Page 47 of Take My Love

“Oh, can I come and help? Please?” Corinne smacks her palms together in a prayer gesture. “Oliver can watch the kids.”

“Me too!” Sabrina smirks. “Celeste, you come too. We need a sister’s night out.”

“Oh God…” I groan, mentally slapping myself for telling them.

“I’m too old for that,” she tells them. “Plus, I don’t have a sitter.”

Celeste’s husband passed away a year after their youngest was born from a car accident and she’s been doing it on her own ever since.

“I’ll babysit,” Mama offers. “The kids can sleep over. You deserve a night out.”

“Really? You don’t mind?” Celeste looks conflicted but she probably hasn’t had a night out in years.

“Absolutely! You girls have fun. And watch your brother.”

“Yes!” Corinne high-fives Sabrina. “The Mathiesens are hittin’ the town!”

Just great.

I’m gonna need to give Posey a heads up or they’ll be on her like cheese on pizza.

Once we finish eating and help Mom clean up, I say my goodbyes and tell my sisters I’ll see them tonight.

Michelle’s expecting me for my haircut in five minutes and there’s no open parking available near the salon, so I have to jog half a mile to get there.

“Silas, you ready?” She greets me with a smile, and I follow her down a hallway to a private room.

“How’re you doin’?” she asks, motioning for me to sit and then stands behind me.

“Good. You?” I ask into the reflection.

“Great but even better now that you’re here.” She threads her fingers through my hair.

Michelle plays with my hair and it puts me under a trance at how good it feels. Then she turns the chair and lowers my head into the sink to wash it.

By the time she finishes, I’m half asleep.

While she trims my hair, she talks the entire time, barely giving me time to respond before she says the next thing. She tells me all about why she moved here and that she’s saving up money to go back to school to become a nurse.

Since I have plans with Posey tonight, and apparently my sisters, I suggest we meet for lunch tomorrow when she asks if I’m free tonight.

“Oh, I’d love to. There’s this cute little cafe that has the best sandwiches.”

“Willow’s Corner Café?”

“Yes, that’s the one!” She slides her fingers between my strands, checking the length.

“Sure, how’s one?”

“I’ll be there.”

“Perfect.” She softly brushes the hair off my neck once she’s removed the cape. “And speakin’ of apartments, there’s a vacant one in my buildin’ if you wanna use me as a reference.”

Once we got talking, I told her a bit more about how I ended up living with Posey and that I’m hoping to find my own place.

“Where is it?”

“Just a few minutes away, which is nice since I can walk to both of my jobs. It’s on Oak Street.”