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“Deal.”
As I step into the centre, the overpowering smell of cleaner immediately hits me, making my eyes water. Every chair is full, and there's no room to sit. As soon as I grab my number, I head to the back of the room and sink down against the wall, feeling the weight of another day ahead.
There is a large sign on the door leading to the back, bold black letters that say you shouldn’t talk to the other people in the waiting room. If I could roll my eyes any harder, I would lose them within my head.
Jess sits beside me. Her hair is a mess again and I wish I could help her more. Before she says a word, I nod to the sign, and she huffs.
My phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out and read the message from Jess. I smirk and text her back. We don’t send a ton of them because it’s not really allowed, but it’s better than sitting here all fucking day without a word.
By the end of the day, our numbers are nowhere near being the ones called, and the anger vibrates through my body. I shake as I throw out my paper number, I can’t help but feel like everything is against me, as if I’ll never get anywhere on this road of healing.
“It’ll be alright, one day maybe we’ll get through. It’s utter bullshit that we aren’t supposed to talk,” Jess says as we get outside.
“I know, but we’ll figure it out. I don’t want to be a dick, but if I wasn’t honest, maybe I would be a shit friend.Do you want to go to the hairdresser?” Her face pales while her eyes hit the ground. “I’m sorry Jess, I just know Sebastian was honest with me and helped me with my hair.”
“I can’t afford it,” she mumbles, and I look over at her.
“I can.” The glimmer of hope in her eyes makes something inside of my heart turn warmer than normal. As we reach a walk-in salon, I give her money for her hair, so she doesn’t have to feel bad when I pay. She gives her information, and we sit and wait for her appointment.
“I know when I got my hair done, it was a battle I didn’t know I needed to win.” She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. I’m hoping this will help her, just like it helped me.
My phone rings. I check the caller ID, but I don’t recognize the name. Jess reaches out and squeezes my hand. I don’t want to leave her, so I ignore the call to stay with her.
“Thank you for not leaving. I know that it’s so stupid. Getting a haircut isn’t scary. I’m safe here.” My heart melts. I know exactly how she feels.
“Jess, it’s no problem. I couldn’t even make it to the inside of a hairdresser. Sebastian cuts my hair. So you are doing far better than I could ever do. I just want to be here for you the best that I can.” She squeezes my hand again and then they call her name, she looks at me but gets up walks over, and sits in the chair.
After a half hour, she comes back to the waiting area and her face glows. “They thinned it out, so hopefully it doesn’t get as matted and stuff.”
I return her smile and we leave to go for coffee. My phone has rung three more times and I don’t know if I want to answer it.
“Answer. I’ll grab us a table.” She squeezes my hand, giving me moral support, while I answer the phone.
“Hello?”
“Miss Lee?”
“This is her.” I stand outside the coffee shop, fiddling with my purse strap.
“This is Detective Hoyer. I was wondering if you had a few minutes to talk?”
Sweat beads on my brow. “Yes,” I answer, listening as he explains the fire, and how my sister and brother have passed away.
“Oh fuck, sorry, I just am surprised. I haven’t heard from them since my mother’s funeral. I didn’t know they had moved into her house.” My hand shakes as I hold the phone to my ear.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Miss, but we will have to have you come down for a few questions and see if you can help us fill the holes in our investigation.”
The world spins slightly, the air becomes harder to find, and my stomach turns. I have gotten everything I wanted, but none of that will matter if I’m in prison. “Yeah, I can be there within an hour?”
We exchange goodbyes. I don’t go in the coffee shop. Instead, I pull out a smoke and call Sebastian immediately after. “My dove, are you ready?”
“No, I’m fucking scared. Detectives want to talk to me. What should I do?” As I take a drag, my heart races, but my breathing slows to smoke.
“Breathe. What do they have?”
“I have no idea. He just told me my siblings died in a fire and they need to ask me questions to fill holes in their investigation.”
Keys jingle in the background, and a car door slams, “I’ll be in town shortly. Are you at the coffee shop?”
