“Hey, Babs, we have an appointment our lovely lady here is looking to go red.”
“I see it. Consultation with Donna at one o’clock?” Babs said.
“Yep, that’s us.”
“Have a seat. I’ll let her know you’re here.”
“Thanks,” Fancy said as they sat down. The boys stood a short distance away, doing their best to blend into the background. They failed miserably, but their obvious discomfort was amusing to watch. A few moments later a blonde bombshell with full red lips, bright blue eyes, and a body she’d poured into a fifties throwback flower-print dress strolled out.
“You girls always supply me with the prettiest canvases.” She said, holding out her hand. “I’m Donna. It’s wonderful to meet you.”
Hilary stood and shook. “Hilary.”
“Well, Hilary, why don’t you follow me back to my chair and we can talk.”
“That’d be great.” Donna’s friendly manner and big personality immediately set Hilary at ease. It was clear to see she was into fashion and beauty and enjoyed her job. They passed a wash area with the usual sinks and black chairs, but the vintage dryers made her gasp. Turquoise blue with a white stripe in the middle, they made her feel as if she’d entered a time warp.
“I know, aren’t they gorgeous?” Donna asked, voice full of pride.
“Yes. I love vintage pieces.”
“Me too. This shop was my way of bringing two of the things I’m most passionate about together. As you could tell from the minute you stepped inside. I just didn’t see giving my customers a boring experience. They can get that anywhere. I want them to look forward to coming here.”
“Mission accomplished,” Hilary said, allowing herself to enjoy the moment. If she didn’t think about the fact that her life was on the line, this could be an exciting adventure. She’d been stuck in the same place for a while. This could be her chance to break free. And not get killed. They walked over to a black chair with a white strip running down the middle. “Please take a seat. If you don’t mind, can you remove your hair band? I’d like to get a feel for the texture I’ll be dealing with so I can give you an accurate rundown of your options.”
“Of course.” Hilary removed the black band, and Donna ran her fingers through her thick tresses. “You have gorgeous hair. It’s thick and extremely healthy, so that’s great. You’re a prime candidate for dye.”
“I’ve never done anything to my hair really, so the thought terrifies me a bit.”
“No, don’t be afraid. Keep it moisturized, stick to one color you touch up every six to eight weeks at the root, and you’ll be just fine. When you get product happy or color change happy, that’s when things usually start to go awry.”
“That makes me feel a lot better.”
“Good. That’s what I’m here for. Any questions you just go ahead and ask. Going by your complexion, the fact that you have virgin hair, and your texture I have a few shades in mind that won’t require a vigorous upkeep routine. I can get a few hair samples if that sounds good to you.”
“That sounds wonderful; can we have my friends come back here too?”
“Of course, I’ll let Babs know on my way to the sample closet.” Donna flashed a smile and for the first time that day, Hilary felt at ease.
A few moments later the girls came back. “You’re looking a lot better now,” Summer said.
“Oh yeah, you guys were right. Donna is amazing,” Hilary said.
“One day she’ll learn to trust us,” Fancy said, winking.
For the next fifteen minutes they pored over pieces of hair and talked upkeep. They left the salon with an appointment for that Saturday and a middle-of-the-road red shade daring enough to alter her appearance but subtle enough for her to live with.
“Where to now?” Hilary said.
“Now we choose an ensemble to go with the hair,” Summer said.
“Mayhem owns a few shops that specialize in clothing. We’re going to head there and have free-for-all,” Fancy said.
“I didn’t know Mayhem ran a clo
thing business,” Hilary said, impressed. It was a good place to hide their money. She wasn’t sure where they got their cash, but it wasn’t all legal. They weren’t nine-to-five types, and there was no way the club’s garages raked in the money they threw down on things. The campsite alone where they stayed must’ve cost thousands to modify to their specific needs.
“Yeah, they have their hands in a lot of different pies,” Summer said. The distant look made Hilary think there was a story there. Fifteen minutes later they pulled into a strip mall and parked in front of a large store front called B.B. The large bold lettering had two Harleys on either side.