Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

As I combed out another section of a new client’s hair, Tambre came up to me with her mouth in a thin line. “I’m trying hard not to involve you, but I need to know if Kimmie is coming in. Her shift started two hours ago, and I had to call in Deandra to take her appointments. I can’t keep giving her passes.”

My stomach bubbled with pressure. There was a weird vibe in the air, and I couldn’t put my finger on what it was that caused it. My worry over Weatherman and Robert was bad enough, and adding in Kimmie’s problems made me want to go hide somewhere. It didn’t matter, as I still had a child to prioritize and a career I needed to nurture. I picked up the length of blonde and point-snipped the ends. “I don’t know where she is. She didn’t come home last night.”

I hated saying that. I didn’t want to throw my friend under the bus, but it was true. She didn’t come home last night. Again. She’d stumbled in once last week about 4:00 a.m., so drunk that I wondered how she got home without wrecking her car. She’d spent hours in our one bathroom, vomiting and stinking up the apartment. The extra-heavy makeup didn’t hide the acne outbreak, and her hair needed some serious treatment. I mentioned her condition, and she went off about how lame I was and how I used to be fun.

If that’s what fun looks like, no thank you.

Tambre inhaled through her nose as if reaching for patience. “Okay, then. I’ll ask Dee to stay for the day. I can’t have my business affected this way. You’re here, and you do your job very well, but I’m going to have to let Kimmie go. I hope you’ll stay.”

Kimmie and I didn’t have a long history, but we did move from Minnesota to North Carolina together. We had plans and dreams of outrunning our pasts, but it had caught up with her, and now she had to pay the price for that. I hated watching her spiral downward, knowing there was nothing I could do about it. This feeling of helplessness wasn’t new to me, but as much as I wanted to help my friend, I had a daughter to think about. I couldn’t give up a job that I liked a lot and paid me well. The last time rent was due, I paid it all myself, as Kimmie said she had no money. The claim was lack of clients, but that was a lie. There were lots of women who wanted their nails done, and when tourists were thick on the ground, many of them came in for vacation specials. They also tipped the most.

“I’m not planning on going anywhere.” Saying the words out loud made me feel like I was backstabbing my roommate; however, I had my own life to live and my own responsibilities. If Kimmie wanted help and asked for it, I would give it to her, but if I had to make a choice between her and my child? There was only one answer I had for that question.

“Good to know, ’cause you got a fully booked day and another one tomorrow.” Tambre smiled. “You’ve earned quite the reputation. People are starting to call and specifically ask for you.”

I was stunned and a bit intimidated. Flattery wasn’t something I had experienced very often, and the talents I used to be known for weren’t ones I wanted to pursue again. “Thank you. I’ll do my best.”

“I can’t ask for more. I’ll let you get back to it.” Tambre left me to go greet a couple of women who’d just walked in.

“She’s right, you know,” my client, Eden, chimed in while she examined her fresh cut. “You’re really good at what you do. Word of mouth goes a long way in this town. Courtney told me how great your work is, and I have to say, she was right.”

I fluffed her hair forward to check the fall and make sure the length was even. “All done. I just do hair and dab a little color. It’s not that special.”

She let out a little chuckle. “Girlfriend, not everyone can do what you do. Don’t ever cut yourself short.”

I didn’t know what to say as I finished up. “I appreciate that.”

“Oh, I’m sure. Even Burna Jones recommends you, and you know if she says anything nice about someone….”

The bell tinkled, and the subject of our discussion walked in.

“Speak of the devil and she appears,” Eden muttered.

Tambre met my eyes and pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. I did the same.

“My granddaughter said she has an appointment,” the sour woman announced.

Tambre cleared her throat. “Yes, she does, but it’s not for another half hour.”

She harrumphed. “She’s got some dance she’s going to and decided she wanted her hair done. I told her she’d have to pay for it herself, out of her babysittin’ money, but I was going to supervise. Lord knows what she’d do to herself otherwise. Get some crazy dye job to make her look like a peacock. Foolishness. I don’t see what the fuss is over. I trim up the ends at home and it don’t cost nothin’, but she’s got her mind made up that she wants a fancy style for this dang dance.”

