Page 13 of Nocere

"Is that what you want, Rose?" asked Samirah, her tone unassuming. She watched me with the fire reflecting in her eyes.

"Um…" Her question brought me pause, and I considered all the appointments I didn't make with Jordan at her salon. I'd been wanting a change, but the opportunity hadn't come my way until now. "Yes."

"Hooray!" Jordan grinned and began spritzing my hair right away to wet it. "Let's carry on then."

Ainsley joined us with the ingredients to make s'mores, mugs of coffee, and more wine. Alice trotted over with Luna while everyone watched Jordan work her magic on my hair.

The way Jordan's fingers moved through my hair, how her nails grazed my scalp, sent shivers down my spine. Her touch soothed me in ways very little had in recent days and for once, my anxiety faded under the guise of a haircut. As if she understood my reaction, she smiled at me when she stood in front of me to section off my hair.

"Like that?" she asked, her voice soft. "You're relaxed."

"Feels nice."

"It's supposed to, sweetie. When was the last time we did your hair?"

"A few years, I think," I said, closing my eyes when she moved around me again.

"Auntie Jordan can do my hair, too?" asked Luna. Her adorable voice made all of us chuckle. I couldn't see any of them, but listening to them perpetuated my entertainment.

"You bet, kiddo. You're next."

"Yay! Momma, I can have more chocolate?"

"Oh yeah. Auntie Vee is going to love watching you tonight while Moms have alone time. Especially while you're running in circles."

"Auntie Vee likes circles," giggled Luna.

"Well, that's odd." Alice laughed along with Ainsley whose voice sounded like she'd moved closer to me.

When I opened my eyes, Ainsley perched herself on a small stool closer to the fire where she helped Luna roast marshmallows on a long stick. The smell of the sweet confection, coupled with the sensation of Jordan smoothing my hair, egged on my contentment.

"Okay, here we go. Ready for cuts?" asked Jordan, her hand on my shoulder.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"Fantastic."

For the next half an hour, Jordan worked her magic on my hair. She moved around my body, twirling scissors and combs as if they were extensions to her own limbs, and cut off so much hair that my shoes slipped on it against the concrete. When she was done, she brushed me off, then plugged the hairdryer into the outlet on the side of the house. I'd never had my hair done outside before and it was a treat to say the least. I closed my eyes, and again, allowed myself to enjoy the sensations of the brush and Jordan's touch in rotation. It made me want to have my hair done all the time.

When the hum of the dryer ceased, I opened my eyes while Jordan moved around me again, inspecting her work and spritzing me with something here and there.

"This is perfect. I love the bangs," she said, running her fingers through them. "Ready for a look?"

I nodded, gulping down my breath when she reached for the mirror. Jordan held it in front of me, and when I saw myself, with perfectly crafted waves in rolling layers, plus the bangs, my eyes welled up almost immediately with the lash of emotion it caused.

"I love it," I said, my voice cracking.

"Told you. Mistress of Hair strikes again." Jordan's broad, proud grin made me laugh as she stepped away to reveal me to the others. "What do you all think?"

"It makes me want to meet her cat," exclaimed Ainsley, which earned her a swat from Jordan. I laughed and covered my face.

"You stay away from her cat, jerk." Jordan grabbed her in a headlock and the two of them broke into a playful round of wrestling by the fire.

"Don't burn each other or teach my kid bad manners." Alice threw marshmallows at them. "You look awesome, Rosie. Definitely a good look on you."

Samirah dodged a marshmallow, though her eyes lingered only on me in the moment. She reached across the bench, and I flinched before she stroked a lock of my hair. "You look beautiful."

That did it, and my heart thumped so hard in my chest that I could barely stop the uprising of emotion that the statement brought. Couple that with the haircut, and I nearly became a mess in front of them. I lifted the mirror from beside me and examined myself with bangs. I liked it, truly, and the notion brought me a surge of confidence.

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