Natalie laughed, guilty that she had been texting her sister, not building her brand. “It makes me crazy.”

“This is also what everyone says.” Magda smiled, then replaced the dryer over her head. “Ten more minu—” Magda broke off and lowered her voice to an urgent whisper. “Look as if you are very busy. Maybe an important fact has come for you? Keep your eyes down.” Natalie did and heard Magda say, “Ah, Karima, you look wonderful of course. What? Oh yes.”

The drier came off of Natalie’s head. “Habibi, Karima would like to say goodbye.”

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Natalie Savage.” Karima’s smile glowed and her hair shone like a cascade of blue-black silk. “We will have a lovely chat on Monday.” She offered Natalie a cheek to air-kiss, gave Magda a hug, and floated off.

Magda beamed. “I told you she liked you.”

Natalie felt starstruck. “It was so nice of her to say goodbye.”

“Nice?” Magda snorted. “You are smart and stupid all together, habibi.” Magda reverted to the urgent whisper. “Keep your face down but look in the mirror at the manicure section. Do you see a girl in a very unfortunate blue sweater? Yes? That is the assistant to the editor of The EarlyBird. Karima made sure she saw you. She has done you a big favor.” Magda purred, self-satisfied. “You will appear in the newsletter tomorrow. Spotted at Salon Badem.”

Natalie felt a flash of panic. “Magda, no! I don’t want people knowing I’m getting my hair done when I should be at work.”

Magda smiled magnanimously. “Habibi, spotted talking to Karima? This is better than work. It will be very good for you, you will see. And now you owe Karima a favor in return.”

Natalie was wondering what she could possibly offer Karima in return—her grandmother’s apple crumble recipe? Wardrobe advice if she wanted to go to a costume party as one of the 32 percent?—when she felt Magda’s hands on her shoulders. “At last we come to the happily-ever-after,” she said. Looking up, Natalie was astonished by her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was not simply straight, it was Drowned Rat straight. Lifeless, dead, cooked. Tortured, sucked dry as if by hair-vampires, eviscerated—

Magda spun the chair around and explained, “For the full effect, The Treatment must stay on for twenty-four hours. You wash it out tomorrow. Today if you have a party, no dancing and no you-know-what-ing. Sweat, wet, touch too soon and is all a waste.” Magda winked at her. “You will have to be hard to get for one night.”

Natalie appreciated Magda’s notion of what her life must be like, the parties, the dancing, the men throwing themselves at her and her catching them.