My Summer of Pink & Green Page 8

  Instead of just the cauliflower lumpy feeling in my throat, now it feels like it’s burning, like I swallowed a hot coal or something. I look over at Yamir and his eyes are scrunched and he’s kind of frowning. It seems like hours of silence before anyone says anything.

  “Oh, OK, no biggie,” Yamir says finally. “Clint’s free tonight. And he’s really good at Skee-ball too. We’ll win, for sure.” He turns around and heads out of the spa area, toward the front of the pharmacy.

  “Don’t look so sad, Yamir!” Bevin yells.

  I whack her in the arm. What is she thinking? She’s yelling at Yamir right now, in front of everyone.

  “Lucy likes you!” she yells, and I whack her again.

  “Bevin!” I grab her arm to lead her out the back door. But she stands there, her feet firmly planted, like they were glued to the floor with rubber cement.

  “Yamir! Are you listening? Lucy likes you! She really likes you!”

  Now my family’s out of the spa area and the Relaxation Room and they’re all standing in the doorway looking at me. Even customers are paying attention, popping up from the aisles. Every single person in Old Mill Pharmacy is staring at me right now.

  It seems like Yamir is just going to walk right out without saying anything. I can’t decide if I want him to say anything or if I don’t. I guess I just want this moment to end. And I want to lock Bevin in her upstairs apartment for the rest of the summer.

  “No time for that! I got a Skee-ball competition to win!” Yamir yells, with his back to us. “Later!”

  I think I would have preferred if he had kept walking.

  Now I’m standing there, feet stuck just like Bevin’s. I don’t know what to do. After a few seconds, the customers go back to their shopping. Claudia still has cold cloths on her eyes, but Bean leads her over to me like she’s a blind woman and he’s her Seeing Eye dog.

  “Sorry, Luce,” she whispers. “That was awkward.”

  “I know,” I grumble.

  “Bevin, may I have a word with you?” Claudia says, reaching out to grab her, since Claudia can’t see a thing. Bean guides her over to Bevin and soon Bean is holding both of their hands, leading them into the Relaxation Room.

  It’s so ridiculous that it’s funny, and I start to laugh. And then I start to cry. And then I’m laughing and crying at the same time. It reminds me of this song my mom wrote when she was in her acoustic-guitar-songwriting phase. She called it “How Can You Be Laughing When You’re Crying?” It actually makes sense right now.

  I overhear Claudia telling Bevin how wrong it was that she just did that, and Bean chimes in every few seconds, adding what he calls “the guy’s perspective.”

  I plop down in the Turbo Massage Chair 7000 and turn on the massage button.

  I bet Yamir will never talk to me again.

  I’m missing the Skee-ball competition and I’ll probably miss the movie too, not that I even wanted to see that dumb movie.

  At least Claudia’s looking out for me. That’s one good thing.

  makeup customers come from?” Grandma asks me, looking down at my appointment book as I’m setting up in one of the spa rooms. It occurred to me that I didn’t need to keep doing makeup in the Relaxation Room now that the spa rooms are open. While I’m working, Anais, Gary, and Mom will be conducting a bunch more first-round interviews, since all the other candidates turned out to be horrendous.

  “I had them scheduled,” I tell her. “A few wedding trials, a few people getting their makeup done for that Connecticut Parks gala tonight.”

  Grandma nods. “That’s great. Tell Anais so she knows and can greet people appropriately.”

  I sigh. “Grams, it’s the same as it was before. They know I’m doing it. They made the appointments with me.”

  Grandma hugs me. “I know, I know, but we’re a real-life spa now, and I want to make sure we’re doing everything right.” She pulls back from the hug and kisses me on the cheek. “We’re a real-life spa because you made us a real-life spa.”

  “Oh, Grams.” I roll my eyes.

  I don’t get why she’s so concerned with Anais. But I find her and tell her, and she says, “Oh, lovely. Let me make sure the water pitcher is out and the tea, so we can offer them stuff when they come in.”

  “Good idea.”

