One of Us Is Dead(13)

“She was in yesterday,” Jenny said.

“Did she mention me?”

“Nope,” Jenny answered quickly as she tidied up around the salon.

I had the feeling she wasn’t telling the truth, but I didn’t press her. Jenny thought it was her job to keep the peace, and I understood where she was coming from. It must be hard to be at the center of all of Buckhead’s gossip. Before the divorce, I had always thought I was the most powerful woman in this town, but deep down I knew it was Jenny. Knowledge was power, and Jenny had all of it. I took another sip of wine.

“You know? I almost canceled my membership here,” I confessed.

Jenny’s eyes went a little wide before she turned her customer service face on, neutral with a small smile. “Really? Well, I guess I’d understand with the divorce and all.”

“Oh, no. Not because of money. The alimony is strong.” My lip perked up. “I wasn’t sure if the new wife would be a client of yours as well.”

Jenny opened her mouth and then closed it, hesitating for a moment. “Well, Bryce did give me a call yesterday. So, full disclosure, I accepted her as a client, but I’ll make sure to stagger your appointments.”

“Very good.” I nodded.

“Besides, I don’t think we’ll see her for a while. From what Olivia has told me, Crystal isn’t into the whole beauty thing,” Jenny explained, but not in a judgmental way, just like she was reading from a teleprompter.

I raised my eyebrows and took another sip. A woman who isn’t into keeping up appearances. I let out a laugh. Bryce surely wouldn’t keep her around for long. He needed someone like me beside him, not some down-on-the-farm little country girl. Knowing that gave me hope that Bryce and I would reunite again.

“All finished.” Keisha propped both my feet up. My toenails were all perfectly polished a midnight-blue shade. “Give them ten minutes to dry.”

“Thank you both! I feel beautiful and buzzed.” I raised my glass. “What a perfect day!”

It was perfect because it was the first day in a long time where I didn’t feel the pain of my life falling apart, the loneliness of a divorcée, and the embarrassment of losing my husband to a younger woman. But that was probably just the effects of the alcohol.

The front door chimed. “Hello,” a meek, country voice from the front said.

“Do you have someone?” Keisha asked Jenny. She shook her head.

“Mary’s on lunch. I’ll take care of it.” Jenny disappeared behind the black curtains.

I heard faint whispers. “Can you come back in ten minutes?”

“Who is it?” I called out.

Jenny peeked her head through the curtains. “It’s Crystal.”

“Oh, lovely. Don’t let me be a bother. Go right ahead. Have her come on back,” I said, trying to keep my speech intact, but I ended up slurring every other word.

Jenny disappeared behind the curtain again. More whispering ensued.

I took another drink and held out my glass. Keisha immediately refilled it, and then she took a big gulp from the bottle herself. Clearly, she was not looking forward to being a part of this meet and greet.

“What’s taking so long?” I called out. More whispers. I could hear Jenny asking Crystal to come back. I got up from my chair and balanced myself.

“Your toenails are still wet,” Keisha warned.

I waved a hand at her dismissively. I raised my toes in their oversize pedicure flip-flops and took one big step and then another and then another, trying to keep myself upright with my arms outstretched for balance. The foam flip-flops slapped hard with each labored step.

When I reached the curtain, I tugged hard to open it in a dramatic fashion, “Come on back, Crystal. I’m dying to meet you.” The alcohol seemed to have numbed my legs too, because I lost my balance. I pulled down one side of the curtain, tumbling to the ground, wrapping and entangling myself in it.

“Shhhit,” I called out from inside the velvet cocoon. This was not how I had intended to meet the woman who stole my husband. I had imagined it’d be more like when a commoner (Crystal) meets the Queen of England (me). Crystal would bend the knee, and I’d whack her head off with a sword. The royal treatment! Okay, perhaps not that graphic. But my fantasy did not look like this.

“Oh my God,” Keisha shrieked as she ran toward me. She unwrapped me and helped me up. I immediately shuffled back to my pedicure chair, avoiding eye contact with Crystal. Keisha and Jenny hung the curtain back up and Crystal stayed on the other side of it. I quickly fixed myself, caught my breath, tapered my embarrassment, and smoothed out my hair. Holding the champagne glass between my fingertips as elegantly as possible, I waited for Crystal to walk in. I looked down at my toes and saw they were covered in nail polish. Damn it.

There were more whispers.

Keisha entered. She gave me a look of solidarity, then went to work on fixing my toenails without saying a word. Keisha was always so good to me.

Jenny pushed open the curtains and walked through with Crystal following behind her quietly. I’d seen thousands of photos of her online, and I hated to admit it, she was beautiful in person. She glanced over at me and then back at the ground and then at her phone. She wanted to be anywhere else in the world right now. I wanted to be right here. She was uncomfortable. And I was drunk.