Page 36 of Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

‘Ow!’

The client scowls in the mirror at Josie, who blinks then looks at her scissors as if they poked the woman in the neck all on their own.

Then she sees her fingernails, bitten to the quick.

Ever since she saw her mother’s friend Miriam at the cafe in Blue Bay she has been chewing them.

It’s a habit that plagued her childhood and she grew out of it eventually, but now it’s back.

Not that there’s anything left to chew. Apart from the inside of her cheek. She’s been doing that a bit too.

‘Sorry,’ she says, feeling tears rising in her eyes and her throat getting tight. How could she have almost-stabbed this nice lady, a first-time client whose name is now escaping her?

It’s because she hasn’t been sleeping well. She’s been convinced her parents are about to tell her that Miriam’s called or visited or written them a letter – something, anything – to relay what she saw. It’s on her mind all the time.

Yet Miriam hasn’t done any of that. She’s been silent.

And that, Josie has realised, is worse. Now she actually wants the woman to say something to her parents so this tension can end.

At least she’ll find out what the consequences are and can move on.

Or be locked in her room for the rest of her life.

Because that’s what her parents will probably do.

Why didn’t she think about that? Why didn’t she consider that being caught with Brett – with any boy – would mean that everything would change? They’ve always warned her against going on dates. Even her father says men are dangerous and that if Josie goes anywhere with one she could get in trouble.

They never said what kind of trouble. They never said that the trouble might actually be them and how they’d react.

She’s been imagining different scenarios, different ways she could respond. Pretending that she and Brett are friends. That she knows him from tech or he’s a friend’s brother or a client.

Except she knows what Miriam saw. Knows she heard Brett call himself her boyfriend. That look in the older woman’s eyes. That look . Of knowing. Of … smugness, almost. As if she’d caught Josie out. Because she did. Because Josie let her.

Stupid. STUPID. She’s always been stupid.

‘Josie, pet.’

She feels a hand on her shoulder. Trudy’s.

‘Pet, it’s a good idea to breathe every now and again.’ Trudy pats her then puffs on her cigarette. ‘Of course, I’m not the person who can best advise on that,’ she goes on, ‘but I was worried you were going to faint.’

Josie catches her eye in the mirror and feels those tears again.

‘Everything all right, Darlene?’ Trudy asks the glowering client.

‘Hm,’ comes the response.

Darlene. That’s right. That’s her name.

‘Do you want to keep going?’ Trudy says softly in Josie’s ear.

Josie nods. She’s not going to ruin her job over this.

‘Good. We all have bad days.’ Another pat. ‘Just come and see me when you’re done.’

Trudy turns away before Josie can figure out if she’s angry at her for being careless with the scissors.

‘Sorry about that, Darlene,’ Josie says meekly. ‘It won’t happen again. Just a trim, wasn’t it?’

‘Yes.’ Darlene looks sceptical but she relaxes once Josie gets to work.

When she’s finished the cut and Darlene has left, Josie goes to where Trudy is laughing along with Babs, one of her regulars.

‘I’ll just be a mo, Babs,’ Trudy says, then she nods toward the back room.

Josie follows her there.

‘What’s going on, pet? You’re jumpy,’ Trudy says kindly.

‘Sorry. Sorry. I’m really sorry.’

‘I didn’t ask for an apology.’ Trudy sighs. ‘I just want to know what’s wrong.’

So Josie told her about Brett – because Trudy knows the bare minimum – and about Miriam and about her parents’ likely reaction, the words almost hurling themselves out of her mouth, relieved to be freed from the prison of her whirring brain.

‘I see,’ Trudy says when she’s finished. ‘You didn’t go on dates in high school?’

Josie shakes her head.

‘Pretty girl like you – really?’

She shakes it again and Trudy shrugs.

‘Then your parents should count themselves lucky you weren’t raced off in Year 10 or something. The day was always going to come when you met someone. And you like him, this Brett?’

For the first time that day, Josie smiles. ‘Yes. He’s really kind.’

‘The sort of bloke you’d like to introduce to your parents?’

‘Well – yes.’

‘The kind who will be polite when he’s in their home?’

Josie nods vigorously.

‘Right,’ Trudy says. ‘Maybe you’re worrying about nothing, then.’

‘But he’s –’

‘Your parents love you, I’m sure. They worry about you. We all worry about our kids. When you’re a mum you’ll worry too.’

Josie can’t imagine being as strict with her children, making them feel as if they have to lie to her just to have a boyfriend or girlfriend.

‘Maybe,’ she says.

‘Oh, you will.’ Trudy looks at her watch. ‘I’d best get back to Babs or she’ll switch to Sam.’

Josie frowns, not understanding what she means.

‘She thinks he’s dishy,’ Trudy explains. ‘Wants to race him off.’ She grabs Josie’s shoulders and gives her a little shake. ‘Everything will be okay,’ she says firmly. ‘When parents love their kids and their kid is as respectful and lovely as you, there’s always a solution.’

For a second Josie wishes Trudy were her mum – except in a way she’s her work mum.

It’s comforting to think that. To know there’s an older lady who cares about her and has good advice.

She doesn’t have grandmothers, really – one died when she was young and the other lives in the country so she’s rarely seen her.

‘Thanks, Trudy.’ She smiles.

‘Pleasure, pet.’ Trudy pinches her cheek. ‘Now back to work and stop fretting. It won’t get you anywhere. Believe me, I know.’

Josie follows her out and picks up the broom to sweep up some hair while she waits to do a wash or whatever is needed next.

For the rest of the day, whenever her eyes meet Trudy’s there’s a smile or a wink there for her, and that makes her feel Trudy is right and everything will be okay.

It’s enough to put some lightness back into her step as she heads home, and she turns up the car radio loud and sings along.