  It’s so hot today that I turn the air-conditioning to sixty degrees and even put on the ceiling fan. You cannot have it so hot while doing makeup, or all the makeup will melt on the person’s face and then drip down. It can be pretty disgusting.

  I was a little concerned that Bevin might show up today, but so far I haven’t seen her. After she blurted out everything to Yamir, I can’t trust her at all, and especially not around clients.

  As I’m waiting for my first customer, I adjust the lighting in the room and arrange all of the makeup on the silver makeup table. It feels so amazing to have these incredible supplies. The brushes are brand-new and perfect. The table is just the right height and there are so many light combinations, depending on the natural light and how the person’s sitting.

  Anais runs out to the grocery store around the corner and picks up fresh flowers for the vase on the reception room table. She puts out the beautiful glass pitcher (it’s from Tiffany’s; she got it at an estate sale, and it was still bubble-wrapped!) and fills it with water and fruit slices.

  Even though we’re still weeks off from the grand opening, there’s something about today that feels so important, so special. My first time doing makeup in the spa area! And it all looks so beautiful.

  Anais takes a seat behind the reception desk and keeps looking at her watch.

  “You have an interview soon, right?”

  “I do.” She smiles. “I think we’ll work in the pharmacy office since you’re in there today.”

  “I’m just in one treatment room,” I tell her. “You can still use the spa office and the other rooms.”

  She nods. “OK. Thanks, Lucy.”

  Anais is wearing a pale pink linen dress, and she looks prettier than ever. Her hair is in a low bun and as I peek over her shoulder, I notice her writing something in the most beautiful handwriting I’ve ever seen, curly and straight up and down, and perfect.

  I want her to like me. I want her to be impressed with me. But it seems like the more we work together, the more annoyed with me she gets.

  It feels like she just wants me to disappear.

  “Hello, I’m Bella. I have a ten o’clock interview,” a woman says, walking in. Anais stands up to shake her hand and leads her to the pharmacy office.

  “I’ll be right with you,” Anais says.

  A few minutes later, my makeup appointment arrives.

  “Hi, Tessa!” I say, walking over to her. She’s on the board of the Connecticut Parks Association and she’s the MC for the gala tonight. We had a whole long talk about the event over the phone when the date for the gala was set back in April.

  “Lucy!” She hugs me.

  “Hello, welcome,” Anais says after we break our hug. “Would you care for some water? Tea?”

  “I’d love some water, thanks,” Tessa says. And then I’m just standing there, suddenly doing nothing.

  Anais and Tessa start talking about local businesses going green, and Anais says, “We hope you enjoy your time at Pink and Green. Lucy’s helping out for now, but in September, after the grand opening, we’ll be fully staffed.”

  I look at Tessa, but she doesn’t make eye contact with me. She’s nodding at Anais and sipping her water.

  I can’t believe she just said that. Doesn’t she realize that I was the one who scheduled Tessa’s appointment? Now I know for sure what Anais thinks about me. I’m just here for the meantime. I’ll be replaced eventually. She hasn’t even seen what I can do yet.

  When I first met Anais, I thought she was perfect, someone I really wanted to be like. Now I’m not so sure what’s going on. But I can’t let my bad mood affect my makeup treatment. Tessa came here expecting the best, and sh
e will get better than the best. That’s one thing I know I can control.

  After Tessa finishes her water and her long chat with Anais, I guide her over to the treatment room. She hops up in the chair and puts her head back and I flick the switch to turn on the serene music. Claudia and I sampled all of these albums to find the perfect ones to play in the spa.

  I used to play music while I did makeup in the Relaxation Room, but it was on this old boom box with a CD player and sometimes the tracks would skip, which didn’t make for a very relaxing soundtrack.

  I’m cleaning Tessa’s face with a warm washcloth and I’m wondering if she’s going to bring up anything about what Anais said about the real staff coming after the grand opening. Tessa called me after her neighbor told her about Old Mill Pharmacy and my amazing makeup work. Tessa knows all about the pharmacy and the grant and the spa opening. I kind of want her to say something, or ask me about what Anais said so I can explain, or so I can feel better knowing that someone else realizes Anais is wrong.

