Page 54 of Tangled Up

“I wish Mr. Daigle fantasized about doing the laundry every weekend!” Mrs. Daigle holds up her hand for a high five. “And actually did it!”

Tears are in my eyes, and it feels so good just to laugh.

Dinner with Beck was so intense, and I’ve been so antsy and keyed up ever since. I wanted him to kiss me, but I told him we weren’t doing that anymore.

He didn’t really explain why he broke my heart, but he did apologize. He wants to make it up to me, but is that even possible? All I can think about are all those nights I cried.

“What’s going on with you?” Jessica leans in as she passes me on the way to the sink.

“Are you back in Eden to stay, Caroline?” I glance up to see Mrs. Daigle in her fresh helmet of hair fishing out twenty-five dollars to pay my friend.

She’ll wear that hairdo for a week and be back here next Thursday to get the same shampoo and set all over again.

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I love Eden. It’s my home, but I’ve got my work in Pensacola.”

“Caroline is a very important criminal psychologist,” Mrs. Garvey cries as Jessica leads her to the styling chair. “Your aunt told us you tell all those judges how to sentence these mentally ill patients, and they always do what you say.”

My face heats, and I think about how much is missing from that story.“That’s not exactly how it works. I make recommendations, and…”

“And they always take them.” Mrs. Garvey nods, giving me a knowing look.

“I remember when you were just a little girl.” Mrs. Daigle pats me on the arm. “You and that young man, Evelyn Munroe’s son… Beckham. You two were so cute together. It reminded me of the days when Mr. Daigle and I used to be your age. Always slipping off together.”

So much warmth is in her voice, I don’t have the heart to burst her bubble.

“I remember when his family owned almost all of this island.” Mrs. Garvey raises her eyebrows and shakes her head. “His grandfather had a taste for the liquor and the ladies. They had to sell off pieces of the property bit by bit to cover his debts. Why, if it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have half the tourists we have here now.”

“Those lousy tourists again.” Jessica turns her face to me, rolling her eyes.

“Oh, well, that’s all ancient history. Look at this, Jane.” Mrs. Garvey holds up a magazine she’s reading with a picture of a man with a terrifyingly large insect on his arm. “Did you know there are walking sticks the size of a grown man’s forearm?”

“Mother of pearl, Wanda! Why would you show me something like that?” Mrs. Daigle fans herself furiously. “You almost gave me a heart attack. I’ll never sleep now.”

“Holy shit.” Jessica leans forward to stare at the magazine. “Look at this, Carls.”

“No thank you!” I quickly lift my phone to my eyes, using it as a barrier between me and the nightmare.

My friend twists her lips. “Is it true if a walking stick spits in your eye, you’ll go blind?”

Lowering my phone, I squint at her. “Is it true if someone slaps you on the back when your eyes are crossed, they’ll stick that way?”

“You girls have been listening to too many old wives’ tales.” Mrs. Garvey’s voice lowers as my friend hands her the plastic face guard. “Although, my grandmother always told me that, and I’ve never tested it.”

“Can we get back to the good stuff?” Mrs. Daigle slides up beside me. “You didn’t answer my question. Are you and Beckham Munroe back together? My niece said her friend saw you together last night at Mamma B’s.”

“What’s this?” Jessica snaps her gum, giving me the eye.

Chewing my lip, I look down at the floor. “I actually did have dinner with Beck last night.” The hairspray stops, and the entire salon falls silent. When I glance up, I’ve got three sets of eyes fixed on me. “Did I sprout a second head?”

“You didn’t tell me you went out with Beck!” Jessica cries. “Are you getting back together?”

“Ugh!” Reaching up, I shove both hands in the sides of my hair. “I don’t know. He broke my heart…”

“Almost ten years ago!”

“Not quite… But I remember it very well.”

Jessica resumes covering Mrs. Garvey’s dome of hair with spray. Mrs. Daigle nods as she slowly closes the space between us, taking my arm.

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