Short Stories from Wing's Authors.

The Manicure

by

Joan Conning Afman

“Can we get a manicure?” Kim asked. She cast an anxious glance at her watch. “The shower is at four. Maybe we don’t have time…”

“We do if we hurry,” Courtney replied. “Let’s go to The Glorious Nail. It’s right around the corner.” She picked up her pace. Her bulging shopping bags bounced against her legs. She glanced at her sister. “Think Sarah will like her gift?”

Kim gave an exaggerated shrug. “It’s Ralph Lauren. What’s not to like?” The two sisters, slim and blonde and blessed with girl-next-door prettiness, attracted appreciative looks from males of all ages and envious glances from the women as they reached the door of The Glorious Nail. Red and gold dragons framed a doorway that clumsily attempted to remind customers of an Asian temple. “No waiting, Fast service” promised a large, hand-lettered sign in the window.

“Manicure? Yes. Pedicure? Yes. Come this way,” they were instructed by the young dark-haired Asian host at the desk.

“Oh, we don’t have time for both --” Kim began.

“We do if they’re fast,” Courtney said. She looked at the young man. “We need to be out of here in half an hour, okay?”

“Okay!” He grinned, his black eyes glinting. “You sit here!” He indicated two black leather seats, side by side.

“Oh, this feels so good,” Courtney sighed. They closed their eyes and relaxed as the scented hot water, spewed by multiple jets, massaged their feet. Time slipped gently by without their being aware of it. Suddenly Kim’s eyes flew open.

 “Court! It’s been over half an hour!” She looked around in agitation for their manicurist. He was nowhere to be seen and no one paid them any attention. She stood up and stepped gingerly out of the tub.

“Hey, you!” The little man came running, his white shirt flapping.

“Get back in there! I with another customer. I take care of you shortly!”

Kim sat down abruptly and stuck her feet back into the water. “We’re running out of time,” she told him. “We need to get this done and get out of here.”

“Not to worry,” he snapped, disappearing once again. Half an hour later and out of patience, Courtney stood up.

 “Let’s go,” she said tightly, her lips pressed thin. Kim nodded and rose. They slipped their sandals onto their wet feet.

“You! I tell you sit down!” The diminutive manicurist bore down on them in a fury. “I be with you now!” His voice rose to a shrill scream. Other customers looked up from their magazines and craned their necks to see.

“We have to leave,” Courtney informed him curtly. “It’s been over an hour!”

The little man shook in fury. He picked up a chair and aimed the four legs, like a machine gun, at the two young women.

“Rat-a-tat-tat!” he barked. Kim and Courtney backed toward the door of the shop. Kim, her mouth open in amazement, raised her hands as if in surrender. The manicurist followed them, enraged, shooting at them with the chair.

“Rat-a-tat-tat! Rat-a-tat-tat! You never come back here, ever!”

Water squished from their sandals as they ran from The Golden Nail. A few minutes later, approaching Kim’s silver Mercedes, Courtney held out a slender hand and looked at it appraisingly.

“An awesome manicure,” she remarked, with a sideways glance at Kim. “Maybe the best ever.”

“I’ll say,” Kim agreed. “I really love this color.” Courtney nodded.

“We’ll have to go back there. Soon.”

“Definitely,” Kim said. “Really soon.”