Page 52 of Weatherman

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 longas 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.”

CHAPTER 24

Night fell earlythis time of year. The Lair’s outside lights made welcoming halos on the ground as we parked close to the entrance. Pearl babbled from her car seat, excited to be someplace different.

Weatherman’s headlights flashed across the front of the building. I’d been here only one other time, but there was a sense of familiarity to it. Weatherman drove his mom’s big white Chevy Traverse so we could put her fancy walker and the stroller in the back. Natalie had stopped using the wheelchair and was gaining strength again. Pearl was walking pretty well now, but she still had moments when I had to carry her and needed the yellow contraption.

Weatherman took Pearl out of the car and gave her raspberries on her cheek, making her giggle.

“Am-mah-dah!” she declared as he put her down and helped his mom.

Betsey was the first person we saw. The few times I’d been around her, she’d made a beeline for Pearl. Tonight, Pearl stumbled up to her and babbled her baby words.

“Hey, cutie britches!” The woman scooped up my daughter and set her on her expert hip. “How’s my little precious Pearl? How’s my baby?”

The rest of us became afterthoughts as she turned and carried my little girl into the building.

The place was the same as the last time I came. People played video games, shot pool, talked, drank, and ate. Stud conversed with Dodge and had one arm around his oldest daughter with another one pulling at his leg. I didn’t see Eva or Fauna. Table waved from where he stood with a pool cue in his hand. I caught a glimpse of Lori herding her brood to a kids’ spot with plates. One pointed look from her had Table leaving the game to help her. Tambre sat on one sofa with a baby on her lap, who I guessed was Lori’s newborn.

Betsey had taken over Pearl and played with her while strolling around the large room. She stuck a finger in her mouth and stared at the deer head over the giant mantel that sported a springy turkey headband. She pointed at it and dropped her alligator on the floor. Mute scooped it up and handed it to her. She gave him a drooly grin, no fear of the giant.

Maybe it was because she was in the arms of someone she trusted to keep her safe.

I trusted Betsey too. I trusted all of them.

A buffet was set up along one wall and was covered with every imaginable Thanksgiving food item. Platters of turkey, ham, and venison sat alongside an army of vegetable casseroles and a mountain of mashed potatoes. Another table had just as many dessert offerings, with pies, cakes, cookies and some sort of fluffy chocolate stuff that made my mouth water. No excuses for anyone to go hungry here tonight.

“Let’s grab some food, babe,” Weatherman said.

Babe.The title made me feel things I’d thought were gone. I still had a ways to go, but this was the beginning. The start of something new. Something good.

I filled a plate with just a spoonful of everything and still ended up with a huge pile. I also made a smaller one for Pearl. Weatherman did the same for him and his mother, sticking by my side as we made our way down the long table.

“Try the sweet potatoes. They’ll change your life.” He plopped a helping onto my plate before adding to Pearl’s and his.

---