She arrived home to two surprises: a happy Dad, who had managed to return one day earlier and . . . a furious Brooke, who had just gotten off the phone with Sophie. “Sophie is a Sparkle Spa manicurist? And she polished nails today instead of me? And you let Charlotte pick the Color of the Week? Who made you the boss of the world?” Brooke shouted. She stomped up the stairs and slammed the bedroom door. Sparkly started yapping and whimpering. Mom and Dad exchanged looks. Aly felt her face turning the color of Ruby Red Slippers nail polish. It wasn’t exactly the response she was expecting. “Aly, sit down,” Mom said firmly. “And, Mark, why don’t you go check on Brooke?” Sparkly followed Dad upstairs while Aly and her mother sat across from each other at the kitchen table. “Is what Brooke said true?” Mom asked. “I had no choice, Mom,” Aly said. “Remember how you said that the CEO has to jump in and make decisions and take care of emergencies? Without Brooke and you around, I had to make sure the Sparkle Spa customers were taken care of.”
