Page 8 of Free to Live

I stop walking. “I think that one should be interchangeable. Since both Ali and Cass got married ahead of you and everyone knows what Em’s wearing for her wedding since she’s shown us a million drawings already.”

“True. I feel like this should be a bingo board or something where each of us has to buy in.”

“The only way that happens is if you put ‘Listen, missy, you cannot get married in jeans and a tank’ in the center as the free space.” Corinna’s uncontrollable laughter is ringing in my ear as I walk into Shimmer. “Hey, Gail,” I call out.

Gail waves at me before turning back to cut the hair of the cutest little girl I have ever seen outside of my family. With black ringlets and huge blue eyes, the little princess is perched on a booster seat so Gail can reach her more easily. “I’d better let you go, Cori,” I murmur.

“’Kay. Give my love to Gail. In the meanwhile, I think I’ll float this list to Em and see what she can add.”

“Lord have mercy, we’re going straight to hell.”

“Always knew that. We just have to have spots next to each other,” she chirps. “Love you.”

“Love you too.” I disconnect the call before taking a seat in one of the empty spots next to a middle-aged woman who’s avidly watching the little girl with a rapt expression on her face. She touches her own hair as Gail snips and little wisps of the black drop to the floor. “Your daughter?” I ask.

Startled out of her reverie, she seems surprised to find someone sitting next to her. “Oh no! I’m so flattered though. Those days have long past.”

Assessing her, I shake my head. “If you are, it’s not by much.”

The woman beams at me. “You just made my afternoon. Possibly my year.”

“I see the same expression on my sisters’ faces when Gail cuts their children’s hair.” When the woman cocks her head, I explain. “It’s a mixture of wonder, of delight, and sadness their babies are growing up too fast.”

“You know your family very well,” she muses. Before she can continue, her attention is diverted when Gail whips the cape off the little girl. “You’re all set, Gracie.”

“Grandma! Look!” Black curls dance around a cherubic face I want to capture in my viewfinder because it’s so easy to see the love these two share. Pure trust is absolutely stunning to witness. Damn, I almost want to reach for my sunglasses to hide my reaction.

“I see, baby. So pretty,” the woman coos as she gently runs a hand over the girl’s head. That’s when the little darling spots me and scoots closer to her grandmother. She whispers shyly, “Hi.”

“Hi,” I say simply. I’ve learned with my nieces and nephew that unaffected forthrightness is the best manner.

“Hey, Holly,” Gail calls out. “Let me get things cleaned up and I’ll be ready for you.”

“No rush, Gail,” I call back. My attention turns back to the little girl, whose head is now tilted, studying me intently.

“Are you Kalie’s Holly?” she asks. I’m so surprised, I almost fall out of my seat. Instead, I nod at the girl’s amazed grandmother before I answer.

“You have me at a disadvantage. You know my Kalie?”

Her brows lower to a deep V. “What’s a dis-a-pantage?”

I grin. “Disadvantage. It means you have me in an unusual position.”

She frowns. “You’re in the same position as Grandma.” The girl’s grandmother chokes on her laughter.

I bite my lower lip to hold in my own mirth. “In this case, it means you know something about me that I don’t know about you,” I try to explain again.

Her brow clears. “Oh! If you’re my Kalie’s Aunt Holly, then Kalie’s my best friend in Miss Tiffany’s class at school. She has lots of family.”

“Do you know Kalie’s last name, precious?” Because that is precisely what this little girl is.

She nods emphatically. “Mar…Mar…” Her little brow puckers again, and she starts to look upset. I decide to help her out.

“Is it Marshall?” Even though Ali goes by her maiden name, my niece goes by Keene’s.

A relieved look crosses her face. “Yes!”

“Then my Kalie and your Kalie are the same people,” I declare. Pulling up the photo app on my phone, I scroll to a picture I took the other day of Keene, Ali, and Kalie at dinner.