Understanding You *Completed*

Twenty

"So how'd your appointment go?" Jocelyn spoke as she and Miles placed down the black bags they'd gotten from the beauty supply store.

It was time for her to take her twists down, so they stopped to grab a bunch of hair products she could keep at his place.

"It was okay. The usual check up." He sent her a tight lipped smile before beginning to take things from the bags.

Something told Jocelyn there was more to the story. As she watched him, she contemplated pushing the issue.

"Do you want help with your hair?" Approaching her, he took a twist into his hand before allowing it to slip between his fingers.

"What'd they say?"

"Who?" He questioned as he looked up from the twist.

"Your doctor. Everything's good?" Just as the words left her mouth, his eyes flickered from her own to focus on the window beside them. Immediately she knew he was going to lie.

"Y-yeah, everything's fine. I just had some routine blood work done and a, um, physical." Jocelyn's heart sunk as he finally looked back to her and smiled.

"I can tell when you're lying, you know." Reaching up, she brushed her thumb along the smile lines that appeared.

Jocelyn felt panic brew in her stomach as he tilted his head to savor the feeling of her hand along his cheek. "What's going on?"

"Can we just drop it?" His voice was soft, a pleading tone letting her know her suspicions had been correct.

Jocelyn respected his wish, her head nodding in agreement, despite the morbid curiosity that ate away at her insides. They moved in silence as they retreated to his room. She sat on the floor in front of the bed before dumping her bag out.

"Need some help?" Miles questioned as he sat next to her on the floor.

"Do you know how to take twists down?" She questioned as she began sectioning her twists.

"Nope, but I'm sure I can learn." He spoke as he scooted in front of her to watch what she was doing.

"It's pretty simple. All you have to do is take one," she spoke while demonstrating the process, "unravel them at about here."

Miles nodded, his eyes glued to her hands.

"Then the hair will slip right out." Jocelyn carefully pulled the hair from her own before placing it into the empty bag.

"What if it doesn't?" He questioned, his eyes filled with confusion.

"It will. I didn't use rubber bands so as long as my natural hair is separated from the added hair, then it'll come right out." Taking her empty spray bottle, she hopped to her feet to fill it in the bathroom.

"Then once it's out, you take this and wet the hair." She instructed as she sat in front of him and began spraying the strand. "Apply a bit of conditioner and detangle."

"Okay. I think I got it." He swallowed nervously before taking the twist from her hands.

Jocelyn couldn't help but laugh as he gently tried to separate the twists. His fingers fumbled as he dipped in between the strands before pulling back- surely afraid he'd hurt her somehow.

"Come on, put some force behind it." She laid her hands over his to guide him in pulling them apart.

"That doesn't hurt?" A wince sat on his face as they pulled the hair from her head once it was unraveled.

"Nope. It's not my real hair, but if you pull on my real hair we're gonna have a problem." She fake scolded.

They continued this way for about half her head before he finally figured it out on his own. Jocelyn allowed him to take over as he became engrossed in the activity. As they sat in silence once more she couldn't stop her mind from drifting back to their previous conversation.