CHAPTER 1

Priscilla Slater

Come One, Come AlltoPiney Point High School'sFifteen-year ReunionJune 14, 2008, at 7:00 PMPiney Point High's Cafeteria.

Attire: Business CasualRSVP: Laura Moss 601-555-1515 orCeleste Boudreaux 601-555-4854

PS: The preparty will be at Pete and Laura's house,starting at 5:00 PM.Setups will be provided. Bring a dish to share.

I hold the invitation with one hand while unlocking the doorto my townhouse with the other. The delicious sounds ofsilence fill my ears as I close the door behind me and makemy way to my bedroom to get ready for my night out withthe girls while trying to wrap my mind around the fifteen-yearreunion. So they decided to go ahead with it. I warnedLaura we might not have enough people who'd want to attendso soon after everything that happened during the last one.The memory is still pretty fresh—at least in my mind. Buther response insinuated that I spend too much time here inJackson and points beyond to know what's happening withfolks in Piney Point. Right. Like I don't still have a salon there.

We nearly didn't have a reunion last time because Laurawas so disorganized. Her husband, Pete, wound up in the hospitalfrom alcohol poisoning. Trudy passed out from extremedieting while her ex-husband played the jerk. And I nearlymissed the whole thing from fussing with my mother.

At least Laura has the sense to let someone else have a pieceof the responsibility this time, but knowing her, I question howmuch control she's willing to give up—especially to Celeste.According to some of the people in my Piney Point salon, thetwo of them are firmly established in a frenemy relationship.

I was tempted not to attend five years ago, but not so thistime. There's nothing that will make me happier than to offhandedlymention the fact that I've expanded my business, andI now own at least one salon in every major southeastern city.I close my eyes and envision my classmates' expressions as Iexplain that my next goal is to grow my business up the eastcoast and then to be accepted on the TV Network Shoppingchannel. This is my ultimate dream, and it looks like I'm gettingvery close to realizing it. They do a bazillion dollars' worthof business every year, and I'd love to have a slice of that pie. Infact, I've been getting some interest from some of the bigwigsabout a system I designed to help women have the covetedbig hair without all the teasing that damages the hair shaft.Apparently the rest of the country has finally acknowledgedwhat Southern women have always known—big hair is hot.

Yeah, I'm totally going to this reunion.

Rather than wait to hear from Mother or Dad about thereunion they've probably known about since Laura made thedecision to have it, I grab the phone and punch in their number."I wondered how long it would take you to call," Mothersays.

"I just got the invitation in today's mail."

She sighs. "You know you're always welcome to stay here.I'll have Teresa get your room ready." After a brief pause, sheasks, "How long do you think you'll be here?" There's a tighteningin her voice that always worries me.

"I haven't really thought about it."

"You were here an awful long time for the tenth ... not thatI mind, but you know how busy I am ... I mean your dad andI are, and ..." Her voice trails off, but I know that what comesafter the dot-dot-dot is probably what I need to know.

"Tell you what, Mother, if I decide to hang around morethan a week, I'll make other arrangements."

"No, Priscilla, that's not what I'm saying. It's just that, well..." Her voice cracks, so she stops and clears her throat."You know you don't have to limit your stay here to a week. Acouple weeks will be just fine."

At least I know what I'm working with. "Thanks, Mother.I'm sure that'll be plenty of time to help Laura and Celeste andmaybe even work in a few appointments."

"Oh, that's another thing. We're already getting calls frompeople who want you to make them over after what you didfor Celeste last time."

She's right. I did a wonderful job of taking Celeste fromdowdy to desirable, and I hear she's actually dating now.Jimmy Shackleford and Celeste—not the ideal match in mymind, but it is what it is.

"You still there, Priscilla?"

"Yes, I was just thinking. Please just tell people to call thesalon and book with Sheila. I don't want you to have to worryabout my schedule."

"When should I tell Teresa to have your room ready?"

I look at my calendar and give Mother a date before wefinally hang up. As I get ready for a girls' birthday night outwith my office manager, Mandy, and salon manager, Rosemary,I find myself wondering how Dad managed to talk Motherinto hiring someone to help out around the house. My parentshave certainly always had the money to hire domestic help,but Mother resisted, using the argument that she'd have toclean before the cleaning lady came, so there was no point.Yeah, she's a control freak.

