Ten

“WE HAVE HAIR APPOINTMENTS tomorrow,” Kate said on Friday night. “Tony, you could stand a trim, too. Could you drop us off at the hairdresser before you go to Pilates tomorrow morning? We’ll meet you at the barber after you’ve gotten your trim and then we could go to lunch.”

“We?” I asked.

“Kate and me,” Melody confirmed. “Oh. And Bree.”

Hmm. Bree was going with the girls to get her hair done? I was beginning to wonder what they were all planning.

“Not Lissa?”

“We’ve got the boys and we can’t all be sitting in a hair salon all day. We’ll come and meet you for lunch, though,” Lissa said through her smile. “Besides, I just had mine done last week before the party. Do you think I need a trim?”

Lissa’s hair was as short as I’d ever seen it. She loved the very classy cut that never seemed to need any tending. I loved the fact that her neck was always bare and I could kiss and nibble on it in the morning.

Saturday morning, we picked up Bree. I dropped the three at the mall. Before Kate got out of the car, she leaned over to kiss me and pulled my hands up to her hair. I’d just washed it this morning in the shower and I loved running my fingers through the silky tresses. She hadn’t pulled it into a ponytail this morning and it fell loosely below her shoulder blades. She kissed me fiercely and told me she’d see me in a couple hours. Melody practically crawled over the seat to repeat the gesture. Bree was already out of the car.

After Pilates, I ate a light snack and then headed for QuickCuts. I waited for Donna. Why change a good thing? I waved at Howard when Donna took me back to her chair and Howard grinned.

“You marry that other girlfriend yet?” Howard asked.

“No,” I answered. “She wants to take it slow. But, we’re together.”

“How about naked parties?” Donna asked. Apparently, my major use to the salon was stories of my sex life.

“We had a sexy costume party for Halloween,” I said.

“That’s worth a shave,” Howard said. “Tell us.”

While Howard worked his magic with a hot towel and razor, I described each costume at the party, spending a little extra time talking about Rio’s near nude display as an artist’s model. That seemed to satisfy the prurient interests enough to let Donna clip my hair. I hadn’t realized that my birthday was the last time I had a haircut. I forget.

“So, who’s picking you up today?” Donna asked. “Wife one, wife two, or girlfriend?”

“Um ... all of the above, I think ... and another friend,” I said. “They went to have their hair done at the other place where they go. Oh. And the kids.”

“You’ve got kids?” Donna said with enthusiasm.

“Two boys, six and eight,” I said, reaching for my wallet to show her a picture.

“Aren’t they the cutest,” she said as she spun me to look at myself in the mirror. I didn’t think she’d actually looked. “Oh my, oh my. Howard?”

I looked at Howard, whose eyes were glued to the front of the shop. Donna spun my chair around so I could see my lovers enter the store.

My mouth dropped open.

I was still hyperventilating when the four sexy ladies and two children finally reached me and stopped in front of me, hips all thrust to the left with one hand on them. Even the boys copied the pose while they were giggling.

“What happened?” I gasped out.

“We got our hair cut,” Bree said, graciously leaving out the “duh” that I could hear in her voice. I looked at my red-headed friend and shook my head to clear it.

Bree’s hair was mostly gone. She had the wildest red hair I’d ever seen, a little more than shoulder length when it was down. Now it was tightly cropped around her head in a boy-cut. It was about the same length as mine now that I’d been barbered.

Melody stepped forward and gave me a little kiss as soon as Donna had the apron off of me. Her mahogany tresses were gone. The hair was not quite as short as Bree’s, but almost. It was slicked down in a pixie cut that was swept behind her ears. I kept touching and stroking it as she kissed me. Well, here was another neck that I had instant access to.

Kate’s hair was unbelievable. Her ponytail was gone. GONE! In its place was a short spiky mass that sported a purple streak through it. I stood and she kissed me soundly. Lissa rushed into my arms.

“It’s okay, Tony,” she said. “It’s just hair.”

“It’s just a shock,” I said. Lissa kissed me.

I turned again and Bree raised her cheek to me for a light peck and a broad grin. Then I scooped up the boys in my arms.

“Guys, you should come in and get a haircut from Donna sometime,” I said turning to introduce them.

“I know these boys,” Donna said. “I cut their hair once a month. Hi, Drew. Hi, Damon. But they’re always with...”

“ ... Jack, their father,” Lissa supplied. “I wondered where he took them for their haircuts. I’ve always left it up to him.”

“You’re the mom?” Lissa nodded.

“Hey, Damon,” I broke in. “Has Howard ever given you a shave?”

“We don’t shave, Tony. Didn’t you know?” Damon giggled.

“Oh, I forgot. You’re growing your beard out, aren’t you?” That just got more giggles and some good-natured ribbing from Donna and Howard. I paid my bill and we headed out to a late lunch at Carmine’s.

“Wow! Look at you!” Wendy screamed when she saw us walk into the restaurant. “Bree, how cute. Melody, you look amazing.” Then she looked at Kate. I could see her look soften and her smile broaden. “Oh, Kate.” Wendy pressed her lips to my girlfriend’s lips and held them there as she stroked Kate’s new hairdo. The kiss wasn’t deep, but lingering. Wendy had a serious crush.

Kate broke the kiss then took Melody and Bree’s hands and led them to a booth, all three sliding in on one side while Lissa got in first, then Damon, then me. By that time, Wendy had a booster seat pulled up to the big booth for Drew.

“At last,” Wendy said.

“At last what?” I asked.

“At last I can wait on you all and no one can complain that it’s not my place. It’s my job!” She seemed genuinely happy about the fact.

We managed to get food and drinks ordered and Wendy scampered off to get things started. I could finally just sit and stare at the three beautifully shorn women facing me.

“You aren’t mad, are you?” Kate said.

“No, but I was so surprised. Nobody told me.”

“Don’t blame them,” Bree said. “It’s all my fault and I’d never have had the courage to do it if it weren’t for Melody and Kate.”

“I’m sorry I reacted so poorly,” I said. I’d just stood there and stared at them with my mouth open. “I was so shocked. I shampooed those lovely locks this morning in the shower,” I said reaching across to Melody and Kate. “If I had known, I’d have taken more time.”

“You took extra time this morning, remember?” Kate asked. In fact, I did remember. Both Kate and Melody had seemed to luxuriate in my attentions this morning and I spent much more time than I normally did shampooing them. Kate had asked for a third lather before I conditioned it and then I shampooed Melody. “And some little girl is really going to appreciate it.”

“Well, two girls already do,” Kate giggled.

“What do you mean, little girls?” I asked.

“That’s what was my fault,” Bree said. “I’ve been trying to do things that were more positive since ... well ... since I’ve tried to improve myself, I guess. I read about an organization that takes your hair and makes custom wigs for girls with long-term or permanent hair loss.”

“You mean like cancer patients with chemo?”