My Summer of Pink & Green

by Lisa Greenwald

  “That’s not true. I did the hot-dog-eating contest.”

  “I gotta go. And we leave tomorrow to visit my cousins in L.A.” I hear the dinging sounds of his video game starting up in the background. “So I guess I’ll see you around.”

  He hangs up.

  Maybe I have been saying no a lot, but not all the time. I did the hot-dog-eating contest. And the other things weren’t my fault. I had Bevin to deal with and all the stuff at the spa. He should be able to understand that.

  I take one more look in the mirror before I head downstairs and notice I have a billion new freckles on the bridge of my nose and on my cheeks. That’s pretty much the best sign of a good summer, except so much of this summer hasn’t been good at all. I don’t get how that’s possible, but it just seems to be the way it is.

  “Ready to go?” Claudia asks me when I’m downstairs.

  “Yup.”

  “What’s wrong, Lucy?”

  “Nothing. I’m fine.”

  Claudia walks closer to me. “Yeah, right. I know you. You’re my little sister. I can tell how you’re feeling. And you’re definitely not fine.”

  “I’m fine!” I shout, and run outside.

  I wait for them by the side of the car.

  She’s right. I’m not fine. I know I’m not fine. My best friend hates me and my almost-boyfriend doesn’t want to be my almost-boyfriend anymore. Even my makeover project, Bevin, hasn’t called me back. I’m not even allowed to help at the spa I helped create.

  I am so not fine. And all I want is to be fine again. I just don’t know how to get there.

  When I get to the pharmacy, I try to just lie low and organize some shelves and stay out of everyone’s way. I have to admit that I’m a little nervous about Bevin. If she hasn’t called, she must be really upset, and if she’s upset, Gary is too, and if I could make myself invisible right now, I would.

  As soon as I hear the stairs from the upstairs apartment creaking, I make myself as busy as possible, taking all the shampoo bottles off the shelf and then putting them back up as neatly as I can.

  “Lucy. We need to talk,” Bevin says, standing behind me.

  My project is backfiring. I’m regretting my decision to give Bevin a personality and life-skills makeover. Suddenly she’s bold and confident and I’m about to be in huge trouble.

  “OK, let’s go over here, Bevin,” I whisper, and guide her to the Relaxation Room. Unfortunately, there’s a group of middle-aged ladies in there discussing the college application process. “Let’s go outside. I changed my mind.”

  Once we’re outside, I take a deep breath. “First of all, I’m really—”

  Bevin interrupts me. “No, I talk first. You totally ditched me. I barely know Annabelle and them and I thought you were going to meet me,” she yells. “And then they started prank-calling people in the grade, and they made me do it too. And I don’t even know these people!”

  People on the sidewalk are watching us have this conversation and I think it’s bad for business. We need to look happy and relaxing.

  “Bevin, I’m sorry, I thought you were OK to go on your own. And then I had to go to this meeting, and time got away from me.”

  “What meeting?”

  Uh-oh. Suddenly I realize I shouldn’t tell her about the business owners’ group. I don’t know how to get out of this one.

  “Oh, just Earth Club stuff, really, no big deal.”

  “Yeah, that’s another thing those girls were saying—you like projects. The way you made Sunny more confident when she liked Evan Mass, and how you’re now obsessed with making the school green, and of course all the stuff with Old Mill Pharmacy. They said the only reason you’re helping me is because I’m a project.” She pauses and sniffles a bit. “Not because you really care about me.”

  My throat goes lumpy. “Bevin, that’s not true at all. I … um … of course I care about you.”

  “Well, you say that now, but when I called you last night, you couldn’t even talk to me, and it took you forever to call me back.” She sniffles again. “Forget it, Lucy. I know the truth. You never liked me. You just needed a project because no one really wanted you involved in the spa opening.”

  Wow. That was harsh. I created a monster. I succeeded in turning Bevin confident and social, but now she’s also really mean.

  Bevin folds her arms across her chest. “Let’s just take a break on the life makeover, OK? And maybe also a break from each other.”

