Page 3 of An Epic Voyage

Mavis took a deep breath.“No.Yes.Okay.Let’s see it.”

Indy swung the chair around to face the mirror.

Mavis gasped and pointed at her reflection.“Who is that?”

“That’s you.”

“No.It can’t be.”She turned her head to the right and left.Ran her fingers through her hair.“Oh my, who knew I had curls?”She preened in the mirror.“Indy, you are a miracle worker.Why, I look ten years younger.”

“Like a teenager,” Indy agreed.

“Oh, you,” Mavis twittered.The woman was well past retirement age, but the cut had shaved years off, softening her face and making her look a decade younger.“I love it.Thank you for taking me out of my comfort zone, Indy.”

“You’re welcome.”

“You know, my grandson Travis is coming to town next week.As I’m sure I’ve told you, he’s a successful lawyer.I’d love for you to meet him.”

Mavis and her squad of female friends constantly tried to set Indy up on dates.She’d resorted to inventing a long-distance boyfriend to distract them, but even that didn’t deter their matchmaking ways.

“I’m happy you get to see him, but I’ll have to respectfully decline.”

“Now, Indy, you can’t be satisfied never getting to see your man.A woman has needs, you know.”

She did.Her needs hadn’t been met in alongtime.She’d been too focused on her job.“I am completely content with the relationship.Besides, he’s a marine, off saving the country.”

“And that’s very admirable.Thank him for his service the next time you speak with him.”Mavis slid out of the chair and peered into the mirror again, patting her hair.“With this new look, maybe I’ll hit the bars and prowl around for a young stud.I would make a good cougar.”She raked her hand in a cat-like gesture.“Me-ow.”

Indy laughed.“You would, but what would George have to say about that?”

Mavis wrinkled her nose at the mention of her husband of fifty-plus years.“He’d probably be happy to be rid of me.”

Indy smiled.George adored his wife, even driving her to her appointments and waiting for her in the car.He would most definitely not be happy to let her go, and Mavis knew it.

Indy walked her to the front desk, where Iris Hinton was training a new receptionist.Going by past appointments, Mavis would leave her a more-than-generous tip.

“Now, Indy, if you decide you want to meet Travis, you just let me know.”

“I’ll do that.”

She waved goodbye and returned to her station as her watch beeped.She picked up the automatic broom, which swept hair into a central vacuum system, and cleaned around her chair.It made tidying up quick and easy.

As Indy removed her apron, she glanced at two of her coworkers, Piper Peraino and Chelsea Delarosa.Piper was applying makeup to a brunette teenager about to go on her first date while Chelsea gave a customer a French manicure.

Indy was proficient in both areas as well.Chelsea and Piper were Kelly and Sabrina to her Jill.Yes, in her head, she’d named each of them after the originalCharlie’s Angels.Whenever she’d role-played during childhood, she’d always insisted on being Farrah Fawcett’s character—her favorite.

Indigo placed her smock on a hook and pushed through the half-doors that led to the back of the salon.Elinor Cooper, one of the part-time workers, was leaving the break room.

“Hey, Indy.You finished for the day?”

“Hi, Elinor.I am.”

“Can I ask a favor?”

“Of course.”

“Can you show me where we keep the purple hair dye?That place is so massive, I couldn’t find it.”

“Sure.”