The rest of the evening, the phone call with Mother playsthrough my head. She seems vulnerable and ... scared. I'veheard that at some point in almost everyone's life, the child-parentrole reverses. I hope that's not what's happening, butI put it on my mental list to consider, along with somethingeven worse. Divorce. They've had problems in the past, but Ithought they had worked them out. Even if I didn't want togo to the reunion, being there for a couple weeks will give mesome time to figure out what's really going on with Mother andDad. I know divorce is more common than staying togetherthese days, but it's not like either of them has actually doneanything that they can't fix. Plus—and I know this may soundselfish—I've always seen them as my safety net, a place to fallif things go bad. No matter how well things have gone forme, I still wanted to have that. Problem is, between reunions,I can never think of an excuse to stick around Piney Pointmore than a day or two—not nearly enough time to evaluatemy parents. I just wish I could figure out what went wrongafter the last reunion, when things started looking up betweenMother and me as well as in their relationship.

* * *

"Happy birthday, Mandy," I say as I lean in for a hug and airkiss. Five years ago when I met this girl, I wasn't so sure shewould work out, but I was desperate for someone to answerthe phones, and now she's my office manager.

She flicks her hand from the wrist and rolls her eyes. "Don'tremind me. Let's just party and forget it's my birthday."

I laugh. Mandy isn't even thirty yet, but I play along. "Youdon't look a day older than when I first hired you."

She starts to comment, but Rosemary breezes into the restaurantlooking harried as usual. "Sorry, but my client neededextra TLC, and you know how I am."

"Boy howdy, do we ever," Mandy says. "C'mon, let's get aseat. I'm starvin'."

Rosemary billows her top. "It sure is hot out there, and itisn't even summer yet."

"That reminds me," Mandy says. "I better eat a salad, or Iwon't be able to wear my bikini when I go to Biloxi with Mamain a couple of weeks."

"I don't remember the last time I was able to wear a bikini,"Rosemary says. "In fact, I don't even own a swimsuit."

Mandy tilts her head toward Rosemary. "So what do youwear to lay out?"

"Lay out?" Rosemary and I exchange a glance and grin aswe follow Mandy to the hostess stand. "Girl, you better quitdoin' that, or you'll wind up with alligator hide, or worse."

When I first hired Mandy, she and Rosemary were avid turfdefenders, but over time, they've developed an understandingand affection for each other that I never saw coming. I'mrelieved I stopped getting phone calls from one or the other ofthem tattling like a three-year-old. Now when I go out of town,the only thing I have to worry about is Mandy keeping anassistant. From what I understand, she's quite the taskmaster.

"So how's, um ... what's the new girl's name?" I ask. Mandystruggles to keep assistants, but when I talk to her about it, shesays it's the nature of hiring people for their first job.

"Clarissa," Mandy says with a shrug. "She's okay so far,but time will tell. I don't know what's up with some people.Doesn't anyone have a work ethic anymore?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Rosemary fighting a caseof the giggles, but I nod my agreement with Mandy. "Let's hopeClarissa works out."

She lifts her hand to get the waitress's attention. "I haven'teaten since breakfast, so let's order."

After we place our order, Rosemary turns to me. "So I hearyou're having another class reunion."

I grunt. "Word sure does get around."

"According to Sheila, the appointment book is already fillingup," Mandy says. "Chester will have his hands full, sincehe's the only aesthetician in the salon ... unless, of course, youdo what you did last time and go early."

After Chester realized how much business I got from facials,he didn't hesitate to take classes so he could make his clientsHollywood glam. "I think I will go early."

"Then we need to move the closing date up for that salon inRaleigh," Mandy reminds me. "I don't think that'll be a problemsince the current owners are so eager to get out of it."

Rosemary chuckles. "I have to hand it to ya, Priscilla. Youhave a knack for sniffin' out opportunities."

I smile but keep my mouth shut. My knack has more to dowith Tim knowing the heartbeat of practically every privatelyowned hair salon between Florida and New York. The one inRaleigh came on the market when the couple who owned itdecided they couldn't continue co-owning a business aftertheir divorce.

"I've been thinking ..." Rosemary slowly looks at me thenaverts her gaze. "Never mind."

I frown. "You know you have to tell me now."

"It's nothing." She nervously glances over her shoulder andturns back to face me. "Promise you won't be mad?"

"You know I can't make that kind of promise. What is it?"

"I have a cousin in Apex, one of the little towns near Raleigh.Her husband's been sick, and well ..." Her shoulders sag asshe contorts her mouth.

"What?"

"How about if I transfer to the new salon in Raleigh?"

Rosemary's husband passed away a couple of years ago,and she's been visiting her cousin every chance she gets, so Ishouldn't be surprised. But I am.

"They already have a manager." I lean back and studyRosemary's face for a reaction. "You know I don't like to go intoa new salon and make too many changes too quickly."

