Page 24

After returning from the shopping trip from hell, I take the hottest shower of my life and then Keisha and I get straight to work setting up for the Petunia Lemon party I’ve spent the last month planning.

Keisha works in the kitchen, pulling out my best glasses and arranging what’s left of the snacks I bought on the ceramic trays I borrowed from my downstairs neighbor while I attack the rest of my apartment.

Sweat falls from my forehead as I rearrange my living room furniture to make space for the folding chairs Frederick told me I could use.

I toss my most beloved knickknacks in a box and replace them with the plethora of products I ordered just for today.

In my bedroom, a white noise machine and essential oil diffuser sit on the nightstand where a pile of books, two water glasses, and bottle of melatonin have lived for the last year.

I change out the polka dot sheets and floral quilt my mom made me in high school for a sad, boring white linen set I found on sale at Target last week.

And all of the frames and vases normally crowding my dresser are shoved into the bottom of the closet so the Petunia Pro Facial Spa can sit atop it in all of its fancy, eight-hundred-dollar glory.

I do everything Nora told me to do for a successful party.

And it’s still not enough.

“Wow.” Hayley clutches her wineglass to her chest and the giant diamond adorning her ring finger winks beneath the sunlight filtering in through the lone window in my living room. “Your place is so colorful…and quaint.”

I know Hayley was trying to be sweet, but it doesn’t take a genius to glean the true meaning behind her “compliment.” I might be wrong, but I have a feeling she’s never stepped foot in a home under two thousand square feet and that no matter how hard I tried to get my tiny, six-hundred-and-fifty-square-foot apartment ready for tonight, it would never be Petunia Lemon certified in her eyes.

“Thank you!” I pretend not to notice the horrified smile frozen on her face. “Please feel free to have a seat wherever you want and help yourself to all of the wine and snacks your heart desires.”

“You’re the sweetest. Thank you again for inviting me tonight.” She gives my hand a light squeeze and scurries off to the small group that’s been huddled in the corner for the last fifteen minutes.

I make my way back to my kitchen, avoiding Keisha’s eyes as I open up another bottle of wine. I promised myself I’d only have one glass, but that was before guest after guest started filing into my apartment, and not a single one of them was a new recruit.

After my failed attempt to sell products at the farmers’ market, I figured maybe a party was the way to go.

I might not be the top saleswoman, but according to my college roommate, I’m cream of the crop when it comes to partying.

I curated the perfect guest list and then Nora helped me craft the perfect “Hey Hun” message.

My DMs on Facebook and Instagram were in shambles, but people seemed really excited to swing by for drinks, samples, and a free spa session on the brand-new Petunia Pro.

“Guess who’s here!” The front door swings open, and Nora saunters through the front door like she doesn’t have a care in the world. “And I brought friends!”

I hold my breath, expecting to see Jacqueline in all of her beautiful, not-a-hair-out-of-place glory.

I know nothing’s happened with Luke in my apartment, but knowing he was here and now his ex-wife will be here too turns my stomach into a rock.

I didn’t mean for this to get so messy, but drama just seems to be drawn to me.

I paint on the smile I practiced in the mirror this morning, hoping it looks authentic and not terrified and full of guilt. Except when Nora holds the door open and I see who follows her inside, I don’t need to be worried at all.

“Oh my god!” I slam my wineglass on the millimeter of open counter space and run the short distance to the door so I can wrap my new guests—who happen to be old friends—in hugs. “What are you doing here? I had no idea you’d be coming.”

“Nora asked me yesterday and you know I love a party,” Chloe says. “I can’t believe you didn’t invite me!”

“I know!” Odette cosigns. “I thought you were my girl! See if I sneak you those ice creams anymore.”

Chloe is the school nurse, and Odette is my favorite lunch lady.

They both started at Nester Fox this year, and they are perfect additions to our faculty.

Last Karaoke Wednesday, they performed a rousing duet of Nelly and Kelly Rowland’s 2002 hit, “Dilemma,” and it will go down in time as one of the top performances Nester Fox has ever seen…

outside of the masterpieces Anna creates with the children, of course.

“You’re both always welcome at anything I do.

” I guide them the three steps it takes to get into the kitchen so I can get them a drink.

