24
“You finally gave Celeste what was coming to her,” Ana said after a long time, carefully parting my hair.
After picking me up off the floor of Gertie’s, Ana had been very clear with what she planned to do next as she took me down the road. At first, I thought she was taking me to her apartment for a change of scenery. Instead, she sat me down at one of the two hair-washing stations of the only hair salon in Barnett. No one else was inside other than her manager, who hadn’t looked at us twice, from my puffy eyes to Ana’s swift determination.
She took her time, lathering my scalp with solutions that smelled like a thick meadow. Her fingers were like magic as they slowly massaged around the nape of my neck and temples. I shut my eyes and let her continue, drying me off and taking me to her station in silence, save for the hum of pop music running over the radio.
Without a word, Ana walked to the back room and returned with a fresh bowl of color. I didn’t ask what she was doing. I’d never had highlights before, no matter how many times before the two of us always talked about doing something with my hair since the moment I’d let her cut it off years ago.
I trusted Ana in her zone. Long black lashes touched down over her cheeks as she concentrated. One sweep of her brush at a time, she added streaks of color, covering before moving on to the next section. Once she was on the third section, she spoke, pulling me out of whatever trance I’d been put under.
“Even Gertie said, when we sat in the kitchen awkwardly, that the whole blowup was bound to happen eventually.”
“Was I that loud?”
Ana snorted. “Yes.”
I didn’t know if that made me feel better or worse about everything. At this point, besides the understanding that I was officially a high priestess in training—which sent a sharp bolt of fear and excitement through me—all I felt was numb.
“You’d been planning to confront her for, what, three years?” Ana asked.
I met Ana’s gaze in the mirror. “Two … two and a half.”
I openly aired my ire toward Celeste and herwell-intentionedcomments every time she wasn’t close enough to hear, though I had a feeling Gertie passed along the abridged versions of my dislike and distrust to Celeste. That woman somehow managed to get under my skin, unlike anyone else.
“She had to know that at some point, you were going to burst,” Ana commented calmly. As if this entire situation was an everyday occurrence. “Tell me about the house. Has Gertie been showing you the ropes of the place and your future duties now that you are our soon-to-be fearless leader?”
“She’s been giving me space, but, yes, she has been. And now that I’ve been there all week, I know where the breaker box and all the supplies she has stored for special occasions are. The rest will come in time, she told me.”
“It will. And just to let you know, I think we all figured that you would be the person to take over the group.”
“Really?”
Ana nodded, as if it wasn’t surprising in the least. “You were called there. Faith said that about a year ago.”
“That’s what Gertie said too.” And Ryan.
“Well, she’s right. You fit there. In the house, with us messed-up women trying not to fuck up lives anymore. You’ve always been good with us. Besides Celeste, of course. Otherwise, it’s like you’re our new, younger mommy.”
I chuckled.
“You’ll do good,” assured Ana.
I appreciated the vote of confidence. “Even if Celeste wants to burn me alive?”
“She already knew too,” said Ana. “She just didn’t want to believe it. Essie might be a great girl and a great leader in her own soft and stern sort of way, but her soul just isn’t the one we need. She’s never been called to the coven. Not like you. We all saw that. We were just waiting for you to realize it.”
I stared at her.
“And look, you have now.”
“I guess so,” I whispered as she folded another sheet of tinfoil into my hair.
“That’s good. How is Ryan?”
“How long have you been holding that in?” I asked. I didn’t bother to ask if she had seen him outside or heard my struggling words as I called out to him across the street.
She shrugged, flipping another piece of hair up and over my head. “Long enough.”
