Chapter One
"Jessica will see you now, Mrs. Clarke." I said from behind the desk of my shop Edgy Rocker Salon. An elderly woman with light pink hair stood up and walked over to one of my workers chairs and sat down as the front door opened. "Hello and welcome to Edgy Rocker. What can I do for you today?" I repeated my mantra even though I knew exactly who was coming into the shop by the time. He showed up every day at closing to hang out, but today we still had a customer.
"I need a trim if your still open."
"Sure thing." Stepping from behind the desk, I walked over to my chair and watched him walk over and take a seat. "How's the performance scene going?" I asked, setting about snapping the cape around his neck and getting everything ready.
"It's going great. I have my haters and my fans. What more could anyone want?"
'Love?' I thought, longing for the day I have someone to call my own. I've seen Ronnie blow through so many women he could be considered a restaurant, that's how fast he loved 'em and left 'em. He just didn't trust women due to his mother having beaten and left him at such a young age. It broke my heart.
Combing out his hair, I grabbed my scissors and set to work.
"How about you, Harper? How's your day going?"
I smiled. "It's going great. We've been busy all day long. I couldn't even take a lunch." He laughed.
"Only you would think not having lunch is a good thing." he teased. "But I'm glad you've been having steady business."
"Thanks, me too." A few minutes later his hair was finished. I unsnapped the cape from around his neck and grabbed my broom and dust pan. "So, got any tours coming up?" I asked, sweeping up his scrap hair from off the floor as he played with his hair in the mirror.
"Nah. I just got off tour last week. I'm looking forward to some christmas vacation." I nodded, understanding where he was coming from. I only closed up for half the day so my workers could spend time with their family. If it wouldn't be for them, I'd stay open all day for Christmas. "Are you closing?"
"Yeah. The last customer was you and that lady, and she just walked out with bright pink hair." Ronnie looked back and smirked.
"That's gonna be you when your old and wrinkly." I laughed.
"Yep."
"Well, here's what I owe you. I have a few more things I need to do, then I'll meet you at you're place." he said, handing me the money for his trim and rushing out the door. I shook my head and put the change into the tip bucket at my table.
.....
Walking out of starbucks with a strawberry caramel frappachino, I sipped on the sweet cafinated drink and smiled. This was heaven. I walked to where my cherry red mustange was parked, dressed in fish nets, a black plaid mini skirt that showed off all of my legs, and a Falling in Reverse band shirt tucked into my skirt. I was thirty-two years old but I still dressed like the goth I was in high school.
Climbing into my car, my cell started ringing with my mother's ring tone. I smiled, pulling my phone from my purse, and pressed the talk button.
[phone call]
"Hey mom "
"Harper, sweetie! It's almost Christmas time and I haven't heard from you once."
"I've been busy with the shop mom. I'm sorry. How are you and dad?"
"I'm ok, but you're dad isn't doing too well. He's got cancer again."
"Oh no." I start tearing up.
"We want you and your fiancee to come home. You're father wants his chance to walk you down the isle before he passes away."
"Mom! Don't talk like that!"
"I'm sorry honey, but the Dr.'us aren't giving him long. Two months at the most."
"Fine. We'll head that way this weekend, ok. Just tell daddy to wait for me."
"Alright honey. We love you."
"I love you too."
[end phone call]
Sitting in the car crying, I leaned my head against the sterring wheel and sobbed. I was losing my hero. My father had beaten seven different cancers and now, this one was going to beat him. My heart hurt so bad that it felt like it was attacking my body. I clutched my chest and cried harder, begging God to spare him.
....
I pulled into my drive way just as Ronnie pulled in behind me, and parked my car. Ronnie turned off his motor and climbed out of the car as I sat in mine trying to control myself. What was I going to do?
"You ok, Harp?" Ronnie's asked as he opened my car door and stooped down to my level. I wiped my eyes and looked at him with my mascara running down my face, and shook my head. "Come on, honey. Let's get you inside and you can tell me all about it." I nodded and unbuckled my seat belt, letting Ronnie help me out of the car. We walked into the house and over to the kitchen table. I laid all of my groceries on the table top before sitting down and turning to Ronnie.
Tears filled my eyes again. "My dad's cancer is back and there is nothing they can do. The Dr. is giving him two months to live."