“But if it makes you feel any better, I didn’t invite anyone from school.

Keisha is only here because I forced her to help me set up and Nora is my upline, so she helped me plan the party. ”

Since I’m just getting started, Nora and I decided it might be best to get a little more acclimated with Petunia Lemon before I started reaching out to the other faculty members.

Plus, even though I’ve watched all of the training videos on the Petunia Pro and went to a live demonstration, I’m still afraid to use it on somebody who isn’t me.

I mean really, I’m a kindergarten teacher, not an aesthetician, for goodness’ sake!

And I’m pretty sure they have to go to school for years, so even though I experiment with the different attachments every day and wear the red-light mask before bed, the margin for error still feels a little too large for comfort.

If I messed up my coworkers’ faces, I’m not sure I’d ever be able to show mine again.

Now that they’re here and I actually have an opportunity to sell some products tonight and recruit a member or two, I’m going to have to pony up and put my fears behind me…

And thank Nora for coming through as my professional fairy godmother, take two.

“Did you set your Petunia Pro up in your room like we talked about?” Nora opens my cabinet door and finds the whiskey I wasn’t planning on taking out tonight and pours herself a glass. “I want to show our favorite new coworkers how it works.”

Nora has been coming into my classroom every Monday since she received her Petunia Pro to rave about the parties she threw for her clients over the weekends.

The amount of product she’s sold and the new members she’s recruited is unbelievable.

It’s the main reason I finally gave in to throwing one myself.

“Yes, it’s all set up on my dresser, and I have some serums and sunscreen samples there too.

” I’ve been so afraid to use this machine on others that having Nora step up for me would be a godsend.

“Are you sure you don’t mind doing it? I watched the videos again this morning and I can try if you don’t want to do it. ”

“I can totally do it.” She squeezes my hand, and I know she can sense my nerves. “But why don’t you come watch while I do the facials, just so you can feel more comfortable, of course.”

“I would love that. Thank you so much.”

I know this party hasn’t gone exactly as expected, but thank god Nora came to save the day. For the first time since joining Petunia Lemon, things are finally getting going for me. All I needed was a good wine, good cheese, and good friends.

And lucky for me, I have a surplus of all three.

···

Good news: Chloe and Odette both signed up to be Petunia Lemon reps.

“So…” Keisha finishes off one of the many open wine bottles scattered around my apartment. “That was interesting.”

Bad news: they signed up with Nora.

“Yeah.” I lean back into my couch, staring unseeing at my disaster of a living room, trying to come up with anything at all to say. “Interesting is right.”

“It was a really nice party,” Keisha says. “Everyone had a great time and your spread was phenomenal.”

“It was good, wasn’t it?” Even after my bread and some other key ingredients met an early death, everything turned out amazing.

Well, everything except the actual turnout, that is.

“The cheeseballs you made were a hit, but there’s still a little bit left if you want me to start putting it away.” Keisha dances around what she really wants to say. “Or we could wait a little longer.”

I check the time on my watch…again. The last guests left about an hour ago, but a stupid, annoying part of me is hoping that someone still might show up.

Maybe they got stuck in the storm like me, something happened to their car, and they’re still on their way.

I know it’s unlikely, but a girl can wish.

I’m what the kids would call “delulu” right now, but I don’t care. After everything I did to prepare for this party, how much money I spent, I can’t throw in the towel just yet.

“Let’s give it like thirty more minutes and then we’ll clean up.”

“Sounds good to me,” she says. “But while we wait, should we discuss the giant, Nora-shaped elephant in the room?”

And air my grievances in real time instead of letting them grow and fester overnight? I don’t think so.

“I’d rather not.”

“Of course you’d rather not.” The kid gloves Keisha’s been handling me with start to come off, and I do not appreciate it. “But you’re going to have to talk about it eventually.”

“ Eventually being the key word.” I stand up and start grabbing the cups and plates that are all over the place.

I hate cleaning, but it sounds better than having this conversation with Keisha right now.

“I don’t even know if there’s anything to talk about.

She said Chloe and Odette both wanted to sign up beneath her and that’s not her fault. ”

“Bullshit,” Keisha spits out. “And you know it.”