First, she got on Pinterest and looked up “classy manicure” but determined quickly that stuck-on Swarovski crystals were probably not Lena Cates, Esq.’s idea of sophistication. She pressed the intercom button on the phone and rang the housekeeper.
“I’m not sure how to do this, and it seems stupid, but all my nail polish is at my apartment an hour across town with traffic. Do you have any, like, polish remover and maybe a clear lacquer?” she asked, a little embarrassed.
“I’ll have something sent up, ma’am,” was the woman’s formal reply.
Marj felt like she was about to be called to the headmistress’ office or something. She waited, hoping there was something she could use to take off the messy polish. She had an emery board in her purse that thankfully hadn’t been confiscated at TSA as a potential weapon, so she shaped her nails and started looking up common household items that could be used to remove polish. Half an hour down the rabbit hole of questionable amateur Internet chemistry, she got up to answer the door. The housekeeper held out a tray; an honest to God tray with nail implements and solutions, and nine bottles of polish.
“I do apologize for the delay, Mrs. Cates,” the housekeeper said.
“No, it’s cool. Thanks,” Marj said, mystified.
She tried to take the tray from the housekeeper, but the women drew it back, recoiling in what almost amounted to horror that Mrs. Brandon Cates would carry an actual tray with her own wealthy hands. The woman placed it on a nearby table and asked if there would be anything else.
“No, I’m good. Thanks,” Marj said.
When the housekeeper told Marj she had a guest, she wondered who. Maria, her next door neighbor, had stopped by.
They sat in the living room and chatted.
“Well,” I won’t stay long,” she said, hanging on to her cane. I know you have to get ready. I just wanted to say hi.”
“It’s great that you stopped by.”
“Are you coming back?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Oh, Marj…”
“Don’t worry. I’ll still come and see you, just like before.”
They talked and Marj filled her in on everything except the fake part.
“You just picked a billionaire up and married him?” Maria asked. “Just like that?”
Marj snapped. “Just like that.”
“He’s a lucky man. I can’t wait to meet him.”
“Thanks. You’ll love Brandon.”
She patted my hand. “I know I will.”
“So Maria, when did you get back into the dating game?”
“When you introduced me to Tinker.”
“Tinder,” Marj corrected.
She giggled. “Yes. I found an old high school friend by accident. He’s funny, and charming, and quite the hottie. We’ve been hitting it off. He pushes me around in the wheel chair, and we explore museums, bookstores, and theaters. I would’ve never thought my perfect partner was only a click away.”
“What made you decide to do it?”
“Well, I thought…you’re over the hill when your back goes out more than you do.”
Marj laughed.
Maria’s eyes twinkled. “And I wanted to go out more than my back. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever want another relationship. You know I had a long and happy marriage. But after years all alone, I realized that I did want to enjoy life with that someone special.”
“I’m glad you’re so happy.”
“There’s no question in my mind that I had to do it…before there was no question in my mind. You know I’m forgetting everything. I want to go out and have fun while I still can.”
Marj grinned. “It’s wonderful. You’ll have to introduce us very soon.”
“I will.”
Marj said goodbye and she had a car take Maria home, so she didn’t have to pay for a taxi. It was a great visit and Marj loved seeing her. She missed her like crazy.
She went back upstairs and perched on the edge of the chair and inspected the bounty of manicure supplies. She swiped away her old grotty polish and greedily tried stripes of the new colors to see what she liked. Therein lay the rub. She liked the grapey purple, maybe with the silver glitter over just the tips. But she was going to have dinner at the Cates family estate and disco nails didn’t seem apropos, even for Marj.
Her dress was red. She should have neutral, well-groomed nails, she decided with a sigh. Removing the various colors she’d painted on to try, she chose the creamy beige and did a credibly neat job of painting her now-boring but totally proper nails. Thinking slyly of her closed-toe shoes, she stripped off her socks and painted her toenails bright purple just for the hell of it. She could be business on top, party on the toes, she thought—a regular mani-pedi mullet.