  But so far, she’s been quiet with her eyes closed. She seems so relaxed, I don’t want to disturb her. Maybe she’ll say something when I’m done and she sees how great she looks.

  I’m priming her face with cold cream and then I’ll do a light foundation. I let the cold cream settle for a second and quickly glance at all the makeup on the tray so I can map it out in my mind. And that’s when I hear someone calling me.

  “Lucille! Lucille!”

  Uh-oh. I thought Bevin was out for the day.

  I’m wiping off the cold cream with a warm washcloth when the door to the treatment room slams open and Bevin barges through. “Lucille! I was worried sick. I thought something happened to you.”

  I quickly whisper in Bevin’s ear, “I’m with a client. Can we please discuss whatever you need a little later on?”

  She covers her mouth and then cracks up. “Come on. I know you think you’re like a makeup artist or whatever, but you’re just a kid like me.”

  Tessa’s being really polite, just lying there, looking relaxed. But I bet this little back-and-forth between Bevin and me is starting to get annoying, and she doesn’t want to wait all day to get her makeup done. I don’t know how much longer she’ll stay polite.

  “Bevin, please leave.”

  She rolls her eyes. “I can do makeup just like you. I swear. Let me help!”

  I bite the inside of my bottom lip; I don’t know what to do. I can’t let her help, but I also can’t get into a fight in front of a customer. Grandma says that’s a big no-no. It looks totally unprofessional.

  “Just sit.” I guide Bevin over to the chair in the corner. It’s really there for customers to put their clothes and bags on, but in this case Tessa hung everything up on one of the hooks behind the door. I knew those hooks were a good idea.

  “I can help. Really!” Bevin whispers.

  I ignore her and go back to Tessa. I start dabbing on the foundation and carefully blending it. “What time is the gala?” I ask her.

  “It starts at six,” she says softly, definitely the tone of a relaxed person, so that’s good. “But I need to be there at four thirty for pictures and chatting with the press and all of that.”

  I look at the fancy clock above the door. It’s just about three, so we have plenty of time. The gala is at the nature conservancy ten minutes from here.

  “OK, I just want to make sure none of your makeup melts. It’s almost a hundred degrees today. Can you believe it?”

  She shakes her head. “Too hot. When I was younger, summers in Connecticut, especially by the shoreline, were very cool. Some people didn’t even have air-conditioning. Now, forget about it. You’d never survive.”

  After I’m done dabbing on the foundation, I get started on her eye makeup. She wants a very subtle look and I have the perfect color combination for her. I have a pale gray for the base of the eyelids and then a lighter color for the creases. And I’ve really mastered my skill at gel eyeliner.

  “OK, can I at least do the blush and lipstick? Please?” Bevin walks over to us. Tessa keeps her eyes closed. I’m really not sure what she makes of this situation.

  “Bevin,” I say through my teeth. “Not now.”

  She keeps standing there while I’m finishing Tessa’s eyes. Then I turn away for a second to put down the eye makeup and assess what I want to do for her lips. And that’s when Bevin swoops in.

  By the time I’m turned back to face Tessa, Bevin is brushing on some blush round and round in circles on her cheeks. “Bevin!” I yell. “Cheekbones! What are you doing?”

  She waves me off. Tessa sits up for a second and looks at me, and I make an it’s-all-going-to-be-OK face. I guess she believes me, because she lies back down.

  “Voilà!” Bevin says a few seconds later, holding up a hand mirror for Tessa.

  “You didn’t do lips yet,” I whisper. “Lips are the finishing touch.”

  “I know, but I wanted her to see a work in progress.”

  I’ve been looking at Bevin this whole time and I haven’t gotten a good look at Tessa. So when she sits up, I see what Tessa is about to see in about three seconds.

  Horror. She looks like she’s in some kind of horror movie. And the worst part of it is that the awful blush work totally negates the wonders I did on Tessa’s eyes.

  “Uh, um,” Tessa says, looking at herself in the mirror.

  I stare at Bevin. Does she really think she did good work here? How did I let her do this? It’s all my fault.

