Page 15 of Chelsea’s Knight

One Week Later

“Gia, I have to dosomethingwith this,” I cry out, pointing to the obvious bald spot on my head where my last surgery was performed. “I feel ridiculous.”

“I’m just glad you’re still here and alive to feel like that,” she retorts, moving closer to inspect the area and come up with a game plan on what can possibly be done to cover it up. “Hmm, we could cut it off and donate the longer hair, then use Trident’s clippers to even it up. It’s going to take some time to thicken and grow back, but you’re thankfully not like I am and yours grows pretty fast.”

Before I can change my mind, I say, “Let’s just do it. It’s only hair and I can wear a hat or hell, order a damn wig if I need to. It’s not like I really go anywhere most of the time.”

“Then I’ll be right back with my scissors and shears,” she advises. “Here, hold the baby for a few minutes.”

Alexia is thrust lovingly into my arms before Gia hauls ass out of my suite. “Hey, little one,” I coo, running my index finger down her soft, silky satin cheek. She lets out a tiny snuffle, but otherwise, remains asleep. “Guess I’ll have to get my baby fix from all of you, Miss A. It’s okay, though, because I’d be afraid of hurting a baby since the medication I take is so strong and the side effects are less than favorable for nurturing a fetus.”

I continue gently rocking the baby, humming a song my nonni used to sing to me when I was a little girl. “You look just like Collette did when she was a baby,” I muse, remembering Gia’s first baby. “The two of you are going to give your daddy sheer fits when you get older.”

“They sure as hell will,” Gia replies, walking back into my room with her hands full of the supplies needed to help her even out my choppy cut. She’s not alone, however, she’s got Lilli and CeeCee trailing along behind her.

“Are you two okay?” I ask since both are hovering over that edgy barrier of being overdue.

They look absolutely miserable, and I know from the little I’ve overheard them say that they’re both excruciatingly uncomfortable, they’re not really sleeping, different parts of their bodies are swollen and achy to the touch. CeeCee even complained that she couldn’t bend over and tie her own shoes anymore while Lilli’s greatest complaint was that she couldn’t sneeze nor laugh without peeing her pants. Some see this as an abhorrent effect of pregnancy.

For me, it’s enlightening and something I wish I could experience one day myself, even though logically, I know that’s not in the cards for me thanks to the damage I suffered at the hands of others.

“I brought them up here to keep an eye on them since they were left unattended downstairs. We all know how they can get and what mischief they cause when they’re left by themselves.” She stops long enough to send them the mom stare before continuing, “The guys are all apparently in church right now.”

“Oh, okay.” I don’t want to give the women a chance to argue, I wanna nip this in the bud before they get ranting and raving, because we’d be here all day while they bicker and banter about the merits of why they should be allowed to do as they wish.

According to them, this is the time for them to get away with murder if they should choose to do so. I get that a woman’s hormones are out of whack when they’re pregnant, but I didn’t think that meant their common sense flew out the window as well.

“So, what’s the plan then?” I pull out a lock of my hair, separating it from the rest as I scan it over and hope we’ve got something crafty and artsy in mind that won’t have me looking like a cast member from a mindless zombie show or showcased as people of Walmart on a live stream network.

“Well, when Hayley had to have her head shaved after her surgery, Brooks basically gave her an undercut all the way around but left the top long. I think we can do the same thing for you,” Gia replies.

“I’ll get online to look up wigs, hats, scarves, and other stuff that we could use as a classy, adorable, and also add a little bit of sass to your head covering,” Lilli offers, smiling over at me as Gia wraps a towel around me like a beautician’s cape. “There are always cute finds on the online beauty forums.”

“Well, that’s not very encouraging,” CeeCee snarks. “It’ll look cute and sassy though, Chels.”

“Anything has to look better than this mess,” I mutter, closing my eyes while hoping for the best yet preparing for the worst.

I love my girl, Gia, and where she’s talented, even if she isn’t a miracle worker, it’ll take just that to make me look like my normal self again.

* * *

Somehow, I’m able to keep the tears at bay until the three women leave me alone.

Hell, I even managed to keep a smile glued on my face acting as though I was perfectly fine while they ooo’ed and ahhh’ed over this and that.

I deserve an Oscar award for my performance because they bought it hook line and sinker.

“Fake it until you make it,” I repeat my go-to mantra, the one I always say to myself when I’m feeling down and out, inhaling a deep, calming breath.

It’s not like they were left with a lot to work with.

Whoever chopped off my hair did a horrible job. I realize they were trying to save my life, but in reality, my hair looks like they used a set of bushwhackers or a weed eater instead of styling trimmers.

The women left me behind thinking and believing that I was happy and totally fine.

I’m not.

Nope, not at all.

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