towel onto the bed. “I’ll go get her. Just give a holler when you’re ready for her
to come in.”
Olivia still felt uneasy, but was too intrigued not to obey. She bolted the door
before she undressed, hung her dress, apron, and chemise on the hooks, and
removed her moneybag and slipped it under the mattress. She waited until she heard Michelle return before unbolting the door.
“All right, I’m ready,” she called out, once she was settled on the bed.
She craned her neck to see a thin young woman about her age come in and
slide the bolt shut again.
“Hullo, Miss Killion, I’m Sarah May.”
“Hullo.”
“I’m gonna use oil,” Sarah May said, setting a large brown bottle on the shelf,
“but don’t worry none, I’ll towel it off before you get dressed. And I’ll get oil in
your hair when I massage your scalp, but Mademoiselle is gonna give you a nice
shampoo, so don’t worry you none about that neither. You just relax.”
It was unsettling for Olivia to feel a stranger’s touch, but she did not recoil when Sarah May began working on her neck and shoulders. Olivia could feel her
skin greedily sucking up the oil and was indeed amazed by the strength of the girl’s hands. Olivia’s surrender was soon complete and Sarah May pummeled the
knots out of her aching body. When the girl stepped away from the bed Olivia thought she had finished and was about to ask if she could pay her double to do
the whole thing over again.
But Sara May spoke first. “I’m gonna turn to face the door now, so you can
get rolled over onto your back. Here’s another towel to cover yourself up top.”
When Olivia said she was ready Sarah May turned around and made a show
of carefully arranging the two towels Olivia had draped over her chest and hips.
Then she moved to the head of the bed to slowly massage Olivia’s face, scalp,
neck, and shoulders. She worked on both arms and hands, giving each finger a
little tug. Olivia’s legs, feet, and toes received similar treatment, with Sarah May artfully avoiding the blisters.
Then she was finished and used another towel to absorb the excess oil. “I’ll
go get you a robe for while you’re getting your hair washed.”
“That was wonderful,” Olivia said. “I can’t thank you enough.”
Sarah May smiled and turned to leave.
“Wait,” Olivia said, “Can you hand me my apron from over there?”
The girl did so and Olivia rose up on one elbow to fish a nickel from the pocket and hold it out to Sarah May.
“Oh no,” Sarah May said. “Miss Michelle pays me. I ain’t allowed to take no
tips. I’ll be back in a lick with the robe.”
Olivia put on the fluffy pink robe and peeked out to find Michelle waiting in
the tiny corridor.
“See? All shiny and new. I could tell you’s a gal what’ll know how to
appreciate it.” Michelle smiled and began walking. “Come, back here.”
In another tiny room was a wooden chair with a back that sloped toward a
basin. Olivia settled into it and Michelle dipped cups of water from a large bucket to pour over her hair.
“Are there shops like this in all cities?” Olivia asked while Michelle gently massaged something that smelled of flowers into her hair.
