Jimmy and I texted our siblings, and we all agreed to meet at the car at four. We were there first. It was nearly thirty minutes later before Larry and Maria showed up, holding hands. Jimmy and I looked at each other as we got into the front seat. The ride home was quiet. The rustle of bags came from the back seat, but that was the only sound.

We got out when we reached our house, and I waited until we were inside to say anything. "So, you and Maria now, is it? You got over Angie quick."

He turned to me, frowning. "Well, yeah. She was a cheater."

"I thought you told me once that she was 'the one'," I said, making air quotes.

"Nope. If she were, she wouldn't have done what she did. Anyway, Maria and I are just seeing where things take us. We're not serious yet." He turned and began going up the stairs.

I followed. "How do you know if they're serious?"

He stopped with a sigh. "You just do, Daisy. Now go start on dinner. I've got things to do."

I sighed and did as he said. At some point, Aunt Millie came home. She sat at the kitchen table while I cooked, something she didn't usually do. I waited for her to speak, knowing it was inevitable.

About the time dinner was nearly ready, she said, "Sit down for a minute." I turned off the burners and sat in my chair. She studied me for a moment. "I know," she began, "that it's hard for girls to talk to their fathers about some things. It was hard for me when I was young and living at home. When I moved out, there were a lot of things that he didn't know about me because I never told him. He only knew because Mom told him. Your mom isn't around much, but I want to make sure you know I am. If you ever need to talk to someone about anything, I'm here."

"Thanks. I need to finish dinner." I began to stand, but she motioned for me to sit.

"Not yet. I want to ask you about last night."

I sighed and sat. "Dad doesn't believe me, does he? I told him. Mario didn't tell me about it until last night when we were going. He would have been okay if it was a no. If I'd known before, I would have said something."

"That's not the only thing that's upsetting your father. I understand, Daisy, I do. You can't tell someone about something you don't know about. But what's upsetting David is that he hadn't met the young man before and also that you went to Denver, unsupervised, with this young man." She held up her hand, cutting off my reply. "I've met him, and I remember his family from when he was younger, but not David. He's the one that counts – not me." She lowered her hand. "I also don't think it was right to go to Denver with him."

"Nothing happened, though."

She gazed at the stove. "I remember being in high school, too. There was this boy, Alan, who asked me to travel to California with him. It was straight-forward enough. We'd grown up together, known each other for as long as we could remember. We were just friends. It was going to be for a week to meet up with some family over there." She turned to me. "We ended up married six months later. So, Daisy, just being friends doesn't mean nothing will happen."

I sighed. I really did not want to talk about this with her, or with anyone at that moment. "Aunt Millie, I understand what you're getting at, and I know things happen, but nothing did. Mario and I agreed we're just friends. I will go on my first date with George in two weeks, and I'm not going to mess things up with him." I stood and went back to making dinner, which was just barely warm by this point.

"I'm just trying to explain your father's point of view," she said.

"I know," I answered, biting off the words. When the food was ready ten minutes later, she was still at the table and Dad was just getting home. I was just glad talk about what could have happened had been dropped.

---

"Just barely cut any," Kenny told me Monday. He was teaching me the fine art of cutting hair. His hair. Since I'd started, he'd changed his hair every week. This week he told me his hair was getting long. The next thing I knew, I was wetting his hair. Now I was standing behind him with scissors while his eagle eyes watched my every move.

"Like this?" I pulled the hair between my fingers, measuring it like Shay had taught me.

"That's right, just not that much. Leave some room to work with. Remember: you can always make it shorter, but you can never make it grow faster." I slid my fingers up. "That's right. Now trim it." I cut the ends of the hairs, creating a black fuzz on my fingers. I pulled my hand away and shook the fuzzies off. He rolled his eyes. "It's just hair. Now, come on. You're not even halfway."

I almost groaned when I heard the phone. "I need to get that."

Mr. Scott walked briskly from the hallway to the counter. "I've got it. Get back to your lesson."

I sighed and got another section of hair. Kenny coached me through that, too. About thirty minutes – or an eternity, depending on whether you asked me or looked at a clock – Kenny pronounced me done. I put the scissors down and he grabbed my hand. "You're not done yet."

"But I cut your hair!"

