’s first time. Shelby replied ‘Aye, I think I know anyway, I seen a sign earlier.’ With that, Erin and Kayleigh nodded and both left the room. Shelby sat down on the bed and downed her champagne in one. She felt a little tipsy now. She got to her feet and applied some lip balm, fixed her hair and popped on her slippers, then made her way out of the room and down the hall to the lifts. Her robe was gaping a little, she hadn’t retied it before she left. She got into the lift and pressed the button that said ‘G’ for ground, which she is sure she seen a sign for the spa entrance on the way to check in. Down she went in the lift, the doors opened and she stepped out. She paused at the lift for a second looking around to see that no guests were wearing robes. And yep, there was a wedding, there was the bride and groom and all their guests, dressed to impress! She went to turn around abruptly to press the button on the lift, but couldn’t manage it. She twisted her neck around to see what was restricting her. Her robe was caught in the lift. The little screen above the lift, started to change, the lift was moving back up, her robe lifting with it. She was being pulled towards the doors of the lift. She had no other option than to take the robe off and stand in reception with nothing on but her swimsuit in front of all these people dressed in the best! But instead, she found herself holding onto the robe as tightly as ever. The other option too nauseating to even think of. She tried to pull and pull at the robe hoping that it would eventually become free. She hadn’t even realised the position she was getting into, too focused on pulling the robe until it was too late. She had her feet pressed against the top of the elevator doors, a foot in each corner, her back flat against the doors. Her hair trailing against the tiled floor. She was totally upside down. In some sort of acrobatic fashion! As she was brought to the receptionist’s attention after many wedding guests had pointed her out. The receptionist scrambled looking for scissors then grabbing the phone and ringing maintenance hysterically. Shelby watched the whole upside down scene and for a short fleeting moment, she felt like a celebrity trying to hide from paparazzi. But she had nowhere to hide, she could do nothing but stare into the sea of flashing lights as everyone in the reception area were laughing, whispering, pointing and taking photos! Shelby in her tipsy state just shouted ‘Thirty, Flirty and Fabulous!’