"Oh, Marti. This was what I was really concerned about. You don't know do you?"
"Know what, Alison? Spill it!"
"Clyde Markowitz has taken up with Jennifer Marin, the tennis pro?" Alison framed the statement as a question because she did not know how much Marti knew about Jennifer. "They are an item. They go everywhere together lately."
"How long has this been…"
"About a month as far as common knowledge is concerned. I spoke with a few of your clients and they were sure you didn't know and no one wanted to be the one to tell you."
"The Beautician, starring Marti as 'the last to know'!" Marti extended her hands, scissors in the right, to frame an imaginary theater marquis. "Well," Marti paused, dropped her arms, and reflected. "That's just crappy."
Alison sat in silence as Marti worked with her hair.
"Thanks, I guess," Marti offered after a few moments. "You know, I was just talking to Beverly maybe two weeks ago about Clyde and Greg, and maybe Jeffrey someday, and commitment, and Beverly wasn't having any of it. We did drink the best bottle of wine on the island though."
"Life has its moments."
"The thing is," Marti felt the need to talk now, "that I wouldn't care about losing Clyde - Clyde and I never were really serious - but I really don't want to lose Greg. I do like Greg, maybe more than I realized. It's like the relationship meter of external validation has dipped from two to zero."
"What's going on between you and Greg? You've been with him off and on for years."
"Greg's talking about leaving Sanibel. He wants me to go with him."
"Going away!" cried Alison. "Why on Earth? And where?"
"He keeps talking about this place in Tennessee called the Farm. It's an old commune. "
"I've heard of it, but frankly it doesn't sound like you," said Alison.
"Yeah, that's what Beverly said, too; just not so polite as you," said Marti. "She also let me know that I'm not ready for commitment," Marti spoke as if she had used the words before. She was relaying the news, not discovering a conviction.
"Well, you know. I do like him," Marti continued with the rote recitation. "He is a gentleman. He's a good person. He is always there for me." She smiled at the thought that she was inventorying her future losses.
