“Salty!” said Candi, biting into a kale chip. Her name really was Candi, short for Candace. She was technically the blondest, and the woman in charge of them all. She had the ear of the boss, and that was not anything the other blond ladies could boast. At least, not at the moment. The boss had a reputation for cycling the women. He would favor one for a while, until Belinda’s magic couldn’t quite hide the lines forming around the blonde’s eyes and mouth, until the blond lady got too hungry and devoured whole boxes of doughnuts on the weekend and couldn’t quite make up the difference by sipping bone broth the rest of the week. And then another blond lady would be looped in.

The blond women didn’t know where the retired ones went. Perhaps to the Midwest somewhere. Kansas. Or Minnesota.

The blondes didn’t like thinking about Minnesota.

So they didn’t. Each of them thought she was special, not like the other girls, that she would be the one to stay, maybe even take the boss’s place when he retired. Finally, get real power. But for now, they bided their time and did what was asked of them. Candi in particular.

But Candi had been asked to find a cat. And she was having some trouble.

She had never had trouble before.

“More tea, Ms. Candi?” asked an assistant.

“Yes, please,” Candi said, holding out her cup. She frowned at her reflection in the mirror. She shouldn’t even be able to frown. She would have to freshen the Botox soon. And maybe ask for some fillers around the mouth.

“You’re looking especially beautiful this morning, Candi,” said Toni, the blond girl to her left. She was new, and quite young, with the plump cheeks of a teenager that Belinda would shadow and sculpt with powders to make her look more like an adult.

“Thank you,” said Candi, knowing full well that Toni was after her job. Well, she would have to get in line. Right behind Ashli, Tammi, Lori, Laci, and Lu. All of whom quickly joined in on the compliments.

Ashli: “Oh yes, Candi looks luminous without makeup.”

Tammi: “She doesn’t need it!”

Lori: “Maybe you should get a new haircut like Anniq suggested. A pixie! To show off those marvelous cheekbones.”

Laci: “Oooh, a pixie would be so daring. But then Candi is the definition of daring.”

Lu: “I think she should go for some layers. A pixie might be too much.”