Pitifully Ugly

Chapter 23

Duty cal s.

On Monday morning, my phone rang at five thirty. No one

called at that hour unless it was an emergency. “Hello, hello?”

I said into the alarm clock before I realized the phone was still

ringing. I managed to grab it just before the answering machine

picked up.

“Hey, what’re you doing?” Kalen said groggily.

“Are Mom and Dad okay? What’s wrong?” I scrambled out of

bed and fumbled around until I found the light switch.

“They’re fine. What’s wrong with you?”

My frantic search for clothes stopped. “What do you mean

what’s wrong with me? You called me at five thirty. I thought

there was an emergency.”

“Did you set your clock to Pacific time?” Kalen asked,

annoyance tempering her tone. “It’s seven thirty.”

I staggered into the living room as the adrenaline rush faded.

My cell phone confirmed what Kalen said—it was seven thirty.

“Our power went off and on last night, apparently yours did,

too.” Kalen yawned loudly. “Time to replace the backup battery

in your clock.”

“It’s still early. Why are you calling?” I asked as I set up the

coffeepot.

“The flu is going around, and my doctor says I need to avoid

sick people if I possibly can. We have three people out at the Canal

Street salon, and they need some help.”

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Robin Alexander

I wanted to whine and complain, but I couldn’t. I knew that

Kalen would gladly step in and help if she could. “What do I need

to do?” I asked with a sinking feeling.

“Answer phones, wash a head or two. Blitz will help you

with anything you need.” Kalen yawned again. This time, she

apologized. “I’m sorry to ask this of you, sis, but I’m out of

options.”

“No need to apologize. I’ll hit the shower and be there for

opening.”

“Thank you. I owe you big.”

Blitz looked stunned when I walked in. She glanced down at

her watch and back up at me.

“Kalen asked me to come in and help,” I said. “Where do you

need me?”

She took in my black slacks and turtleneck sweater. “You’re

dressed too nice to clean tanning beds.” She shrugged her

shoulders. “Wanna be the receptionist for the day?”

“Sounds easy enough.” Something in the way Blitz arched an

eyebrow told me it was anything but.

She picked up a headset and cleaned it liberally with alcohol

before she handed it to me. “Bonnie has the flu,” Blitz said as she

went to work on the mouse and keyboard. “If I were you, I’d keep

a bottle of hand sanitizer close and use it often.” Blitz looked at

me skeptically. “Can you multi-task?”

“I can walk and chew gum at the same time.”

Blitz’s eyebrow arched again. From the look on her face, if I

were anyone else, I’d be out on the sidewalk at that moment. She

wiggled the mouse, and a colorful calendar appeared on the screen

in front of us. “Anything related to tanning or nails is transferred

to those departments. They handle their own scheduling. You’re

strictly hair.”

I nodded as I looked at the screen. Hailey Morgan at eleven

o’clock jumped out at me like a snake. Blitz looked at me oddly as

I recoiled. “Is that today?” I pointed at her name.

Blitz nodded. “You won’t have to do much with today’s

schedule unless someone calls to reschedule. Matter of fact, you

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Pitifully Ugly

really don’t have to worry about Tuesday or Wednesday, we’re

booked. Don’t worry about trying to fill a slot if someone cancels.

We pack ’em in tight, and the stylists will be grateful for the

wiggle room.”

Blitz went on to explain how to use the computer program.

It seemed fairly easy to handle. My brain began to scramble as

she explained how to book each type of appointment. “Claire

and Sandra are new, so you can’t really load them up or they

get behind. Marvin, Jacob, and Sloan can handle anything you

throw at them, and they expect to stay hopping, so schedule them

tight.”

Each stylist’s name was in a color-coded bar. Marvin’s

was pink. I wondered for half a second if he had requested it

before Blitz moved on to the next topic. “Our regulars are in the

computer. All you have to do is print out a slip with their next

appointment date and time. It’s already set up in the system. For

other customers, you’ll have to schedule and print their slips. You

know how to use a credit card machine?”

“Yes.” I looked over at the phone and felt squeamish. It looked

like something I’d seen 11 operators use on TV.

Blitz explained the difference between park and hold in what

seemed like a heartbeat. “You may be tempted to use the mute

button on your headset, but I’d advise against it. Your sister made

a mistake with that once and cost us a customer. Use the hold

button.” Blitz squeezed a glob of hand sanitizer into her palm and

turned to me. “What can I get you to drink—coffee? Soda?”

“You don’t have to wait on me. I can get my own drinks.”

Blitz pursed her lips as her eyebrow rose again. I wondered

if her head ached at the end of the day or if her brow ever froze

in that position. “Once these phones begin to ring, you won’t be

able to move from where you’re sitting. If you need something or

need to go to the bathroom, you’re gonna have to flag me down

for it.”

My eyebrow rose this time. “Is it that bad?”

“It’s how you choose to look at it. Every time that phone rings,

we’re poised to make money, so that’s not bad.” Blitz smiled.

“Coffee?”

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Robin Alexander

“Yes, and thank you.” I turned and looked at the intimidating

bank of phone lines, then at the computer. I hoped the coffee was

extremely strong.