"Yeah, I know, and that's fine. I don't have to be the manager."She shrugs. "In fact, I'd sort of like a little less responsibility."

When I turn to see Mandy's reaction, I realize she alreadyknows. I feel left out of the loop, and to my surprise, it bugsme. But I can't let on, so I fold my hands and force a smile.

"Okay, let's do whatever we need to do to make this happenas smoothly as possible. Who do you think would be a goodcandidate to promote in Jackson?"

"Vanessa's pretty good with the other hairdressers, and shecould use the extra money."

Mandy nods. "I agree."

"Okay, then I'll have a chat with her to see if she's interested."

Mandy and Rosemary look at each other before Mandyspeaks up. "She's definitely interested."

My insides suddenly feel as though someone has pulled aplug and drained all my blood. At some point along the way,these two very fine women have learned to run my businesswithout me, which should make me pleased as punch, butthat's not happening. Still, they're just feelings, and this is business,so I can't let on.

"So when do y'all propose the changes take place?" I speakslowly and pray my shaky voice is only obvious to me.

Rosemary places her hand on mine. "Everything will beokay, Sweetie. You've done a good job with the salon."

Mandy nods. "Rosemary has already started working withVanessa, and the salon in Raleigh has an open station."

Whoa. "So it's already in the works?"

"No, of course it isn't," Rosemary says. "We would nevertake action on something so important until talking to you.After all, you're still the boss."

I take a sip of water to calm down and moisten my dry lips.Finally, I nod. "Sounds like y'all have everything under control,so go ahead with your plans. What's next?"

The server takes our order and brings our food, and as weeat, Mandy and Rosemary tag team the details of what is aboutto transpire. I straddle the fence of being proud and feeling leftout, but I'm pretty sure I do a good job of showing a positiveattitude—at least until we step outside. Rosemary places herarm around my shoulders and gives me a squeeze.

Mandy takes my hand and looks me in the eyes that havebegun to sting. "We are so proud of working for the Cut 'n Curlwe could pop. There's no stoppin' you, Priscilla, and we wantyou to know you don't have to worry about a thing. Keep thatforward momentum going and know we've got your back."

I close my eyes, nod, and fill my lungs with air. As I exhale,I open my eyes and see the concern on Mandy and Rosemary'sfaces. Again, I force a smile, hoping they can't see theinsecurity that's behind it but realizing they probably do. "Iknow that, and I'm proud of you too."

"Then stop worryin' and enjoy the journey," Mandy says,stealing the words from the self-help CD I gave her lastChristmas. "I have no doubt your big-hair system will catchon big-time, and every woman east of the Mississippi will haveone."

"Oh, I think every woman in America will have one by thetime it's all said and done," Rosemary corrects. "I can't imagineanyone not seeing the value of a poof without the messyteasing."

I laugh. These two are working hard at making me feel better,and I can't let them down. "Let's hope y'all are right."

"Oh, Honey, when it comes to you and your career, I knowI'm right. From the moment I met you, I've known you're aforce to be reckoned with. Matter of fact ..." Rosemary takesa moment to sniffle. "I even told Ted you were gonna be a bigname in hair some day, God rest his soul." She glances at herwatch. "I need to run home and call my cousin to let her knowshe needs to start looking for a place for me to stay. She offeredto let me live with her, but you know what they say about fishand company: more than two or three days, and they begin tostink."

We hug good-bye and walk to our cars. All the way homeI reflect on the conversation and think about how I have achoice of seeing it as an ambush or an opportunity. Changeis good, right? I've always thought that, but at the moment it'srather unsettling.

I met Rosemary's husband, Ted, shortly after she joined mysalon in Jackson, and I have to admit I was surprised to seea man old enough to be her father. In fact, she later confidedthat he was two years older than her father, but he was youngat heart. She's always known that she was statistically likelyto outlive Ted, but the reality when it actually happened hither hard. I can't blame her for wanting to leave Jackson for anew start. At least I'll still have her working for me, and I'll dowhatever I can to make the transition as smooth as possible.

My cell phone rings as I pull into the driveway of my townhouse.I look down and see Tim Puckett's name and number.It took him a while to start calling again after the ten-yearreunion, but now we have a more defined relationship thatI wouldn't trade for anything. Every once in a while I get theimpression he'd pick up right where we left off, but then Ioccasionally hear about some girl he's dating. I have to admitto an occasional twinge of jealousy, but I know that's only myego tugging at me. I've relinquished all rights to romance withthis very sweet man, and he's entitled to see whomever hewants.