  “I can fix it,” I tell Tessa. “Just give me five minutes. I still have to do your lips.”

  “You hate it?” Bevin asks.

  Tessa looks at me and then at Bevin and then back at me. “I have to go, girls. Thanks.” She forces a smile. “I usually like to do my own lips anyway.”

  Tessa gets up, grabs her stuff, and leaves the spa area. I walk out too, leaving Bevin alone in the treatment room. I can’t even look at her right now. That’s how mad I am.

  As Tessa’s leaving the store, I hear her on the phone. “Can I get a rush appointment? Just makeup?”

  Sheesh. She couldn’t have waited to make that call until after she left the spa? I guess she didn’t have time to waste.

  “Why did Tessa look so upset when she left the spa?” Anais asks me, catching me totally off guard.

  “Uh, she did?” I ask. I have no idea how to play this. I feel like any second, a bucket of water is going to fall on my head.

  Anais nods. “Lucy, did something happen?”

  Suddenly I feel like there was some kind of hidden camera in that spa room, and they were all spying on me that whole time. Could that be possible? I am so paranoid.

  “It’s not my fault, Anais.” I start sniffling and then before I know it, I’m all-out crying. Anais leads me into the Relaxation Room and sits down next to me on the couch. “Bevin barged in, and then grabbed makeup off the tray while my back was turned. And she totally ruined Tessa’s makeup. It needed to be redone.”

  “Lucy,” Anais says in that stern tone that teachers use. “If you are going to be a responsible part of the spa staff, then you need to know how to handle these matters.”

  I look up at Anais. She seems about as comforting as a cold metal pipe. Why doesn’t she care how upset I am?

  “You can’t be blaming others. OK?”

  I start crying even harder, but Anais still doesn’t really do much to comfort me.

  “This is a place of business, and if we want to be taken seriously, we need to act professionally.” She pauses. “I know it’s your family’s place and you’ve been able to do whatever you want around here, but we really want to up the ante on the spa end of things.”

  Anais pats me awkwardly on the shoulder and leaves the Relaxation Room. I want to go complain to Mom or Grandma, but that probably won’t help me.

  I want to yell at Bevin, but I doubt that will help me.

  I sit down on the Turbo Massage Chair 7000 to process my thoughts. I have one more make
up appointment today and a few more this week. I turn on the massage settings and lean back and try to relax.

  And that’s when it hits me: Yelling at Bevin won’t help. Complaining that I’m not involved in the spa won’t help either. Yamir said I complain too much, and maybe I do. But there is one positive way I can help, and actually make a difference.

  The ultimate makeover: Bevin.

  She’s a total disaster: She says things she shouldn’t, she ruins makeup, her shoelaces are always untied, she gets food stuck in the corners of her mouth. She tries really hard, but she just needs some guidance.

  I can be that guidance. I can show her how to act better in public, how to do makeup, how to be a good friend.

  If I can’t make a difference at the spa, I can make a difference in one person’s life. I can give Bevin a makeover, but not just makeup and hair and whatever else I used to do around here. I can do more than that. A personal-improvement makeover.

  The more I think about this, the more excited I get. I can hardly wait another second. I need to find Bevin. I need to start helping her. But I need to do it in the perfect way, so it’s not too obvious, so she doesn’t think it’s weird and back away from me.

  This is going to be my new project.

  I’ve heard people say that if you save a life, you save the whole world. So does that mean that if you give one person a makeover, you make over the whole world too?

  I think so. It sounds good, anyway.

  at the Earth Club meeting schedule more closely, I would have made sure to return Yamir’s text about that Skee-ball competition. Because as my luck would have it, we have an Earth Club meeting only a few days after Bevin’s blurting-out episode, and now I actually have to see Yamir face-to-face.

  I thought I’d be able to avoid him for a while since Sunny’s at Indian Dance Camp this week, but I guess not. Now I have to go to Earth Club without Sunny to help me.

  “That’s gonna be so awkward,” Bevin says to me as I’m getting ready to leave. “Though I said what I said for a reason. I thought he needed to know, because like he kind of ignores you most of the time, and he should treat you better.”