Odalisque
Ten
“WE HAVE HAIR APPOINTMENTS tomorrow,” Kate said on Friday night. “Tony, you could stand a trim, too. Could you drop us off at the hairdresser before you go to Pilates tomorrow morning? We’ll meet you at the barber after you’ve gotten your trim and then we could go to lunch.”
“We?” I asked.
“Kate and me,” Melody confirmed. “Oh. And Bree.”
Hmm. Bree was going with the girls to get her hair done? I was beginning to wonder what they were all planning.
“Not Lissa?”
“We’ve got the boys and we can’t all be sitting in a hair salon all day. We’ll come and meet you for lunch, though,” Lissa said through her smile. “Besides, I just had mine done last week before the party. Do you think I need a trim?”
Lissa’s hair was as short as I’d ever seen it. She loved the very classy cut that never seemed to need any tending. I loved the fact that her neck was always bare and I could kiss and nibble on it in the morning.
Saturday morning, we picked up Bree. I dropped the three at the mall. Before Kate got out of the car, she leaned over to kiss me and pulled my hands up to her hair. I’d just washed it this morning in the shower and I loved running my fingers through the silky tresses. She hadn’t pulled it into a ponytail this morning and it fell loosely below her shoulder blades. She kissed me fiercely and told me she’d see me in a couple hours. Melody practically crawled over the seat to repeat the gesture. Bree was already out of the car.
After Pilates, I ate a light snack and then headed for QuickCuts. I waited for Donna. Why change a good thing? I waved at Howard when Donna took me back to her chair and Howard grinned.
“You marry that other girlfriend yet?” Howard asked.
“No,” I answered. “She wants to take it slow. But, we’re together.”
“How about naked parties?” Donna asked. Apparently, my major use to the salon was stories of my sex life.
“We had a sexy costume party for Halloween,” I said.
“That’s worth a shave,” Howard said. “Tell us.”
While Howard worked his magic with a hot towel and razor, I described each costume at the party, spending a little extra time talking about Rio’s near nude display as an artist’s model. That seemed to satisfy the prurient interests enough to let Donna clip my hair. I hadn’t realized that my birthday was the last time I had a haircut. I forget.
“So, who’s picking you up today?” Donna asked. “Wife one, wife two, or girlfriend?”
“Um… all of the above, I think… and another friend,” I said. “They went to have their hair done at the other place where they go. Oh. And the kids.”
“You’ve got kids?” Donna said with enthusiasm.
“Two boys, six and eight,” I said, reaching for my wallet to show her a picture.
“Aren’t they the cutest,” she said as she spun me to look at myself in the mirror. I didn’t think she’d actually looked. “Oh my, oh my. Howard?”
I looked at Howard, whose eyes were glued to the front of the shop. Donna spun my chair around so I could see my lovers enter the store.
My mouth dropped open.
I was still hyperventilating when the four sexy ladies and two children finally reached me and stopped in front of me, hips all thrust to the left with one hand on them. Even the boys copied the pose while they were giggling.
“What happened?” I gasped out.
“We got our hair cut,” Bree said, graciously leaving out the “duh” that I could hear in her voice. I looked at my red-headed friend and shook my head to clear it.
Bree’s hair was mostly gone. She had the wildest red hair I’d ever seen, a little more than shoulder length when it was down. Now it was tightly cropped around her head in a boy-cut. It was about the same length as mine now that I’d been barbered.
Melody stepped forward and gave me a little kiss as soon as Donna had the apron off of me. Her mahogany tresses were gone. The hair was not quite as short as Bree’s, but almost. It was slicked down in a pixie cut that was swept behind her ears. I kept touching and stroking it as she kissed me. Well, here was another neck that I had instant access to.
Kate’s hair was unbelievable. Her ponytail was gone. GONE! In its place was a short spiky mass that sported a purple streak through it. I stood and she kissed me soundly. Lissa rushed into my arms.
“It’s okay, Tony,” she said. “It’s just hair.”
“It’s just a shock,” I said. Lissa kissed me.
I turned again and Bree raised her cheek to me for a light peck and a broad grin. Then I scooped up the boys in my arms.
“Guys, you should come in and get a haircut from Donna sometime,” I said turning to introduce them.
“I know these boys,” Donna said. “I cut their hair once a month. Hi, Drew. Hi, Damon. But they’re always with…”
“…Jack, their father,” Lissa supplied. “I wondered where he took them for their haircuts. I’ve always left it up to him.”