Hilda stood shyly behind her grandmother. Her long hair was tied up in a ponytail holder, all one length with no discernible style, uneven split ends, and a bunch of flyaways decorating the strands. On the upside, it was clean and thick. Plenty to work with.

My heart went out to her. She was thin and a little gangly. Her clothes were clean but not stylish or fitted very well. I remembered the story of her parents’ death on the Tail and thought about how much of a shock that was. It was hard to imagine her life up to now and what kind of future she might have. I couldn’t fix everything for her, but I could do this much.

“Hi, Hilda. Nice to see you again. Let me ring Eden up, and we’ll go get you shampooed.”

Eden followed me to the register to pay for her services and said she’d call to schedule her next appointment. Once she was gone, I went back to Hilda.

“So, do you have an idea of what you want?”

Brown eyes glanced up, and she mumbled something.

Burna snapped sharply, “Speak up, girl. No one’s gonna pay any mind to you if you don’t.”

The teenager seemed to shrink into herself. It wasn’t hard to see why. Burna’s presence and sour attitude sucked the life out of everything around her. I imagined the poor girl struggled daily to find anything positive or good. I identified with her and recognized a kindred spirit. It wasn’t easy to survive when you were stuck and had very few choices to get out.

I lifted a tangle. “Let’s get you shampooed and conditioned. Then we’ll talk about what you want to do.”

Burna sniffed. “That costs extra, don’t it? Just spray it down with water first. I have things to do.”

I spotted Tambre burring up for a confrontation and stepped in the gap to avoid it—and hopefully give Hilda a break. “It’s going to be hard to give your granddaughter a nice style without some conditioning treatment first. How ’bout you leave her here while you go run your errands? I’ll take good care of her, and no wild colors. Okay?”

Burna opened her mouth to protest, but then a miracle occurred, and she backed down. “All right, then. I guess conditioning isn’t a bad idea.”

I turned to Hilda and smiled warmly. “You really do have nice hair. It’s got nice body and the perfect amount of curl. Do you straighten it at all?”

Hilda hazarded a quick glance at her grandmother. It was an awkward and stiff move. She didn’t really act scared of Burna, more like she was trying not to trigger her or start a ruckus. Living with the older woman had to be tough. “I don’t have a flat iron.”

“I hope you never do. There are so many women who would love to have hair like this.”

Her eyes came back to me. “Really? I always thought it was plain. Dull.”

Her unspoken “like me” echoed silently, and I wanted to hug her so badly.

Tambre noticed it, too, and we exchanged a quick glance. She gave me a “go ahead” nod and spoke to Burna in her soothing voice. “I understand there’s a new fabric store that opened recently. Have you been there? What’s it like?”

The older woman turned and pounced like a tiger smelling fresh meat. “The service was terrible…”

I let her fade to white noise and sat Hilda in my chair. “What did you have in mind?”

The girl squirmed. “I was thinking, like, layers and… um… bangs? I don’t want it real short, but not so long and maybe not so heavy?”

I nodded with the surety she needed at the moment. “How about some simple long layers just below your shoulders and some shorter ones around your face? Takes out some of the volume and makes styling easier if you want to add more curl or framing. I can do side-sweep bangs but keep them longer also to blend. Wanna try?”

“Whatever you think is best.”

Uff-da, this girl! “No, sweetheart. This is your hair and your call to make. I can make suggestions, but there’s no right or wrong here. Whatever you want is what’s best.”

Hilda took a deep breath. I didn’t think she’d ever had this opportunity before. “Yes, let’s try.”

Burna raged over the “outrageous price of fleece” as I shampooed Hilda’s long tresses. “I’m going to use a colored conditioning rinse to bring out more of the chocolaty tones. It won’t dye your hair, just enhance what you already have. Okay with you?”

The girl relaxed a little. “Sounds good.”

