Miss Lola.

Chapter 9.

Todd is 6 ft tall,white and openly gay and child, that ain't a problem for me because how he lives his life isn't my business as long as his lifestyle doesn't cause problems at work.

He has hair like his favorite idol, Miss Farrah Fawcett, and uses black eyeliner on his Spring green eyes and bubble gum pink lipstick on his thin mouth but I've asked him to tone it down because I might be progressive but many of my older clients aren't.

He's also one of the best hairstylists in town and I was lucky to get him and then there's Brandy Newman, my cute little nail tech and finally Golda Smith the beefy, light skinned free-spirit who wears bell-bottoms, an Afro worthy of Pam Grier, colorful wooden beads and outrageous platform shoes.

The child might dress like a 1970's disco reject but she can hook up some braids, lace fronts, eye lashes and weaves like it's nobody's business.

"Good morning, yall." Todd said.

"Hey Miss Lola and Miss Avis." Brandy said, in her sweet little voice.

"Boom shocka-locka." Golda greeted us.

"Boom shocka-locka?" I repeated with one perfectly arched brow raised. "Seriously, Golda?"

"That's how we greet people where I'm from."

"Child, stop the foolishness. You've lived here all of your life and I know your parents." I huffed, slapping both hands on my hips.

"But anyway, yall need to tighten up with keeping your work stations clean. I had to pick up a pile of dirty towels this morning and Golda...you left hair glue all over your counter yesterday."

"Oops, my bad Miss Lola." Golda said.

"Just don't let it happen again guys. I ain't running no pigsty over here."

"Yes ma'am." They chorused like dutiful children before heading to the back to change into their black and Lilac smocks that says "Hair, so Lovely" across the front in fancy, golden script. I ordered extra smocks last month but they haven't arrived yet.

"I guess the kids didn't notice me crying." Avis sniffed.

"Girl, they're used to seeing you with tears pouring down your face like rain." I scoff with an eye roll.

"Not every time I come in here." Avis protested, mildly embarrassed.

"Maybe not, but anyway you can fill me in about Ronald later. I'm sure you don't want the "kids" all up in your business."

We called my staff the "kids".

"There really ain't much else to tell." Avis used another tissue to blot her wet eyes but she looked depressed and confused. "I mean, he's gone. End of story."

I really felt bad for her but I just had to ask, "So, do you think he's seeing another woman?"

Avis looked at me like I was the slow one.

"Ronald would never leave me for another woman."

It was hard to keep a straight face when she said that. I mean...was Avis for real or was I the one who was tripping?

"Well.. umm.. yeah, if that's what you think." I muttered, eyeing my friend doubtfully and then changed the subject because what else could I do?

"So anyway, I can do the cut but I can also promise you that a high top fade definitely isn't the direction that we should be going in."

"Okay, maybe you're right about the fade." Avis was squinting at herself in the mirror.  "But I still want you to cut my hair. Just give me a 1990's Toni Braxton and be done with it."

I was relieved that she hadn't asked me to shave it all off.

Now that would have been a hot mess and why is it that when women are going through troubled relationships with men, the first thing they did was to chop their hair off ?

I've seen it happen time and time again in my profession and have never understood this strange phenomenon. 
Well, I guess I'll never figure it out without using Google and I don't care enough to do that.

I was standing behind Avis' chair, sadly eyeing her thick, beautiful hair.

She'd been letting it go natural for six years and it hurt me to have to chemically straighten it now but that's the only route if she wanted me to hook her up a "classic" Toni Braxton.

"I'll have to relax your hair for a cut like that, Avis. Are you ready to say goodbye to your natural texture?"

"Heck yeah. Just do it, Lola."

An hour later, she was running her fingers through her new, short do and pretending to like it.

"You look good, Miss Avis." Golda boomed from across the room where she was working on a client's head.

"Yeah, that cut agrees with you." Brandy said.

"It makes you look younger too." Todd chimed in.

"Yall ain't just pulling my leg are you?" Avis asked and they all denied pulling her leg.

"You do look good. You go girl." I piped up because it was true.

I'd used a caramel rinse on the gray and gently feathered the bangs so that the strands of hair naturally framed Avis' pretty face before finishing it off with a touch of moisturizer to add overall shine.

"Well, if yall say so." Avis said, still sounding unsure.

She paid me and left after promising to call me later.

"So, what's up with Miss Avis?" Todd asked. "Why was she crying?"

Ah..so they had noticed.

"If she wanted to put her business in the streets then she would have told you herself." I said.

"Boom, there it is." Golda laughed.

I went to the sink and turned the water on before spraying the metal surface down with sanitizer.

"I hope she okay." Brandy said, wiping down the counter at her work station."I happen to like Miss Avis."

Brandy is such a sweet and gentle little thing.

"Honey, we all like her and she'll be fine." I assured everyone.

I used a clean towel to dry the sink and then I laid out my combs and brushes just as my next client entered the building.

7 p.m.

"See you tomorrow, Miss Lola." Brandy said, she's always the last person to leave because she generally has the most clients.

"Have a nice evening, baby." I told her just before she opened the doors and stepped outside.

After everyone had left, I checked their work stations which were spotless,  blew out all of the candles and switched the lights off before locking up.

When I stepped outside, I inhaled deeply of the fresh air, allowing my nose to get acclimated to something other than the harsh smell of the chemicals we constantly used at the Shop.