Page 55 of Amnesia

“Now,” she said, perking up. “Tell me why you would ask such a question. Are you still wondering about Eddie?”

“Yes and no,” I said. “It’s still a little strange to look in the mirror and not recognize myself.”

Maggie nodded. “That would be strange.”

“And my hair,” I said, reaching up to the damp strands. “Something about it really bothers me.”

“Well, I have to say,” Maggie agreed, “the cut is rather odd.”

My eyes flew to hers, and we both laughed out loud.

After our laughter died down, Maggie asked, “You’re going into town today with Eddie?”

I nodded.

“Why don’t you call him? Tell him you’ll meet him there instead. I have just thing for you,” she said, getting up and going out into the kitchen.

“What is it?” I called after her.

“You’ll see!” she called back.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I agreed.

At just after noon, I stepped out of Loch General and onto the sidewalk. My father was inside with one of the employees. He came into work this afternoon because I was taking the rest of the day off.

I was anxious to find Amnesia. It was already later than I’d planned to pick her up. But a mysterious phone call from her changed my plans. Apparently, she was going somewhere with Maggie this morning, but she didn’t say where. My eyes strayed to the windows of the store more than once this morning as I watched for her on the street. I didn’t see her, though, which made me even more curious. There wasn’t much to do in this town that wasn’t on this main street.

When my phone finally beeped a few moments before, it was a text message from Maggie, asking me to meet her up the street in front of Barb’s. I nearly ran out of the place without saying good-bye to anyone.

Barb’s was more than halfway up the street, on the right-hand side of Loch Gen. Attached to the front of the shop was a barber pole, but instead of being blue and red, it twirled around with pink and white. Above the door was a sign with the name of the place and a big pair of scissors. All the ladies in town (and some of the men) got their hair done here. And their nails… and all the other stuff women were always doing. I stayed away from the place. Too much gossip and giggling for me. I preferred the actual barber around the corner. Jack’s place was tiny, literally a barber’s chair in the center of the room. Sports played on the TV, and the only gossiping men did was about each other’s boats.

Fall was definitely in full swing here in Maine. The wind was close to being cold; leaves blew across the brick sidewalks and gathered at the doorsteps of all the businesses. Everyone was putting out pumpkins and mums, and the store already had a big load of Halloween candy in the back room, ready to be put on display.

When I got close to Barb’s, Maggie stepped out of the shop, the bell on the door jangling behind her. She waved the second she saw me, and I smiled.

“Where’s Am?” I asked.

“Inside. She’s just finishing up. She’ll be right out.”

I hitched my thumb at the door. “Barb’s?”

Maggie nodded and leaned closer. Her voice was secretive. “I think she’s feeling a little insecure about the way she looks. Especially her hair.”

I nodded. I’d picked up on that.

“I think she’s just trying to feel comfortable in her own skin,” Maggie added.

“She got her hair cut?”

Maggie bobbed her head. “She got a new outfit, too. Picked it out herself. I thought it might be good for her to make some decisions regarding herself, even if they are as small as her appearance.”

“That’s a really good idea,” I murmured. I wished I’d thought of it. The lack of control in Am’s life had to be disconcerting. She had no power over nearly everything. She was sort of just swept along by life, and it seemed all she could do was hold on and try not to be swept away completely.

“It might really brighten her day if you complimented her when she came out.” Maggie elbowed me in the middle.

“Like that’s going to be hard to do.” My mouth twisted with a smile.

“I thought you might say that.” She chuckled.

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