One of Us Is Dead(12)

She whipped off her sunglasses and smiled at Keisha and me. Her makeup was heavy. She was overcompensating for the loss of her marriage—that much was obvious. My heart broke for her. Shannon was a housewife. It was how she had introduced herself the first day we had met just over three years ago. “I’m Mrs. Shannon Madison, wife of Congressman Bryce Madison,” she had said. It was her identity—until it wasn’t. Now, another woman held that title. As humans, we define ourselves by the things we are most proud of—being a mother, a salon owner, a free spirit. But what happens when you lose that? Who do you become?

“Hi, Shannon. We’re so glad you could make it in.” I walked to her and kissed both her cheeks.

She hugged me a little harder than she usually did. I knew she needed it, so I hugged her tightly, rubbing her back with one of my hands. We released one another when she was ready, and I smiled and nodded at her. She nodded back. Her eyes moistened. She took a deep breath, and her eyes lost their glisten almost instantantly. She had been practicing composure. Keisha and Shannon hugged and exchanged pleasantries.

“What can we do for you today?” I asked.

“First, champagne. Then, the works. Head to toe. Every treatment and service you have, I want it. I want to leave here drunk and beautiful.” She laughed, but she was very serious.

In the time I had known Shannon, she had always been so put together. She wasn’t a big drinker, and she rarely lost control. She did juice cleanses and every fad diet under the sun. She took care of herself. This Shannon wasn’t one I was familiar with, but I understood she was hurting and clearly trying to numb the pain.

Keisha grabbed a bottle of champagne and popped it. She poured a glass and set the bottle beside her, while Shannon took a seat in the salon chair.

“Beauty is my specialty,” I said as I wrapped a cape around her.

“And booze is mine,” Keisha added.

“Then I’m in good hands,” Shannon laughed and looked at both of us. She raised her glass and drank the whole thing in one big gulp.





8

Shannon


My hair was dyed, cut, and styled. My body had been exfoliated, waxed, massaged, and spray-tanned. My lashes were full, and my eyebrows were tinted. My makeup was perfectly done, lighter than I had asked for, but I trusted Jenny’s advice to go for a subtler daytime look. My fingernails were drying, Keisha was working on my pedicure, and I had switched from champagne to white wine. I was thoroughly buzzed and feeling extremely beautiful and confident, something I hadn’t felt in a while.

Jenny and Keisha delivered as usual, and by midafternoon we were talking about the divorce. I never intended to, but there’s something about salons and booze that bring out the truth in you. Mix them together and you’ll spill your guts. They were both understanding and supportive, asking all the right questions and dishing out all the right compliments and all the much-needed man-bashing remarks.

“Now that you’re single, has anyone caught your eye?” Keisha pried.

“A lady never tells,” I said with a laugh and a hiccup.

“Oh, girl!” Keisha fluttered her eyelashes and switched to painting my other set of toes.

“It’s nothing like that,” I said, flicking my wrist. “I still love Bryce, and I have hope that we’ll get back together one day.”

Keisha and Jenny looked at one another and drew their brows together. I knew they thought I was crazy to say that, but even with everything Bryce had put me through, I still loved him. We were good together. He was just having a midlife crisis, a very long midlife crisis. Jenny leaned against her salon station. Her forehead wrinkled. I knew she wanted to ask me something, but Jenny was always so careful, never wanting to offend anyone.

“Oh, just say it, Jenny,” I said with a huff. She walked over to me and topped off my wineglass with more Chardonnay. Between the champagne and the wine, I was nearly two bottles deep. My words were coming out freely with a southern drawl on the end.

“Do you really think Bryce will come back to you? He remarried,” she said.

“He divorced once before. He can do it again,” I said matter-of-factly.

Keisha and Jenny nodded. I know they didn’t agree and probably thought I was delusional. But they’d see. They would all see. Bryce hadn’t been interested in me when I first pursued him fourteen years ago. He was too focused on his career. But I changed his mind, and I could do it again. Throughout our marriage, I had always warned him that I’d be the worst ex-wife he’d ever have, because I never forget and I never let things go, including ex-husbands.

“They say if you love someone, let them go, and if they don’t come back, go and get that asshole yourself.” I chuckled.

Keisha laughed, and Jenny gave me a look of pity but quickly turned it into a small smile.

“Got any plans for the evening?” Jenny changed the subject.

“I have to finish prepping for the gala next week, turn in some expense reports and whatnot. I missed a couple of committee meetings, but regardless, this event is going to be incredible. It has to be. I haven’t been able to get ahold of any of the board members today to finalize some details. Speaking of them, has Olivia been in here?”

She had been dodging my calls for months now. I didn’t quite understand it, but I hadn’t been able to wrangle her in to figure out what her deal was.