A Sense of Guilt ✔

Chapter 53

Shannon avoided looking in the salon mirror as Kelly finished off drying her hair. The harsh lighting was definitely not flattering, and after sitting there for almost three hours it was positively migraine inducing.

'Joey's new Facebook account is more like the Shannon Slater fan page,' Kelly said laughing.

'It is not,' Shannon protested.

'Ahem, you're in every picture he's posted.'

'Yeah and there's like three of them,' Shannon said although there were more. 'Besides, it's a private account, he's only added a few people.' She knew his settings meant no one could request him, and whilst he'd said it was so it didn't wind up with loads of 'friends', she suspected he wanted to avoid Katherine trying to add him.

'He could have just unfriended people on his old account,' Kelly pointed out.

'Hmm,' Shannon said shivering as the cool air from the dryer blew on her neck. 'He'd probably have offended people if he did though.' She could imagine that Katherine would feel it was an unnecessary slight if he'd removed her. 

'Anyway, now you guys are official, does this mean you're going to London with him?'

Shannon exhaled slowly. 'Deep down I want to but it's still early days, I don't want to blow it with Joey again.'

'You won't.'

'I did the last time I left Boston.'

Kelly made an exasperated sound. 'Shannon! Joey will be with you, it's not the same thing at all. You were kids back then, you hadn't lived. Honestly, I think if you two had broken up before you went to college you'd have got back together as soon as you graduated. The only reason you didn't is cos you were such a bitch to him.'

'Jeez thanks,' Shannon said although Kelly was possibly correct. 'Actually, Joey was saying the other day that if I'd got in touch with him when I first came back to Boston he'd never have gotten engaged to Katherine. Isn't that weird?'

Kelly turned the hairdryer off. 'No, I don't think it is,' she said slowly. 'I remember when Joey first put Kat in touch with me, she wasn't the most enthusiastic bride-to-be I've ever come across. At the time I thought it was cos she was shy and a bit overwhelmed.' Kelly shrugged. 'Maybe there was more to it.'

Shannon held in a sigh, she could see what Kelly was trying to do but she didn't buy it. 'I think Joey's mom was the problem as far as the wedding went, I don't think Katherine had any doubts about getting married.'

'But she wasn't head over heels about him,' Kelly insisted. 'If you'd come back into his life sooner, none of this drama would have happened.'

Shannon chewed her lip as she pondered Kelly's words. 'Maybe but I don't think it would have been a good move for me to have gone straight from Mark to Joey. I needed some time by myself.'

'I guess,' Kelly said falling silent as she finished combing through Shannon's hair. 'So, what do you think?' She held a mirror up to the back of Shannon's head.

Shannon regarded herself, moving her head from side to side. Her hair was lighter and longer but would Joe like it? She sort of thought he'd prefer her to go darker but if he'd seen her as a brunette - a brief attempt to reinvent herself after she'd left Mark - he'd think otherwise.

'You'd better put a picture up on Instagram,' Kelly said taking a step back to admire her work.

'Of course, I will,' Shannon said passing her phone to Kelly so she could take few photos.

'Thanks,' Kelly said as she resumed brushing her hair. 'You know I've had a bit of negative publicity lately.'

Shannon dipped her head down. 'I'm sorry, it's my fault.'