🙂 Tuesday brings us another #Blogbattle and its One Year Anniversary!!
Woo-Hoo!! Time sure does fly when you’re having fun!!

#BlogBattle is a weekly short story challenge using a single word for inspiration.  Hosted by the talented Rachael Ritchey.  Feel free to join in, or click here to read the current week’s stories and vote for your favorites.

With this weeks word, I just had to take a trip to the Hair Salon to check up on my dear friends favorite characters, Nita and Michael 😉 Happy Reading!!

This week’s word:  Hair

Genre:  Contemporary/Inspirational

Locks of Love

Nita walks into her hair salon carrying a bag of Double Chocolate Chunk Brownies, and two Venti Iced Smoked Butterscotch Lattes. Without a word, she places one of the cups in front of Michael along with the bag of brownies, and turns to hang up her coat. She hears a slight gasp and a rustle of the bag as Michael opens it to reveal its contents.

“Buttercup, you didn’t.” Michael proclaims as he takes a sip of his latte.

“Yep, I sure did.” She replies with a smile.

“Oh, my, gawd, I have died and gone to heaven, this is absolutely delish. What’s the occasion?” He asks with a hint of skepticism.

“Can’t I treat my partner to breakfast?” Nita replies.

Michael just gives her a look, and continues eating his brownie.

“What?” He’s not buying it, she continues. “OoooKaaay…so, I have this friend.”

Michael swallows his brownie with exaggeration, to prevent himself from choking, “That never ends well.” He says flatly.

“I’m serious Michael, just hear me out.”

“OK, OK Cupcake…proceed.”

“My friend Kat just moved here from the small town she grew up in. She is staying with her cousin for awhile, since there are more opportunities for her here to find a job in marketing. She has never been away from home, and she lived a very sheltered life. She was raised in a very strict church, where she couldn’t wear jeans, couldn’t wear any make-up, and she has never cut her hair.”

With eyes wide, he asks, “How were you two even friends?”

Nita shrugs, “We just were. Even though I didn’t agree, I respected their beliefs, and never tried to change her. Now her beliefs are different, so slowly she has been making some changes with her clothes, and makeup, but the hair is the last to go. She is ready to step out and get a new look. Plus she wants to donate her hair to Locks of Love*. So. This is where you come in, I want you to work your magic on her.”

“Oh Honey Bun, why didn’t you say that in the first place, you know how I do. Question is, why aren’t you doing it?”

Another shrug, “I think you are what she needs to get through this, it’s a big step. Plus I’m still close with her family, I don’t want to be the one to do it I guess.”

“She’s not going to get all hysterical on me is she?” Michael questions with apprehension.

“No, no. Nothing like that. You just know how to make women feel beautiful, and that is what she needs right now.” Mocking him she adds, “You know how you do.”

“I am all that and a bag of chips my Little Frappacino,” Michael says with a single snap of his finger.

“She’ll be in this afternoon, I penciled her in. Her name is Katherine, but I call her Kat.”

“This afternoon? What if I had said no?”

“That’s what the brownies and Iced Smoked Butterscotch Latte were for.” Nita says as she waggles her eyebrows

“You. Little. Minx. Mmmmm….these brownies though.” Michael says as he takes another bite, and his eyes roll to the back of his head while he closes his eyes.

~ ♦ ~

Nita greets Kat with a great big hug. She takes her coat, and then walks her over to Michael’s station.

“Michael this is Kat, Kat, Michael.” Nita makes the introduction as Kat sits down.

Kat quietly responds as she holds out her hand, “Nice to meet you Michael.”

“The pleasure is all mine Kat.” Michael shakes her hand with both of his. “Would you just look at all this gorgeous hair?” Michael exclaims as he combs his fingers through it, looking directly at her in the mirror, with his megawatt smile. “Just think Sunshine, how happy you’ll make one cute little Angel Face when she receives her new hair-do from Locks of Love.”

With that Kat smiles and visibly relaxes in Michael’s chair.

Oh, yeah, he was definitely the right person for the job. Nita walks away with a smile on her face knowing that her long time friend is in good hands.

Michael and Kat discuss what she would like, and he suggests what he knows will look good on her. Before Michael gets started, Nita documents this event with photos. She takes a before picture, and a picture as Michael cuts the portion that will be donated. They agree that Kat will not see the progress until it is complete. Michael keeps her distracted through the whole process keeping her talking and laughing. Kat was genuinely enjoying herself, and Nita was happy to see the Kat she knew all too well.

As Michael is finishing up, Nita walks past him. Doing all she can to contain her excitement, yet wanting him to see her approval, she lays her hand on his upper arm and gives it a squeeze. He looks into her moist eyes, and gives her a knowing wink.

Michael removes the cape, and adds some finishing touches. Nita takes Kat’s hand and asks if she is ready. With an enthusiastic nod, they turn her chair around so that she is facing the mirror. Her eyes open wide, as she raises her hand to her mouth in shock. Not fully recognizing the person looking back at her, yet thinking she is really pretty. Kat moves her head back and forth as her hair sways with the movement. She runs her fingers through her shoulder length hair, in awe at the golden highlights and just how shiny and soft it is.

“Kat, you look gorgeous!!” Nita says as she squeezes her shoulders. “What do you think?”

“I….I…I don’t know what to say.” Kat stutters as her shock gives way to elation.

“I’ve rendered a woman speechless…my work is done here.” Michael says with a dramatic bow.

Laughing, Kat gets up from the chair, reaches out to hug him and says, “Thank you Michael, thank you so much.”

“Awww Kit Kat, you are so very welcome.” He steps back and rests his hands on her shoulders, looks directly in her eyes and says, “Always remember. You, do you Boo. Always do you.” He says with a wink as he smooths his hands over her hair.

© 2016 Carrie Ann

*Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.  You can find more information here.