Page 119 of The Encore’s Crown

Twenty minutes into my shift, a client approaches the prestige counter asking for the consultation she booked with me. I check the system. Her appointment is there, but someone has changed the employee assignment to Suri.

Suri walks over with an apologetic smile.

“Oh, I thought Celeste moved her to me.”

Celeste looks between us. “Why would I do that?”

“I don’t know. Natalia said yesterday she might be late.”

I turn toward her.

“I never said that.”

Suri blinks. “You did in the stockroom.”

“No, I didn’t.”

The client shifts awkwardly while Celeste’s expression hardens.

“We don't argue in front of clients.”

“Of course,” Suri says immediately.

I swallow my response. Suri handles the consultation. It’s fine. I don’t need the commission. I don’t need anything. I spend the next hour restocking foundation and pretending I don’t hear Suri laughing with Melina across the floor.

Later, a regular client arrives to collect a hold I prepared two days earlier: serum, moisturizer, primer, two lipsticks, and a limited-edition palette that sold out yesterday. The bag is gone. I check beneath the counter. The hold cabinet. The stockroom. Gone. Celeste appears behind me while I’m searching for the third time.

“What’s happening?”

“Mrs. Avery’s hold isn’t here.”

Mrs. Avery is becoming impatient behind us.

“I drove forty minutes for this.”

“I understand,” I say. “I’m trying to locate it.”

Suri passes carrying a basket of returns.

“Oh,” she says casually. “Was that the black bag with the gold palette? I put everything back yesterday. It didn’t have a hold slip.”

“It did.”

She lifts her eyebrows. “I didn’t see one.”

The palette is gone and the final one sold during the morning shift. Mrs. Avery leaves with everything except the item she actually came for and a promise that I’ll call other locations. Celeste waits until she’s out of earshot before turning to me.

“Client holds must be clearly labeled.”

“It was.”

“Suri said it wasn’t.”

“Suri is mistaken.”

Celeste’s mouth tightens.

“This is your second issue today.”