Chapter 6
That night she set her alarm for 4 in the morning. Waking up she yawned, “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea,” she sighed. “No,” she argued with yourself. “Get up. The sooner you get this over with the sooner you can go to bed.”
Walking into the bathroom she searched through the drawers until she found exactly what she was looking for. An electric razor. Sneaking down the hallway she was careful not to make any unnecessary noise. She quietly and slowly turned the knob to his room and peeked into see Nick sleeping peacefully in his bed. Tip-toeing up to him she looked down at his face with a tired smirk. “So innocent,” she sighed as she turned on the razor. “Such beautiful hair.”
Leaning over she brought the razor to his head and with one, two, three, four swipes she left chunks of hair laying on his pillow leaving behind four stunning bald spots. Precisely she removed any extra hair from the pillow that she could so he wouldn’t suspect anything immediately when he woke up. It was a good thing he always slept like a log. Nothing could wake him, nothing. It always took him at least five alarm clocks and two wake up calls to get up in the morning unless naturally.
Walking into his bathroom she dispersed the hair around the sink and set the razor down on the counter top. “Perfect,” smiling to herself she left the bedroom and snuck back into her own room. Where she would sleep peacefully until her next alarm went off.
* * * *
In the kitchen Chelsea sipped on her morning coffee at the counter and flipped through the morning paper. Nick walked into the room yawning with his eyes closed. “Good morning,” she cheered hiding any chuckle at the sight of his hair. “Sleep well?”
“Yea,” he mumbled opening the cupboard and frowning to see that they were out of his cereal. “Did you finish the Lucky Charms?” he asked.
“Oh yes,” she apologized. “I’m sorry. I was so hungry. I’ll be sure to stop off at the store tonight after work to get you some more. How about I make you some eggs and toast or something instead.”
He looked at her totally confused. “You want to make me breakfast? YOU, want to make me breakfast?”
“Yes,” she answered. “Is that so wrong?”
“No,” he shrugged. “It’s just…what are you up to?” You gonna poison me now?
“Of course not,” she replied sweetly and stood up to walk towards the refrigerator to retrieve the carton of eggs. “It’s just I figured I should at least try to make an effort to make this living together thing work. I feel really bad about yesterday and, and I want to make it up to you. I shouldn’t have done that. That was completely wrong and I wanted you to know that those games of mine are over. If we’re going to live together I might as well try to make peace with you.”
“Oh really,” he asked not really buying her redeemed acts.
“I know it’s hard to believe but what you said yesterday about nearly getting arrested really got to me. We’re adults, not children. And it’s fine time we start to act like it. So, how about I make you some breakfast and you go brush your teeth and take a shower. When you’re done you’re breakfast will be waiting for you on the table and we can have a fresh start.”
It seemed too good to be true but it was believable. He knew she was human, nearly getting him arrested was taking things a bit too far. That was extreme, even for her. “Alright,” he sighed. “I’ll just go take a shower. Thanks.”
He walked out of the room and she finally broke out a smile. His hair looked absolutely ridiculous. She heard him walk up the stairs as she cracked the eggs into the pan on the stove. Starting to scramble them she chuckled at his yelp, “CHELSEA!!!!!” he screamed.
Seconds later he was storming into the kitchen. “What in the hell did you do to my hair!”
“Your hair?” she asked as if she had no idea what he was talking about. “I didn’t do anything to your hair. I noticed that you had a new look but didn’t want to ruin this whole nice thing by making fun of it. You mean…”
“I mean you did this! This has you written all over it!” he yelped. “I’m bald!”
“Honestly Nick,” she set down her spoon. “Do you think I would do something so stupid as to shave your head?”
“Yes! That is exactly what I think you would do!”
“I can’t believe you,” she gulped in fake shock. “I can’t believe you would accuse me of something like that. Maybe, maybe you were sleep walking or something last night. You have a history with that you know…” She was right and he knew it, which is part of why she knew her plan would work out so well. He used to sleep walk at the oddest times and do the oddest things when they were together. The next day both of them would get a laugh out of it.
“I was not sleep walking and even if I was I wouldn’t shave off my own hair!”
“Well maybe you’re losing hair or something…” she suggested. “I mean, it’s possible. Hair loss is very common among men your age these days. Have you ever considered Rogaine?”
“Oh please,” he rolled his eyes. “You did this and you know it.”
“I did not!” she yelled. “Look, I’m trying to make amends here. I’m trying to be nice to you. I’m even going so far as to make your damn breakfast! Yes, I’m cooking! I never cook for you, for anyone! I’m really trying here and for you to just accuse me of something so…so stupid as shaving your head is really unfair. I’m really working hard to make an effort here. I’m sorry about what happened yesterday and I’m trying to make it up to you!”
“I, I’m sorry,” Nick apologized and looked down at his feet. “I should have just accepted it when you said you didn’t do this. Sorry Chelsea, I didn’t mean to yell at you.”
