Читать книгу FUN Can Be Murder - Jacqueline Fleming - Страница 5

Rounding the corner she ducks into the salon, “Kathryn, dahhhling, you’re never late!” her stylist playfully admonishes.

“For heaven’s sake, Enrique, it’s only three minutes after four!” she cries, greeting him with kisses on both cheeks, “Oh! And I’ve decided to come back tomorrow for the cut and color if you have availability.”

“I always have time for you dear. What do you need today then?”

“I just need a partial up-do, I have a dinner date.”

He raises his eyebrows and shoots her a look. He’s been doing her hair since she arrived from the States and she has never used the word “date” plans yes, date – no. “Well, well, well, what have we been up to, Ms. Kage?” he teases.

Blushing, she quickly tries to downplay everything, “Oh! It’s not like that at all. I happen to be going out to dinner with a new friend, that’s all.”

“Just going to dinner, he continues to tease, that’s all… with whom will you be having dinner with that requires a partial up-do, surely not one of your girlfriends?”

“Well, no, not one of my girlfriends, but a friend.” she insists.

“I’ll let you off the hook for now but don’t think for one minute that you can come in here tomorrow afternoon being all coy with me,” he laughs, “I want all of the juicy details!”

“I’m sure there won’t be any juicy details” she says making air quotes with her fingers while saying juicy details, “but I will be happy to share with you what I have for dinner tonight.”

Laughing, “Honey I couldn’t care less what you eat for dinner, I want to hear about what you have after you eat dinner!” Blushing again at his words she’s relieved when he changes the topic to her hair. Kathryn has beautiful light brown hair with honey highlights that is naturally curly. Not a frizzy mess of twirls, but long cascading bunches of ringlets reaching just past her shoulder blades. She oftentimes thinks about cutting it, after all shouldn’t women in their forties wear shorter hair? Hesitant to change something she’s so comfortable with, she never goes through with it.

“What are you wearing tonight, hon?” he asks waking her from her self examination.

“Excuse me, did you say something?”

“Yes I did, daydreamer, what are you wearing tonight?!”

“I haven’t the faintest idea!” she giggles “I haven’t had a moment to think that far ahead. A dress I guess.”

As he lifts part of her hair, “How about something like this? Simple yet elegant”

“Perfect.”

Nearly one-and-a-half hours later he presents a large mirror so that she can see how it looks from behind and says, “Viola!”

Gasping, “Enrique, thank you! You did such a fabulous job as always!” she gushes, very pleased with the results. Looking in the two mirrors she sees that he took the front half, wrapping it up and to the side in behind her head causing all of her curls to cascade down the right side of her back leaving a few tendrils of curls framing her face. Just as he said it would be, simple yet elegant.

Glancing at the clock, five-fifty, I better get upstairs, she thinks to herself. Kissing Enrique on both cheeks he says, “Knock ‘em dead honey, you’re more gorgeous than usual.” in his best Barbra Streisand impression, and with that she smiles and leaves.

Lost in her thoughts as the elevator reaches her floor she hurriedly exits the elevator running smack into her neighbor, Stan Goldman.

“Where are you off to in such a hurry, Kathryn?”

“Stan, hello, it is so nice to bump into you – literally” she says smiling, “I’m off to meet a friend and I’m running a little late.”

“Looks to me like you’re going to a lot of trouble for this friend, have I met this friend of yours?”

“Oh no, but I will be sure to introduce you at the first opportunity that presents itself. Enjoy your evening, Stan.” Kathryn says as she steps closer to her apartment.

“I look forward to it.” he says curtly as he enters the elevator. In his mind he’s cursing her, damn her! She is obviously meeting someone that is more than a friend! What could he possibly offer that I can’t? I’ve asked her out several times and she always had something to do! “Damn her!” he exclaims audibly to himself, pulling himself together as the elevator reaches the lobby.

As Kathryn closes the door behind her, she reflects on his curt response. (I wonder why he got so testy… I mean I know that he’s asked me out a couple of times but I thought he was just being neighborly. After all, she reasons, he is in his sixties and very fatherly. Aside from eating and breathing, we have nothing in common, nor are we alike in any way. He is not a particularly handsome man, nor is he unattractive. Average. That’s a good word for him. He is average looking with an average face, average thinning hair, average body, with an average paunch. Granted, he is a very successful businessman, but I have learned over the years, money does not equal happiness. It makes life easier, but not happier. She put an end to her thoughts of Stan and turned them to the task at hand… what to wear!