Hecate Hardbroom hated unnecessary attention. She was wary of excess affection. She did not enjoy needless touching. So on that fine January morning, she felt as if a certain madness had overtaken her, having walked into the nearby hairdressers. Perhaps it was the painkillers talking but she found herself in a swivel chair with a cape carefully draped across her front before she could protest. Normally she'd enlist her best friend to trim her hair but Dimity was away on a hockey match in Baden-Baden. Hecate couldn't wash her hair without the use of both arms and one was currently residing in a sling. She hated having to rely on a stranger but she took pride in her appearance and right now, needed assistance.
The hairdresser that claimed her looked a little familiar, she couldn't think why. She wasn't particularly striking at first glance but she had a kind smile and a merry sense of humour.
'Such beautiful hair' said the woman (breast pocket embroidered with the name…Ava? Ada? Hecate squinted to read the flowering script). 'Very high maintenance though. I would advise a trim and an oil treatment once a week.'
Hecate was prepared to be silently annoyed by the hairdresser. She hadn't visited a salon in years but she remembered the hell fire of last time where she had glared for two hours at the source of the constant grating in her ear. Cheerfulness was suspect and highly irritating. Ada looked like she would be the worst offender. She had the open chirpy face of someone who would talk the hind legs off a donkey. But she seemed unaffected by the black cloud hanging over Hecate although she had certainly noticed it. She kept the chatter to a minimum, instructed her to tilt her head this way and that, said absolutely nothing about the weather and asked her if the hairdryer temperature was bearable or would she like more water. Against her better judgment, Hecate started to relax. Her favourite bit was when Ada gently plucked the pins from her bun, unwound it and plunged her hands in to wash it. How luxurious. And frightening, in a way. While she felt uncomfortable with such intimacy, she wasn't sure that she wanted to get up and walk out. It did feel good. Ada's sure hands rubbed a beautifully scented lather into her scalp (was that ginger she could smell?) and caressed the lengths of her hair. She was efficient throughout, moving quickly and keeping a blissful silence between them. In the mirror, Hecate observed herself critically. She was not looking her best. A few sleepless nights had deepened the dark circles under her eyes and she was looking decidedly peaky. Right now she felt like a toad.
'You're shedding quite a bit. Right now, the length is really quite heavy. Several inches off will release the tension at your temples and keep your hair healthy'. Hecate looked into those bright blue eyes and found herself agreeing. If this was the result of being high on painkillers, she wouldn't recommend it. She seemed to be saying yes to a lot today. She tried to ignore the snip snipping sounds emanating around her right ear. It was only a trim. There was nothing to fear. Nobody could forcibly cut her hair off anymore. It was her choice to cut it.
Ada didn't mention the injury until halfway through.
'Just going to shift you over a bit. Just a minute. Don't want to knock your arm.'
Hecate waited but the obvious was not forthcoming. Instead of feeling annoyed at the invariable question, she was uncharacteristically annoyed that Ada had not asked. How contrary of her. Ada seemed a bit too discreet to be a hairdresser, she thought.
'Oh my gosh, what happened to your arm?' Asked the floor sweeper in alarm. Hecate rolled her eyes and the irritation swept back and engulfed her every pore.
'I tripped over my cat' she said shortly.
'Cats are tricky bastards aren't they? said Ada, giving her an empathetic grin. 'Mine is such a terror when he gets the munchies. Or when he wants attention. He keeps knocking over my pot plants to signal his displeasure. I'm not blessed with green fingers myself, but it is a waste of chlorophyll when he destroys them so quickly. He pulled down the tablecloth on his head once and got a mouthful of soil. Silly idiot.'
'So no more wasting money on pot plants, I gather?' Said Hecate frostily. She liked to see nature growing wild, not stuffed in packages and pots.
'Oh I got a couple of cacti' said Ada cheerfully. 'I warned him but Pendell is a stubborn bugger and he didn't listen. The first time he batted at Cordelia was the last time he came near that corner. He avoids it like the plague. Hates it when I chat to them. I do believe he gets jealous.'
'Cordelia?'
'And Petula. The cacti.'
She named her plants? Hecate thought that was rather silly.
