Duets by Gracie Ragan

Good Morning - Chapter 1

Chapter One

It was another morning, Autumn woke up five minutes before her alarm at six o'clock. So she lay there, in bed, with the sound of traffic in the far distance. The soft sunbeams shattered the shadows with daybreak. She jumped a little when her alarm went off. Then she took a breath and raised an arm in search of the off switch. Once she found it she sat up and swiveled herself to sit on the side of the bed. She got up and walked barefoot into the kitchen of her apartment. She turned on the faucet and filled her electric kettle with water and pressed start. She picked a mug with the resemblance of Chip from Disney's Beauty and the Beast and set it on the counter with an earl gray tea bag in it. Then she walked back to her room and picked an outfit, a periwinkle tee with some jean shorts. She brought her clothes to the bathroom along with her Bluetooth speaker, she turned on a Disney playlist and hopped in. Singing with no care who heard because she knew no one could. The apartment on the other side of that wall was vacant and had been for years. After her shower, she replaced her star wars pajamas with her chosen outfit, she combed her long cinnamon-colored hair and diffused it. Looking in the mirror at herself she saw a green-eyed, pale woman of twenty-four years, five feet five inches, with a little of everything. A little curve here, a little curve there. She was no supermodel but she was blessed with what God gave her. She walked back into the kitchen and poured her tea. Then she put a bagel in her toaster. Lathered it in strawberry cream cheese and sat at the counter. Once she finished her breakfast she brushed her teeth. She checked the time as she grabbed a light pink zip-up jacket, and her circular purse containing her keys. She locked her apartment and walked outside. The weather was transitioning from summer to fall. That meant that the mornings were colder but the afternoon got fairly heated. From her apartment, she walked two blocks to a salon called Lavish Locks. She heard the bell jingle, announcing her arrival.

"Hey Autumn!" cheered her boss, Marian Carlyle.

"Good morning Mrs. Carlyle!" Autumn flashed a winning smile at the woman.

"Oh, you stop that!" Marian teased," Call me Marian for goodness sake!"

Autumn laughed," Of course Marian." Autumn had only graduated college recently but she had gotten her Cosmetologist license as soon as she could and began working at Lavish Locks for Marian. Marian was a short middle-aged woman with short, tightly curled hair, the color of the night sky, and dark skin. Needless to say Autumn and Marian had a strong friendship, so it was almost a joke to call each other by their last names.

"Yes, that would be as if I walked around calling you Miss Coiffure!" Marian waved her shears around, gesturing to the ridiculousness of it all.

Autumn Esther Coiffure walked to her salon chair and began to prepare for her 7:30 appointment. All she knew about her client was that he was a male with straight hair, looking for a trim. That was one of the things she loved about her workplace. It wasn't just for a certain audience. It was for everyone. She liked that. The bell jingled as a customer walked into the salon. Marian walked to the desk at the front, "Hello! Do you have an appointment with us or would you like to set one up with us?" Autumn didn't look back to see who it was.

"I believe there was an appointment set up for today at 7:30 for Philip Wallace." Autumn turned to the low voice and a picturesque description of tall, dark and handsome was revealed.

"Aha! Yes, right this way sir." Marian walked back towards Autumn's cubicle. "He has to be six-foot-three at least!" Autumn thought to herself. He walked behind Marian, but she could see his thick dark coffee-colored hair beginning to curl at its ends. His jawline was sharp and serious, but his honey colored eyes were brimming with humor. He was wearing an olive green tee shirt which showed the potential strength that his arms had. One hand in the pocket of his slacks, and the other holding his phone. Once they reached their destination Marian nudged Autumn to shake her daze.