Summary

Chapter 33, “Shear Beauty” (265), takes place mostly in Birdie’s salon. Cecelia’s punishment for hitting Sidney was an unpaid internship in the salon, and August had volunteered to join her. The two of them swept hair, talked to customers, and helped Birdie with other tasks. The narration notes that August told Cecelia that she should use the name Robin in private and August in public. (The narration itself mostly continues to use “August” and “he” at this point.) One evening after closing, August went across the street to buy pizza for dinner. Leaving the pizzeria, August noticed Cecelia’s uncle Elliot shaking hands with another man on the corner. Elliot moved in the direction of the salon. August invited Elliot to come in and introduced himself as a friend of Cecelia’s.

Once inside, Elliot told Birdie that he had purchased the building...