Pitifully Ugly

Chapter 27

Apparently, I’m a weenie.

Kalen and I had gone almost two weeks without seeing each

other due to my illness and her morning sickness. She called me

on a Monday and invited me to lunch, but I wasn’t in the mood.

I met her at the salon on Rampart after she threatened to “skull

drag” me out of my apartment.

My normally vibrant sister looked bloated and tired when she

greeted me. After she hugged me, she leaned heavily against the

counter. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”

“You’re having twins,” I teased.

“God, no, one baby is draining me enough,” Kalen said with

a tired smile. “Someone wants to see you.”

I felt hands on my shoulders and turned to see my mom

grinning from ear to ear. “Surprise,” she said as she hugged me

tight.

“When did you get in?” I asked.

“Late last night. Your father is doing well, and I wanted to be

with my girls.” She cupped my cheeks in her hands and kissed me

on the nose before pulling me in for another hug.

“I’m so glad to see you. I’ve missed you so much.” I hugged

her back.

“That is just so freaking sweet.” We both turned and looked

at Kalen, who had tears streaming down her face. She blew her

nose and looked at Mom and me. “I’m very emotional right now,”

she said with a shrug. “Somebody needs to feed me or I’m gonna

pass out.”

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Mom took us to her favorite New Orleans haunt, Maspero’s.

In her mind, a shrimp po’boy could mend anything, including

morning sickness that in Kalen’s case lasted all day. I’d eaten half

of my sandwich when I felt uncomfortably full. Kalen ate all of

hers and took care of my leftovers.

Kalen burped and blushed. “Sorry, the baby made me do it.”

“You were a pig before you picked up a passenger,” I teased.

Kalen shook her head. “I have no control over myself anymore.

The other day, I folded a load of laundry and promptly threw up

in the basket. Then I cried because I ruined the laundry.”

Mom patted Kalen’s arm. “I suffered with nausea most of

the time when I was pregnant with you. Sucking on peppermints

always helped.”

“And you did it twice?” I said. “I would’ve given up after the

first baby.”

“I’m glad she didn’t.” Kalen reached over and clutched my

hand. “I couldn’t imagine life without you.”

“What has gotten into you?” I asked Kalen with mock

disgust. “You’ve gotten all affectionate and…warm and fuzzy.

It’s gross.”

“I know, it’s weird. I’m all cuddly when it comes to you, but

I want to strangle Todd.”

“That’s because your baby sister is your comfort zone,” Mom

said. That sort of stunned me. Kalen had always been my comfort.

It felt strange to have the roles reversed.

Mom reached over and put her hand on mine while Kalen

gripped the other. “Don’t turn around, but there’s a lovely young

woman at the table by the window that keeps looking at you.”

“I’ve given up on women,” I said resolutely. “They’re a pain

in the ass.” I smiled at Mom. “Well, you’re not.”

“Shannon.” Kalen leaned closer and lowered her voice. “It’s

Hailey.”

Involuntarily, I turned and looked. It was indeed Hailey. I

felt the muscles in my stomach tighten as I stared at her. She was

stunning in a navy blue suit with her curly hair spilling over her

shoulders. She sat with whom I assumed were her colleagues

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from work enjoying a working lunch. There were six including

Hailey. Everyone seemed to be discussing something, but Hailey

stared out the window until she turned suddenly and caught my

eye. She smiled and waved discreetly. I nodded and smiled before

turning back around.

“So things didn’t work out between you?” Mom asked.

I shook my head. “We’re just friends.”

Mom glanced in her direction and smiled.

“Okay, everybody stop looking at her,” I said. “This is

awkward.”

“That’s who took care of Shannon when she had strep.” Kalen

chewed on her straw and looked around me.

“Quit looking over there,” I growled out. “She’s gonna think

we’re talking about her.”

“I know. I spoke to her on the phone when I cal ed,” Mom said.

“You did?” I asked, surprised.

“You were sleeping. She told me that she and Marvin had

taken you to the doctor and that she was making sure you took

your medicine.”