“You’re the mom?” Lissa nodded.
“Hey, Damon,” I broke in. “Has Howard ever given you a shave?”
“We don’t shave, Tony. Didn’t you know?” Damon giggled.
“Oh, I forgot. You’re growing your beard out, aren’t you?” That just got more giggles and some good-natured ribbing from Donna and Howard. I paid my bill and we headed out to a late lunch at Carmine’s.
“Wow! Look at you!” Wendy screamed when she saw us walk into the restaurant. “Bree, how cute. Melody, you look amazing.” Then she looked at Kate. I could see her look soften and her smile broaden. “Oh, Kate.” Wendy pressed her lips to my girlfriend’s lips and held them there as she stroked Kate’s new hairdo. The kiss wasn’t deep, but lingering. Wendy had a serious crush.
Kate broke the kiss then took Melody and Bree’s hands and led them to a booth, all three sliding in on one side while Lissa got in first, then Damon, then me. By that time, Wendy had a booster seat pulled up to the big booth for Drew.
“At last,” Wendy said.
“At last what?” I asked.
“At last I can wait on you all and no one can complain that it’s not my place. It’s my job!” She seemed genuinely happy about the fact.
We managed to get food and drinks ordered and Wendy scampered off to get things started. I could finally just sit and stare at the three beautifully shorn women facing me.
“You aren’t mad, are you?” Kate said.
“No, but I was so surprised. Nobody told me.”
“Don’t blame them,” Bree said. “It’s all my fault and I’d never have had the courage to do it if it weren’t for Melody and Kate.”
“I’m sorry I reacted so poorly,” I said. I’d just stood there and stared at them with my mouth open. “I was so shocked. I shampooed those lovely locks this morning in the shower,” I said reaching across to Melody and Kate. “If I had known, I’d have taken more time.”
“You took extra time this morning, remember?” Kate asked. In fact, I did remember. Both Kate and Melody had seemed to luxuriate in my attentions this morning and I spent much more time than I normally did shampooing them. Kate had asked for a third lather before I conditioned it and then I shampooed Melody. “And some little girl is really going to appreciate it.”
“Well, two girls already do,” Kate giggled.
“What do you mean, little girls?” I asked.
“That’s what was my fault,” Bree said. “I’ve been trying to do things that were more positive since… well… since I’ve tried to improve myself, I guess. I read about an organization that takes your hair and makes custom wigs for girls with long-term or permanent hair loss.”
“You mean like cancer patients with chemo?”
“Chemo causes temporary hair loss. These girls usually have some long-term illness or disease like alopecia that means they’re never going to have hair,” Bree explained. “I decided to investigate. They just send you a bag and box to mail it to them. You go to your hairdresser and she puts it in a ponytail and cuts it off. Then you decide your new hairstyle. I’ve always liked Lissa’s hair, so I decided I’d go really short.”
“Same here,” Melody responded. “When Bree told me about her idea, I talked to Kate about it and we all agreed. I didn’t know she was going to be so wild and punk, though. Purple?”
“Don’t you like it?” Kate moaned.
“The purple is beautiful, Kitten,” I jumped in. “I really love it now that the shock has worn off. You look so… daring!”
“And these two look more like twins than ever,” Lissa joined in. “With it short like this, Bree’s hair looks darker and less orange. You two could be sisters, at least.”
“Don’t forget though,” Melody said, turning to Bree, “you only have Tony until midnight tonight.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Bree asked.
“Two hours,” Melody said. “You know the rules. No making out.”
“Wait a minute. Rules of what?” I asked.
“Rules of staying warm while camped out from ten till six,” Melody answered. “It seems there are some girls you’ve been teasing who are getting lonely. I know you’ll hold them and make them feel better.”
“You’re renting me out?” I asked.
“No. Feel free to send any one of them home if you don’t want to hold her for two hours. But if you can find it in your heart to share a little human kindness, they’ll make sure you stay warm overnight. It’s a fair trade,” Melody answered.
You know what? Whatever Melody wants. This girl has been the beginning and source of my life since we got together. She’s devious and adventurous, but Melody knows me and she knows more about life around me than I ever will. I wouldn’t get any studying done tonight.
I napped in the afternoon until Melody came in to wake me up with a kiss. I ran my fingers through her hair. It was short. I opened my eyes. Damn! She was cute.
“Are you mad that we cut our hair?”
