Big Love(22)

“You’re both nuckin’ futs,” Carol said. She turned around and walked to the back of the kitchen. “I’m changing out of my uniform, and then this bus is leaving the building.”

“If you’re referring to yourself as a bus, that’s a downright falsehood. You have a very nice caboose,” Miracle said.

Carol spun back around. She was so flustered by the compliment she was momentarily speechless.

“Aw, c’mon, Carol. Go with us to get our hairs cut. It’ll be fun!” Zing coaxed.

“I don’t have the time or money for such foolishness,” Carol said. But anybody could tell her heart wasn’t in it.

“Pshaw! I’m paying,” Miracle said. “This is my treat and I won’t take no for an answer.”

Carol harrumphed loudly and went into the changing room.

“I don’t want to go without Carol,” Nell said in a small voice.

“You’re both going with us,” Miracle ordered. “Now, go get your duds on.”

“But. . . I don’t. . .” Nell stammered.

“Listen, Zing wants to make it up to you. It’s part of her karmic journey, and you’ve got to help her do it,” Miracle said.

“Don’t listen to them! They’re a bunch of New Age freaks!” Carol called out from the changing room.

Zing put her hands under her chin, raised her eyebrows, and gave Nell her big, sad eyes look, which she had perfected by watching the Puss in Boots movie.

Nell laughed. “Oh, all right. You talked me into it.”

“Yes!” Miracle said.

Nell scurried off to the changing room, saying, “I’ll be right back.”

“Now, we have to work on Carol,” Miracle whispered to Zing. “I want her to go with us.”

“Okay,” Zing said. She glanced at the changing room and frowned. “But how are we going to do that?”

“Just watch this,” Miracle said.

Those three little words made Zing nervous. She’d heard enough about the “just watch this” moments in Miracle’s life to know that it could lead to disaster. Like that time Miracle said ‘just watch this’ right before drinking a pitcher of margaritas and riding the mechanical bull. She didn’t walk for a solid week after that one. Zing sincerely hoped this wasn’t one of those times.

“You know, Carol,” Miracle called out, “If you don’t go with us, Zing will need you to sign a waiver that states she cannot be held responsible for Nell’s safety. You know what happened last time Zing was supposed to be watching her.”

Zing hung her head and said, “Do you have to keep bringing that up?”

Miracle slung her arm over Zing’s shoulders. “I had to use it. It wasn’t really your fault. It was that Dove person’s fault for texting her while she was walking.”

“I still feel bad. I should’ve been paying more attention. It’s not easy being a guardian angel with ADD.”

“Hell’s bells, honey, what’s done is done. You’re remedying the situation and that’s what counts,” Miracle said.

Carol came out of the changing room wearing a pair of faded Levis, a black T-shirt and black combat boots. “What’d you say about signing something?”

“Oooh, don’t you clean up nice,” Miracle said, her voice low and flirty.

Carol rolled her eyes, but the blush creeping up her neck showed exactly how pleased she was by Miracle’s compliment.

“I think you should come along for Nell’s moral support. Stop fussing and just do it. You know you’re not letting her go with us unless you can supervise. So, get that cute li’l butt of yours in gear and say you’ll go with us,” Miracle said.

Carol’s mouth dropped open.

“Close your mouth, sugar. You’re gonna catch flies that way,” Miracle said.

At that moment, Nell came out of the changing room. She wore a pretty yellow sundress with tiny white flowers and strappy sandals.

“You clean up nice, too,” Zing said. Miracle laughed, and Zing, realizing that maybe she shouldn’t have said that, covered her mouth.

Nell smiled at her. “Thank you, Zing.”

Carol grabbed Nell by the elbow and pulled her out the back door. “Let’s go get this over with,” she said without much conviction.



***

Sammy’s Fabulous Salon was within walking distance of the bakery. Everything in the Wentworth district was within walking distance, which was the appeal. It was also why, despite the high rent, Nell and Carol had put the bakery in the center of it. Sammy’s Fabulous Salon was decorated in hot pink with zebra print accents, played a loop of famous diva songs, and was filled with every sort of woman. Sammy was dressed in a one-piece zebra-print Lycra suit and high heeled shoes that put Elton John, during his Crocodile Rock stage, to shame. The heels were made from clear acrylic and had tiny zebras inside.