Captured

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One Month Later

I started my day at Curls and Care with the familiar sound of the key turning in the lock. As I unlocked the door, the excitement for the day ahead overtook my body.

After dropping off my bags behind the counter, I checked the shelves and the products. As I marked each item on my list, I felt more at ease. It was a simple task, but it helped me feel more organized. I made sure everything was in the right place and that promotional signs were well positioned. With the store expanding soon, I'm looking forward to introducing new and exciting items to our customers. I know that paying attention to detail will be crucial for the expansion's success.

The day's first customer, Ebony, walked in. She was a regular client who came to pick up her monthly supply of curl products. I greeted her with a smile and offered help. We chatted about how much the products had positively impacted her hair and skin, and even discussed the best ways to dye natural hair without causing damage.

Just a minute after Tati arrived, a new customer walked in, searching for products to help with her hormonal acne. Tati started helping her right away, showing each product and explaining the benefits.

Tati: "This is our avocado mask. It helps by nourishing the skin deeply with its natural oils and vitamins, which can calm inflammation and reduce the redness associated with hormonal acne."

Shortly after ringing up Ebony, I heard the doorbell ding. I looked up, instantly focusing on the entrance. In walked a familiar face.

As soon as Jacque sees me, a faint smile crosses her face and she starts walking over.

"Hi, do you have a minute to chat?" she asks.

"Sure, what's up?" I respond.

"I just wanted to drop by before my interview nearby to talk about what happened during brunch. I was also hoping we could discuss the possibility of me finally having a sit-down with Daniel."

"Uh, sure, we can head back here to my office. Hey Tatiana, can you hold down the fort? I need to step into my office for a minute."

"Sure thing, Shan."

Jacque and I make our way to my office.

Jacque took a deep breath, twirling a strand of her hair. "Shanice, I want you to know how deeply sorry I am for the way I treated you. I've had some time to reflect, and I realize I was out of line. All of this has been overwhelming, and I haven't been handling it well. But I want to make things right, starting with you. It was wrong of me to assume you were being abused or that you'd stay in a situation like that. He's my brother, and I'd like to have a good relationship with him. That's the whole reason why I moved here. Even though he's not my favorite person after the way he handled things before, I hate holding grudges and would love for us to start on the right foot."

"I appreciate you coming here to apologize. I understand that your words came from a place of hurt. I forgive you," I said softly.

"Thank you, Shanice. I've always wanted a sister. Being an only child, I never had that experience, and I hope we can get to that," Jacque replied warmly.

"I hope so too."

As Jacque and I embraced for a moment, I couldn't shake the feeling that she had been struggling with this for a while. I couldn't help but wonder what my life would be like if our roles were reversed. I couldn't imagine a life without Tiara, Tamara, and Kevaughn.

"How did you know I worked here?" I asked as we released each other's embrace.

"Are you kidding? My brother is almost always in magazines, and the internet is, well, very public."