“Perfect. I’ll talk to you then.”
Sonia ended the call, knowing she shouldn’t have been surprised that it had been so easy. She had the scripts in reasonably good shape since she’d been working all day. She went to the bathroom mirror, feeling the need to make some kind of declaration of the change in her perspective.
Maybe it was time to look less like her twin. She already had a tattoo that Katia didn’t. Katia dressed differently, but what if Sonia changed her look more, and developed her own style? Her jeans and T-shirts and yoga gear was invisible in its own way, blending in with the crowd, especially at the club. What if she stood out more?
The idea had such resonance that Sonia knew it was the right answer.
She also knew what she wanted to do: she’d always wanted to have her hair colored.
The salons were closed, but Kyle’s wife, Lauren, had owned a salon before their marriage. She’d once told Sonia that she’d love to style her hair, if Sonia ever felt like a change. Sonia looked through her contacts but she didn’t have Lauren’s number, so she called Kyle.
“Sonia!” He said, answering immediately. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
There was something about Kyle that always made Sonia smile. “This is going to be a blow to your ego,” she warned him.
“I’ve braced myself. Go for it.”
“I was actually hoping to talk to Lauren, but I don’t have her number.”
Kyle made a cry of anguish. “Passed over for the favors of my beloved. I’m crushed. My sole function is to act as her receptionist.” He dropped his voice low. “There was a time…”
“I know. I was there. Women hanging on your every word,” Sonia teased. She realized that she thought of Kyle as the big brother she’d never had. He was someone to tease, who made her laugh, but who could be relied upon.
Kyle laughed. “The days before responsibility and paternity. Hang on.” He wolf-whistled and Sonia winced. “Hey Lauren, catch!”
There was a thump and a clatter, some laughter, then Lauren spoke. “Are you still there, Sonia?”
“Yes!”
“I thought the phone might have broken. What a goof he is sometimes.” She spoke with such obvious affection that Sonia knew Lauren liked Kyle’s pranks just fine.
“I resemble that remark!” Kyle shouted and Sonia smiled.
“What can I do for you?” Lauren asked.
“I’m going to do a yoga podcast for the club and I’d like to change my look a bit,” Sonia said. “I was wondering if I could take you up on your long-ago offer.”
“Absolutely. Does your hair curl when it’s shorter?” Lauren asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve always had it long like this.”
“Well then, it’s time to find out. It’ll grow back if you don’t like it shorter.”
“Can you do color?”
“Sure. What are you looking for?”
“Pink,” Sonia said with conviction. “A zillion shades of pink. Cherry to peony to fuchsia and everything in between.”
Lauren laughed lightly. “That’ll work. I can already see it.” She audibly drummed her fingers. “Time for a plan. We’re in quarantine after our flight from California, but you’ve been self-isolating, right? It would be easier to do it here at the house since I have all my hairdressing stuff here. Do you want to do this today?”
“I’d love to.”
“Then how about a trip to Mamaroneck? When can Kyle come and pick you up?”
And it was arranged as easily as that.
All Sonia had needed to do was ask.