My Pet

I’ve always thought that styling somebody’s hair is a very intimate process. You sculpt their body like an artist, trying to help them become a version of themselves that they can be proud of. When I was young, I would sit and watch my mother giving haircuts to the women in our neighborhood. The way people smiled at their own reflections after she was done, as if they finally saw themselves in the mirror for the first time in ages, it really stuck with me.

I’d been working at the Salon on Cherry Lane for three years. I liked to think I had gotten pretty good at it. I had just finished with Mrs. Harwell’s regular perm, when somebody else walked in the door. The owner was out at the time, so I turned to greet them.

Standing at the door was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I knew this, because I saw her for the first time many years ago, and nobody had ever come close since. Her name was Marianne. We met in high school, and despite rarely speaking to her, I had had a crush on her ever since I first saw her. I wasn’t alone in that of course. She was perfect. Tall, shapely, effortlessly graceful. Her eyes were big and bright, and she was always smiling. The kind of smile that was infectious. And time and again she had proven that it was genuine. I had never met someone so unfailingly kind.

I was speechless for a moment. She just grinned at me patiently. I saw a moment of recognition in her eyes.

“Oh, are you… um… Adrian?” She asked.

I nodded a few too many times.

“It’s nice to see you again!” She said.

She pulled me into an embrace. Warmth and softness washed over me, along with a sweet scent from her perfume.

“What can I do for you today… Mary?” I managed to ask. She pulled away and rested her arms on her hips.

“I need to get a trim. Now that I’m back home, I can’t go to my regular place anymore. I remembered your mom working in a place around here, so here I am!”

I nodded. “O-of course! Right this way!”

I guided her to a chair. Mrs. Harwell shuffled out, and left us alone in the salon. I placed the cape over her body. I cast a glance down her shirt as I did so, and then mentally reprimanded myself.

I leaned her back into the sink and began washing her hair. As I rubbed her scalp and ran a comb through her hair, she had the most blissful expression on her face. She sighed softly, and looked as if she might fall asleep. When I rubbed conditioner into her hair, she stretched her whole body and gave a long whimper. I could feel her crane her neck to rub her scalp harder against my hands. I’d never quite had a customer act like that, but I barely paid it any mind. I was far to focused on the fact that I was touching Marianne’s beautiful hair, the fact that I could feel her breath. The intimacy shook me to my core, even though I had gone through this process so many times before.

When we were done, I looked down at her, and she opened her eyes, looking right into mine. She was flushed. She looked so… sensual, that it almost drove me mad. I realized she was waiting on me.

I awkwardly adjusted the chair back up, and seated her in front of the mirror. I dried her hair, as we made occasional eye contact through our reflections. I needed to say something to break this tension.

“So Mary, what brings you back?” I asked.

“I finished my degree, and I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. So I came back home. I got an apartment nearby for a while and starting looking for a job. Mom and Dad are happy to have me back of course. I visit them a lot more now.”

Her eyes darts back and forth around the room.

“Is… your mom still working here?” She asked.

I wasn’t sure how to respond.

“She… isn’t.” I said flatly. Marianne seemed to understand. She stared down at the tools under the mirror, and didn’t say anything for a long time.

As if he sensed our change in mood, Caesar jumped on the table, and lied down. Marianne reached out to pet him, and he happily thrust his head into her hand. After a moment she spoke again.

“Do you ever feel jealous of them?”

“Of who?”

“Cats. Their lives are so simple. And they can beg for physical affection without any shame. You don’t really see people petting each other.”

In response I gently scratched her scalp. I expected her to laugh, but she closed her eyes and moved her head towards me. So, I kept doing it. We stayed like that for a while. I had to remind myself to breath.

“Hey… do you want to come check out my new place?” She asked, finally opening her eyes. She looked right at my face through the mirror.

I was stunned. After a moment I simply nodded. She smiled, and closed her eyes again. I finished trimming her hair, and she turned her head to examine herself.

“Wow! You did a great job!” She declared. Her smile made my heart skip a beat.

Then she got up and paid the fee.

“When do you get off?” She asked.

Something got into me. I knew there were unlikely to be any more customers today.

“Actually, right about now.” I said.

As we left, I turned the sign on the door to Closed. I was sure the boss would understand.