“It’s your hair, honey. If you’d asked, I would have objected for a few minutes before you convinced me. This little bob is very sexy,” I said.
“I know you like Lissa’s hair and it’s short,” Melody said.
“You know why?” I asked.
“Why?”
“Spoon with me.” Melody rolled into the bed and snuggled up in front of me. I started kissing her neck. A shiver went through her.
“I’m supposed to be getting you up,” she moaned.
“Oh, you are,” I moaned as she pushed her butt against my hard-on.
“You know you aren’t supposed to make out with anyone tonight, right?” Melody asked.
“Why would I make out with anyone when everything I want is right here at home?” I asked. “But why are you setting this up? Is it some kind of test for someone? Me?”
“No! Oh, Tony, I know I never have to test you. Even if you decided to go out and sleep with someone I don’t know, I wouldn’t hold it against you. We are who we are because we are free to be that person. I know the guy that I love,” she said as I continued to nuzzle her neck and push against her ass. “Let’s eat dinner and I’ll take care of that before you go. After all, I’m sleeping with two short-haired hotties tonight and I don’t expect to go without.”
“Hey, this is new,” I said to Andy when I got to my station at Tent City. He was cranked back in a recliner under the tent.
“Would you believe Derrick had this in his room?” Andy asked. “It took us a little persuading, but he decided he could do without it for a couple of months after we talked to him.”
“We?”
“His frat brothers. Now if he wants to sit in his chair, he has to take a shift in the tent. We signed him up for two a week. It’s getting a little tough on some of the guys who are filling in three or four shifts.”
Andy got out of the easy chair and we went through the ritual of signing in and out and transferring the keys. As soon as Andy was gone, Bree stepped around the corner of the tent. I hugged her.
“Oh, that looks more comfortable than the office chair was,” she said, looking at the chair. It was a lot smaller than the one in my living room, but it did look comfortable.
“Go ahead and try it out,” I said. “I have to check in with security.”
I walked over and chatted for a few minutes with Gerald, the guy who was at the desk just inside the gate. I’d seen him pretty much every time I was here, so we both knew the routine.
“Zack is doing the patrol tonight,” he said. I shook hands with the short guy in the yellow vest that would walk slowly around the perimeter of the encampment every fifteen minutes tonight.
“Well, you know me,” I said. “I’ll probably be asleep. It doesn’t look bad tonight, but let me know if you need anything.”
I walked back to the tent and saw Bree curled up in the recliner.
“It’s better than the office chair,” she said. “Will you hold me?”
Well, of course. That’s what she was here for, wasn’t it? I settled into the recliner and Bree sat in my lap. It took her a minute to find the right position. I explored her hair a little bit with my fingers. It was a very different texture than Melody’s.
“Not mad, are you?” she whispered. We’d learned that we had to keep our voices down so not to disturb anyone on the other side of the canvas wall. I actually had to threaten Amanda two weeks ago in order to get her to keep her voice down while we studied.
“Not in the least. You’re even cuter.”
“You just say that because I’m sitting on your lap,” she giggled.
“It is warmer this way,” I said.
“My skinny butt doesn’t generate much heat,” Bree said. “But I brought you a blanket. It’s getting cold out here at night.” She reached over the edge of the chair and pulled a fleece blanket out of her bag. It was barely big enough to cover us, but we did warm up pretty quickly.
“Why are you doing this, Bree?”
“To keep you warm and spend some time just being with you.”
“I know you and Melody haven’t gotten along too well in the past, but you don’t have to do penance like this,” I said.
“You think this is penance? I think it’s a reward.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yeah. But really, Melody and I are working things out. It’s part of something bigger, though. I’m seeing a therapist. She says I need to learn to relate to guys in a generally non-sexual way. And it’s not that I don’t think of you sexually, but… I trust you,” she said. “I trust you to help me maintain boundaries and… well… to help me. And…”
“What is it?” I asked. She buried her head down under the blanket before lifting her eyes back to mine.
“I really want to be held. Dad never was comfortable just holding me after I reached puberty and after Mom died, he just couldn’t do it at all. The only way I could figure out to get a guy to hold me was to have sex with him. I don’t want to do that. I just want to be held.”
Tears were streaking down Bree’s cheeks, but she wasn’t sobbing. She was just looking at me hopefully. I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed her to me.
“Do you mind if I fall asleep while I’m holding you?” I asked.
“You know I don’t mind sleeping with you,” she grinned. In a few minutes, I was gone into a warm comfortable world of sleep.
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