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"For what?"

"For not asking about the fire That’s all anyone ever talks about I haven’t gone out of the house in weeks, except when it’s absolutely necessary, because every time I do, people bombard otten about the fire With her own s around her brief hthouse had slipped her mind

"You okay?" Teri asked One look at Justine said she wasn’t

Justine didn’t seem to hear and closed her eyes Teri had discovered that there was so effect on theht make at no other time Barriers were lowered, and they discussed their lives and proble openness Teri was convinced it had to do with her being admitted to their personal space, as well as her undivided focus and the soothing atmosphere at the salon She so that she did hair with free counseling on the side She certainly had enough experience to knohat not to do when it came to unhealthy relationships

"Seth and I are having a few proble sad and lost Her voice was so low Teri had to strain to hear "We’ll be all right… It’s just that things are difficult now"

"Which they’re bound to be after soain, their eyes met

"We haven’t made love in weeks," Justine whispered "Not since the fire Seth is so angry He doesn’t kno to deal with this" She closed her eyes again, and Teri gently squeezed her shoulder

"Don’t you worry," Teri said "Everything ork out, you wait and see" She didn’t mean to serve up platitudes; every as sincere Teri had seen it happen over and over Soe that took the brunt of that strain--but if the relationship was strong, husband and wife could survive it together

"How long have I been cutting your hair?" Teri asked It wasn’t a rhetorical question

"I don’t know," Justine replied "Six or seven years for sure"

"That’s what I thought I reet I never did understand what you saw in that geezer, but who you decided to date was your business Then Seth caoodness--you were dumbstruck I ran into you down by the waterfront one Saturday, and I saw the way you looked at each other You tere crazy in love, no mistake about that"

Justine’s eyes stayed closed as Teri washed her hair, but she smiled "I remember those days, too We couldn’t keep our hands off each other"

Teri grinned "You pretended Sethhis name one time, and you nearly bit my head off"

"I most certainly did not," Justine protested

"Did, too," Teri retorted, working the sha, thick hair "I’ll bet Seth still looks at you the sa thatin there, okay?"

Justine opened her eyes and blinked up at her "I hope you’re right"

Denise, the part-time receptionist, approached Teri as she finished the shampoo "There’s someone here to see you," she said

Teri wrapped the towel around Justine’s head "Did you get a naive irls all stopped what they were doing and stared at her

"Go check it out," Rachel suggested fro the mayor’s wife’s nails

Teri led Justine to her station and dried her hands "I’ll be right back," she promised

A tall, extrelanced nervously around, as though afraid one of the stylists would tackle him, tie him up and dye his hair pink

"I’ anything and she didn’t have tiar would like to speak with you," he announced, clearly expecting her to drop everything immediately "He’s in the car outside"

"Oh" Her first reaction was astonishar doesn’t like to be kept waiting"

"Is that right?" Teriat hiuy at the chess match with Bobby and had assumed he was either a friend or e to be busy all day Kindly tell Mr Polgar that if he wants to see me, he should make an appointment like everyone else"