I wrapped her up in a conditioning treatment and left her to sit while I prepped the rest of my station for the makeover. Burna finished with her critique of the fabric store and moved on to grocery store prices as Hilda left the wash sinks to sit in my chair. I combed through the mass, then clipped up several twisted clumps on top of her head. The cut was a simple one and didn’t take a long time. I took off about six inches of the length and point-snipped the ends. As I worked, I talked to the girl.

“What color is your dress?”

“Kind of a teal. I found it at the Goodwill store. Might have been a bridesmaid dress at one time, but I took off all the ruffle-y parts and hemmed it some to just above the knee. I didn’t want to throw away the leftover material, so I made a flutter drape around the shoulders.”

“Wow, that’s impressive. I bet it looks great. Think you’ll go to college after you graduate? You could go into fashion design or something.”

The girl jumped as if shocked anyone would ask such a thing. “Um, probably not. We don’t have money for that.”

“I can relate.” I let down one clip of hair and threaded it through my fingers. “There are loans and scholarships available, though.”

“Gramma says it’s all a waste of time.”

The click of my scissors got louder and sharper as I worked. “There are other opportunities that don’t take a four-year degree. It depends on your interests or hobbies. I liked hair and makeup, so here I am, doing something I love. You have time to figure out what you want to do. It’s kind of exciting, don’cha know?”

“I… don’t really have any real hobbies. I read a lot. Clean the house. Sew a little bit and babysit.”

I laughed as I combed her bangs forward over her eyes. “Makes you sound like the perfect housewife.”

“Gramma says I’m too plain to get a man.”

My scissors grew silent for a moment. I had to take a breath before I ruined this girl’s cut. Memories assailed me of my time in high school. Sure, I had some good times, but also ones that weren’t pleasant. I had my own demons with my mother and the past, and it made me want to hurl that this young girl—no, young lady —might be exposed to that kind of meanness.

“You’re not plain, Hilda. You’re like a caterpillar. One day you’ll come out of that cocoon and set the world on fire. Sometimes it takes longer to get there, but you will. Just please remember to take your time. There’s a whole life ahead of you, and the best part is, you get to decide where it goes.”

Hilda kept her eyes down. “I don’t know if I’ll ever leave this town. Gramma says I have to get a job as soon as I graduate from high school or move out. Probably both.”

I opened my set of heated ceramic rollers and began winding her hair around them. “I used to feel stuck where I lived. Same town, same people, same streets. Everyone around me either worked at the shoe factory or for a business that supported it. I never thought I’d have a life outside Red Wing, but here I am. Living in a different state and doing something I love. I had a lot of challenges, and it took me a long time to find myself, but I’m glad I did. As hard as it was at times, I would do it again just so I could appreciate and be grateful for what I have now. Let’s do your makeup while the curlers do their thing, yeah?”

I didn’t go heavy-handed with an oily foundation, just some mineral powder to even out her skin tone. Neutral palette with some light contouring on her cheekbones and highlights under her eyes. Her eyebrows were already thick, and I tweezed and trimmed them a bit to give them a more defined shape. Subtle was the best style for her eye makeup with a touch of sultry. I chose shimmering golds and browns with a teal accent to match her dress color. Dark chocolate eyeliner with blended flicks at the corners emphasized the blue color of her eyes. The mascara added its own volume, but her lashes were so thick, she didn’t need a lot of it. Neutral lip color and a touch of gloss, as anything too dark or heavy would look over the top.

The bell rang as someone came in, but I was too focused on Hilda to take much notice. The rollers came out, and I ran a wide-tooth comb through her hair to smooth and blend the curling layers. “Almost done, honey. Just a little spritzing and you’re ready. Take a look.”

I spun the chair around to let her see her reflection. Hilda’s mouth dropped open. Soft bangs draped across her forehead, tapering to a swept-back frame with the ends gently curling under her jaw. The look emphasized her heart-shaped face. Long, wavy layers flowed down the back when she moved her head. Highlights from the conditioner shone bright under the lights. The makeup was understated, but her eyes still popped with color. There was so much potential and beauty in this girl ready to come out if only she had some encouragement and a kind word. I hoped I got to watch her grow into it.

“I-I like it. Maybe….”

