The Salon – Part 25

Constructive Criticism

The warm summer rain drummed softly and steadily against the salon's glass door and front window. Mia's sleepy face brightened when she saw on the monitor that their first client would be Vera. At least Vera would shake them awake.

In the tiny kitchen, Nico was making hazelnut-milk coffee for all four of them. Its cozy aroma filled the front of the salon. Gael had set aside the day for rearranging the massage room, and a faint rustling drifted out through the door. Lara filled the foot spa with water and switched it on. Its discreet hum added a third voice to the morning's hushed little concert.

"Make one for Vera too," Mia told Nico.

No answer came from the kitchen, but the telltale creak of an upper cabinet door, followed by the sharp clink of a porcelain cup, said Nico was already on it.

A few minutes later, tall, slender Vera was on the doorstep, sputtering. She left the door hanging open behind her and stuck her huge umbrella out into the street.

"This goddamn, rotten rain," she grumbled. "And don't give me that 'oh, but we need it' and 'it's so useful' crap." She held up her free palm. "I get it, I know, but my fucking shoes are soaked." She raised her hand even higher. "Obviously I could've worn another pair, I'm aware of that too, but I'm in a shit mood today and these are the only shoes that go with it."

With one foot out on the sidewalk, she gave the umbrella a thorough shake, then rammed it into the tall, wide stand in the corner between the door and the couch.

She flung her bag among the throw pillows and collapsed into the pedicure chair with a whimper.

As usual, Lara silently slid the foot spa in front of her fiery client. She waited until Vera had blown off enough steam and settled enough to be spoken to.

Tray in hand, Nico watched the young special education teacher make herself comfortable. As soon as both of Vera's feet were submerged in the pleasantly warm, bubbling water, he walked over to Lara's table and set the cups down in front of them. Vera's mouth fell open.

"Nico, I can't believe it! I even get coffee? And it smells incredible? Man, you're the best."

"Anything for the clients. Especially when they're in a bad mood."

Vera clapped a hand over her face.

"Ugh, don't even get me started!"

Clutching her own coffee, Mia scooted closer. She sat down on the client couch and didn't take her eyes off Vera. Lara leaned back in her chair.

"While your feet soak, you can tell us what's eating you. And by the time I've got your nails sorted out, maybe we'll have found a solution."

"Ugh," Vera sighed heavily. "I really fucked this one up. They set a trap, and I walked right into it, doing a happy dance."

Mia propped her elbows on her knees to get as close as she could. She'd even forgotten to blink.

"Well, come on, spit it out…" she pressed.

The special education teacher closed her eyes and tipped her head back.

"Some idiot decided we needed a team-building workshop." She swallowed hard, her neck at an awkward angle. "The brilliant assignment was to pair off, go somewhere private, and give each other constructive criticism. I got some little bitch, young, who's actually not a bad person and pretty good at her job."

She sat up, picked up her cup, and took a sip. Her nose wrinkled and her upper lip curled. She didn't comment, though.

"Did it go badly?" Lara asked gently.

Vera rocked her head from side to side.

"Well, you could put it that way. First I told her it was bullshit and I wasn't going to hand out any criticism, because everybody does their job the best way they know how. What matters is that the kids progress and have a good time while they're at it. So she started pushing, how this was a great opportunity, this is the modern approach, everybody should be crazy open and honest and whatever. Then she added that she thought I was one hell of a professional, the little ones adore me, but it wouldn't hurt to wash my mouth out with soap now and then. And then, giggling, she tacked on: 'Not that there's enough soap in the world to clean a mouth this spectacularly filthy.'"

Lara, Nico, Mia, and Gael, who was listening in from the massage room, gasped in outrage in unison.

"Please tell me you're joking," Mia fumed, as if not a single swear word had crossed Vera's lips all morning.

"Nope! And the poor thing got everything from me, stuff I swear I didn't even know I thought about her."

"Uh-oh," Nico mumbled into the palm he'd pressed over his mouth.

"Oh, you have no idea… I told the poor woman that if she seriously thought she could stuff herself with garlic, eggs and canned fish all day while knocking back coffee two cups at a time, then that revolting green apple gum wasn’t going to cut it. She’d need at least the soap she’d mentioned to get rid of the smell. And like an idiot, I even said the kids probably made such good progress with her because they were trying to get away from the teacher who smelled like a cesspit. "

She let out a despairing groan. Lara slumped forward onto her table. She found the whole thing both dreadful and hilarious, but she didn't dare laugh. Mia squeezed her eyes shut in agony, as if that could chase away the scene playing out in her imagination. Nico hurried off to the kitchen.

"So what happens now?" Lara asked quietly, once she'd managed to pull herself together.

Vera sucked in her lips and stared blankly ahead.

"I told the bosses that if they don't want grown-up bawling on top of the kids' crying, they should leave me out of this crap. They agreed, so I don't have to go to this afternoon's team-building. And get this," she added with a smile, "it's now in the rules that everyone has to brush their teeth before every session, and shower if necessary."