'I know it's silly. But they'll live a lot longer than the others so I thought I could allow myself to get attached to them. Cordelia has pretty purple flowers and Petula is adorned in orange.'
Despite herself, Hecate felt her lips curve into a half smile. It was silly but she appreciated that Ada didn't mind being silly. It was a spontaneous thing, to be silly and Hecate had no gift for it. She was a strict scheduler through and through. At times she envied those who could improvise their way through their day. Not an ability she possessed.
The smile disappeared when she felt the hot breath of the hairdryer coming too close to the back of her neck. She jumped forward and nearly jogged her arm in fright.
'I'm so sorry! Are you alright?'
Hecate's heart was hammering so hard she could feel it thrum in her ears.
'I just…I'm fine' she said, more calmly than she felt. Ada saw the alarm in her eyes and ushered her back. Poured her more water.
'It was a bit of a shock actually. A bit too close.'
'I'll use the cool dry option' said Ada tactfully. They both knew it wouldn't give as good of a result but Hecate was too relieved to have her feelings on the matter respected. Ada's gentle swift touch on her arm was a reassurance. The silence between them seemed comforting somehow. And it led to a strange occurrence. Hecate started talking.
'When I was at school, a classmate set fire to my hair' she started, stiffly. 'The school matron cut the rest of my plaits off with a pair of shears. I couldn't bear to touch anything hot for a long time.'
It had taken months of her life shying away from heat since the incident. She couldn't even face eating hot food for a year and took cold showers for a long time. The day she tentatively nibbled a crispy chip was a remarkable one indeed.
She avoided the mirror, not wanting to see the pity on Ada's face. She couldn't block out the comforting tone caressing the air between them though.
'What a cruel harmful thing to do.'
Hecate thought of that faded patch on her shoulder blade. It had healed well but she could see it if she twisted around in the mirror.
'I wanted to kill them' she said in a low tone.
A burn in the shape of a bird, so Dimity had told her. A little too fanciful, Hecate felt but she appreciated it. Dimity was the only person she'd told everything to. She felt Ada observing the back of her neck. Hecate was thankful that the flames hadn't scorched too much. It had been put out in time. She reached out and plucked the fabric away from her shoulder, silently showing Ada the remnants of the burn.
'Oh you poor darling' said Ada in a low concerned tone when she saw it. Hecate felt her gaze on the back of her neck and shivered. She restrained herself from getting up. It was far too intrusive and she didn't know what she was doing, showing it to this stranger. She sat back abruptly. Ada hesitated and then started checking the ends of her hair.
'I see why you habitually wear a bun' she said conversationally.
'How did you know that?' Asked Hecate suspiciously. She felt like she should distance herself from this woman but she didn't want to. There was something about her that made Hecate want to drop her guard. There was something soothing about her.
'I can tell by the pull on the roots. I'm glad you pin it at least, hairbands are so taxing, especially with long term use' said Ada succinctly. If she had had the same experience as her customer had, she would have fastened her hair into an imposing bun as well. Harder to attack than an innocent plait.
Nothing more was said until she'd finished. Hecate looked at herself in the mirror with growing appreciation. Flicked her hair around. Ada was right, her hair did feel lighter. She hadn't realised that the slight headache was gone. Her hair was swishy and slinky again, like it used to be.
'Do you want me to pin it back up?'
Hecate considered it and shook her head. Today she was going to leave it loose.
'Might I interest you in some grapeseed oil serum to keep it moisturised?' Ada suggested. Hecate looked at the bottle. She hadn't realised how coarse her hair had become recently. She was bundling it up too much, perhaps.
'Yes, I'll take a bottle.'
Ada smiled and Hecate felt a jolt to her heart. She lingered after she'd paid and Ada accommodated her, asking her about her cat, Morgana. Hecate was happy to talk about her little furry monster, although these days, she was a lot heavier. Both were delighted to learn that they both had black cats, Pendell with green eyes and Morgana with yellow.
'Black cats are delightful' said Ada delightedly. 'My favourites. So glad that they're considered lucky over here but some people still have funny ideas about them.'
'Black cats are my favourites too' said Hecate, warming to her even more. She thanked her for her service, tipped her a generous amount and walked out of the door with a light heart.
She'd been wrong. Saying yes today had been a good thing.