  I don’t respond.

  “Bye, Lucy.” She walks away before I have a chance to say anything else.

  feel like walking through cotton candy. The air is so sticky hot that it’s hard to breathe or even be outside for a minute. The only way to stay outdoors is to stay in the pool the entire time.

  Sunny and Yamir are off in Los Angeles. I haven’t heard from them at all, except for a text from Sunny at the airport saying good-bye and that our favorite book series is front and center at the airport bookstore.

  Gary signed Bevin up for some kind of sailing camp. Apparently he didn’t want her hanging around the store so much. Which really means he didn’t want her hanging around me so much.

  I’m a pariah. No one wants to be near me. Sad, but true.

  I guess the one needing a life makeover is me. And as soon as I figure out where to start, I will.

  Anais is constantly running around dealing with the inspection. I thought it would have been dealt with already, but apparently not.

  The funny thing is, all the people from that small business owners’ group have been e-mailing nonstop about inspection problems. That woman Ruthie is apparently the guru and knows how to fix just about any inspection issue, though. So they’re lucky to have her.

  Some of the new spa employees have already started working, and they have a few appointments each day. It’s more like an orientation, since the spa can’t totally open until after the inspection is complete. They seem nice enough, but I don’t really feel close to them yet.

  Even though I was pretty much told to stay out of official spa business, I still check the e-mails a few times a day. When a new e-mail comes in I write the appointment down in the official appointment book and I send the customer a confirmation e-mail.

  No one’s asked who’s doing it. Maybe they forget to check the e-mails. But I like doing it, and this way I’m at least doing something.

  I’ve also been writing back and forth with Sarabeth, the stressed-out bride, making sure all of her appointments are in order. She has eight bridesmaids and they’re all getting hair and makeup, plus her mom, her mother-in-law, and four grandmothers. That’s a lot of appointments, so even if they’re the only people who book for the grand opening, we’re still in good shape.

  “Yoo-hoo. Anyone here?” I hear someone saying. I don’t recognize the voice right away.

  I peek my head out from the spa reception area and see that it’s Mayor Danes. His chief of staff, Amelia, is with him, wearing a pencil skirt and white blouse. It’s really kind of amazing she’s not sweating through it. I guess she’s the kind of person who never sweats.

  “Hi!” I say, and walk over to them.

  “Oh, hello, Lucy!” Mayor Danes shakes my hand and I suddenly feel very official. “You’re just the girl I wanted to see.”

  “I am?”

  He nods. “Yessiree. I am working on the official press release for the grand opening. Can you believe it’s in two weeks?”

  I shake my head. I need to see a calendar. I wonder if we’re really even ready to open this spa in two weeks.

  “Well, I want to make sure I have everything correct, and I’d love to get a few quotes from you,” he says. “Also, I know you’re working on the Going Green proposal for the Old Mill School Board and I’d love to work that in.” He smiles a big politician’s smile.

  “OK.”

  “I can’t miss an opportunity to highlight our wonderful schools,” he adds. “Amelia’s going to record this so we have everything correct. Wher
e should we go sit down?”

  “Um.” I look around. I don’t see anyone. That hasn’t happened in a long time. “Let’s go to the spa office. It’s all new and beautiful.”

  I’m surprised Mayor Danes didn’t make this all official and set it up with Anais or my grandma in advance. I’m surprised he isn’t asking to talk to them. But I’m not complaining!

  We walk slowly into the spa area and I casually look around to make sure no one’s there. But it’s totally empty and quiet. I wonder if Anais called a special meeting and left me out on purpose. It sounds like I’m being paranoid, but that’s totally something she would do.

  I can’t believe how amazing I thought she was in the beginning. She’s one of those people who make a great first impression and that’s it.

  “Ready?” Mayor Danes asks Amelia.

  “Yes, sir!” she says in a jokey voice. She always looks very official and serious, but she can be funny too. I like that. She hits the record button on her iPad, and I start picking my cuticles out of nervousness.

