“I’ve been wondering that too,” Thomas said, cocking his head.
“Nothing.” Scott glanced at the water cooler. “I need a drink.”
He took his time.
He took so much time that when he returned to the table, neither Thomas nor Jeff brought up the money again.
Thomas pointedly didn’t look towards his hands once; his eyes were glued to Scott’s every move. Scott drank the rest of his water, then crushed the cup.
“Can I guess?” Thomas asked. Scott swallowed, and Thomas quickly added, “I mean about the nails. Can I guess what they say?”
Scott and Jeff both frowned.
“Do the fingers on one hand spell out dick, and the other, head?”
Scott laughed. “No, Thomas, although that sounds much better than what I came up with.”
“I could’ve done smiling willy’s on the thumbnails.” Jeff pouted. “That would’ve been cute.” He glanced behind him. “You could’ve been on the wall of fame.”
The wall of fame consisted of crude nail designs, Scott’s personal favourite was the coming penis on the nail of a forefinger that shot its load all the way to the little one.
“We’re done,” Jeff announced.
Thomas took a deep, long sigh, then looked. He stared. He blinked. He stared some more. Scott and Jeff exchanged worried glances.
Thomas moved his hands closer to his face, studying them.
“Well…” Jeff said. “What do you think?”
Thomas looked to Jeff, then turned to Scott. “I…love them.”
Scott wiped the sweat from his brow. He beamed.
The nails on Thomas’s thumbs and middle fingers were black, with an undercoat of green when the light hit them just right. His other nails had the same snake-skin green and beige pattern of his tattoo, only glossier.
Thomas stroked his nails, amazed. “They feel weird.”
Jeff nodded. “If it’s your first set, it’ll take a day or so to get used to them.” He smiled. “I think Scott’s design works well.”
“Scott’s design?” Thomas asked.
“I drew a picture on my phone, chose the colours, and sent it to Jeff. It’s him who brought them to life.”
Jeff blew Scott a kiss. “Now switch seats so I can sort your nails out, Scott.”
Thomas got up, still admiring his nails.
He didn’t speak the entire time Scott was having his manicure.
When they were done, Jeff kissed Scott on the cheek. “You and your friend are welcome any time.”
Scott waited for the inevitable moment Thomas announced they weren’t friends, but it didn’t come.
They left the salon and headed back to the car.
“I knew you’d like them,” Scott said smugly. “Aftercare goes both ways.”
“It…it doesn’t usually.”
