𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 ✓

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨 - 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐧

"Ow!" Odessa cried, pulling away from her cousin's grasp. The smell of castor oil hung in the air with an unrelenting potency.

"You're not five, Des, sit still." Thalia scolded.

"I would if you'd stop trying to rip my edges out."

"You barely have any edges to rip off. And no one asked you to texturize them."

Odessa rolled her eyes, speaking sarcastically. "Lia, I'm an art history major. I have to have a mental breakdown and do something stupid to my hair at least once a semester."

"You're also a broke art history major who can't afford to get her retwists done at a salon. So, if you'd be so kind as to stop squirming before you get a comb to the forehead, I'd appreciate it."

With a sigh, Odessa willed her head to stop moving. She was lucky to have someone willing to do her hair for free. It was of mutual benefit. Thalia got to practice her loc maintenance skills and Odessa got her hair done.

So she and her tender head endured Thalia's strong fingers tugging at her scalp.

It wasn't even supposed to be painful, but Thalia was the heavy-handed type. In stark contrast to Thalia's mother, Tia, who had taken such good care of their hair when she was younger. Aunt Tia's hands were always gentle and she never got frustrated.

Odessa's mother, on the other hand, could stand to have a gentler touch too.

 The thought brought a fresh wave of frustration over Odessa's already stressed mind. She knew that her mother had always done what she thought was best for her, to "toughen her up" so to speak, but it didn't make it hurt any less.

 She was sure it was some sort of older child complex. Odessa's mother had gotten the brunt of the parenting from her own mother. Because when Aunt Tia spoke about Odessa's grandmother it was always tenderly. When Odessa's mother spoke of her it was typically about all the beatings she got growing up.

Odessa had managed to connect the dots as she got older. Her mother was only being what her grandmother had been to her and in some ways, she didn't want to blame her for that.

But she still did.

Thalia paused in her ministrations when she noticed how tense Odessa had become.

Without warning, Thalia leaned forward and hugged her cousin. It surprised Odessa enough to make her forget about her mother for a moment.

"Better?" Thalia asked.

Odessa nodded.

"Good. Now don't move unless you want uneven parting." With that, Thalia went back to work.

Odessa sat back against the couch. She watched Thalia in the reflection of her mirror, as she continued working on her hair. Her cousin worked quickly, which she was appreciative of. It meant that Odessa didn't have to sit there very long.