The Cornish Beach Hut Café

Chapter 37

37

Force10 Hair, St Aidan

Chop chop whoop!

Saturday

W e’ve taken the last appointment on Saturday afternoon with Nikki at Force10 Hair, so apart from a couple of clients having their blow-dries finished we’ve got the place to ourselves. As Clemmie and I get Sophie ready in the hair-washing area, Plum is settling Milla, Tallulah and another five of their friends onto the burnt-apricot velvet sofas at the far end of the salon that overlook Nikki’s cutting chair and handing out the non-alcoholic fizz in bright pink flutes. I peep through to the neon sign on the wall above the seating and give Sophie a nudge. ‘I hope you’re ready to find your wild side? ’

Sophie looks at me through a curtain of dark hair. ‘Is Nell here yet?’

I shake my head. ‘It’s a shame she’s going to miss out on the fun.’ I’ve been waiting as long as I could to break this next bit to Sophie. ‘Mum’s not here either.’ I didn’t go into details when I invited Mum along because I didn’t want the St Aidan grapevine to get hold of it, but I said enough to expect she’d be here.

Sophie sighs. ‘No surprise there! All I can say is, she’d have come if it were you.’ And strange as it seems, I think Sophie’s right. All these years I’ve been oblivious, but now I’m looking for the signs Mum definitely does things more readily for me than for Soph.

As for my wig, Nikki could easily have styled that on a stand, but there would have been no drama in that, so Clemmie’s making last-minute adjustments as Sophie puts it on.

‘One more piece of blonde hair to tuck out of view.’ She looks down at Sophie, who’s running a long dark brown strand of hair through her fingers. ‘With those two capes on, there’s no sign of what you’re wearing underneath either, so we’re good to go out for the first reveal!’

All Milla and her friends know is that Sophie’s having a bit of a trim to go with her brand-new self. I’m hoping I’m not tempting fate, lending her the wig I wore when I lost my hair with chemo, but it makes more sense for it to be used than for it to sit at the back of my sock drawer. I covered myself by telling the gang that if I do need it again, I’ll simply wear it in whatever style Sophie has it cut into. Watching Sophie tossing those long glossy tresses over her shoulder, I acknowledge that they’re part of the past and how I was before I was ill; they bear no relation to my hair as it is now.

Sophie stops in front of a mirror opposite the row of sinks and peers at her reflection. ‘I look so different, I barely recognise myself!’ When we hurried her into my freshly laundered clothes earlier in the cloakroom she said the same thing, but we covered them over before she could back out.

Clemmie winks at me. ‘That’s what we’re aiming for!’ Then she catches Plum’s eye and gives her a thumbs-up to let her know we’re on our way.

We walk through the salon towards the crowd, and as we call the word ‘Surprise!’ it reminds me of the day in The Hideaway when Milla came dancing into my living room with her new black hair.

Milla’s first to call out. ‘What the heck?’ She stands up to get a better view. ‘Is that you, Mum?’

I can’t help but laugh now that the tables are turned. ‘She’s joining us on the dark side, Milla. What do you think?’

Milla leads the chorus of shouts and laughter.

‘Sick.’

‘Wowsers!’

‘Good job, Mrs May!’

Nikki’s waiting with her combs and scissors in her pockets. She shows Sophie to the chair, then stands behind her and runs her fingers through the waves as she studies her reflection in the huge wall mirror they’re both looking into. ‘We’re doing a dry cut for you today. How about I put some layers in and follow on with some face framing at the end?’

‘Great!’ Sophie may look like someone other than herself, but she’s still in charge here. ‘And while Nikki’s doing that, we can talk about what’s happening with the sea pool.’

Clemmie’s rolling Arnie’s buggy back and forth, lulling him to sleep as she talks. ‘Charlie found out the council did a design and costing for the restoration work on the pool, but the project was shelved due to budget cuts after the pandemic.’

Plum’s perching on a stool watching Nikki part Sophie’s fake hair into sections, scoop it up onto her head and secure it with clips. ‘If there’s a scheme that’s prepped and ready to go, we’re way ahead of the competition. And if we kick off some local fundraising right away, we’ll soon persuade the people of St Aidan to get behind our pool, not David Byron’s. And once that’s up and running we can look into grant funding to make up the shortfall.’

The shop doorbell rings and we all turn to see whether it’s Nell or Mum arriving.

A second later a very dishevelled George steps into the main salon area. ‘Sorry to disturb you, ladies, I’m here to deliver a message from Nell.’ His normally well-combed hair is sticking out in such random directions he looks like he should be next in Nikki’s chair. ‘She said to tell you she’s set up the social media pages for the sea pool project, and she’s got a fundraiser in the pipeline that’s so awesome she won’t be able to resist coming out to it. She’s suggesting a Barbie and Ken fancy-dress roller skate on the prom!’

The sofa erupts with excitement. ‘Nice one, George.’

I wrap up some of the blondies from the tray and push them into his hands. ‘Would you like a glass of No-secco while you’re here?’

He’s already backing towards the door. ‘It’s Nell’s first time on her own with little George, I’d better hurry back.’

‘Send our love to Nell!’ Sophie’s clapping her hands as she calls after George. ‘Let’s keep those fundraiser ideas coming, ladies!’

Plum starts. ‘How about a sea pool-themed art competition!’

Milla’s got her hand up. ‘We’re hoping Kit would donate a silver friendship-ring-making day, and we’ll all go to that!’ She’s looking directly at me. ‘You’ll talk him into that for us, won’t you, Aunty Floss?’

