Lovebug

Ruth

By 10:32 my hair was washed, conditioned, blowdried and straightened.
My hair is dry like straw.
But it's beautiful.
Clean. Orderly. Proper.

I look like my mother.
This is not what my grandmother meant when she told me to run from my mother.
Running directly for her.

"Do you like it?"
Miguel asks me, standing up from the waiting chair.

"I look just like my mother."
"From what you've told me, your mother was beautiful."

I smile at my own reflection.
"Yeah. She was."

I get up from the chair after over an hour of sitting.
My hips have never felt worse.

10:35.
Miguel pays the hairdresser.
10:36.
I thank her.
10:36.
We start to walk towards the door when I feel a tap on my shoulder.
The blue haired girl hands me a small piece of paper. She smiles at me and returns to her chair.
10:37.
I walk outside and unfold the paper.
"If you ever need to get out, call me. -Ruth"
And a phone number.

"What's that?"
Miguel asks, walking out of the salon behind me.
"Just some garbage I found in my pocket"
I shove it in my shorts pocket.
Lying. Lying. Lying.

"Thanks for the good day, I've got to get home."

I need to get rid of him.

"Alright bug, stay safe please."
"Don't worry about me"
"Don't tell me what to do"

Fuck off.

He hugs me and we separate.

Mood swings.
I don't know why this has got me so pissy. Pissy enough to think rude thoughts about someone who just spent 85$ on fixing my damage.

I start to walk.
Avoid the cracks.
I love my mother.

If I ever need to get out...
If she really meant that, I may never stop calling.