“She didn’t tell me you called.”

“She probably had her hands full with you.” Mom grinned.

“You’re a big baby when you’re sick.”

“A weenie is more like it.” Kalen swiped a shrimp from

Mom’s plate.

Mom glanced at Hailey’s table again. “She’s absolutely

adorable, and she’s coming over.”

I turned just as Hailey walked up.

“Thought I’d come over and say hi,” Hailey said with a shy

smile.

“I’m glad you did.” I managed to return the smile. “I believe

you’ve already met Kalen, my sister. This is my mom, Jill, who

just informed me that you’ve already spoken.”

Hailey made a face. “Oh, I did, and I forgot to tell you she

called. I’m sorry.”

“Think nothing of it, sweetie.” Mom reached over and took

Hailey’s hand. “It’s such a pleasure to meet you in person and

thank you for taking care of—”

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“Our weenie,” Kalen interjected.

Hailey smiled and winked at Kalen, then looked back at

my mom, who had embarrassingly not released her hand. “It’s

a pleasure to meet you, too, Mrs. Brycen. And I enjoyed taking

care of your…” Hailey looked at me with a grin. “…baby.”

Mom beamed up at Hailey. “Won’t you join us for coffee?”

“I’d love to, but unfortunately, I need to get back to the office.

The bigwigs are in town, and the whole office is standing on their

ears to please them.” Hailey looked at me then. “It was nice to see

you all.”

“Great to see you, too,” I said numbly as I watched her turn and

walk away. Then I turned and looked at Kalen. “You jackass.”

She pretended not to notice as she took another shrimp and

looked at it. “Do you think they know that they’re being netted

and taken away from their families? Only to end up on our plates.”

Her eyes grew watery as she laid it respectfully on a lettuce leaf.

“Nap time.” Mom gestured for the check. “We’re taking you

home and putting you to bed.” Mom sounded like she did when

we were children.

Kalen did in fact look like a child as she burrowed deeper into

her bed and clutched the blankets under her chin. Mom stroked

her hair lovingly. “You may be having a baby of your own, but

you’re still my baby,” she said as she switched off the lamp.

I followed Mom out of the room, and before shutting the door,

I whispered, “tit mouse.”

“Up yours” came Kalen’s reply from the darkness. I smiled.

That was the sister I knew and loved.

“Shannon, honey, I don’t know how to work Kalen’s coffee

maker,” Mom said, eyeing the Brew Station. “Would you make

us some, please?”

I did as she asked while she took a seat at the kitchen table.

“Just friends, huh?” Mom said with a chuckle.

“Unfortunately so.” I leaned against the counter and folded

my arms.

“I don’t think so,” Mom said with a shake of her head. “That’s

not what her eyes say, nor yours.”

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“Well, her mouth says it just wants to be friends.” I filled

Mom’s cup and set it on the table.

“That woman is crazy about you, and you can be a total tool

when you’re sick.”

I whirled around and looked at Mom. “Where did you learn

that term?”

“Kalen. That’s what she calls Todd when she’s mad at him.

You need to ask Hailey out again.”

I filled my cup and joined Mom at the table. “I can’t,” I said

as I stirred cream into my coffee.

“Why not?”

“Because I’m a weenie, and I don’t want to hear her tell me

that she doesn’t want anything serious again.”

“Oh, honey,” Mom said with a knowing smile. “It’s already

serious.” I told her about how Hailey acted when Marci called,

and Mom rolled her eyes. “You’re missing all the cues. She may

be saying she doesn’t want to be serious, but what she’s really

saying is that she’s scared.”

“She’s basically admitted that before.”

“I know you’re scared, too, given what you’ve told me about

her past.” Mom took a sip of her coffee and grimaced. “Cream,

pass the cream. I’d forgotten about New Orleans coffee being so

strong.” After she added a considerable amount of cream, she took

a sip and sighed. “She adores you, Shannon. Ask her again.”

I left Kalen’s and bought flowers, not for Hailey, but for

Marvin. He was grinning like a schoolgirl when I presented them.