Her inflection made me think she had more words but didn’t want to risk saying them out loud. My heart clenched a bit as I filled in the blank. “Maybe I can be pretty?”

Wetness shimmered in Hilda’s eyes, and mine started to fill as well. I would damn well work my ass off to make sure this girl got to be a diamond one day.

We both stared at her reflection, and I spoke to her with as much passion in my voice as I could find. “Don’t ever put limits on yourself, girlfriend. Whenever you’re ready, all you have to do is ask, and I’ll make you shine.”

I grinned at the teenager as I took the cape off her neck and shook the odd hairs to the floor. Hilda ducked her head, but she couldn’t hide her smile.

Burna stopped her new tirade about low-thread-count sheets and looked at her granddaughter. Her face relaxed for the first time since I’d met the woman, and her mouth closed. Her thin lips pressed together, and I was afraid of what might come out of her mouth next. I prepared myself to jump in and defend my protégé, but then I saw Burna’s chin quiver. It was a tiny movement, almost imperceptible, but the only emotion I’d ever seen from this woman before was disdain or contempt. That little shake told me that, for all the bluster she spouted, Burna Jones loved her granddaughter. Perhaps she didn’t know how to show it, but it was there.

“It will do,” she finally said as she sniffed and yanked a tissue from the box on the counter. “Tambre, you should do something about the dust in the air. It’s making my eyes water.”

Tambre and I exchanged amused glances before I turned back to Hilda and snapped a picture. “You’re beautiful, and don’t think for one minute you’re not. Have a great time tonight, and make good choices, yeah?”

Hilda smiled, and I could see the woman inside her ready to be born. So much potential. All she needed was a little support and a spark to ignite the flame.

I had to turn away before I lost myself. The figure in front of me caught my attention, and I locked eyes with Weatherman. He was staring at me with an expression I couldn’t read exactly, but it didn’t turn me off.

In fact, it started a now-familiar heat in my own belly, and I took a breath to relax the sudden flood.

“Got time for a trim?” His voice was low and a little rough.

“Yes, I’ll make time for you.”

Weatherman seated himself in my chair, and I spritzed water over his head. “That was Hilda Jones, wasn’t it?”

I combed through his hair. “Yes, it was. She’s going to the winter dance with a boy named Andy Melford.”

Weatherman kept his head still for me but grunted an affirmation. “I know his father. Good family. You made her look stunning tonight.”

“I didn’t do much.”

He shifted his hand from under the cape and brushed the small hairs to the floor. “I think you changed her life tonight. I’ve never seen that girl radiate joy like she did when I came in this building. She’s walking a little prouder, a little more confident. You made that happen, babe.”

I flushed at his compliment. “It’s really not that big a deal.”

“It is to a teenage girl who needs someone to assure her of her worth.” He circled his face with an open hand. “You did all that just for her. That’s a special talent.”

Warm fuzzies bloomed in my belly. He was right in that Hilda did indeed appear to stand straighter and taller when she left the salon. There was so much potential in her future as long as she had people behind her to push her on to greater things. I sent a message to the universe and asked it to watch over my girl tonight and lead her on the path to a wonderful life, wherever that might be.

“Mom wanted me to ask what you’re doing for Thanksgiving.”

The question was such an abrupt change of topic that it threw me off a bit. “I don’t know. I usually don’t do a lot of holidays, but since I have Pearl, I need to think about that more.”

“Mom’s not up for cooking, and I’m a disaster in the kitchen, so we’re planning on going up to the Lair for the big spread Betsey’s planning this year. Would you and Pearl like to come with us?”

I didn’t hesitate. “You bet.”

“Good.”

I combed through his hair to check the lay and make sure I didn’t miss any flyaways. The hairs flipped through the teeth to settle in their perfect waves. I loved working with him. “All done.”

He paid at the front and stopped to turn to me directly. “I meant what I said earlier. You changed that girl’s life tonight. I expect you’ve changed a lot of lives, and you don’t have a clue how much that means to some of them. What you told Hilda, you need to tell yourself. Don’t ever put limits on yourself. You are beautiful, and don’t think for one minute that you’re not.”