Chapter 26: Read the Room
The Dream House
Book One
Monday mornings always felt rushed.
By eight o'clock my apartment already looked like a tornado had passed through.
Sketchbooks lay open across my dining table.
Paintbrushes soaked inside a glass jar.
Half-finished illustrations leaned against the wall waiting for inspiration that hadn't arrived yet.
I was currently sitting cross-legged on the floor surrounded by reference photos, trying to finish a commissioned portrait due that evening.
My phone vibrated.
I ignored it.
Another vibration.
Ignored again.
Then another.
I sighed.
"Luna..."
Without looking, I reached for my phone.
Eight unread messages.
Eight.
From Luna.
I smiled before opening the first one.
Luna:
Maya...
Thirty seconds later...
Luna:
Maya...
Another message.
Luna:
Girl answer your phone 😂
Then...
A picture.
It was the waiting area inside Imani Barbershop.
Selena sat with her legs crossed, typing on her laptop.
Ruth was braiding a little girl's hair.
Sinnad was giving someone a haircut.
Everything looked normal.
Until the next picture.
A woman.
Tall.
Beautiful.
Long dark hair.
Designer sunglasses resting on her head.
Cream-colored trench coat.
Confident smile.
She wasn't standing in line.
She wasn't waiting.
She was standing directly beside Sinnad's chair.
Too close.
My phone buzzed again.
Luna:
Ummm...
Then...
Luna:
I think that's the ex.
I zoomed into the picture.
She was beautiful.
The kind of beautiful that knew she was beautiful.
There was confidence in the way she stood.
Almost ownership.
Another message arrived.
Luna:
She's annoying.
I laughed.
That wasn't enough information.
I typed.
Me:
What happened?
Almost instantly...
Luna started sending voice notes.
I pressed play.
"Maya..."
Her whisper sounded dramatic.
"I swear this woman walked in like she owned the building."
I laughed.
The next voice note.
"She didn't even say hello."
Another.
"She literally walked past three people waiting."
Another.
"And..."
Pause.
"...she asked Sinnad why he hasn't answered her messages."
I stopped smiling.
Another voice note.
"He politely told her he'd talk after work."
Another.
"And then..."
Luna actually gasped.
"...she said..."
The recording paused for a second.
"'Since when do clients come before me?'"
I blinked.
Seriously?
Another message arrived.
Not a voice note this time.
Just one sentence.
Luna:
Selena looked up.
Now I was interested.
Very interested.
The next voice note began.
"You know that silence Selena does?"
Oh yes.
I knew.
"The scary one."
I laughed out loud.
Luna continued.
"The ex kept talking."
"'I don't know why you're pretending to be busy.'"
"'I'm standing right here.'"
"'Five minutes won't kill anybody.'"
Luna lowered her voice.
"I looked at Selena."
"She slowly closed her laptop."
"I knew..."
"...somebody was about to learn a lesson."
I nearly dropped my phone laughing.
The next recording started.
Selena's voice.
Calm.
Controlled.
Professional.
Almost too calm.
"'Excuse me.'"
Luna whispered dramatically.
"Everybody turned."
"'There are six paying clients currently waiting.'"
"'One little boy whose haircut starts in fifteen minutes.'"
"'An elderly gentleman who's been patiently sitting for twenty-three minutes.'"
"'And three parents trying to get their children home before lunch.'"
Pause.
"'If you care about him...'"
Another pause.
"...'why would you ask him to disappoint all of them for your convenience?'"
Silence.
Complete silence.
Luna whispered.
"The shop..."
"...went..."
"...silent."
I could almost picture it.
The ex smiled politely.
The kind of smile people wear when they're trying very hard not to lose their temper.
"That's none of your business."
Selena nodded once.
"You're absolutely right."
Another pause.
"Fortunately..."
She calmly packed away her laptop.
"...respect is everyone's business."
Nobody moved.
Nobody interrupted.
Selena wasn't raising her voice.
She wasn't attacking.
She wasn't embarrassed.
She simply stated a fact.
Then...
Without another word...
She reopened her laptop.
Continued typing.
Conversation over.
Luna whispered into the phone.
"Maya..."
"...I've never seen somebody lose an argument so politely."
I laughed so hard tears filled my eyes.
Another message appeared.
A photo.
The ex had finally stepped away.
Not because she'd been forced.
Because there was nothing left to say.
Sinnad glanced toward Selena.
Only for a second.
He gave the smallest nod.
Barely noticeable.
A silent...
Thank you.
Selena didn't nod back.
She simply kept working.
But...
Luna noticed something.
Of course she did.
Luna:
She smiled after he looked away.
Tiny.
Almost invisible.
But she smiled.
I stared at the screen.
Then slowly typed.
Me:
Don't tell her you told me.
Luna replied immediately.
Never.
Three seconds later...
But I'm definitely telling you everything.
I shook my head, laughing.
Some friendships...
Really were gifts from God.