Diaries of a Nail Technician

listening.

CHAPTER 1

Sonja Donato

In 1985, Sonja Donato was the owner of Indulge Me, a salon in Plantation, Florida. She met Val Donato, her second husband when her three girls were small. Val owned a construction company and he bought homes in deplorable conditions in the best neighborhoods to renovate. Val and Sonja lived in the houses with the girls until they sold, and then they moved to the next house. Sonja hated all the moving around.

When Sonja walked into a room with her shoulders back and her head held high; it was impossible not to notice her. All of her friends looked to her for advice from clothing to skincare since she appeared to have all the answers. Once her girls left the nest, Val noticed that shopping at the mall was not enough to keep his wife busy.

If you could own a business, what would it be? Val asked. They were just sitting down to dinner. Sonja thought about it.

I would love to own a salon. Spending hours in a salon every week, having her hair and nails done, was typical for Sonja. Although she had no experience as a stylist, she was confident enough to learn the salon business.

Plantation desperately needed a full-service salon where women could get pampered. Val found the perfect location in a brand new shopping center. Indulge Me was the name Sonja chose for the salon, and everyone loved the idea. Indulge Me was a labor of love. Val put his heart and soul into designing and building a salon for his beautiful wife, but perhaps her beauty was her downfall. She was the perfect example of a bored housewife who was still young and desirable.

Sonja was almost 50, but she could have passed for at least ten years younger. There was no Botox in those years. Surgery was the only way to fix the damage done by time and the sun’s intense rays. Everyone was tan, convinced the color gave them a youthful, healthy glow. Dr. Shulman, a well-known plastic surgeon in the area, gave Sonja a facelift before the salon opened. Her skin was pulled tight against her cheekbones like when she was in her 30s. The skin-perfecting makeup she applied each day took time and energy, and Sonja had both.

Women in the area passed by the salon while it was under construction to get a peek. Clothing was another passion of Sonja’s, so Val added a clothing boutique at the entrance of the salon. The vestibule had steps that led to the boutique. The salon was brilliant in its design. The clients had to walk through the racks of clothing and accessories before arriving at the front desk to check-in. Captivated by the inventory in the boutique that was continually changing, the women would find it hard to leave without purchasing something. The boutique carried all the latest 80s fashions with shoulder pads in every blazer and glitzy belts covered in Swarovski crystals.

Only nail technicians and hairdressers with full clientele were hired before the salon’s grand opening. Indulge Me had over 40 employees. They were so inundated with new customers, it was hard to accommodate them all. It was the perfect time for me to apply for a position as a nail tech. I was first impressed by the professionalism of the salon, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. All the employees working at Indulge Me dressed in a sophisticated, edgy way.

When Sonja walked over to greet me, I noticed she was stunning; even her walk was flirtatious, and she had a mischievous look in her eyes. Her only job as the owner was to make sure things ran smoothly. Sonja led me to a nail station along the wall, where we sat down to talk. The impromptu interview took only minutes, and then Susie, another nail tech, joined us. Susie was friendly, but she was more interested in making plans for the evening with Sonja.

My last appointment is at 7:00, Susie told Sonja, I need to have my hair done before we go."

Sonja hired me on the spot and wrapped up our meeting. The desk we were sitting at would become my new nail station. Robin, a gorgeous brunette in four-inch high Spanish Leather pumps, and Lori, a lesbian with long permed blonde hair, sat on either side of the station. I stopped at the front desk so that Jamie, Sonja’s oldest daughter, could add me to the schedule. There was no such thing as social media. I was fortunate to have a list of my client’s phone numbers from the previous salon. It paid to be friendly with the receptionist. Before I left, she copied all my client’s phone numbers on a piece of paper and handed it to me. Jamie helped me call all my clients and set up new appointments.

Jamie was overweight but in a curvy sexy way. Her lips were full, and her eyes were big and brown. She had the same mischievous look I noticed in her mother. Jamie was married with a four-year-old son, but she admitted that she had a boyfriend on the side. We had no cell phones in those years. Her boyfriend could only reach her by calling the salon until she had a secret phone jack installed inside her closet at home with a different phone number. She plugged the phone into the hidden phone jack whenever her husband wasn’t around.