  “So,” Mayor Danes starts. “I know the whole story behind this wonderful spa, but will you please refresh my memory?”

  I smile. Mayor Danes is such a kind man. I bet he could be president if he wanted to. He’d get the Republicans and the Democrats to get along really well just because he’s so nice. Sometimes I wonder if the secret to doing well in life is just being nice. Being nice and doing the right thing, and that’s it.

  Right then as I’m talking about the whole idea behind the spa and everything that happened, I realize that there are a few things I have to do. I need to be more like Mayor Danes. I need to always know the right thing, and if I don’t know it, then I need to try to figure it out. Sometimes you need to be the bigger person and apologize even if you’ve been hurt too. Sometimes you need to really try to put yourself in someone else’s position.

  As soon as I’m done with this interview, I need to do the right thing.

  “And tell me how the Earth Club at Old Mill Middle School influenced your work at your family’s pharmacy,” he says. One of his legs is crossed over the other and I notice that he has purple socks on.

  He catches me staring at them and he says, “Oh, I always wear purple socks.” He laughs. “You never noticed before?”

  I shake my head.

  “Yup. I made a bet with a student once. If he did his homework and got at least a B for the year, I’d wear purple socks every single day.”

  “Really?” I ask. “You were a teacher?”

  He nods. “Yup. For ten years.”

  It makes sense that Mayor Danes was a teacher, because he really cares about people, especially kids. He thinks kids can do as much as adults can. “So I really started going to Earth Club because of my best friend, Sunny. Her mom made her go and she wanted me to go with her, and so I did and that changed everything.”

  I hope he doesn’t include the mom-making-her-go part in the press release, but I can’t exactly tell him what to include and what not to include. But as I’m talking, I realize that so much of what has happened at the pharmacy and with the spa is because of Sunny. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I did take her for granted.

  It’s funny, but right now it feels like I just keep having epiphany after epiphany. It’s like this conversation with Mayor Danes is shedding light on all these issues in my life.

  I know he used to be a teacher, but maybe he used to be a psychologist too. Or maybe he’s just a really good listener and he asks the right questions.

  When we finish with the official interview part we sit talking, and he tells me all about his daughter who is a Rhodes scholar studying in London and his son who opened a gluten-free bakery in Seattle.

  “I’m so proud of them,” he says. “They’re good kids. They really know—”

  Our conversation is interrupted by shouts. Familiar-sounding shouts. My mom and grandma fighting. It’s weird, though, because I haven’t heard them yelling like this in a really long time.

  “I told you to handle the paperwork,” Grandma says. “I told you we needed an extra set of eyes!”

  “I did! I did!” Mom’s screaming and running behind Grandma as she walks through the pharmacy. Luckily I don’t see any customers, since it’s pretty early in the day.

  “Jane! Doris!” I see Anais running behind them too, and without meaning to, I burst out laughing. It’s ridiculous to see three grown woman running through the store like maniacs with their hands in the air. It’s not like they have to chase the paperwork before it gets away.

  “Um, maybe you should go,” I whisper to Mayor Danes and Amelia. “I’m sure everything’s fine, but you know how it is, it gets stressful when you’re trying to open a business.”

  He nods. “OK, let’s keep this as our secret. Not the press release, but that I witnessed all the screaming and running.” He smiles. “I don’t want to embarrass anyone.”

  See what I mean? He’s so nice. He just does the right thing.

  “We’ll sneak out this side door,” he whispers, and then gathers all his stuff. “See you soon, Lucy. And again, I’m so proud of you. And so impressed.”

  After they leave, I peek my head out from the spa area and see Mom, Grandma, Anais, and Gary lurking near the pharmacy office.

  “Jane, you were the one who was responsible for dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s,” Grandma says with her hands on her hips. “I am holding you responsible.”

  “Mom. Relax.” My mom puts a hand on Grandma’s shoulder. “I was looking it over, but these snafus happen all the time. Right, Anais?”

