you get her to do it?" Claudia asked, unable to see how any woman would let another person have control of her appearance.
"Ashley was always a schemer, so I suppose she got the best of the deal, really. I had to write three term papers for her and ..."
"And what Susan?" Jack, who’d been only half listening, was giving her his full attention now.
"And she made me promise, in front of my aunt, to wear my hair and makeup and dress however she wanted me to for her wedding, whenever it came."
"Oh Susan, that was three years ago."
"But why would she remind me if she didn't have something in mind?"
"So what, you don't have to do it."
"But you don't see ... I mean … she did something that took her over a year and a half. And besides, I can't do anything to disappoint my aunt, by making Ashley unhappy during her wedding time."
"Your aunt would never make you do that."
"But you don't understand. Ashley and I ... Oh! What am I gonna do? I wanted everyone in my wedding party to have long hair. I can't blame Ashley if she wants ..."
* * * * *
Five weeks had passed since Ashley’s invitation. Susan was looking around the downstairs to make sure she hadn’t left anything sitting there that should be flying off with her.
"Have you finally assembled everything you'll need for the summer?" Jack had the suitcases in the car and was holding the carry-on bag. "I guess I can bring anything else you need when I come up in three weeks."
"I think so. Anyway, my aunt will probably buy me anything I forgot - she's like that, you know." She followed Jack as he headed through the laundry room to the door to the garage. They climbed into the car for the forty-five minute drive to the airport. Susan was full of angst and misgivings about the whole escapade, but she tried to keep her feelings to herself. She didn’t want to burden Jack, or spoil the last hour she’d have with him for a few weeks.
Susan and Jack clung together in a lingering kiss at the entrance to the security line at the airport. Her flight was in a little over an hour.
"Sue, don't worry about it." Jack was the only one who ever called her Sue. In fact, he was the only one she would ever let call her anything other than Susan. She didn’t like diminutives from anyone else, and only that one from Jack.
Jack flicked his hand at her hair. She had it long and lazily curled; it hung down half-way between her shoulders and the middle of her back. She’d pulled it back from her forehead with a pale yellow barrette, the same color as the tiny print flowers in her blue sun dress.
"Jack, would you like me with short hair?"
"Susan … my lovely, silly Susan, I would love you - and like you - if you didn't have any hair at all. Now stop worrying about it. You haven't seen Ashley for ages – what with her off in Arizona at school. She probably hasn’t thought of it at all." Patting her lovingly on her cute, little bottom, he sent her off. "Now git or you'll miss your plane!"
* * * * *
There was Ashley at the end of the concourse, just past security, and Susan couldn't believe it. A wave of relief swept over her. Ashley's hair, always short, had obviously not been cut since she started growing it out for Susan's wedding. Her hair was at least as long, if not longer, than Susan's.
After the hugging and kissing and fast joking, an excited Ashley led her up to the reception area.
"Come on, Susan, I want you to meet the other girls in the wedding."
Three young women popped out of their seats in the terminal as Susan and Ashley walked up. Susan, in an instant, felt as though she had been punched below her ribs. A sick, sinking feeling rose from her stomach. Standing there, smiling before her, were three items in a matched set, three girls with the shortest, curliest hair Susan had ever seen.
"Girls, meet my cousin and big sister Susan - the fourth member of your team!"
* * * * *
They’d driven to within a few miles of Ashley’s home, Susan saying almost nothing,
"Ashley was always a schemer, so I suppose she got the best of the deal, really. I had to write three term papers for her and ..."
"And what Susan?" Jack, who’d been only half listening, was giving her his full attention now.
"And she made me promise, in front of my aunt, to wear my hair and makeup and dress however she wanted me to for her wedding, whenever it came."
"Oh Susan, that was three years ago."
"But why would she remind me if she didn't have something in mind?"
"So what, you don't have to do it."
"But you don't see ... I mean … she did something that took her over a year and a half. And besides, I can't do anything to disappoint my aunt, by making Ashley unhappy during her wedding time."
"Your aunt would never make you do that."
"But you don't understand. Ashley and I ... Oh! What am I gonna do? I wanted everyone in my wedding party to have long hair. I can't blame Ashley if she wants ..."
* * * * *
Five weeks had passed since Ashley’s invitation. Susan was looking around the downstairs to make sure she hadn’t left anything sitting there that should be flying off with her.
"Have you finally assembled everything you'll need for the summer?" Jack had the suitcases in the car and was holding the carry-on bag. "I guess I can bring anything else you need when I come up in three weeks."
"I think so. Anyway, my aunt will probably buy me anything I forgot - she's like that, you know." She followed Jack as he headed through the laundry room to the door to the garage. They climbed into the car for the forty-five minute drive to the airport. Susan was full of angst and misgivings about the whole escapade, but she tried to keep her feelings to herself. She didn’t want to burden Jack, or spoil the last hour she’d have with him for a few weeks.
Susan and Jack clung together in a lingering kiss at the entrance to the security line at the airport. Her flight was in a little over an hour.
"Sue, don't worry about it." Jack was the only one who ever called her Sue. In fact, he was the only one she would ever let call her anything other than Susan. She didn’t like diminutives from anyone else, and only that one from Jack.
Jack flicked his hand at her hair. She had it long and lazily curled; it hung down half-way between her shoulders and the middle of her back. She’d pulled it back from her forehead with a pale yellow barrette, the same color as the tiny print flowers in her blue sun dress.
"Jack, would you like me with short hair?"
"Susan … my lovely, silly Susan, I would love you - and like you - if you didn't have any hair at all. Now stop worrying about it. You haven't seen Ashley for ages – what with her off in Arizona at school. She probably hasn’t thought of it at all." Patting her lovingly on her cute, little bottom, he sent her off. "Now git or you'll miss your plane!"
* * * * *
There was Ashley at the end of the concourse, just past security, and Susan couldn't believe it. A wave of relief swept over her. Ashley's hair, always short, had obviously not been cut since she started growing it out for Susan's wedding. Her hair was at least as long, if not longer, than Susan's.
After the hugging and kissing and fast joking, an excited Ashley led her up to the reception area.
"Come on, Susan, I want you to meet the other girls in the wedding."
Three young women popped out of their seats in the terminal as Susan and Ashley walked up. Susan, in an instant, felt as though she had been punched below her ribs. A sick, sinking feeling rose from her stomach. Standing there, smiling before her, were three items in a matched set, three girls with the shortest, curliest hair Susan had ever seen.
"Girls, meet my cousin and big sister Susan - the fourth member of your team!"
* * * * *
They’d driven to within a few miles of Ashley’s home, Susan saying almost nothing,
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