Page 60 of Hello Handsome
Deciding the jeans and blouse I had laid out were good for a dinner date, I changed into the outfit. As I was zipping up the jeans, the front door opened.
“You’re early!” I yelled nervously. I still had to do my hair and apply my makeup.
“You knew I was coming?” Isa called back.
My jaw dropped. “Isa?” I buttoned up my pants and sprinted to the living room, where Isa was setting down a duffel bag and her well-worn backpack.
“Surprise,” she said, waving her hands halfheartedly.
I ran to her, hugging her tight. “The best surprise ever! And…” I pulled back to take in her new haircut. Instead of her typical waist-length hair, it was now down to her shoulders. “You cut your hair!”
She brushed her fingers through the straight edges. “It’s so much easier now. Do you like it?”
“I love it,” I said, feeling the soft fringe. “So healthy.”
She smiled, taking in my outfit. “Were you going somewhere?”
“Actually…” My cheeks felt hot. “I’m getting ready for a date with Jameson.”
She’d heard about my new man on our weekly chats, so she waggled her eyebrows. “Exciting. I can hang in the bathroom with you while you do your makeup.”
I frowned, heart tugging at the thought of leaving her here. “I hardly get to see you. I don’t want to miss out on time with you.”
“I know you have a life, Mom. Besides, this is perfect. I need to finish grading papers.” She pretended to wiggle her fingers with joy. “Yay.”
I shook my head at her. “You’re sure?”
She nodded. “Yes. Let’s get your makeup done! I like seeing all the new things you try.”
My cheeks flushed a little at the compliment. It felt good to be good at something. So we got to the bathroom, and Isa sat on the edge of the tub while I started my routine, beginning with primer and then foundation.
“So when do I get to meet Jameson?” She seemed actually interested.
“You want to meet him?” I asked, surprised. “Wouldn’t it be weird?” I’d never dated when they were kids, and even though they didn’t really know their dad, I respected their feelings for him might be complicated.
“If he matters to you, he matters to me,” she said simply. She reached for the drawer under the sink, and I backed up a bit so she could grab the fingernail clippers. Then she started clipping her fingernails while I finished my foundation and started adding blush.
I said, “I’m not sure when we’ll introduce each other to our families. It’s not that serious yet.”
She looked up at me with surprise in her dark brown eyes. “Not serious? You’ve been together for a while.”
“Three months.” I shrugged, trying not to let it bother me that things were still casual. After all, I was getting used to dating as an adult woman. But maybe I should be concerned about the lack of progression in our relationship. In fact, I hadn’t met anyone in his life... and he hadn’t met anyone in mine. Was that normal?
Once I applied my lipstick, I started curling my hair. “How’s school?” I asked to change the subject. “Will you finish the semester with good grades?”
“All A’s and B’s,” Isa said proudly. “I just need to decide what my research topic will be for my thesis.”
That was her big project she needed to graduate. “Any ideas?” I asked, wishing I could be more help. She was studying to be a college administrator, and that world was foreign to me aside from what she’s told me.
“I was thinking about screen time usage and seeing how that correlates with grades and feelings of loneliness. Phones collect usage data and the other info can be easily pulled, so I think I could get enough participants for a compelling study.”
“Sounds interesting to me,” I said. “I’d read it.” I hadn’t gotten a smartphone until my twenties, so it was hard to imagine growing up with one.
I flipped my head, trying to get the back part, and Isa said, “Let me.” She picked up the curling iron, and I obliged, turning for her to get the strands that were harder for me to reach.
After a few minutes, Isa set the curling iron down and smiled at me in the mirror. “Looks great. Just let me spray.”
The fruity chemical smell filled the room as she misted my curls.
