I thought for a moment. “Yes. Oh, and I also introduced Theo to Clyde and agreed to help them get together for an interview.”
Now, she stopped what she was doing and looked at me. “Do you understand how insane you sound right now? How could your whole life be so different in less than twenty-four hours?”
“Because that’s the way it is around here,” I told her. “Nothing happens for ages, and then all the changes come at once.”
“Not that fast,” she grumbled.
“Well, then, maybe I’m just actually having a summer,” I offered. “You know, a big one where Things Actually Happen. Hey, it’s like I’m a tourist or something!”
“Emaline, stop. Seriously.” She shook her head, then switched to the other brow. Outside, I could hear Mrs. Ye barking at someone in Vietnamese. “Although I will admit you are acting like one. I can’t believe you’re already in a relationship. What’s next, chest hair and Jell-O shots?”
I made a face. “It’s not a relationship. Or Jell-O shots. It’s one kiss.”
“You were with Luke for more than three years.”
“He cheated on me, Daisy. Went to meet some girl at Tallyho.”
She looked at me again, this time with pity. “Oh, Emaline. Really?”
I nodded. You’d think each time I said this, it would hurt less. Nope. I felt tears gathering in my throat again. “Look, I should go. Benji’s here, I have stuff to do. Can we talk later?”
“Wait, I’ll walk out with you.” She picked up a hand mirror, then leaned down to Jean again. “I’m finished,” she yelled, loudly and close enough to her ear to cause deafness, had it not already been accomplished. “Would you like to take a look?”
Jean opened her eyes. When she saw the mirror, she sat up, then took it, surveying her reflection. “You do such a lovely job,” she told Daisy, in a normal tone. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Daisy hollered back at her. “Have a good day.”
Jean nodded, then slid off the table, still clutching her purse, and I stepped back to let her pass. Then I watched as Daisy ripped off and replaced the paper cover on the table, put the top back on the wax, then dropped the tweezers with a plunk into a container of cleaning solution. Just like that, everything was clean and reset. Unlike so much else in the world.
Outside in the salon, we found Benji examining the display of gel fill-ins. “Hey Emaline,” he called out when he saw me. “Did you know they use wood sanders to file these things?”
“I did not,” I replied.
“It’s so cool! They have to wear masks and everything.”
I smiled, then turned to Daisy, who was behind me. “Benji, this is my friend Daisy. Daisy, Benji.”
He stuck out his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
Daisy, impressed, took it. “And you as well. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“I’m just along for the ride right now,” he explained, all casual. “I’m hard to entertain.”
She looked at me, raising her eyebrows. I shrugged, then said, “We’re on our way to the office. There’s some kind of towel crisis.”
“Sounds serious,” she said, as we started outside.
“Margo’s got some new system, all computerized,” I told her. “It’s working as well as you’d expect.”
“Well, maybe you can totally shake it up for her,” she suggested. “Change everything, really quickly. Since you’re on a roll with that today, and all.”
I just looked at her. “I’m really not doing it on purpose.”
“I know. It’s just . . .” She glanced at Benji, choosing her words carefully. “A lot to take in.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Oh!” She snapped her fingers. “Before I forget. This will cheer you up. Wait right here.” I watched her as she went back inside, over to the coat rack by the door, and removed a hanging bag. She unzipped it as she walked back. “Check these out. I found them last time I was at Dolly’s, that vintage store in Durham I told you about? They’re for the Beach Bash.”
I looked at the contents, which appeared to be two very fluffy and ruffled dresses, one pink, one blue. They looked like something Little Bo Peep would wear. In Candy Land. “The thought of wearing this is supposed to cheer me up?’
“They won’t look like this,” she said, sounding offended. “Once I’m done, you won’t even recognize them. But the colors are perfect, since I’m thinking of going with a candy theme.”
“We’re wearing candy?”
“The theme, the vision, is candy.” She sighed, looking at Benji. “Do you know your sister has no sense of fashion-forwardness whatsoever?”
“What’s fashion-forwardness?” he asked.
“Must be genetic,” I said. She zipped the bag back up, turning her back to me. “Hey, hey, I’m just joking. I know they’ll be great. They always are. You’re a genius, Daze.”
This made her smile. “We do have a reputation to uphold.”
“You do,” I said. “All I have to do is wear what I’m told and show up.”
The truth was, I would have liked to be able to take some credit for the fact that Daisy and I had won the Best-Dressed Couple award at the annual Colby Beach Bash for two years running. But it was all Daisy, ever since we’d started attending together in middle school. She was the one who spent the year searching out fabrics, patterns, and inspiration in order to come up with the perfect vision, which she then executed, single-handedly, to her typical high standards. I just got fitted a few times and poked with the occasional straight pin, a small price to pay for half the bragging rights.