"You didn't style it. I'm not going to make you do this, but I have to make sure the man's sideburns are even, the hair on the back of his neck – if he has any there – is neatly trimmed or shaved if he wants it that way, and, on occasion, give him a shave. The least you can do is style my hair." He released me and grabbed a magazine from the counter. He flipped through it before finally showing me a picture. "That's how I want you to style my hair."

"I've never been good at sculpting."

"Well, now's a good time to learn." He turned his chair so his back was to the counter.

I sighed and grabbed the gel. I studied the picture for a few minutes before beginning to work the gel through his hair. It didn't harden too fast, so I was able to work with it more than I thought I would. The picture showed a guy with his hair sticking out forward in front of his face but also looped over like a flip. I sighed. That was a stupid look for anyone. But I tried to make his hair look like that.

Five minutes later, I turned his chair around. "How is it?"

He took one look and his jaw dropped. "From now on, you're styling hair for me."

Mr. Scott came in and took a look. He looked at the picture then at Kenny. "I won't object." He went back to his office and Kenny hopped up.

"I'm going to show Britt and Shay," he said as he disappeared into the breakroom.

I went back to my desk, smiling. At least I was good at hair, even if I didn't enjoy doing it. The phone was ringing when I sat down. I picked up. "Scott's 'Dos and Nails, Daisy speaking."

"Hi, yes, I need to make an emergency appointment. Like, now."

"Okay, who's calling and what do you need the appointment for?"

"Elise Jonas, and I just broke a nail."

I fought the sigh as I entered her into the computer. "Okay. We have an open spot in five minutes. She has an appointment coming in thirty minutes, so we can squeeze you in."

"Oh, thank God. I'll be right there." She hung up without another word. So dramatic.

I sighed and hurried to the back. "Britt," I called as I got there. "Nail emergency in five."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "What's her name?"

"Elise."

She groaned. "Great. I remember her." She downed the last of her sports drink. "I'll be right out."

"She's likely in the lobby as we speak." Sure enough, someone was tapping the bell.

"Pampered princess can afford to wait."

"In other words, you're telling me to just go out and deal." The tapping grew fiercer.

"Basically. Have fun." She stood and stretched.

I rolled my eyes but went to the lobby where Elise was banging on the bell on the counter. As I came around, I grabbed the bell. She glared at me. "Where were you?" she demanded.

"Making sure our nail artist was ready," I answered sweetly. She didn't have a comeback for that, so I sat the bell on the counter again and began walking towards the nail station. She followed, practically breathing down my neck. "Please, have a seat and Brittany will be with you shortly."

"Does no one understand the meaning of 'emergency' around here?" she screeched.

I narrowed my eyes at her, wanting so bad to respond, but not speaking. Britt came out right then with Kenny in tow. "Ah, there's Brittany now," I said in the same sweet voice. "Let me know if you need any help with anything else." I headed back to the desk.

People like her were the sole reason I wanted to quit. I loved being able to do makeup and I even got enjoyment from styling hair, which was odd considering. The theater was the highlight of my week, and I loved my boss. He was helpful and kind and understanding. The people I worked with were fun when you got to know them, and I even liked most of the customers. I loved it when kids came in and I got to hold them while their parents had their hair or nails done. Those were definitely highlights.

A shriek came from the nail station. I hopped up and ran over. Elise was panting and glaring so hard at Britt that I was sure lasers were going to shoot out of her eyes at any moment. It took a long moment, but I spotted a streak of black polish on her white miniskirt. I fought the smirk. "What's wrong?"

Elise shrieked, "Fire her!"

I held up my hands. "I'm not the boss here. I'm just a receptionist."

"She ruined my skirt!" Her voice was so high that it sounded like a whistle almost.

Mr. Scott came over. "I highly doubt she ruined it," he said calmly. "Now, let me see." She held out her skirt so that the stain was very visible. "Ah, yes. My wife knows exactly how to get that out. Now, if you would be so kind as to go, change, and bring back your skirt, I would be very glad to bring this home to her."

Elise glared at him, but at least her voice was back to its normal levels when she said, "Thanks."

He nodded. "Now, there's no charge for this service today, and you may trust that I will discipline my employees involved in this."

