Page 15 of Vicious Sentiments

I shrink in the robe. Neither Cape nor Marney seemed interested in my age, but Dillon is looking at me like he wants to call foster care or some authority.

“I’ll be eighteen in three months,” I say from beneath my hair.

“And she’ll be staying here until then.” Margo turns to Dillon, her voice matter of fact.

Dillon looks around her at me and then at his sister.

“She’s closer in age to Marney than Julian,” He says.

“Don’t I know it,” Margo huffs. “But she’s staying here.”

“What, till she’s legal and then it’s okay?” Dillon’s face turns sour. “I’m younger than Julian and even I wouldn’t—”

“That’s enough.”

“Yeah, that’s enough, Dillon,” Marney adds. “We have an appointment to make.”

Margo turns slowly with her hands on her hips. “You did not call Mipsy.”

Marney smiles sheepishly and giggles.

“If you don’t want to go, Hailey, I can cancel it.”

I tug on the end of the robe. I don’t want to go because I can’t pay but sitting here in this conversation seems like the bigger of the two evils.

“No, it’s okay.” I try to smile down at Marney. “We can go.”

“Yes!” she cheers. “You’re going to love it!” She hops off the chaise and runs past Dillon.

“You out too!” Margo shoos him. “I have to find something for Hailey to wear.”

He gives me one last look and something on his face tells me that this isn’t over.

Chapter Fourteen

The salon isn’t bad. Actually, it’s wonderful. Margo was taken to a private room but Marney has been with me the whole time. We got pedicures and then she tried to force me into a massage, that I might have given into, if it wasn’t for my broken rib. But the facial was like a dream. They smoothed and scrubbed and put decadently scented creams onto my skin.

Now, I stare at myself in the reflection of the mirror as Mipsy, the stylist, adds some finishing touches to my hair. I’m awe-struck. My heavy long brown hair seems lighter and fuller at the same time. It’s wispy yet thick as it falls into layers of glossy locks that shape my face and still reaches past my breasts. Mipsy tried to offer bangs but settled with a long curtain fringe. I just couldn’t let go of the hair that keeps me safe.

Marney is in the chair next to me, cross-legged, with her phone in her lap. She’s been telling me all about Taylor Swift and some athlete Travis Kelce, which she talks animatedly about as if they are her own friends and she sees them every day. The chit-chat feels warm, and I want to lean into it but I don’t know how. I’ve never had a girl to gossip with. I just nod and smile at what I think are appropriate times, and she seems fine with it.

“All done.” Mipsy pushes my hair forward. She’s an edgy forty-something who could pass for twenty with all the bangles on herwrists and the leather choker she’s sporting.

I lean forward in the chair and tug on the ends. It’s so beautiful I could cry. The hair paired with whatever they did to my skin makes me look like a movie star.

“Thank you.” I turn to her as she puts down the shears.

“I really didn’t do much. Just added some layers.”

I want to believe her but I look so much different. Whatever magic she worked, I never could have done myself. I never got to go to the Supercuts near the Winn Dixie in Bridgerock but I doubt they would have been able to do what she did.

“Now put on the dress!” Marney has tucked her phone away and has come to stand beside me.

I frown at myself in the mirror. We had stopped in a cute boutique where Margo pushed item after item at me, and even when I protested, she bought all of them. Marney had tacked on the Belle Luna pajamas in black but then she became obsessed with a dress that Margo would not budge on letting her wear.

It’s a silk blue scrap of fabric that has a slit up the hip and a plunging neckline with virtually no back. I could see why Margo wouldn’t let Marney buy it and when she wouldn’t budge, Marney pushed it onto me. Saying that if she couldn’t have it then I absolutely needed it.

Margo didn’t bat an eye and added it to the collection of new clothes for me, which included a pair of black heels that Marney thought would look cute with the dress. There was no trying to get her to understand that I would have nowhere to wear the dress or the shoes, but she didn’t relent.

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