“Thank you for taking care of me, and one night when you’re

free, I’d like to take you to dinner.”

Marvin batted his eyes. “If you were a man, I’d take you in

the back and have my way with you.”

“Umm, thanks.” I backed away a step.

He reached out and grabbed my arm. “Come back here. Let

me look at this hair.” He fingered the ends of my strands and

made a face. “It grows so fast, you need a trim, little monkey. I

had a cancellation. You walked in at the right time.” My hair was

washed, and I was sitting in his chair before I knew what hit me.

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“So,” Marvin began with a grin. “Did Hailey take good care

of you?”

I nodded. “She did—”

Marvin planted his fingers firmly on the top of my scalp.

“Don’t nod, never nod when I’m cutting your hair.”

I nodded again out of reflex.

“Do you secretly want to be bald?” Marvin asked as his eyes

went round.

I was tempted to shake my head to really send him over the

edge. “No, I’ll be still.”

Marvin exhaled loudly and went back to work. “No movement.

Did she stay with you that night? Because she said she was.”

“She did and the next night, too.”

“Oh, she’s so sweet.” Marvin smiled as he moved around me.

“I bet she’ll say yes if you ask her out again.” Marvin let the

comment hang in the air, then rolled his eyes when I sat there

looking like a scared rabbit.

“Here’s where I’m at. I’m too afraid to ask and too afraid not

to.” I fought the urge to shrug, keeping my head still as Marvin

clipped and snipped. “I think she wants more, too, but if I push

her and she backs away again, I…hell, I don’t know what I’d do.

Chase or run, it’s all so frustrating, but I have to do something or

I’ll lose my mind.” When I looked at Marvin in the mirror, he was

sporting a toothy grin. “What?” I asked, annoyed that he found

my dilemma amusing.

“I don’t suppose that either of you realizes that you’ve basically

been,” he held up his fingers and made quote marks, ‘“courting’

each other. You’re on a collision course with love, and one of

you has to make the next move to advance to the next level.” He

leaned down and pressed his face against mine, catching my eyes

in the mirror’s reflection. “It’s gonna have to be you.”

Marvin went back to trimming as I mulled what he had to

say. As I thought back on my previous relationships, I’d always

been the passive one, waiting for someone else to make the first

move. I’d made a first move with Hailey once when I kissed her

in the courtyard only to have her withdraw a few days later. This

game of tug-of-war was making me weary. I kept waiting for a

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pull from Hailey’s side of the rope, but all I got was a few brief

jerks.“She’s afraid, she’s admitted that, and you are, too, but I’m not

so sure it’s rejection. I think you’re more afraid of what’s going

to happen between the two of you when things go well.” Marvin

cocked his head and winked.

I swallowed hard. He was right. It was time to confront the

niggling fear that I kept tucked away in the recesses of my mind.

“My dad…was unfaithful.”

Marvin rested his hands on my shoulders and sighed.

“Sweetie, I’m sorry.”

“Kalen never knew, just me and Mom. I think that’s why I’m

so shy, and she’s just so out there. I was so afraid that someone

would take the place of my mom. Like Dad would move her out

and bring someone else in.” I smiled ruefully. “I used to cling to

her leg whenever we had company. If she was going, I was going,

too.”Marvin looked as though he would cry. “Hailey cheated on

her husband. She told me.”

“I know in my heart that things can be good between us, but

I’m afraid that I’ll ruin everything worrying that one day she may

replace me.”

“A hairdresser, like a bartender, is often privy to secrets.”

Marvin squeezed my shoulders gently. “I listen to men and

women.” He lowered his voice. “A few that work here included

brag about their infidelity like it’s the latest fashion. Hailey’s

ashamed of what she did. You can see the pain in her eyes when

she talks about it.” Marvin shook his head. “Cheating is never

justified, but she didn’t step out on her marriage because she was

bored, but because she was coping with her sexuality.”

I digested what Marvin had to say as he dried my hair. Maybe

I hadn’t been tugging on the rope as hard as I thought I was, but

it was time to start.

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