(Another shortlisting in a competition. Made the final shortlist of eight this time so I am quite pleased with that. Written two more stories this past week, one related to a project that I am working on; the other just a voice getting in the way of what I should be doing... still on course to complete the things I had set myself to do this summer. And here's another piece from Port Brokeferry)
CHRISTINE CUTS HAIR AGAIN
Evelyn phoned to say she wouldn’t be in today. The first time she ever was sick since starting with Christine. Morag took the call. She wanted to hand the phone to Christine but she was late down this morning and Morag was alone in the salon. Evelyn sounded like she was in some pain. Easy enough to do over the phone, and Morag had trouble believing her story. She’d looked well enough talking to the boy Kelso the day before.
‘What shall I tell Christine?’
‘Just tell her I have a headache. Kept me awake all night. Been popping pills every couple of hours and it still hasn’t shifted. Just tell her that.’
‘Will you be in tomorrow? Saturday. Only we’re booked up the whole day. What do you think? Will you make it in then?’
Christine shrugged and smiled and unpacked her scissors and combs and clippers. She checked the appointments for the day and calculated how busy she’d be if she picked up all of Evelyn’s clients. Morag thought she took it well.
‘Have to earn my money today then.’
Morag noticed that the writing on the back of Chrtistine’s neck had almost disappeared. She was wearing a lower cut blouse too, and had covered any remaining marks with foundation. You had to know there’d been writing there to see any sign. Morag noticed that there had been words written across Christine’s left breast. Once she’d noticed she couldn’t help looking, just to see if there was anything that she could actually read.
‘She’s been a bit odd, this week, don’t you think?’ said Christine. ‘A bit moodier than usual. It’s not that boy at the fair, is it? The one Evelyn was all moon-eyed about last summer, remember? I saw he was back. They don’t always come back, you know.’
Morag was surprised that Christine knew about Kelso.
‘Good looking boy. You’d know him if you saw him. Thin as sticks but he might very well clean up nice. A bit young for her, I thought. But…’
Morag pretended not to know.
‘Only I saw him the other night. He was with Helen and Edwin’s lass. Grace, is it? She was dressed up like she was going to a party and they were definitely together. Do you think that’s what’s given our Evelyn a headache? It would give me one if the man I was after went off with someone else. What do you think, Morag?’
Morag said Evelyn had sounded in some discomfort. She’d got no sleep. Was taking pills every few hours. Said she’d probably be back in on Saturday.
‘Still in her bed, then? Yes, I’ve had days like those. If you know what I mean. Well, just so long as she’s in tomorrow.’
Morag was staring at Christine’s left breast. Maybe it was obvious. Christine pulled her blouse up at the front and looked at herself in the mirror, brushed a hand over her exposed skin. Turned her head from side to side to see if Lachlan’s words on her neck were covered.
‘If the phone rings we should just take turns answering it. Is that ok? I’ll handle Evelyn’s appointments. Should be able to manage.’
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