called Ever Green that I think is really pretty.â
âDoes it go well with stripes?â Hannah asked. âBecause I was thinking about stripes today.â
Brooke turned her head from where she was polishing Clementine Sternâs toes. âPerfect with stripes,â she said. âEspecially if you pair it with White Out or Silver Celebration. Those both look really good against Ever Green. I tested some out yesterday when the box of new colors was delivered.â
Aly finished the final clear coat atop a Red Between the Lines manicure for Uma Prasad, a sixth grader Aly knew from school, and then led her to the drying area. On her way back to her station she stopped to ask Charlotte, âWho do I have next?â
Charlotte looked at the clipboard in front of her. âYouâve got Tuesday next,â she said. âThen Daisy and then Parkerâpedicures for the first two girls and a manicure for Parker.â
Aly nodded just as Tuesday walked in the door.
âHi, Tuesday,â Charlotte greeted her. âYouâre with Aly today. Just pick your color and sheâll get started.â
Aly headed over to the second pedicure chair, to the left of the one Brooke was using. She loved how well the Sparkle Spa ran now and how many regular customers they had. Pretty much all of their clients returned once theyâd had their nails done there the first time.
Just as Aly was helping Tuesday up onto the chair, she heard a voice yell, âStop everything!â
Aly did stop. Brooke did too. And Sophie. But Charlotte did not. She kept blocking the doorway.
âHey,â she said, âyou donât have an appointment.â
âThis is not about appointments!â the girl yelled, and then pushed passed Charlotte.
Aly heard Brooke groan.
It was Suzy Davis. Aly should have guessed. Ever since kindergarten, Suzy and Aly had beenenemies, but just this year, things had gotten a little better. Then Suzyâs uncle had married Joan, Aly and Brookeâs favorite manicurist at True Colors, and Aly and Suzy had been junior bridesmaids together at the wedding. Because of that, they ended up kind of friendly. Not best friends or anything, but certainly not enemies anymore.
âHey, Suzy,â Aly said. âWhatâs going on?â
Suzy thrust a doll out in front of her. The doll was wearing a dress the color of Cotton Candyland and had straight, dark, silky hairâkind of like Sophieâs, except Sophieâs was longer.
âLook,â Suzy said. âDoesnât her hair look gorgeous?â
Aly shrugged. âSure,â she said. âBut whatâs the big deal?â
Suzy cleared her throat. âI have figured out a way to make the Sparkle Spa the best spa in all the world.â
Brooke stood up and put her hands on her hips. âIt already is the best spa in all the world, Suzy Davis. Weâve had this conversation a million times already.â
Sophie nodded in agreement.
Suzy just rolled her eyes.
But Aly was curious. Even if Suzy was a pain and didnât say things in the nicest way possibleâor even in a way that was nice at allâshe did have good ideas. âWhatâs your idea this time?â Aly asked her.
âHaircuts!â Suzy said, thrusting the doll forward again. âI just cut this dollâs hair, and it looks better than the haircut you got last month.â
âHey!â Aly said.
She waited for Brooke to say something, because Brooke always said something to Suzy Davis when she was mean, but Brooke was silent. Aly looked over, and her sister seemed deep in thought.
âSo,â Suzy continued, âI think that you should turnpart of the Sparkle Spa into a hair salon and that I should offer haircuts. Especially since your mom said I couldnât join the salon with my spectacular makeup services.â
Twice, once at Auden Elementaryâs carnival and once on the schoolâs Picture Day,
Ruth Wind
Randall Lane
Hector C. Bywater
Phyllis Bentley
Jules Michelet
Robert Young Pelton
Brian Freemantle
Benjamin Lorr
Jiffy Kate
Erin Cawood