Page 79 of Bless This Hot Mess

“You were gonna…?” Ronald side-eyed Carrington scandalized and intrigued.

“Oh no! I wouldnever. I’m not a Ferrari,” Carrington said, hand over heart. “I just suggested that whenever I feel down, I do a little makeover. And Ialwayswanted to give Emma-Lou bangs.”

“And look at her now,” Suwarna said, admiring the fringe. “That valance and drapes areto die for. Sorry.Livingfor it!”

“Thank you,” Carrington and Emma-Lou said together with a shared smile.

“So instead of crying into your fudge cake…” Emma-Lou suggested, turning back to Rebekkah.

“No one likes a cake that’s been left out in the rain,” Suwarna pattered, unable to resist.

“Let’s do a makeover!” Emma-Lou finished triumphantly.

“I have everything ready… just in case someone suggested this,” Carrington said, sliding a chrome caddy of tools out from under the desk like a secret weapon. “Rebekkah, I have three sample styles for you to choose from. I took the liberty of reading through every 1999 issue ofPeopleandUs Weekly, which kept me from a lot of other work.”

“Mmm hmmm,” Suwarna hummed with a hint of judgment.

“Suwarna, am I or am I not the stylist to WWJD’s stars?” Carrington asked archly.

“You are,” Suwarna conceded.

“So, staying up on the latest trendsispart of my job,” Carrington concluded.

“Rebuttal accepted. Proceed,” Suwarna said, amused.

“Though it was arduous, I have narrowed it down to three celebrity hairstyles that I’m confident will fit your somewhat long face,” Carrington said, already lifting a comb.

“I’ve been crying!” Rebekkah squeaked.

“No, I mean… never mind,” Carrington said quickly. “Okay, we could do a longer bang like Julia Roberts–a classic, very loose fringe that falls away naturally from the face.”

“Beautiful,” Rebekkah breathed.

“Or something more like Anne Heche. She’s really doing a kind of pixie cut with like… what would you call those long bits over the ears? Like the flaps on a deerstalker hat?” Carrington tilted the magazine so Rebekkah could get a better gander.

“I’m not sure…” Rebekkah answered, touching her ears subconsciously, and trying to imagine what it would feel like to have built in ear-warmers teased out of her own tresses. “Does the pixie cut have to come with the ear flaps?”

“Fair question. I’m not sure. But I also want to show youthe Carrey,” Carrington said, pointing to the picture next to Anne Heche.

“Jim Carrey?” Rebekkah blinked.

“You have a very similar bone structure,” Carrington said, earnestly.

“Oh,” Rebekkah said, deciding to take that as a compliment.

“He’s doing a high and tight on the sides and then a super fun, super wacky, but also super stylish messy look on the top. If I had to choose for you…” Carrington flipped back through the magazine, but Rebekkah stopped their hand and turned back to the Heche/Carrey page.

“That one!” Rebekkah blurted.

“Really?!” Carrington said, delighted.

“I believe in you. I mean, you made Emma-Lou look like this. Gorgeous. You’re the stylist to the stars at WWJD–do it!” Rebekkah said, squeezing Carrington’s hands with encouragement.

“Okay,everyone,” Carrington said, clapping once. “Closeyour eyes. I work best without a lot of pressure. Wait, Rebekkah, before we start you should really make a wish and blow out your candles!”

“Yes!” Ronald agreed, enthusiastically. “Make it a good one!”

“Good thinking,” Suwarna said. “As head of parking and building maintenance the last thing we need is a fire when we all have our eyes closed!”