Crystal Lies - Melody Carlson [44]
She just nodded and jotted something down. And for some reason that made me feel nervous. Just the same, I made another appointment with her for next month. I think I’ll probably go, but I still have a few weeks to change my mind.
After my appointment with Dr. Abrams, I met Sherry for coffee at Starbucks.
“You look great,” she told me as we took our coffees to an empty table by the window.
“Thanks.” I attempted a smile. “So?” she began. “How did it go?”
“Okay,” I told her. “Good.”
“She gave me some exercises and an assignment of sorts. I’m supposed to go back next month.”
“That’s great. Did you ask her about bringing Geoffrey?”
“I mentioned it.”
“And?”
“She said that was a good idea if Geoffrey wanted to come, but she didn’t think it would do any good to force him.”
“Right.”
I stirred my coffee. “Do you think I should ask him?”
Sherry nodded, then studied me for a long moment without speaking.
“What?” I asked her, certain she was thinking something.
“Oh, nothing.” She waved her hand.
Well, nothing gets to me worse than someone saying “nothing.”
“What is it?” I asked her. “I can tell you were about to say something. Is it about Geoffrey?”
“No…” Then she smiled. “It was really pretty silly, Glennis.”
“What?” I demanded. “Tell me.”
“Oh, I was just wondering why you haven’t bothered to cover up that gray hair. You know you would look at least ten years younger without it.” I rolled my eyes at her. “What is this? Make over Glennis month?” She smiled. “Yeah, maybe.”
“What difference does it make if I look younger or hipper or whatever, Sherry? My life will still be a mess.”
She glanced at her watch, then suddenly pulled out her cell phone and began dialing. Before I knew what had hit us, we had finished our coffees and gone down the street to a salon called Alta’s, and I was standing at the reception desk while Sherry conspired with a short blond woman named Bessie.
“Okay,” said Sherry, as if it were all settled. “I’ve got to go show a house right now, but Bessie can take you in about twenty minutes.” She leaned over and picked up a slightly tattered issue of Vogue and handed it to me as she led me over to the waiting area.
“I don’t know, Sherry,” I began.
“Don’t you trust me, Glennis?”
“Well, I suppose so, but why are you doing—”
“Look, Bessie knows exactly what to do. Just sit here and wait until she calls you, and then trust me, okay?”
I looked up into her clear blue eyes and realized that very few people are blessed with a friend as loyal and kind as Sherry. I finally nodded, then waved as she whooshed out the door. Then I opened the magazine and tried to think about absolutely nothing as I flipped past page after page of outrageous styles and gauntly thin models who looked about the same age or perhaps even younger than my daughter.
“Glennis Harmon?” called the blonde.
“Bessie?” I said as I laid aside the magazine, picked up my purse, and walked over to her station.
She smiled. “Have a seat.”
I sat down in the chair and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I vaguely wondered who that old woman was, but part of me didn’t really care. It seemed my drab hair and colorless face suited my spirits just fine. Why bother changing it?
Bessie loosened the barrette that was holding back my hair in a pony-tail and let it fall loosely around my shoulders. I gave it a little shake, then forced a laugh. “Great for Halloween,” I said. “All I need is a pointed hat and a broom.”
Bessie frowned. “Sherry is absolutely right. You are too young to be going around looking like this.”
I just shrugged, then followed her like a sheep to the slaughter back to the shampooing station. But I must admit that it felt nice to have someone gently scrubbing and massaging my scalp. I tried to remember the last time Geoffrey had touched me in a gentle or loving way. It seemed like it had been years. Maybe it had. Tears streamed down my cheeks as Bessie started to towel my hair dry.
“Did I get soap in your eyes?” she asked with concern.
“Just a little,” I lied as I dabbed my eyes with the edge of the towel.
Then