Page 1 of Love in Beauty

chapterone

Carmen Vega

The bellon the door shop rings as another customer comes in, and I look up from my current client Edna to welcome them to Cupid’s Beauty Shop when I see my mãe sauntering in. My parents being born and raised in Brazil before coming to America made a promise to themselves. I’d know how to speak both languages especially so when I went back there to see where they met and had their epic love I would be able to speak the language. For a fifty-year-old woman, she acts like she’s my age, twenty-five.

“Mãe, you’re late. I’m already behind schedule.” I walk over to my mom, snapping at her. I love my mom more than anything in this world but she’s acting like a teenager most days. I’m sure it’s because ofPai’sdeath ten years ago. I know she’s lonely and has certain desires as she tells me constantly when she’s on her app Golden Oldies, which is for singles in their fifties and older. She’s wearing the same clothes she left in last night and a smile so big it lights up the room. I can’t fault her.Paiwas the light of her life and ever since he died, it left a hole in her life and now she’s finally ready to move on and live her life on her terms and no one else’s. It sucks for me because as the only child, all of her responsibilities fall onto me.

“Oh, relax,filha. I’m here now for a few hours before Fernando picks me again. That man has an appetite for all things, Sylvia Vega.” She laughs and her friends who like to hang around the salon waiting on the latest town gossip laugh with her.

“Mãe, no. I’m leaving early today. Remember, I’m going to that wedding in Boston. I’m leaving tonight and staying until Sunday. You’re watching the salon today and tomorrow.”

She rolls her eyes at me. “I’m canceling the appointments. I have plans.”

If I was a cartoon character, I’m pretty sure steam would be out of my ears. “You can’t do that because we need the revenue to cover the bills. This wedding is important to me.” The bride is one of my closest friends who I met when I went away to college. I always knew I’d do cosmetology school, but I also needed a business degree so I could better run the salon since Mãe and Pai didn’t know how to do it. I was thankful they let me leave Cupid’s Cove for two years to get my degree in Boston. I met Stephanie, Marsha, and Emily my first year. We’ve remained friends ever since. We even have a girls’ vacation every year just to keep the connection strong with us.

“There is more to life than work. If you had a man, you’d know that, Carmen.”

“I know there is more to life than the salon. All I’m asking is for you to help me keep the salon up and running. Can’tFernando,” I mock his name, “wait until I get back on Sunday?” I’m almost begging at this point.

“Sylvia, do this for your daughter. She does everything for you. She works almost eighty hours a week while you work maybe ten, so you can what, date multiple men? Give her a fucking weekend.” Edna speaks up. Edna is Mãe’s best friend. I smirk behind my Mãe’s back as she turns to scowl at her best friend.

“Edna, butt out. Fine. It seems everyone knows better than me.” She rolls her eyes as she grabs her phone which I can only hope to text Fernando. I hug Edna.

“Thank you, Tía.” I wink at her.

“You better have some fun because she’s going to make sure that she’s never here now. I’d put a help wanted sign out there or you’ll be the only stylist in here.” Tía Edna remarks at me not trying to draw attention because I hate personal salon business being the center of town gossip especially when it comes to my family.

“I already am. She has two clients waiting for her not including you and where is she? She’s off in the backnotgetting ready for her clients. I’m happy she wants to date again. I know what losing Pai did to her, but why am I the adult and she’s the teenager? It gets tiresome being the one in charge. This is a partnership. She reaps the benefits of my work while I’m the one dipping into my savings to cover everything.”

“I never understood why your mãe is behaving like this, but she needs to either buy you out or step up. I don’t give a flying fuck she’s your mother. This is a business. When you get back from this wedding, sit her down and tell her the cold, hard truth.” I nod and hug her. “I’ll be there with you because she won’t be able to pull the ‘I lost my husband at forty’ bullshit line on you again.” She winks at me as she goes to the counter to run interference. I get back to my client to finish curling her hair since she was just a cut and style. My mãe stays in the back for about an hour until I do all the clients she had booked. I ended up having to do hers and mine.

“Are you even going to work today?” I ask her when she finally emerges.

“Excuse me? Don’t talk to yourmadrein that tone,” she snaps.

“I’ve been doing your work and mine today. You had three clients waiting for you and you knew they were here, but you ignored them.” I take a gigantic sigh and Edna stands there, nodding. “Mãe, you have two options. While I’m gone this weekend, you need to think about things. The first option is I buy you out of the partnership and run this salon by myself and you no longer own it; or option two, you step up and be my business partner. I love you, but I can’t keep doing this with you. I will dock you the hour you sat in the back. I redid the clients from this morning to be added to my books, so I got paid for them and I’m keeping their tips.”

Her face goes red.

“Your father wouldn’t allow you to speak to me this way. I can’t believe you would act this way toward me, your own mother, a widow.”

Edna snorts behind me.

“Act towardyou?Pai wouldn’t allow you to treat me this way!” My voice raises. “I’m your daughter and yet every chance you get, you walk all over me. You don’t care one bit about how I feel or how exhausted I am doing the job of five people in this business while you come and go as you please. Mãe, I’m happy you’re living your life because Pai wouldn’t want you to sit around being miserable. I need you as a business partner because you’re already a fantastic mãe.” I smile at her.

“Kiss ass,” Edna barks at me, and we all laugh.

“I’ll try to get out of my ass more and be a better partner for you. I’m not giving up on working with you. How about we set aside some time next week where the three of us have dinner and work out a schedule where we both can have a day off? I need to step up and be the partner you can be proud of.” She hugs me and her body shakes, so I know she’s crying. “I love you, my little one.”

I smile into her shoulder.

chaptertwo

Sebastian St. James

Bostonin the winter is dreary, and I hate it. I sigh as I gaze out my apartment window. My sister’s wedding is tomorrow, and tonight is the rehearsal dinner. Weddings bring up terrible memories of my ex and how she almost tore apart my sister and me. I can’t help but smile down at the text message on my phone.

STEPHANIE: I can’t wait until you meet my friends. Thanks for letting us stay with you. Don’t forget Carmen is getting in tonight to help with a few last-minute things and to get some downtime from work to have some fun. She’s a huge lifesaver and I want to make sure she enjoys herself. Is it still cool she stays with you too?

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