"Stop it. Lena."
"She's going on a date. She's going to be a normal girl who talks. And she's going to make me proud. Come aboard or swim to shore.
Cameron, but don't you dare say one word against it. hear? I'm warning you."
Daddy was quiet. He wasn't happy, but he retreated as he usually did. His lack of enthusiasm and his warnings, however, put even more steam into Mama. Now she had to prove she was right. She couldn't wait to get me up and out to the beauty parlor the next morning. She made such a production out of it, I was truly embarrassed when we arrived.
"Here she is!" she cried as soon as we stepped through the doorway.
All the women in chairs turned to look and every one of the beauticians stopped work. Dawn, a dirty blond no taller than my old grade-school teacher. Mrs. Waite, emerged from the rear of the shop and looked me over as if I was someone just brought to civilization.
"She's got potential," she declared. "I see what you were saying, Lena,"
Mama swelled with pride.
"But we've got some work here," Dawn added cautiously as she circled me. Everyone else was still looking at me.
"Pretty girl," the woman in the first chair said.
"Tall, like a model," the man working on her commented.
Dawn fingered my hair. "You're really dry, girl," she said. "And doing a lot of shedding."
"I knew it." Mama said. "She just hasn't looked after herself right. I've been hounding her, but you know young people today. You can't tell them anything."
Dawn didn't respond. She kept circling me, which made me even more nervous.
"We have to shampoo and condition plenty," she said. "Add moisture."
"Exactly." Mama said nodding.
"What have you been using on your hair, hand soap?" Dawn asked me. Everyone laughed, even Mama.
I looked down, debating whether I would just turn and run out or stay.
"Well, let's get you in the chair and get started," Dawn said. "We'll make it right,"
"Go on. Ice," Marna coached.
Reluctantly. I walked across the shop, past the other chairs and women and got into the chair reserved for me. Dawn came around and started to prepare the sink for my shampoo.
"You use a blow-dryer too much," she began. "especially with your dry hair. Why don't you give your hair a break and put it in cornrows?"
"No," I said sharply.
One of the women who was having it done turned to look my way.
"It's not for me," I added and gave Mama a look that told her I would get up and leave if they didn't listen.
"Just suggesting," Dawn said. "What do you say, we do a press and cut. Lena? I'd bring it to here," she said pinching my hair at my chin. Mama nodded. Dawn looked at my face and smiled. "You've really never been to a beauty shop before, huh?"
"Not because of me," Mama said.
"This is going to look great." Dawn told me. "I'm going to insert a full head of weave, apply styling mousse and set your hair with a flat iron, curling the front down and the back up. You'll see. Great." she said.
Mama stepped back, nodded at Dawn and they began. I closed my eyes like someone about to go into an operating room and tried to shut out all the talk and laughter by listening to Daddy's music replay in my head.
When it was finally over. Dawn turned me around and stood behind me as proud as any artist. I gazed at myself in the mirror, amazed at the difference in my appearance. Not only did I appear older and more sophisticated. but Mama was right: I did have most of her good facial features, maybe even better because of my stronger mouth and bigger eves and more prominent cheekbones-- features I had inherited from Daddy.