Jessica groaned as she headed into Loretta's parlor. She knew what was coming. She hadn't been since the Sam Booth incident, which ended nicely. Sam ended up being mayor again, after all. Jessica chuckled at how Ebenezer and Howard's plan had backfired on them. The bell on the door rang as she walked in to see the usual Saturday crowd under the hairdryers.
"Well, look who just walked in," Phyllis said.
"Oh, Jessica! We were just talking about you!" Eve said, with her friendly but mischievous tone. Jessica rolled her eyes slightly.
"Eve, I do not doubt what you were talking about."
"Well, I see no reason to stop now that Jessica's here." Loretta appeared from the back of the parlor. "Usual style, Jessica?"
"Oh yes, Loretta, thank you."
"So, where's Seth?" Eve asked with a suggestive tone.
"At his office," Jessica answered. "It's Tuesday, which means he has patients." Her tone made her words sound purposefully blunt, emphasizing Eve's ridiculous antics.
"Right," Eve tried to brush it off. There was a long pause in the parlor as everyone looked around at each other, wondering why nobody was saying anything. Eve was the gossip leader of the group, yet she sat there, unable to say anything.
"So!" Phyllis cleared her throat. "Looks like Sam is once again our mayor, and nothing around here will change much."
"Oh Phyllis, don't be silly," Ideal said from underneath her hair dryer. "Lots will change. For instance, Jessica and the doc are officially together!"
"Ideal!" Loretta hissed from the front, where she was starting on Jessica's hair. Jessica pursed her lips slightly in annoyance.
"She's right, you know," Eve finally chimed back in. She held up her finger as a thought came to mind. "Come to think of it; I don't think I've ever seen Doc kiss someone before."
"So?" Phyllis asked.
"I'm just saying; I didn't know he could do that. I've certainly never thought of Jessica to be one to kiss and tell," She smiled mischievously again. Jessica rolled her eyes.
"I'm not, usually, but a kiss is just a kiss," Jessica pointed out. She knew her friends were just messing with her, but she prayed for any way Loretta could speed up this hairdo.
"A kiss, sure. But you're sleeping with him. That's different."
"Would, you all be quiet?" Loretta playfully scolded her group of regulars. "Jessica has enough on her plate to think about already."
"It looks like this turned out to be a bigger scandal than the mayor." Ideal stated. "I wonder if the rest of the town knows."
"With you lot being some of the first to know, I'm absolutely certain the entire town knows, and then some," Loretta said. "No scandal or gossip goes unnoticed and spread in this town."
"That's for sure." A bell rang over the door as Seth stepped in the parlor.
"Seth Hazlitt!" Eve practically squealed.
"That's my name, don't wear it out."
"Oh, not too full in the front, Loretta." Jessica told her. Seth laughed under his breath as Loretta gave her an annoyed look and moved to another part of her hair. "Not too full in the back either," Jessica stopped her. Loretta put her scissors down and shook her head.
"You're all done then. You are never going to let me do anything creative with your hair."
"How much?" Jessica smiled.
"Same as always." Loretta shot a sarcastic look back at her friend. Jessica paid before walking over to Seth who offered her his arm. He kissed her cheek as they walked out of gossip central with all the onlookers in the parlor smiling and gushing. Seth rolled his eyes as they left. Getting into the car, Seth looked at her before turning on the car.
"What?" Jessica asked as he looked at her.
"Nothing, you just look gorgeous." He smiled at her before reaching over to cup her face in his hands and kiss her passionately.
"Seth," she said against his lips. "They're watching us getting more gossip to spread." Seth pulled back to look at her shortly.
"Let them look," he whispered before leaning back in to finish kissing her. Jessica laughed as she pulled him back in.