"God, this heat!" panted the woman with the thick, curly hair that fell all the way to her backside, as she practically collapsed through the door.

Mia's shoulders sagged the moment she saw the name of the day's first guest in the booking log.

"Oh no. Poor Nico!"

"You can't do this to me, man."

At the sound of Nico's anguished voice, the salon fell silent in an instant. Rosita pulled her hand back from Lara's, gripped the back of her chair, and turned around.

The rain fell like a soft curtain, cutting the salon off from the noise of the street. Lara sat with her chin propped on her palm, waiting for her first client. Nico rocked back and forth in the styling chair, hands limp in his lap.

Lara took her time getting ready for her client. She refilled the box of disposable gloves, wiped down the UV lamp until not a single speck of dust remained, then straightened the rows of nail polish bottles until every label faced the same way.

Mia crept up behind Nico, who was sitting in the styling chair leafing through a magazine. She had already raised her hand to grab him by the shoulder when her eyes fell on the lingerie catalogue in his hands.

Nico stepped into the still-empty salon wearing a satisfied smile. He eagerly rummaged through the black woven basket hanging from his arm, packed with decorative odds and ends.

Dolores sat on the salon couch, wringing her hands. Mia watched the computer screen while her fingers clicked lightly over the keyboard. Lara painted indigo-blue polish onto the nails of a college girl studying for exams.

"Hello? Anybody here?"

Nico checked the time. Lara and Mia were both supposed to be out in the salon. He didn't move.

"Can I help you?" Lara asked the stern-looking woman in the outdated skirt suit as she walked into the salon.