It has only been in the past couple of years that I have met an aesthetician who properly tamed my eyebrows. My teenage eyebrows barely existed, and I spent the majority of my twenties with eyebrows that resembled two unsettled caterpillars. On my quest to find someone who could control these monstrosities, I met Vivian at Elegance Nails. It took some time and coaching, but she managed to coax my beasts into something beautiful. This is no easy feat as my left eyebrow must also be styled around a childhood hockey scar (How Canadian!). And so our relationship grew. Over hot wax and tweezers, tales of her life in Vietnam, my life in England, our respective hopes and dreams, we bonded. It was a perfect relationship.
And then I got the itch…
I started a new job situated directly above a competing salon. I don’t own a car so in foul weather, it made sense to just pop downstairs to beautify myself. I was hesitant at first. I didn’t want to betray Vivian and what we had. But the allure of this new, shiny, and easily accessible salon was too much for me. As the obligatory door chimes announced my entrance into the enemy camp, guilt overcame me. Still, I entered and I was waxed. 
At first, it was okay…but slowly I began to notice that my eyebrows were getting a bit on the thin side. They lacked their former precise, yet natural shape, the waxing was less thorough, not to mention, very, very painful. As if this wasn’t enough, this new salon was not kind to my wallet, extracting an extra $3/visit more than Vivian. Karma was making me pay for my betrayal.
I headed back to Elegance Nails, with my tail between my legs. What would Vivian say? Would she take me back after my indiscretions? I fumbled through excuses like a 13 year old boy trying to undo a bra for the first time. Vivian just smiled, and my worries melted away.
5 minutes later I emerged with beautiful eyebrows and a Vivian style hug. The trust in our relationship needed to be rebuilt but eventually, we would get there again. I had learned my lesson. No longer would I stray. No- the grass is not greener on the other side.
As Iris Muroch says, ‘There is no substitute for the comfort supplied by the utterly taken-for granted relationship.’ Saying that, there is no better woman for my eyebrows than Vivian.