‘I’ll see what I can do.’ This is Milla putting me on the spot again as Kit’s public loyalty could lie with David, but I’ve already started my own effort. ‘I’ve already done some sea pool Once they’re gone, they’re gone! Mars bar brownies.’ It sounds so puny compared to everyone else’s ideas and before I know it my mouth runs away with me. ‘And how about a sponsored jump into the harbour?’

Plum’s eyes light up. ‘Brilliant! That’s just the kind of headline-grabbing event we need. You could have stalls and make it like a mini-harbourside festival!’ She has her book and pen out and to my horror she’s taking notes. ‘I’ll put you down for that, Flossie.’

And just like that I’m in over my head – again! But honestly, if it gets David Byron off my case, I won’t mind.

Nikki has been cutting and combing all this time, and as more hair is released from the clips, there’s a surprising amount of dark hair appearing on the floor around Sophie’s chair. Nikki bends down to trim the hair either side of Sophie’s chin, and then she gives the tresses a final comb-through with her fingers and stands back with a mirror in hand to show Sophie the back.

‘Is that okay for you?’

The hair is glossy but much shorter at the front than before. Cut into layers it’s thicker, falling around her shoulders and slightly longer down her back.

Sophie beams at her reflection, and Clemmie pushes me forward. ‘As this whole makeover idea was Floss’s, we’ll let her take the capes off, and reveal the Sophie we’re going to see for the next couple of weeks.’

I clear my throat. ‘Just a recap of the rules here – Sophie can wear anything at all, so long as I’d wear it myself .’ I’ve actually toned my own clothes down today, so my denim cut-offs and navy polka dot shirt won’t compete with her outfit.

‘If everyone’s ready, I’ll say, ta-da!’ I take hold of the corners of both capes and tug. ‘So, what do you think, Milla?’

Milla lets out a whoop. ‘A bright pink playsuit with lime green flowers? Awesome choice!’ She’s frowning at her mum. ‘You actually look like a mini version of Aunty Flo – which is weird but okay all at the same time!’

Only Sophie with her neat, tiny frame could carry off clothes sizes too big, and still make them work. It’s only as I look at her face, framed by the dark side layers, that it hits me for the first time in our lives how alike our features are.

I sidle up to Sophie. ‘Don’t worry, there are lots of less dramatic dresses in the pile I have for you.’ I laugh. ‘I could even let you borrow your Leeds 2010 T-shirt back again.’

She flops down into the cutting chair, spins it round to face everyone. She’s knocking back the glass of fizz Plum hands her when the bell on the shop door dings again.

A second later Mum hurries straight over to Sophie’s chair. ‘I’m so sorry I missed this, Floss. I’ve been saying for years that layers would suit you. I’ll take you shopping in Falmouth next week to make up for being late and you can give me some advice on what to buy in the French Connection shop.’

Milla gives a cough. ‘You might need to put your glasses on, Granny Suze.’

Mum blinks at her. ‘Why, Muffin?’

Sophie shakes her head. ‘Because I’m Sophie not Floss.’

Milla laughs. ‘Don’t worry, you’re only getting confused because your brain is full of new-love hormones.’

‘I don’t know about that.’ Mum is tutting.

Milla leans forward and smiles at me. ‘The High Tides gardeners mentioned you have a new love interest too?’

Plums eyebrows shoot upwards, but it’s Clemmie who jumps in. ‘Don’t believe everything you hear, Milla. Aunty Floss is the last person in St Aidan who’d want a boyfriend.’

Sophie rolls her eyes. ‘Catch up, Milla! Aunty Floss can’t go on dates when I’ve got all her clothes.’ She stares at the huddle of girls on the sofa. ‘I’ll settle up with Nikki, then how about Plum and I take you all to the Surf Shack for ice-cream sundaes?’

Milla lets out a wail. ‘But we’d promised to do your make-up?’

Sophie’s already shepherding them off the sofas. ‘We’ll fit that in at home after ice cream, Milla.’

Mum is on her way before them. ‘I’d better go too. I want to catch the paint shop before it closes.’ Loved-up mistake number two. Even I know the paint shop isn’t open on Saturday afternoons.

I call to Sophie over the clatter of feet on the wooden floor heading for the door. ‘I’ll collect your old clothes from the cloakroom.’ Not that she’ll be needing them.

She calls back. ‘You’ll have to come to mine for a bird’s-eye glimpse of the sea pool too. Siren House is the best place in the village to see it from.’

As Clemmie and I fold Sophie’s things I murmur to her, ‘Thanks for saving me back there.’ I screw up my courage to say what I sense she already knows. ‘You saw Kit kiss me at The Hideaway the other morning, didn’t you?’

She nods. ‘I won’t tell anyone.’

‘It’s completely insignificant to either of us. We haven’t even … you know … yet. Just … done other things.’

The corners of her mouth turn upwards. ‘How is it?

I drop my voice. ‘No one’s ever made me scream like that before.’

She grins. ‘I knew you looked happy!’

‘It’s good for me to tick the moving-on box, that’s all.’ It’s nothing more than that. It’ll fizzle in no time. I think of a better way to put it. ‘What Kit and I have is like a shooting star. Pretty while it happens, but we’ll be over in a nanosecond.’

She nods. ‘Blink and you miss it?’

‘That’s the one. All stars die in the end, you know.’

She raises her eyebrows. ‘Some will turn into a supernova first and that’s pretty spectacular.’

I hold up my finger. ‘Before we get onto that I need to read more of the book.’

‘And while you’re doing your research, google harbourside festivals. How huge did that sound?’ She laughs. ‘Don’t worry, Flossie. We mermaids will have your back.’

I truly hope they do.