“Good for you. I can’t wait to see you after you get your hair done.”
“I think you’re going to love this when we’re done.” Carla McShann, the owner of Glam It Up, spun Katie around so that she could see herself in the mirror.
Katie stared at her reflection, hundreds of pieces of aluminum foils sticking out between strands of hair. “I look like a crazy human electrical transmitter.”
“Ha! Yes, but you’ll look beautiful when I’m finished.”
Carla looked to be in her early thirties, with brown hair, streaked with rainbow colors, and bottomless brown eyes.
“If you make me beautiful, you’re a real miracle worker,” said Katie.
“Are you kidding me?” Carla put her hands on her hips. “Don’t you know you have great facial structure and beautiful eyes? I’d give anything for your cheek bones. I have to create mine with makeup.”
“Well, thank you,” said Katie. “I don’t think I’ve ever had my cheek bones complimented before.”
“If you’re game,” said Carla, “after we finish your color, cut and blow-dry, I’d love to experiment on your hair with some updos. I have a wedding client on Saturday. It would be awesome if I could try two or three styles and send her some pictures to choose what she likes. I could pay you back in hair products.”
“Do as you will,” said Katie. “I’m yours for the afternoon. And you don’t have to give me any hair products, because I love having someone mess with my hair. I think it’s totally relaxing.”
“Well, as you can see, you’re my only client today.” Carla swept her arm around the room, indicating two more styling stations sitting empty. “I’m still building the business, but I’m in the running for the Indigo Bay New Business of the Year award. I probably don’t
stand a chance of winning, but this wedding could be great advertising, if my bride likes her hairstyle.”
“Who’s getting married?”
“It’s an older lady named Sophia. And by older, I mean she’s maybe in her fifties. Not elderly, or anything.” Carla tucked a box of foils back on the shelf. “She has the cutest Texas twang. And she’s marrying a cowboy. But she told me she wants to look sophisticated, because she’s more of a city girl.”
“Sounds fun.” Katie sighed. “I used to have an entire Pinterest board of possible updos for my wedding. I was engaged for a long time, so I had plenty of time to collect pins.”
Carla’s gaze darted to Katie’s empty finger. “It didn’t work out?”
“No. We dated for two years and were engaged for three more. And that was long enough for him to get tired of me. I’m not very exciting.”
“Sounds like your ex was the one with the problem, not you.” Carla swept up the hair around the chair and dumped it into a trash pail.
“Ha! You sound like my roommate.”
“Then your roommate must be really smart.”
“I don’t know why I even mentioned my engagement,” said Katie. “It was a long time ago, and I usually don’t talk to people about my problems.”
“Everyone talks to me,” said Carla. “It’s part of my job.”
“Well, you’re good at your job.”
“I’m good at hair, makeup, and advice. I wish I was as skilled with my other job.” She gave a bitter laugh.
“What’s that?”
“I have three kids, including a two-year-old, and I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“I’m sure you’re better at it than you think.”
Katie wondered why she hadn’t figured it out by the third child, but she didn’t ask. Carla gestured for Katie to follow and led her to the side to sit under a dryer hood. Carla rinsed out a rubber bowl in the nearby sink.
“My kids aren’t mine. I mean, they are now, but they were my sister’s.” Carla turned around and leaned against the counter, facing Katie, tears glistening in her eyes. “My sister and her husband were killed in a car accident two months ago. Overnight, I became a mother of three.”
“I’m so sorry.” Katie felt a familiar pang. “I lost my sister, eighteen years ago, but it still hurts. She was only nine when she died.”