“Well, who do we have here?” Marvin leaned on the counter

with a broad smile.

“A scared shitless temp.”

“Aww, it’s not that bad.” Marvin guffawed. “I’ve seen Bonnie

ring up a customer, schedule an appointment, and file her nails at

the same time. You’ve got this.”

I wasn’t so sure.

Marvin slapped out a tune on the counter. “Guess who’s

coming to see me today?”

“Hailey,” I said dryly.

Marvin frowned. “Still no good with you two?”

I opened my mouth to reply when the phone rang. That bitch

didn’t stop. It rang so much that at one point I thought I could hear

it ringing when there wasn’t a call. To make matters worse, I was

slow. It took me most of the morning to get used to scheduling the

appointments. When I had to go to the bathroom, I was forced

to wave Blitz over and write it down for her because I couldn’t

stop speaking long enough. She moved in behind me like she was

taking the wheel of a car flying down the highway, reaching over

me to take the controls.

At eleven, it all became one monotonous blur as Hailey

came through the door. The air around her seemed infused with

electricity. She took off her rain-splattered overcoat and hung

it on the rack. The silver-gray pantsuit hugged every delicious

curve and made my mouth go dry. When she turned toward the

receptionist station, her eyes widened when she saw me. A slight

smile curved her lips. I held up a finger as she approached and the

phone rang again. Marvin intercepted her before we had a chance

to speak.

It was hard enough to learn a new system of doing things,

and I was far from getting into a comfortable groove. Hailey’s

presence made it nearly impossible to function. I tried to follow

every move she made. I scheduled two appointments on the

wrong day while watching Blitz shampoo her hair. I wished that

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Pitifully Ugly

I’d volunteered for that position as Blitz ran her fingers through

those wet golden locks. Marvin winked at me when I glanced

over at him. I forced myself then to pay attention to the job at

hand, which lasted until Hailey moved into his chair.

Hailey gestured, holding her hand up to her jawline. I watched

in terror as Marvin held his hands on either side of her face. He

looked at me in the mirror, and I shook my head. Hailey was

the type of woman who could’ve rocked a crew cut, but I loved

that golden mane, the way it flowed down her back. Marvin said

something and turned Hailey’s chair around to where it faced me.

He walked over and toyed with my hair. His fingers came to rest

just below my shoulders. The muscles in my stomach clenched as

Hailey shook her head and motioned toward her collar.

I wanted to hang up on my customer and protest as Hailey

and Marvin discussed a much shorter length. When Marvin

positioned his scissors right at Hailey’s shoulder, I lost it. “No!

It’s too gorgeous, don’t cut it off.”

Marvin and Hailey stared back at me in the mirror with

shocked expressions. Actually, everyone in the salon did. “No,

Mrs. Ronson, I’m sorry, of course you can come in for a cut.

I’m sorry for yelling in your ear.” I sat back down red-faced as I

scheduled her appointment.

When I ended the call, Marvin was standing at my desk with

a bemused smile. “Hailey would like to know exactly how you

want her hair done.”

I looked around Marvin to Hailey, who sat looking at me like

I was insane. “I’m sorry. You’d be lovely no matter what you did

with your hair. It’s just so gorgeous I can’t stand to see you cut it

off.” A couple of customers in the waiting area agreed. I shrugged

and pointed at them as though their opinions should weigh in.

Something in Hailey’s eyes glimmered. She nodded and smiled

at me. The warmth of it turned my insides to jelly.

Marvin took off two inches. Hailey’s wet hair hung down to

the bottom of her shoulder blades. The weight of those two inches

made her hair look thicker. I was mesmerized at how ringlets

formed around her face as her hair began to dry on its own.

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Robin Alexander

“Lunch break.” Blitz came to stand beside me. “Take as long

as you want. You’re still the boss.”

I felt like shackles fell off my hands and feet as I passed her

the headset. I’d been freed, but I still stood at the counter and

watched as Marvin dried Hailey’s hair. My fingers twitched with

envy as he ran his through those golden stands, making the curls

loosen and flow.

“Her cut is on the house,” I whispered so only Blitz could

hear. She nodded and deleted the appointment without hesitation.

I watched as Hailey hugged and tipped Marvin.

She walked over to the counter with her wallet in her hand. I

discreetly pushed it away. “My treat,” I said as she looked at me

in question. “Especially since you let me intervene.”

She ran a hand through her hair. “You like it?” she asked

shyly.

“Yes, I do.” Her shyness became contagious. I looked away as

I said, “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you. Why are you working here today?”

I looked back at her then and felt my knees go weak. “Some

of the staff is out with the flu. I had to fill in.”

Hailey nodded as she stuffed her wallet back into her purse.

She reached over and touched my arm. “I have to get back to the

office, but it was really nice to see you.” She smiled, and for a

second, I saw something in her eye that filled me with sadness.

I imagined that she saw the same thing when I looked at her—

longing, regret.

I watched her put on her coat and slip out the door, taking my

heart along with her.

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Pitifully Ugly