At Indulge Me, the lights were bright, and 80s pop music played on the stereo system. The background noise was a constant hum between the blow dryers and the women’s voices. The louder the noise from the blow dryers became, the women’s voices rose in volume until their loud cackles of laughter sounded like chickens clucking on a farm.

The salon was intoxicating, and we made our jobs seem glamorous. We dressed every day like we were going to an event. Clients would say that they felt the need to get dressed up before coming in for an appointment because our hair and makeup were always impeccable, and our outfits were over the top. All the girls wore 80s glam, complete with shoulder pads and wide waist-cinching belts to accentuate our pre-baby bodies.

At all times, we had more than one young gay male hairdresser. They were moodier than the girls and they were the only ones who got away with walking out if a client upset them. The clients could be demanding. After finishing a particular client’s nails in 25 minutes one day, she refused to get up.

I am paying for the full hour, she said.

The regulars who came every week usually stayed long after their nails were dry to gossip. If they talked to each other, I wouldn’t have to entertain them, and I could listen to their outrageous banter. I got to know them better and see them more often than some of my close friends. The manicures were almost secondary to the intense therapy sessions that happened every hour at my nail station. There are many types of women. I started to categorize them. The braggers were the most entertaining.

Is that a new ring? asked Carol.

Yes, I got it for my anniversary, replied Marilyn.

How many carats is it?

It’s three carats. Carol held her finger out to show Marilyn her ring.

Mine is four and a half.

While I was filing my clients’ nails I would hear conversations across the room.

We are cruising to the Mediterranean this summer.

How many days?

14.

Only 14? We went for 21 days last summer.

One day Michele walked by while I was doing Joan’s nails.

Hi, Michele, I haven’t seen you in a while.

We were away all summer.

How is your son?

Fabulous, He’s starting medical school.

That’s wonderful. Where?

Cornell. We are taking him there next Thursday to find him an apartment.

Mazel tov, Joan said. Michele walked away, and Joan turned back toward me.

Have you seen her son? He’s hideous.

Many of the employees went out after work to Vinny’s, a local restaurant and night club. Sonja would join them occasionally, and it wasn’t long before she caught the attention of Jose, a good looking guy in his early forties.

Jose arrived at the bar around 9:00. He noticed Sonja immediately. Jose was there every week; he would have remembered Sonja if he ever saw her before. Jose could tell Sonja had money. The jewelry, the clothes, and the way she carried herself, it was easy to see. Was that a wedding ring on her finger? Married women made perfect girlfriends. No demands and no commitment. They even paid for dinner sometimes, happy to have someone paying attention to them.

Jose made his way through the crowd to where Sonja was standing with Susie and Annette. The bartender set three drinks down on the bar, and Sonja picked up her glass. Over the loud music, the bartender asked if Sonja wanted to start a tab.

Yes, Sonja said. When she turned back around, she was face to face with Jose.

Care to dance? Jose asked. Sonja was caught off guard.

I’m married.

Then what are you doing here?

I’m here with my girlfriends, she said. It was shocking how handsome Jose was. He had dark hair, his eyes were bright blue, and he knew just how to flirt.

It’s only a dance, Jose said. Sonja looked at Susie and Annette. They both seemed impressed by how cute Jose was. Sonja took a long sip of her drink from the straw and then set the empty cup down on the bar and followed Jose out onto the dance floor. The DJ played All Night Long by Lionel Richie, and Sonja’s head started to feel foggy from the vodka. Jose was an incredible dancer. Granted, he was 20 years younger than Val, but Val never enjoyed dancing. He only enjoyed making money, and lately, he worked most of the time. After the song ended, Jose walked Sonja back to the girls at the bar. Susie and Annette excused themselves to go to the ladies’ room. Jose slipped a tiny baggie of cocaine into Annette’s hand as she passed. He made sure Sonja didn’t see, knowing she was not the type to be involved with anyone who did drugs. Annette and Susie were younger than Sonja, and Jose could tell they loved to party.