“It’s ok,” she sighed. “Look, just to prove to you how much I really really am trying I’ll make an appointment for you with my stylist Garcon. He works wonders with hair and he’ll be able to do something for you. I promise. Just, just go take a shower and get dressed while I finish your breakfast and schedule you an appointment. You can, you can wear a hat out today before you get there so no one sees what happened.”
“Sure,” he nodded and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his basketball shorts. “OK, you make the appointment and I’ll go get ready.”
“OK, I’m really sorry Nick. But we’ll fix you hair, I promise.” He walked off and she smiled to herself reaching for the phone.
“Hello? Garcon?” she asked. “Hi, this is Chelsea. I told you I might need an appointment today well, I need one as soon as you have an opening. It’s really important.” She paused to listen to what he said, “Ok, sure. 2 o’clock. Thank you so much. It’s for my friend, he’ll be in right then. Thanks again Garcon.”
* * * *
“Why hello Mr. Carter,” a short French man greeted Nick in the lobby of a very upscale salon on the upper east side of town. Nick wasn’t used to ever going to the hair salon. If he wasn’t going to a cheap place he was getting his hair down by some stylist hired by the record company. It was an all together new experience. “Chelsea said this was some sort of emergency. What seems to be the problem?”
“Well,” Nick slowly removed his hat. “I seemed to have a little mishap last night with sleep-walking and a razor. Is there anything you can do?”
“Wow,” the man gulped and had to contain his laugh. It really did look ridiculous. “I think I know of just the thing.”
“Great,” Nick smiled. “Anything you could do would be a big help.”
“How about we do a nice buzz cut. You know, the military look is quite in nowadays and I think with your face shape it’ll look very nice on you.”
“What do you mean, buzz cut?” Nick asked.
“Here,” Garcon offered flipping through a stylist guide and pointed to a picture. “This is what I’m talking about.”
“That, that actually doesn’t look bad,” Nick admitted. “Ok, let’s do it.”
“Alright,” Garcon smiled and immediately began work on Nick’s new do.
About thirty minutes later his hair was looking fabulous. “Hello,” Chelsea peered around the corner to great the two men. “How’s it going?” she asked. “Wow!” she smiled. “I like it.”
“I know,” Nick smiled, “It looks pretty good doesn’t it. I’ve been so used to having longer hair…it feels great.”
“Yes, and it’s very easy to maintain,” Garcon added with pleasure.
“Garcon,” Chelsea smiled, “Can you come here for a second. I have something to tell you about my date the other night. Remember, the one we discussed last time I was here…”
“Oh right!” he clapped his hands and followed behind her. “So tell me, how was it with Mr. Mayer? You know girl he is sooo unbelievably sexy. You are one lucky woman to be dating him.”
“Yes,” she nodded. “I am. But, really that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, Nick…well he and I used to date as you know and he’s trying to ruin my life by moving back into my house.”
“Oh dear!” he gulped. “That really must put a damper on your love life to have your ex sleeping in the next room.”
“Yes, I know. That is why…well, I’ve been trying to convince him to move out so would you mind doing me an awful favor? I’ll, I’ll pay you of course it’s just…I really need your help on something.”
“Of course, anything for you darling. You’re my favorite customer. I’d do anything to help you with your little scheme.”
“Great,” she smiled and grabbed his hand pulling him close to her. She whispered in his ear, “Well, what I was thinking is you could convince Nick to go with a new shade of blond to match his new cut and somehow do a mix up with the coloring.”
“What kind of mix up?”
“Well, make it more colorful. A lot more colorful,” she looked her head as he nodded, understanding just what she was talking about.
*****
“Well, Nick,” he sighed walking back up to Nick who was busy playing with the blow-dryer. “Of course we could leave your hair as it is now, we all agree it looks great. But I was thinking before Chelsea got here that perhaps a better shade of blond compliment it more. You know, darken it a little so you don’t look so much like Eminem because let’s face it…that man is nothing of a style role model.”
“Alright,” Nick agreed. “Not like I haven’t used hair dye before. My managers are always trying to convince me to go for some new look.”
“Great,” he smiled, “Now, you just…you just come with me and we’ll get started on the coloring process.”
*****
Walking into the house Nick slammed the front door startling Chelsea who was busy dusting the blinds in the living room. “Nick? Is that you?”
“Yes it’s me,” he sneered and walked into the room.
Her mouth dropped as her hand lifted to cover it, “Oh…oh my,” she gulped. “Wow.”
“Yes, wow,” he growled.
“I knew you wanted a new look but, don’t you think that this is perhaps a little…too much?”
“Yes Chelsea! It is too much. It is all TOO MUCH! You did this! You pulled that man aside and convinced him to totally fuck up my hair color. And he didn’t have time to fix it because he had to rush off to probably some made up wedding so now I’m stuck with this until Monday because they’re closed on weekends and today is Friday!”
“Oh goodness,” she chuckled. “It reminds me of a color wheel.” His hair which was a beautiful shade of blond is now a mixture of blue, green, purple, red, and orange.
