Telegram, Telephone, Tell the Truth but Do Not Tell a Beautician

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by CelyseWrite

by CelyseWrite

"Is it too warm?" drills Mavis after a stream of tepid water flows through my tresses.

"You can make it a bit warmer," I reply when I snuggle further into the reclined shampoo chair.

A warmer stream begins blasting bits of tension out of my neck, forcing my eyelids to float down and my lashes to kiss like long-lost lovers.

"How is Marcia," interrupts Mavis.

"Yeah... how is Marcia?" pipes my ego.

I swallow a solid lump of loyalty, then reply, "She is well. Isn't she scheduled today?"

Mavis stops the tap.

A healthy heartbeat passes before she squeezes a floral-scented dollop of shampoo into my doused mane and scrubs my scalp with the pads of her fingertips.

She swipes a soft grey towel across my forehead, then says, "No, she canceled her bookings for the remainder of this year."

I stifle a gasp but cannot prevent the muscles in my jaws from clamping or my teeth from piercing the fleshiest portion of my tongue.

"She also canceled the booking for the boutique trunk show," blabs Mavis.

Thoughts of I need to respond, and No this gossipy winch isn't, collide then ebb when ego chimes, "You can learn a lot by listening."

"Pardon me," trills Freddy when he waltzes into the area.

"Miss Jocelyn, sweetie pie, have you quit that high-flouting job, yet?" he continues.

I open my mouth to respond, but Mavis jumps in with, "Freddy... the deposit was short."

I shut my eyes, cross my ankles and snuggle further beneath the pink and silver waterproof styling cape.

"Mavis, what do you want me to do? I told you to fire that girl a long time ago," whines Freddy.

I inhale, then gently clear my throat.

"Okay this is the situation; every operator pays weekly booth rental and fifty percent of this shop belongs to you if one hundred percent sinks," snaps Mavis.

"I will talk to her," he retorts.

I exhale and allow a wave of newly found knowledge about an old friend and her financial problems to bubble to the surface of my core consciousness and marinate.