Selah opens her mouth, then closes it. “All right. Tell you what, why don’t I finish up here while Emma accompanies you to the salon and spa?”
“You’re not cutting my hair.” This is not a suggestion. This is a statement.
“It won’t be me taking her, I’ve got a meeting. Someone else will have to wrangle the new girlfriend.” Emma sips at her champagne. “You do need a trim, though. I can see the split ends from here. And a keratin treatment and some highlights wouldn’t hurt you either.”
“Her skin is going to take some work,” adds Selah. “And those brows…”
Emma nods. “The ragged claws you’re calling nails definitely need fixing.”
“I’m not even going to comment on the length of her leg hairs.”
“You just did.” I frown. What a pair of assholes.
“C’mon, Alice,” says Emma. “I’m sure Mommy Dearest already gave you the lecture. You know, can’t embarrass the fam followed by you’ll still look like you—just the best most expensive version of yourself. That sort of thing.”
“Yep.”
Emma just shrugs. “What can I say? She’s mostly right. This is mostly for your own good. Not to be unkind, but people were asking who the hobo with Beck was yesterday.”
“What?” I ask. “Wow.”
“Yeah. It’s harsh.”
“Very.”
“And I kind of have to agree with them,” says Emma.
“I don’t think I like you after all.”
Selah laughs. “No one likes her.”
“Oh, my sweet summer child.” Emma’s smile is benevolent. “We’re not here to be liked. We’re here to get shit done. You think you’re getting new threads because Grandma actually likes you or wants you here? It’s because she wants Beck back under control. At least, I’m guessing that was her message to Mama yesterday. Best make the most of all of this while you can because you never know what tomorrow will bring. Now quit your whining before you give me a headache.”
I say nothing. Sometimes keeping your mouth shut works best. And she’s not telling me anything I didn’t know or at least suspect. But still…to be honest, when it comes to today’s shenanigans, I’m more averse to the idea of people trying to inflict change on me than I am to getting pampered. It’s worth remembering that Beck likes me how I am. At least, I think he does. He never mentioned me being fundamentally lacking in all the ways and needing the overhaul they clearly intend to perform. Maybe it slipped his mind?
No. Nope. This I will not believe.
This is all such a trap. The clothes and accessories and so on. When do you stop and feel like you’re enough? Pretty enough, smart enough, good enough? There’s an edge of desperation to it all that makes me uneasy (even more so than general). And yet I want to fit in and make Beck proud. But look at me, I’m like the anti-Selah. Big where she’s little, clumsy where she’s graceful. No way will I ever compare. Guess I’m just going to have to settle for being me. Albeit a slightly slicker version of same.
“I’ll take her to the salon and spa,” says Selah in a not so happy tone.
“Aw,” says Emma, “what a lovely bonding experience that’ll be for the two of you.”
I down the Dom. It’s not bad. “Fine, I’ll go. But I can find my own way. I’m sure Selah has better things to do. Where did the clothes I arrived in go?”
Selah doesn’t even hesitate. She also doesn’t meet my eyes. As liars go, she kind of sucks. “Probably sent to the dry cleaners. Wear one of the new outfits.”
“Are you lying to me?”
Emma cackles like an evil witch on her way out the door. “Have fun, ladies!”
“Selah, did someone throw my stuff out?” I ask with more than a tad of aggression. “Because that is not okay. At all.”
Her eyes and mouth widen. Not sure if it’s fear or surprise or what. “Now, Alice…”
“You are fucking kidding me.”
And Selah gives me a most put-upon expression, accompanied by a heavy sigh and tired eyes. “Look, I’m not sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Rachel’s instructions for you were detailed, to say the least.”
Curbing my need to swear is a major victory. These people are the worst. If anything has happened to my Austen shirt I will burn something down.
“But I’ll see what I can do about finding them.”
“Thank you.” I do not sound appreciative, but oh well. It’s been a long day.
“As for the other matter…look, we don’t have to like each other. Given the situation