The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon Read Free Page B

was only now getting round to having lessons from Patrick’s Patient Driving School.
    ‘Your lessons, Mma,’ Mma Ramotswe asked. ‘How is your own parking progressing?’
    ‘It is very accurate,’ said Mma Makutsi. ‘We have done going forward into the parking place and now we are doing going backwards into same. Next it will be parallel parking.’ She began to make her way to the door to admit Mma Sheba. ‘I expect I shall achieve high marks in the test, when I take it.’
    Ninety-seven per cent, thought Mma Ramotswe but did not say it, though she might have done so had Mma Sheba not entered the room.
    The visitor greeted Mma Ramotswe courteously, asking after not only her own health but also the health of Mr J. L. B. Matekoni, of Motholeli and of Puso. She received a full answer to each of these enquiries: Mr J. L. B. Matekoni was in good shape, but could do to lose a small amount of weight; Motholeli had suffered from an in-growing toenail but this had been dealt with satisfactorily and she was far more comfortable now; and Puso was growing quickly, but still seemed to have a great deal of energy left to run about the place, ride his bicycle and climb trees.
    ‘And I am very well too, Mma,’ said Mma Makutsi loudly.
    The lawyer turned round. Although the tone of Mma Makutsi’s voice had been tetchy, she smiled civilly at their visitor.
    ‘I’m pleased to hear that, Mma,’ Mma Sheba said. ‘You are certainly looking very well.’
    Mma Ramotswe joined in. ‘Mma Makutsi was married recently, Mma. You may have heard of it. It was a very good wedding.’
    Mma Sheba nodded. ‘I know the Radiphuti family – not very well, but a bit.’ She smiled at Mma Makutsi again. ‘You are a very lucky woman to have a husband like that. There were many ladies who could have been in your position.’
    Mma Makutsi seemed taken aback by this remark, and it took her a few moments to react. When she spoke, her voice was strained. ‘What are you saying, Mma?’ she asked. ‘I am not sure if I understand.’
    Again Mma Ramotswe tried to defuse the situation. ‘I don’t think that Mma Sheba is saying that Phuti had lots of girlfriends before you. I’m sure he had none.’
    Now both Mma Sheba and Mma Makutsi glared at Mma Ramotswe.
    ‘I mean,’ said Mma Ramotswe in a flustered tone, ‘that he was not one of these men who spent a lot of time chasing girls – men like Charlie, for instance.’
    ‘But why did you say he had none?’ asked Mma Makutsi. ‘There is a big difference between chasing lots of girls and having no girlfriends at all.’
    ‘That is a very big difference,’ contributed Mma Sheba. ‘I certainly didn’t say that he had no girlfriends at all. I do not know whether he had any… or none. I just do not know.’
    ‘Then why did you say what you did say, Mma?’ snapped Mma Makutsi.
    Mma Sheba looked anxiously at Mma Ramotswe. ‘But all that I meant was that he was a very good catch. And I meant, too, that there were many ladies who would have liked to catch him, had they even known him, which they didn’t, I think.’
    Mma Ramotswe threw a warning glance at Mma Makutsi. ‘The important thing,’ she said, ‘is that we are all well. That is what counts.’
    Mma Sheba, equally eager to prevent needless confrontation, quickly agreed with this sentiment.
    ‘And now, Mma Makutsi,’ said Mma Ramotswe, ‘I’m sure that Mma Sheba would like a cup of tea.’ She smiled at her visitor. ‘Am I right, Mma?’
    Mma Sheba nodded. ‘That would be very good. It is never too late, or too early, for tea.’
    ‘My view too,’ agreed Mma Ramotswe. ‘Now, what would you like? We have redbush tea or we have ordinary tea. Both are available.’
    ‘Not everybody likes redbush,’ said Mma Makutsi, hovering behind Mma Sheba’s chair. ‘I myself prefer what Mma Ramotswe calls ordinary tea, but which can be far from ordinary – if made correctly.’
    ‘You choose,’ said Mma Ramotswe. ‘And you must not let