Page 86 of Oh No! There's an Incubus in my Hot Spring
“Why not?” he asks, stepping closer.
I put another clump of hair through the heat. “When my hair is straight, I’m a businesswoman. When it’s not, I’m not.”
“Why?”
“Because,” I hiss. “It’s just the way it is.”
“Sylvia,” he says in a calm, knowing voice that puts me even more on edge.
I take a deep breath and set the hair torture instruments down. He turns me around and lifts my chin to stare into my eyes.
“Your preconceived notions of what makes a ‘businesswoman’ are holding you back from happiness. This is ahappyday. Your business is being reviewed by several important outlets.”
I take another deep inhale and nod my head.
“You are a businesswoman no matter how straight or curly your hair is,” he says, pushing a lock behind my ear.
“You are a businesswoman no matter how tall or short you are.” He taps my three-inch heels with his bare foot, drawing my eyes down.
He lifts my chin again, leaning closer. “And you are a businesswoman no matter what these newspapers and ViewTube personalities say about you.”
“But am I agoodbusinesswoman?” I ask with a pout.
His arm slides around my back and he pulls me flush against his chest. “You’re good. Their words can’t change that.”
I drop my forehead to his shoulder and take one more deep breath. “Okay. So my hair is being stubborn and wild. Fine. I’ll be stubborn and wild too.”
I run back to my closet and kick off the heels in favor of my black, skull-patterned Doc Martens. I pull off my knee-length skirt and just rock my black leggings with an oversized orange sweater. It is spooky season, after all.
I turn to him with a huff. “There.”
He smiles. “Perfect.”
My phone rings and I send a quick prayer that it’s not my mother.
I let out a breath when I see it’s Irene.
I answer with a chipper voice. “Hey-hey.”
“Hey, hon, I’m on my way right now. I’m so, so sorry I’m not there already! Oh my gosh, my dad this morning, and then the diner called meagain, and I just couldn’t get out the door.”
“Slow down, girl. It’s fine. This is a happy day. We’re all calm and happy here,” I say, smiling up at Apollo.
I hear Irene take a deep, cleansing breath. “Okay. Cool. Yeah, happy day. I’ll be there in thirty.”
“See you then. Drive safe.”
“Will do.”
She hangs up and I walk to Apollo, putting my arms around his shoulders. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he says, stroking my long, unruly black hair.
My phone rings again and I close my eyes. I can feel it this time.
Yep. It’s my mom.
I answer. “Hey, Mom.”
