The Price of Luxury
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. She fanned out the color swatches, gave them a few absent-minded flicks through the air, then hung the ring back on the edge of the shelf.
She enjoyed the silence.
The salon only truly felt like hers when she was alone. She might have owned the place, but once everyone else was there working alongside her, it no longer belonged only to her. They all shared it equally—the very people without whom she couldn’t have kept the business going.
When she’d bought the salon and decided to go into business for herself, she’d known it was a bold move. If she couldn’t find other beauty professionals to join her, she’d be in trouble. Even so, she’d wanted this place. The elegant combination of black, gold, and white had captivated her the moment she’d first stepped inside. She’d known instantly she wanted to work there.
She sensed Mia’s arrival before the young woman even opened the door.
The scatterbrained receptionist seemed to carry her boundless energy and permanent good mood into the room ahead of her. Lara couldn’t help smiling whenever she thought of the blonde with the laughing eyes.
“My God, it’s already so hot this early in the morning!” Mia exclaimed as she walked in. “I love summer!”
Lara gave an uncertain shake of her head. She preferred spring.
“Do you know who my first client is?” she asked. “I honestly can’t remember.”
Mia didn’t even have to look at the computer.
“Whew… she’s so gorgeous your jaw’s going to hit the floor.”
Lara stared at her.
“How do you remember her that well?”
A blush spread across Mia’s face.
“Because you don’t just forget a face like that… or a body like that.”
Lara raised an eyebrow.
“You mean…”
Mia waved her hand impatiently.
“No! But you’ve got to admit she’s insanely hot. A total knockout.” She sighed. “Although,” she added reluctantly, “it was a little strange that she booked through Nico instead of me.”
Lara laughed.
“Like most young women.”
Mia rolled her icy blue eyes.
“The older ones are obsessed with that baby face of his too.”
Lara pretended to keep herself busy so she could retreat into her own little world for just a few more minutes before the day’s relentless grind began. Once the first client arrived, there was never really a break, even if there happened to be a quiet spell. It just wasn’t the same. She’d end up helping Nico—sweeping around him, washing up, answering the phone.
“Why don’t you disappear for a little while?” she said suddenly, surprising even herself. “I’ll manage with this ‘knockout.’ Go down to the river and get some sun. Take my blanket too. It’s in the bottom drawer of the kitchen cabinet.”
Mia’s mouth fell open.
“Lara, I’d love to—”
“Go before I change my mind,” Lara said with a gentle smile.
Mia visibly wrestled with herself for a few seconds, then grabbed her bag and hurried out the door, forgetting the blanket.
Lara barely had time for a sigh before her client arrived.
The young woman drew attention the moment she walked in. Beneath her unruly bangs, she stared defiantly at the world, her lips naturally pursed into the faintest pout. Her long, thick ponytail, tied high on her head, swung with every turn of it.
She tossed her handbag onto the reception counter and strode over to the manicure table. Still pouting, she fixed Lara with an unwavering stare before pulling her phone from the pocket of her loose linen trousers.
“I want these. Can you do them?”
Without a flicker of expression, Lara took the phone. She studied the picture carefully, then gave a brief nod.
Long, elegant almond-shaped nails. A milky white base with a delicate pearlescent chrome finish that caught the light differently with every movement. Thin strips of gold foil on the ring fingers, tiny crystals at the base of each nail. The toenails matched: the same milky white with a touch of gold on the big toes.
Meanwhile, the young woman’s phone buzzed almost constantly. Notifications flashed across the screen one after another. Every so often she’d casually pick it up, scroll rapidly through them with her free thumb, then toss it back onto the table.
“So… is this your first day here?” she asked suddenly, with unsettling calm.
Every muscle in Lara’s body tightened.
She raised an eyebrow. Instead of answering, she leaned closer.
The woman nodded toward the hand resting between Lara’s.
“I mean… let’s be honest… this isn’t exactly high-end work.”
Lara instinctively glanced toward reception. Only then did she remember she’d sent Mia down to the river. Finding no one to fall back on, she lowered her eyes and examined the finished nails again.
“What exactly aren’t you happy with?” she asked gently.
Her fingers rested lightly against the young woman’s wrist.
The client jerked her hand away.
“It’s just not refined enough,” she said curtly, then looked over Lara’s shoulder. “Where’s your boss? Or that girl everyone’s been raving about?”
One of Lara’s eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly. Otherwise, not a single muscle in her face moved.
“I am the owner,” she said softly. “And I’m the only nail technician here.” After a brief pause, she added, “If you’d like, I can give you thirty percent off.”
This time she glanced toward the empty reception desk with quiet relief. Mia would have been making faces by now.
“Fine. Whatever,” the woman muttered, getting to her feet and walking over to the counter.
Lara followed without a word.
“How would you like to pay?”
The woman shrugged.
“Card.”
“Go ahead.”
Beep.
“Done? Can I go?”
“I’m sorry, it was declined. Let me try again.”
Another beep.
The young woman let out an irritated sigh.
“Well?”
“I’m sorry. It was declined again. Do you have another card?”
“I’ll pay cash instead,” she snapped.
Without the slightest concern for her freshly done nails, she started rummaging frantically through her handbag before pulling out a turquoise wallet decorated with white butterflies. Her hand trembled as she struggled with the zipper. After several failed attempts, she finally managed to open it.
Inside were nothing but scraps of paper.
“Fuck… this is the wrong one. I completely forgot I moved all my money into my new wallet. I only bought it yesterday,” she babbled. “I moved everything over because that’s the one I’m going to use… then somehow I left that one on the table and grabbed this one instead… fuck…” She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. “What the fuck am I supposed to do now?” she blurted.
Lara stood motionless, her face unreadable as she watched the woman’s desperate floundering.
“You know what?” she said evenly. “You weren’t happy with the nails anyway. Let’s just leave it.”
The young woman still wouldn’t look at her. She shoved the wallet back into her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and headed for the door.
“Yeah… I guess that’s true.”
A moment later, all that remained in front of the reception desk was the empty space where she’d been standing.