Chapter 12: Nails
*Keep taking time for yourself until you’re you again. – Lalah Delia*
“Miss Helen!” Freddie exclaimed when she and Bunny walked into the nail salon. “We were worried!”
It had been two weeks since she had been in to get her nails done. Bian was excited to see show off her wedding pictures. And that she had worn the bracelets that Miss Helen had gifted her.
“I’m sorry. I had car problems.” Helen apologized with a sincere smile.
“Don’t worry, I’m here!” Bunny laughed as Helen entered her phone number on the keypad. “What’s that for?”
“Rewards program.” Helen smiled.
“Maybe I should sign up for that.” Bunny mused.
“Oh, Miss Helen, I have gift for you.” Freddie said pulling an envelope out if a drawer.
Helen removed the card and looked at the elegant writing inside it.
*Helen, your kindness made my niece’s day so much better. Please accept this small gift as a thank you. Uncle Owen*
“Oh, the girl that sat next to me last time.” Helen smiled. “Her date to the fall dance dumped her the day before and her uncle was going to take her. I hope she had a good time.”
“Helen, you really are the best. Now tell me, what’s first?”
Helen smiled at Bunny. “Mimosas.”
“Lead the way.”
Helen walked around to the massage pedicure chair that was already set up for her. Bunny sat in the empty chair next to her. She pulled up her pants leg and understood why Helen wore Capri pants.
“Miss Helen!” Bian cried out as she rushed over to the station. “You had me worried!”
“I’m sorry, Bian.” Helen blushed as the young newlywed hugged her. “How was your wedding?”
“I have pictures.” The young Vietnamese woman sat on her rolling stool between the two women.
The three women looked at wedding pictures while two other technicians did their pedicures. Her wedding was a blend of Vietnamese traditions and American culture.
The red wedding dress and white bridesmaids dresses had shocked her American in-laws. There were several pictures of her bracelets as she held her bouquet. Her bridesmaids had red silk fans instead of bouquets.
Her groom, Nathan, and his groomsmen wore black tuxes with red vests over stark white shirts with mandarin collars.
Bunny pulled out her phone and they oohed and awed over her wedding to Ty six years ago.
“You were beautiful bride.” Bian told her.
“Not as pretty as you. God, I wish I had worn red or purple or something other than two shades above pasty white girl. I look so…”
“White?” Helen suggested with a grin as she looked at the screen.
“I was going to say pale, but yeah, let’s go with white.”
Bian smiled at Bunny. “You two are like vanilla and chocolate. You have pretty babies.”
“Not yet.” Bunny said shaking her head no.
Bian laughed as she put her phone away and started on Helen’s nails. Pearl moved to the other side of Bunny and started on her nails also. Freddie refilled their mimosas as they continued to talk.
Looking at her purple toe nails with gold flowers and purple nails with gold ombre sparkles, Bunny decided that this had to happen more often.
“Pearl, go ahead and book this chair every Saturday morning from today until the end of time. And about two weeks after. God, Helen, you are a genius.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” Helen laughed as she held her matching nails next to the other woman’s.
“Whatever.” Bunny laughed. “We have to show off our nails. Let’s do brunch.”
Bunny told Helen to keep her gift certificate, today was on her. Bunny then drove them over to have brunch at a little café just off the square where they sat near the fireplace. Bunny recommended the English breakfast and Helen was amazed at the amount of food placed in front of them.
“Don’t worry, I’ll eat it all.” Bunny laughed. “I have a hyperactive thyroid and hypoglycemia, so I eat a lot. A whole lot. The men tease me about what I’d be like pregnant.”
Bunny’s eyes widened as she realized what she said. Helen reached over and squeezed her hand.
“I know. I’ve known for a while. My boy is happy and loved. That’s more than I’ve ever had.”
“Oh. Helen, you are loved. It’s time for you to love yourself.”
“There’s nothing there to love.”
“I bet there is. Between now and next Saturday, I want you to find three things about yourself that is lovable.”
“Are you being Dr. Bunny, now?” Helen teased.
“I guess I am. I promise to stop if you promise to think of three things about you that are loveable.”
“I can do that right now.” Helen beamed. “Jaxon, Jolene and JD.”
“Being a great mom only counts as one.”
“But-.”
“Uh. Uh. Uh.” Bunny shook her head cutting the other woman off. “Once you gave birth, they were no longer a part of you. But you are, without a doubt, a great mom.”
“Hi ladies, I’m Reagan, sorry it took me so long to get over here.”
“You’re fine.” Bunny smiled at the waitress. “I want the English breakfast; over easy, wheat toast and coffee.”
“Alright. And you, Miss?” the woman wrote it down on her pad.
“I’m looking for something healthy and lot less than that.” Helen said apologetically. She hated the idea of someone having to do a lot of work for her.
“Do you like avocado toast?”
“I’ve never had it.” She murmured.
“Do you like avocado?”
“Yes.”
“Perfect. What about tomatoes? Eggs?” Reagan asked and Helen nodded. “How about avocado toast on wheat topped with pan seared cherry tomatoes and a poached egg?”
“That sounds wonderful.”
“It does.” Bunny agreed.
“I love it. Throw in a few slices of lean bacon and you hit all the food groups. And it’s relatively healthy.”
“Let’s do it.”
“Great. Coffee?” Reagan asked adding to her notepad.
“Yes, please.” Helen agreed and the woman nodded.
“Helen,” Bunny said. “I’m going to have to come back and try your toast.”
“It’s not my toast.” Helen blushed.
Reagan gave a soft chuckle. “It shall henceforth be known as Helen’s toast.”
“What was it before?” Bunny asked.
“Avocado toast on wheat topped with pan seared cherry tomatoes and a poached egg with a side of lean bacon.”
“Helen’s toast is much better.” Bunny laughed.
“It is. We’re working on new menus and giving names to some of our more popular items. I like Helen’s toast.” With a smile and a wave to another table she excused herself.
“See how awesome you are? They’re naming food after you.”
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