Sasha guides me over to the walls of wigs. She asks what I'm thinking: whether I want a whole new change or something like my natural hair. Personally, I really want to just look in the mirror and see myself again, so I pull up an old social media photo of me with hair. Sasha studies it for a long moment before she nods her head with a smile.
“Oh, we can work with that,” Sasha says, walking to the wall and grabbing a couple of wigs—some with pretty highlights, some darker than my natural hair color, some that only brush my shoulders, and some that go all the way down to my waist. She tells me that all of them are made from donated human hair.
We try on a couple, but none are quite what I'm looking for.
"I feel a little likeGoldilocksright now," I tell Sasha as she gently, so carefully, and mindful of my tender scalp, places the fourth wig on me.
Sasha giggles, "I get what you mean—we're looking for that'just right'," she winks, grabbing a brush and smoothing the hair down. This one is a honey'bronde'with some darker highlights. "All of these wigs you can use heat on—curling iron or blow dryer. I'll give you a heat protectant to use. I'll also give you a head to bring home so you can store it safely. It's so much easier to style on that head rather than your own."
I smile at Sasha, and out of the corner of my eyes, I see Bailey and Tonya walking around the store, pointing out wigs to try on. Tonya tries to grab the most fun and colorful ones she can find, including a full rainbow one, while Bailey is looking at the picture reference now and trying to find one that matches.
"Now, what do you think?" Sasha asks, laying her hands on my shoulders and turning me to the mirror.
"Hm... this one is better," I tell her, turning my head side to side. It's cute, and I like its length, as it falls an inch or two belowmy collarbone in waves. But I'm not entirely in love with the color. "But—"
"Oh, I can see it on your face. We're not completely there yet," Sasha says, gently pulling the wig off and brushing it once more before placing it on the mannequin head. "Don't worry, girl. We haveplentymore to try on."
“What about this one?” Bailey asks, holding a darker brown wig that looks so much like my natural hair.
My eyes light up at the color, and Sasha grins, taking it gently from Bailey, who skips back over to Tonya, who’s wearing a rainbow colored wig and taking a selfie in one of the mirrors. Bailey jumps into the photo, both of them pulling silly faces that make me and Sasha laugh.
Still so gently, Sasha pulls the Bailey-selected wig on my head and turns the chair around to adjust it while she asks, "So, how far into treatment are you, Sophie?"
"I'm more than halfway there with chemo. I have my double mastectomy in December—hopefully."
"You look amazing!" she compliments, making my cheeks flush. "I swear, I lookedroughwhen I was going through chemo—"
My mouth drops open in surprise, "Oh, I didn't know you—"
"Five years ago," Sasha smiles, bright and wide. "It's why I jumped at the chance to do this for you."
"That's so amazing, Sasha," I tell her genuinely, and she looks so proud. "And this is just... incredible of you. Thank you again."
"It's my way of paying it forward. We all need our support systems through this process. Honestly, I wouldn't have made it through without my husband, Devonte. He was myrockthrough it all—dealing with my moody ass through chemo and radiation, driving me to the surgeries and treatments, the changes to my body not even fazing him," she shakes her head, a tender and loving smile on her face. "He was just... so there and presentthrough it all, still telling me that I was beautiful and that he loved me and that we'd make it through this together."
"I'm so glad you had him through it," I whisper, and she smiles, squeezing my shoulder.
"My entire family and friends were there for me, and I know not everyone has that."
I nod my head in understanding and take a deep breath before I admit, "I was engaged. When I found out. He cheated on me."
Sasha's big brown eyes meet mine in the mirror, softening. She nods, "Bailey mentioned that you had a rough time when you found out. I am so sorry that happened to you, Sophie."
"No, it's okay. Honestly," I shake my head with a smile. "In a really weird way, it was like... the best thing that could have happened. I mean, it hurt like hell to find out, but... it was freeing. I loved him, but... Ilovethe life I'm living now—with cancer—more than I ever have before."
"The universe does work in very mysterious ways," she murmurs, brushing out the wig on my head. "Sometimes it just takes out the trash for us."
"Yeah. I just... I have a bigger support system than I had before," I shrug and grin sheepishly, thinking of warm brown eyes and soft lips and cuddly arms. "And I have Callum."
"Ooh,Callum," Sasha teases, raising a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "Do you have a picture of him?"
I nod and lift my phone, showing her Callum and me on the boardwalk, him cuddling me close and smiling at the camera while I kiss his bearded cheek. There's a gorgeous sunset in the background. He took a photo on his phone and sent it to me, and I loved it so much that I set it as my wallpaper right away. He has another—one from our first date—as his own. Corny and silly, and it makes me so happy to see it.
"Oh my God, you guys aresocute!" She squeals, smilingbrightly at me. "He treats you well?"
"Thebest," I sigh, my tone borderline dreamy. "He's everything. So sweet and caring and... he's just there for me."
"Then hold onto him, just like he's holding onto you in that picture," she tells me before turning me to face the mirror. "Now what do we think of this one?"
