Tangled Rivalry

Chapter one: Karter

My grandparents, Karina and Porter Haggett, were exceptional hairstylists in New York City. My mom, their middle daughter, fell in love with my dad and moved us down to southern Virginia. A rapid change in environment. My grandparents, not wanting to miss out on their daughter and granddaughters' lives, moved down to our small town of Charlottesville, Virginia.
While it wasn't a much of a bustling city as they're used to, it provided them some comfort in knowing that their family was together. They also ended up opening a very successful salon in the downtown area.

Which now brings me to present day. My grandmother, the matriarch of our family and cosmetologist extraordinaire, passed away. Then roughly about two weeks ago, we had the reading of her will. For some context, I'm a cosmetologist as well. Studied under my grandma while in school and worked in her shop for two years subsequently. While I was her right hand woman, I never thought she'd hand the rights to the salon over to me. I'm only 20 and grandma was a little impulsive. It was a bit of a shock when they read that part.

"Carter, are you okay? You look pale." My mom asked. Truth be told, I was not okay. In fact, I was shitting my pants as we spoke (metaphorically, of course).

"Yeah, I should be."

Mom gives me a half smile. She knows I'm terrified. We leave and head back to the house. Grandpa Porter decided not to go. It would've been to hard for him. I made a pit stop at his house before heading back over to my parents.

"Ah! There's my beautiful granddaughter!"

"Hey, Grandpa. How are you adjusting?"

He hesitates to answer. In his silly, goofy way he reassures me that he's okay. I can see it in his eyes, though. He misses my grandma.

My grandmother was spunky. Maybe a little too spunky. If my grandfather was salt, she was saffron. They both brought out the best in each other. The house feels quiet without her voice.

I get pulled out of my trance, "Do you want some blueberry muffins?"

I smile, "Yeah, I do."

Returning home, mom is on the couch and dad is asleep at the kitchen table. He had too many beers again. Mom is all alone. She handles it like a champ though.

"He's drunk again." I say setting down my purse.

"Yeah, nothing new."

"I can't believe she did that."

My mom turns to me and agrees, "I know right! Why would she leave him for —"

"No, mom." I sigh, "I mean grandma. I'm too young for this. I barely remember to put my dishes away and my laundry! Don't even get me started on the laundry! I just, just, just—" I feel the tears well in my eyes. I haven't really processed her death yet, "I'm not ready for this. Why would she think I can run a whole salon at 20 years old?"

My mom gets up and wraps her arms around me. Immediately, I feel the pressure lifted of my shoulders and replaced by the warmth of my mother's arms.

"Honey, she gave the salon to you because she believed in you. So do all of us. And you're not doing this alone. You have all of us to lean on."

"Thank you."

"We love you, Carter."

"I love y'all too"

I went up to my room. Pulled up the figures for salon ownership. Then went to sleep.