“That does it. That absolutely does it. He’s a licensed professional right? Well there’s gotta be someone I can talk to about this to get his license taken away.”
“You wouldn’t dare…”
“Oh wouldn’t I? Perhaps you should have thought of that BEFORE you planned this whole thing out. Perhaps you should have thought about his well-being before you decided to go ahead and totally go delusional. You know I really hope you’re happy with yourself…how absolutely juvenile you’re acting. It’s really quite sad.”
“Nick, I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I’m sorry, but…don’t make this about Garcon. It was, it was my idea.”
“And it WAS you who shaved my head last night wasn’t it?” he snapped. “Wasn’t it! Don’t lie to me!!”
“Yes,” she bit her lip. “It was. But, really your new hair cut is great it’s just…it’s just this color we’ll have to worry about it.”
“No, you’ll have to worry about. I’m serious, I’m going to see that that Garcon dude gets in trouble for this the way he deserves.”
“Now don’t make this about him This is about me and what I did to you. This is about YOU refusing to just accept that we’re over and move out. You know if you would just get out of my life the way I asked you to we wouldn’t have to go through any of this.”
“Or if you weren't so plain retarded!” he yelled. There was a knock at the door and he turned to look at her.
“Oh, that’s probably Mandy. She called today and wanted to get together so I told her you were free for dinner and to just come over.”
“You mean, you mean you invited over my other ex-girlfriend for dinner without asking me AND when my hair looks like this! I can’t believe you, I cannot believe you! Well you can just get rid of her. I’m going upstairs and I’m not coming down until she’s long gone and then you and I are going to sit down and have a serious talk about all this shit you’ve pulled!”
She’d never seen him act this way. She’d never seen him so furious yet so in charge. It actually, it actually suited him well. She liked seeing him take control of his feelings for a change, for something new and different. “Ok, I’ll get rid of Mandy.” Nick trailed upstairs as she walked off to the front door to finally, cut the guy a break.
* * * *
“Nick,” Chelsea tapped on his bedroom door and saw Nick sitting on his bed reading a book of some kind. Approaching him she swallowed her guilt. “I got rid of Mandy and I stopped by the drugstore to buy you this,” she handed him a box. “It’s hair dye. It’s not gonna look perfect or anything but it’ll at least hold you over until Monday when you can get an appointment to fix your color.”
“Ok,” he nodded checking it out. It did looked like a good enough shade to fix the disaster that was his head for a while. “Thank you.”
“Do you,” she bite her lip and looked down at him. He looked really pathetic. “Can I help you? I promise it’s not a trick. I’ll just help you bleach out your hair and apply this new color. It’ll probably be easier with someone else.”
“Sure,” he sighed. “If you want, as long as…as long as you don’t pull anything.”
“I won’t,” she promised. “I swear I’m just trying to help you out.”
The two walked into the bathroom and she helped him fix her hair as best as she could. Luckily she was a girl and did know a lot about hair care and hair products and was able to fix it as best as possible for the time being. As he sat there blow drying his hair she just looked at him really feeling horrible for everything she’d done.
When he turned off the blow dryer he glanced in the mirror, “Looks pretty good,” he nodded in satisfaction. “Thanks for your help.” He walked past her into the other room trying to just ignore her and another fight.
“Uh Nick,” she stopped him. “I’m really sorry for everything. For ruining your night with the guys, for crashing your truck, nearly getting you arrested, fucking up your hair…inviting Mandy over…I really did a lot of horrible things. I guess, I guess I was just trying to fight with myself. Fight with myself to ignore how much fun we used to have together and how much fun we could have together with you moving back in here.”
It was the truth. She did feel really bad. Although she knew there really wasn’t anything she could say to make up all that she’d put him through since he moved back in. “Sometimes it’s easier for me to hate you then accept that we had a good time together.”
“Apology accepted,” he looked at her. “You proved that you really wanted to try to make up for it by helping with my hair and well…it was just hair. Nothing serious. I guess, I guess I should apologize too for pushing you the way I was.”
“Apology accepted,” she shook her head. “I guess I’ve really tortured you a lot haven’t I?”
“Yes,” he laughed. “You really have. But, but it’s ok. I put you through a lot of pain in the past…worse then this so I guess I pretty much deserved it. I just hope that we can put things behind us and try to start over.”
“That would be nice,” she held out her hand. “Truce?”
Looking down at her hand he took it into his own, “Truce.”
“So how about we go out and get some drinks at a bar or something tonight,” she suggested. “Now that you’re hair’s semi-fixed it’s safe to go into public.”
“Nah,” he shook his head. “I’m hanging out with the guys tonight.”
“Oh,” she bit her lip again. Really, a habit she needed to quit. “Ok then. You have a good time.”
“Will you be here when I get back?” he asked watching her start to walk away.
“Yea,” she turned around to face him. “I’ll be here.”
Chapter 7
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