Story Macallister #3
Wren, Giselle, and Marley were my sister’s best friends and they did hair too. Wren specialized in sister locks and twists. The other two did all kinds of braids like Regan and me. Another thing that made this salon unique is they did not accept kids. Kids were not allowed in the salon at all.
“Look at you all grown up!” Giselle said to me after we hugged.
“It’s good to see y’all too!” I happily told them.
Giselle and Wren had a person in their chair, so they went back to work. Marley showed me around the salon then in the back employee area. It was even nicer back there with two couches, three love seats and a big TV.
There were two bathrooms, a full kitchen and four chair dining room set. There were also lockers for personal belongings that were opened by built in combinations.
“Here is your work area, Regan even got your name above it.” Marley showed me the last of the salon, my space.
I smiled big at it because I was not only next to my sister. But it felt official and I started decorating it immediately.
“Now, we do accept walk-ins, but we let the customer know that a braider must have no appointments that day. Aside from us, we have Tina, Wendey, Lena, and Kimber who are the other braiders. If you take a client, then you give them the tablet.” Marley showed me how we each had a personal work tablet.
“They must put in their name, phone number and pay their deposit on the spot. Deposits are paid in card or cash, and it is always half of the service.”
I listened to everything she told me about the type of cards we took and cash. Marley left no stone unturned and it was easy for me to understand. A walk-in customer came in, and they went to Marley for service.
I figured once I get myself out there more, I’ll have appointments and walk-ins will flock to me as well. I sat down in my chair scrolling Tik Tok and watching the TV mounted high in the corner of the walls.
There was a TV in each corner that played the same thing. Right now, the show ONE on One was on. My brother got me into this show, and I binged watched it in three days. It was so funny. Giselle started asking me about Arizona and the men there.
I was not one for spilling all my tea. So, I told them about the fine men that are there and the not so fine ones. Then I told them about Walker, only that we were together for a while and he was my first.
The other details they did not need to know. Regan knew it, she knew everything about me like Hendrix did. Wren made us all laugh when she passed my phone around so they could see Walker.
She said he was so good-looking that she thought about leaving her family for him. When she handed me my phone back the salon door opened and the man who came inside made me forget all about Walker.
He looked to be 6’2 or 6’3 in height, he had the hottest dark skin, reminded me of chocolate truffle. It looked smooth and I bet it was smooth all over. His face is what made my heart skip a beat and a tingle shoot between my legs.
He had a full beard that hung from his chin and went around his lips. It was a deep black that gave him a glow, speaking of a glow. His eyes, oh my God! His eyes were so unique! The right one was green, and the left one was hazel.
Was that even possible! Did he have contacts in both or one of his eyes!? Either way, I liked it. He wore a Timberwolves basketball jersey on, his chocolate arms were out and they were toned. I liked his silver Cuban link chain. It matched his silver diamond stud in his ear.
The jeans he wore were loose, but they were not hanging off him and his Jordans matched his jersey.
There was a navy blue and white turban headwrap on.
His long hair hung from it. They were a few inches from his shoulders.
He looked around and stopped at Giselle.
I got a little sad because I wish he would have stopped his eyes on me.
“Hey Halo sweetie.” She spoke to him.
I longed to hear this man speak. His name already had me giddy. Halo, mm.
“What up. Regan here?” His voice was mesmerizing but had sweetness to it too. It was smoky but I just knew he did not smoke cigarettes. It just completed his aesthetic.
“Normally she is but she had an emergency today and isn’t here. I just started on these
feed-ins and Wren are not close to finishing either.
“Damn, y’all straight blowin’ my shit.” He ran his hand across his forehead then down his face in aggravation.
“I know, sorry sweetie. You in here once a month like clockwork. Promise tomorrow we gone get you all the way together.” Giselle told him.
“Don’t trip, I’ll dip back on Monday.” He was about to turn to leave.
My body reacted by getting out of my chair then my mouth spilled out like diarrhea. “I can take you.”
Halo turned to me and he looked me up and down but not in a way I’d like. He came off like I offended him.
“And you are?”
I did not know how to answer that because I was scared, I’d piss him off by my name alone.
“This is Regan’s sister, Story. She is new here---
“Hell, naw Giselle. I just started letting you and Wren do my hair. I’ll just come back.”
My bravery came from him trying to downplay my skills. So, I stepped up and defended myself. “Regan taught me everything I know plus school did too. Look.” I handed him my phone after I went to my Tik Tok.
Halo went through my videos and watched them intensely. “Dis ya work, no bullshit?”
“None whatsoever, it’s all my work. You willing to trust me to do your hair or not?” My bluntness came from him telling me I can’t oversee it.
“I don’t wanna have to knock this salon over because you fucked my head up.” He laughed when he said that and I did too.
His smile was to die for. Straight white teeth were behind those full wide lips.
“Come on this way Mr. Stern man. But I get it, I don’t play about my hair either.”
I looked back and Giselle, along with Wren and Marley, gave me a thumbs up with a big grin.
We got to one of the shampoo bowls and Halo sat down.
“Is Story your real name?”
“It is. My mother is a dreamer and fantasy indulger.” I joked and we both laughed.
I unwrapped his turban and even though I knew he had long hair. I was not expecting it to be so full, beautiful, shiny, and deep black. It looked healthy and when I touched it, it was extremely soft.
“You have some beautiful hair Halo.” I admitted to him then I went to put his turban on my workstation. I grabbed the shampoo, conditioner, protein treatment cream, and aloe vera plant that I was going to put on his hair.
“Thanks. I’m impressed that you know what I use in my hair.”
“I have long hair to! Plus, I looked at your history that’s saved on the tablets we use. It’s time for your treatments you get. I know how to do them so stop doubting.”
Halo lay back as I turned the water on, when I evaluated it, I started wetting his hair.
“I’ll chill if you don’t fuck up. Why I ain’t never seen you in here before?”
“I lived in Arizona and moved here three weeks ago.” I lathered his hair and started massaging the soap into his scalp.
“Oh shit, Regan did tell me her immediate fam was in Arizona.”
“Yup that’s where we grew up and were raised. We have a lot of family here in Michigan too.”
“That’s what’s up. You came here by yourself?”