When Jose told Sonja that he owned an Auto Body Shop, she looked at his hands and could tell he was not a mechanic, and the shop was successful because he was wearing a new gold Rolex. She only ever dated successful men. Money was power, and without it, life was boring. As the bar emptied, Sonja went to pay the tab for herself and the girls. Jose moved her hand away and placed a few large bills on the bar, and they all walked out together. They arrived at Sonja’s car first. It was a brand new Mercedes. Jose kissed Sonja right on the lips as the girls stood there with their mouths hanging open. Sonja slipped into the driver’s seat and noticed the time. It was 2 a.m. Val would be furious with her for coming home late, but whatever grief she faced when she got home would be worth it. The night was one of the best nights of her life. As she pulled away, she saw Jose talking to Annette and Susie in the parking lot.

Quietly Sonja put her key in the lock on the front door. When she shut it behind her, it made the slightest click. She removed her shoes and walked toward her bedroom. Val was sleeping on the sofa, and he didn’t stir. She took off her clothes and slipped under the covers; Val would stay asleep in the other room with any luck. She wanted to relive the whole evening in her mind. She closed her eyes and pictured how Jose kissed her by the car, and slowly slipped into darkness. In the morning, Sonja opened her eyes as Val walked into the bedroom.

You got home late, Val said. He didn’t admit he had no idea what time she finally showed up.

Annette and Susie didn’t want to leave. The room smelled like cigarette smoke from Sonja’s clothes. As Val got into the shower, she jumped up, threw the outfit into a bag for the dry cleaner, and walked into the bathroom to remove last night’s makeup.

Lately, Sonja had been going out more frequently. Val didn’t like it when she went out without him, and he gave her the cold shoulder as he dressed for work. Pretending not to notice, Sonja made Val coffee and scrambled eggs. While he ate breakfast, she got into the shower to wash the smoke smell out of her hair.

The salon was full by the time Sonja arrived. Annette greeted her at the door.

What an incredible night, Sonja said.

Jose asked me to give you his number. Sonja took the number from Annette but had no intention of calling Jose. It seemed too forward, and she was married, after all. Sonja noticed the line to pay at the front desk. She checked her makeup in the mirror and walked over to help Jamie take payments and schedule appointments.

Sonja’s eye lids felt heavy toward the end of the day. She was comfortably seated in the chair at the front desk. The clients seemed more needy than usual.

Mom, you have a phone call, Jamie said.

Who is it?

It’s a guy. Sonja’s heart began to pound; she picked up the extension in the boutique.

Hello?

Hi. The voice was deep and raspy. Sonja knew it was Jose.

The girls told me where to find you; I hope I didn’t get you into trouble last night. Sonja didn’t know what to say. When can I see you again? Jose asked.

I’m not sure.

I will be at Vinny’s on Thursday.

Jose hung up, and Sonja walked out of the boutique, like the cat who just ate the canary.

Who was that? Jamie asked.

Sonja knew there was a good chance Annette or Susie would mention what happened, so she told Jamie everything; she was dying to tell someone. Jamie was not the biggest fan of Val. As a stepfather, he always treated her like a second class citizen. There was no love between them.

Just be careful, Mom, Jamie said.

Slowly Sonja transformed into a different person. She went out with the girls all the time and began losing weight. She was no longer forfeiting having her hair or nails done when a paying customer was waiting; she started to put herself first. Her clothing became sexier as her weight loss increased. She began to leave during the day for extended lunch breaks, and one afternoon she even brought Jose into the salon for a haircut. Her behavior was reckless.

Claiming she needed space, Sonja went away with Jose for the weekend; Val had her followed, and her infidelity cost her everything. Once Sonja’s husband found out about the affair, he was on a mission to destroy her and take back everything he ever gave her.

Arriving early one morning for work, Val and his son from his first marriage, Rob, greeted me at the door. I had only met Val once before, when he came into the salon