Me
Wow thanks for keeping the secret
Ev
No problem
Jared
Ok WTF???? Why does Ev know and not me?
Me
Will tell you later. The story is better in person
Wes
I’ll tell it. I was obsessed with her and she was oblivious, so I’ll be better at it.
I smile to myself and as the door thuds, Wes comes in, arms loaded with brown paper bags, phone in his hand.
“Who do you plan on feeding with all of this?” I ask, hopping off the bed to help him. I reach him just as one bag is starting to tip over. It lands in my arms as a slim rectangular box falls out and thuds against the carpet.
He holds up a plastic bag stretched around the outline of to-go containers. “This is food. If you intend to eat anything else here, I’ll have to call poison control.”
At his words, I inspect the boxes lying on the floor.
Ruby Red Semi-Permanent Hair Dye.
“Is this what’s in all the bags?” I ask, my hand flying to my mouth. “You know I only need one of these.”
I look up to find his face flushed and he’s ruffling a hand through his hair. Since we left my grandparents’ he’s removed his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his button down.
“When I got there, I realized I didn’t know what you used. So I called my mom and talked with the woman working there. They gave me all these options because I also had no idea what shade your hair is now. I ended up buying two of every shade of red.”
“All of them?” My lips twitch as I imagine him in the store trying to select the color. I’d say I can’t believe he did this, but I can. It’s absolutely something I’d expect from him, going out of his way so I can feel comfortable in my own skin.
“Just the reds and the developers.”
“All right, let’s see what you’ve got.”
“Now I get why you and my mom always liked doing this,” Wes says.
I watch in the mirror as he rubs color into clumps of my hair.
After doing a test strand to make sure my hair wouldn’t melt off with more chemicals, we’ve selected the darkest color,Wine.My hair will likely look black with a red sheen.
“You’re going to regret this tomorrow when your hands are red.” I look at him from where I’m seated on the counter, feet in the sink. The bathroom is draped with yards of white hotel towels that we’ll no doubt have to pay for.
If I were doing this by myself, my arms would be aching from the strain of trying to reach the back of my head. I’ve never liked the idea of going to a professional because, from the start, there was something special in the ritual. Just turning on an album and spending time with myself.
“Doubt that. This way everyone will know I was the one with my hands in your hair.” He moves around me, pulling at sections as he goes to check for any spots he’s missed. “I think we’re good to go. I’m setting a timer.”
“It really means a lot that you did this. Being here for all of it.” I swivel so my legs drape over the edge of the counter. My knees land on either side of Wes’s legs. His eyes go from his phone to my face, swallowing hard.
“We should talk about what all this means. You called me your husband, Ave. That changes things.”
“It’s what you are to me.” It’s the safe answer.