"You'd better do something to them," she snarled in Britt's direction.

Mr. Scott looked at her a long moment. "Have a good day." He turned and walked away. Elise made a show of leaving the room. Kenny, Britt, and I looked at each other for a long moment. Then we burst out laughing.

I got control first and pointed at them. "Who spilled the nail polish?" They both held up their hands. "It wasn't an 'accident', was it?" They shook their heads and began a new round of laughing. I walked back to the front desk, tryng to reign myself in. Dad raised me to never do that kind of thing, even if I really, really want to, and I was sure he would be upset at me laughing like this. I sat at the desk, trying to focus on the ringing phone.

We worked steadily after that until close, so no one had a chance to say anything to me or ask why I had walked away. Well, until I was waiting for Larry. Shay and Britt came up to me. "Hey," Shay said. "We were thinking about Friday night. Would you like to come hang out with us?"

I looked at them for a long moment. "What are you guys doing?"

"The usual. We hang out with Kenny after his shows and then go back to one of our places for the rest of the night."

I hesitate. "I don't think I could spend the night, but sure, I'll hang out."

Britt shrugged. "Fine. Later!" She darts off to a car idling by the curb. I sigh and look for Larry, but he doesn't show. After five minutes, I'm alone. I pulled out my phone and made a call to someone who lived nearby.

"Hey, gorgeous," comes George's voice.

"Hey. Can you come get me? I'm at the salon and Larry forgot to get me."

"He what?" He sounded almost as surprised as I was. "I'm on my way, Daze." Rustling fabric came through the line. "I should be there in a few minutes. Hang on."

"Don't talk and drive," I warn him.

"I can do it."

"Don't." I hang up and stuff the phone in my pocket. While I'm waiting, I pace. I'm grateful it's not a cold night. In fact, it was pretty warm by Boulder's standards. Soon, a truck that sounds familiar comes down the street and parks at the curb. I climb in and George takes my hand. "Thanks for getting me."

He kisses the back of it as he pulls away from the curb. "No problem. I wasn't doing anything but homework. Besides, I didn't want you standing around out here in the dark."

"I didn't either." We rode the rest of the way in silence while he randomly kissed the back of my hand and smiled over at me. When he pulled in my driveway, I saw everyone's car was there: Dad's, the car I share with Larry, and Aunt Millie's. "Isn't that-"

"It is. Someone's in trouble." I sighed. "Thanks again for the ride." I kiss his cheek and open my door. "Drive safe." He gave me a smile and kissed my hand one more time before letting go. I got out and he waited until I was safe inside before he left. I took off my shoes and picked them up.

"Where were you?" Dad asks when he sees me walk by the kitchen.

I stop and take a step back to look in at him. "At work. Where I usually am."

"You're late," he says. "And someone dropped you off."

"Larry didn't come get me. I had to call George."

"He didn't?" He stood and walked past me to the stairs. "Larry!" A door opened and my brother scrambled to the stairs, a phone in one hand. When he saw me, his eyes grew round. "You forgot your sister?"

"Uh," was all he seemed to be able to say.

Dad crossed his arms. "We'll talk about why you didn't get your sister later. For now, you're handing over your phone and going to your room. I'll be upstairs in a minute." He held out his hand.

"I've gotta go," Larry mumbled into the phone and hung up. He reluctantly came down the stairs and gave his phone to Dad.

"Thank you. Room. Now." Dad pointed and Larry trudged back to his room. Once we heard the door close, Dad turned to me. "I'm so sorry no one came for you, sweetheart." He hugged me. "I'm busy in the kitchen, but if you want to come talk, I have plenty of time to listen." He kissed my hair and walked away.

I went upstairs and into Larry's room. He jumped when the door opened but relaxed when he saw it was just me. "Oh, I thought it was Dad."

"He's working from home," I told him, shaking my head. "What were you doing that made you forget?"

He turned red. "Talking to Maria." I crossed my arms. "I'm sorry, Daze."

I sighed. "It's okay. This time." I started to leave but paused. "I'm going to my room to finish my homework. I don't want Dad to find me here. See you in the morning." I began to leave again and close the door, but I stuck my head back in. "If you even remember to go to school." I pulled my head out in time to avoid a pillow and closed the door, laughing.