  I’m having trouble getting the whole picture of their conversation, so I move out of the spa area and into the pharmacy. Anais has her arms across her chest. She’s breathing heavily.

  “They do happen all the time.” She pauses and looks at the floor. “But I hate to tell you this, guys—the person I’ve been working with has left for vacation. It seems we’re not going to have the paperwork in order to open Labor Day weekend.”

  “What?” Grandma says, more like an exclamation than a question.

  “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” Anais is sniffling. “This is my fault. I should have stayed on top of it. I’m so sorry.” Then she runs out of the pharmacy.

  “Gary?” Grandma looks at him with her eyebrows raised. “Any ideas?”

  He exhales out of the side of his mouth in this over-the-top exasperated way. “Dor, here’s the thing. We can still do the ribbon cutting and the hoopla, and just postpone appointments.”

  Is he serious? What about Sarabeth? If we cancel, her mom will kill her. And it’s her wedding day. That can’t happen. I’m about to open my mouth to tell them that when I get a feeling like I should stay quiet. It seems my yelling will only make things worse.

  Mom, Gary, and Grandma stand there looking at each other and I go back into the spa area. Anais told all the spa employees to take the rest of the day off since we didn’t have any appointments and technically they’re not legally allowed to work in the spa yet.

  I go back to the computer to make sure Sarabeth didn’t have any other questions. There’s another appointment request from someone named Palmer Simone.

  What a cool name. I open it up.

  Hello! I know it’s last-minute, but I’m in charge of the bachelorette/shower for my sister Walker. She, her six bridesmaids, and I are staying at the Old Mill Inn over Labor Day weekend. We’d love to get facials and massages at Pink & Green and bring in drinks and food. I’m wondering if it’s possible for us to rent out the spa area for Saturday night. Let me know.

  Thank you,

  Palmer Simone

  That would be great for business. And it wouldn’t take away from other appointments since it’s at night, but I can’t answer her now because I don’t know if we’ll be allowed to do it. I’ll keep the message as new and get back to her as soon as I can.

  I click back over to my personal e-mail, where there are tons more back-and-forth discussion e-mails
from the small business owners’ group. I really don’t have time to look at it now. But there’s also an e-mail from my dad.

  Hey Lu-ney Tune,

  The countdown is on! Four days until I see you. I’m taking a cab from the airport and I’ll pick you and Claud up at the house for a day of fun and surprises before the wedding. We got an e-mail last week. Get this—they’re apparently only serving raw food for most of the wedding. Yuck. OK, love you.

  See you soon.

  Dad

  A day of fun and surprises? Normally I’d go crazy trying to figure out what he’s planning. I’d ask Sunny what she thinks and we’d come up with all these elaborate plans like a hot-air balloon ride to New York City and then a Broadway show and shopping spree at FAO Schwarz and sushi at Morimoto and a hot-air balloon ride back.

  But I don’t have time to come up with elaborate plans now. I have work to do. I have to figure out how I can get this spa opening back on track. I can’t cancel on Sarabeth after we bonded on the Fourth of July and she confided in me. And the bachelorette party for Palmer’s sister sounds amazing and fun. I want to make that happen.

  I can’t just sit at a computer and think. I need to literally be touching the keys or reading something. It helps my brain process. So I read articles online and check back through the spa e-mail to see if I’ve missed anything and then I go back to my personal e-mail to see if Yamir or Sunny e-mailed me anything from L.A.

  Nothing in either account.

  All I have to read is the boring business group e-mails about things I don’t really understand. But I hate seeing all those new e-mails highlighted in my in-box. I like to have everything clean, showing that all is read and I don’t have any new messages. So I click through them and skim them, looking for coupons and discounts that some of the businesses offer for group members and friends of group members. Maybe if the grand opening of our spa falls apart, I can send Sarabeth and Palmer to another spa in the group. I guess that wouldn’t be the worst thing ever.

  Outside in the pharmacy, I hear Grandma helping a customer with one of our custom gift baskets. The customer wants to take all these fancy bath products over to her friend who just had a baby.