CHAPTER THREE.
I went to Tiffany's hair stylist, while Fitzgerald took a walk down Burelli Street to the council office block.
It had been almost a week since coming out of hospital, and I'd never spent such a miserable time in all my life. Not because of the operation or even my hair, despite the pain they both brought me whenever I looked in the mirror, but mainly because of the small child who ran out in front of me during the hold-up.
There still hadn't been any word of her, and the papers had relegated any mention of the story to page seven.
"There's not a lot I can do with this," Lisa said, dragging the hair to the right side of my head between her fingers, then rubbing her palm over my scalp. "What you been up to? Lover got a kinky compulsion with a razor has he?"
She turned my head one way then another, and finally announced, "You've two choices, but I wouldn't want you to tell anyone where you had them done. Is that okay?"
I sighed and kept pulling my hair over my head to hide the damage. My single answer sealed my fate.
"What?"
Lisa crinkled her nose, leaned against the counter top with back to the mirror, and folded her arms.
"You can either have the whole lot short... very short, and look like a skinhead at a sheep shearing contest, or..."
"Or..." I echoed sadly, caressing my red locks between fingers and thumb.
"Or you can be very trendy and do a Sinad O'Conner."
I nearly died.
"I've done a few," assured Lisa smartly. "It'll be good, long as you don't go around with any Irishmen."
As Lisa continued to pull and flatten my hair, trying to convince me of the merits of the scheme, all I could imagine was Fitzgerald's laugh, and his cutting remarks at the sight of me with an Irish singer's hairstyle... or should I say head-style... together with the words of her song: Nothing Compares 2 U.
I went to the doctor guess what he told me
guess what he told me
he said girl U better have fun
no matter what you do
but he's a fool
'cos nothing compares
nothing compares 2 U.
And thought of my hair. Finally I uttered,
"Balance it all up, so I can at least go out without this damned beanie on my head."
Within thirty minutes I looked like Bashful from the seven dwarfs. I just kept looking in the mirror, trying to recognise who the hell I was.
[hidepost]I paid... neglected to thank anyone, pulled the beanie back over my head, and marched briskly out of the place.
If I ever found the man who shot that stupid pellet into my head, I'd cut off more than his golden fuzz, I can assure you of that.
I drank two coffees at Antonella's, as though they were whiskeys, mumbled and grumbled to myself as I sat in the heat of the midday sun, wearing shorts, tee shirt and woolly cap on my head... much to the amusement of a cheeky imp who laughed openly at me and yelled,
"Brain gone to sleep?"
"Get Faxed," I answered vehemently, and turned away, only to see Fitzgerald strolling towards me from the Church street entrance.
He was dressed in large checkered shorts, two sizes too big, brown belt, two sizes too tight, and a bright pink tee shirt with 'Rip Curl' on the front... too many years, too young. He completed his outfit with brown sandals and pale green walk socks, topping the lot with flip-up sun shades attached to his glasses.
He was whistling, hands clasped behind his back as he ambled closer.
"If I didn't know better," he stated simply, "I might think you weren't happy to see me. What's the matter?"
I snapped - I know I snapped, but he didn't react the way I wanted, so I seethed while he sat opposite.
"We've made some progress," he said. "I managed to talk with Mark someone-or-other. He's in charge of the cleaning staff for the local council, and he provided details of the men on duty the morning of the robbery."
Then he looked at me strangely.
Please Login or Register to get Full Site Wide Access to our Premium Content. PLUS Get Access To The First Three Chapters of my Book.
Registration is FREE! so all you need is a real email address...
If you have already registered for our premium access but want to read the next 3 chapters of my book - Please use the link INSIDE the PDF eBook Download available to Members in Chapter Two.
(Membership really does have its Privileges)
