“You’re welcome, and I’ll see you again the next time you need a haircut,” I said with a smile.
I knew this wasn’t the last time I’d see her. Even someone as angry and egotistical as her would have to admit I was damn good at my job.
***
Ruby went inside to attend to Mrs. Bailey, who I suspected would complain to her even though I’d made her fabulous. That was just the kind of person she was.
“Sorry for bailing on you. Get it?” Eliza said as she smoked her cigarette with a smile. I shrugged in response.
I was far better equipped at handling that woman than the other two were.
“She actually looks pretty good now,” Marcie commented, as she peeked a look through the windows of the salon.
I saw a man walking towards us and while the other two talked, my alarm bells started ringing. It was the reaction I always had when I saw anything bordering on suspicious activity.
“What do you think?” Eliza asked, touching my shoulder to get my attention to something they were discussing. I glared at the man who weaved through the crowd of pedestrians, making his way closer and closer to us. He hadn’t taken his eyes off me and my instinct was to back away into the salon.
“Maybe we should go inside,” I murmured. I didn’t know who this man was or what he might want from us, but I didn’t like the look of it. I didn’t want to wait and find out.
“What?” Eliza asked just as he came into earshot.
My skin tingled with warning and I felt my muscles tense up.
“Amelia Rhodes?” the man said in a smooth calm voice.
Eliza and Marcie stared at him, only mildly surprised.
“Who are you?” I asked, preparing myself to run. Even though the man hadn’t given me a reason yet to make a run for it.
“I was hoping we could talk in private,” he said, focusing only on me.
“What is this about?”
The man finally glanced at the other two girls with me and then he sighed.
“I’d prefer if we spoke in private, Amelia.”
“I’m not speaking to you at all, unless you give me a good reason to.”
He smiled and nodded, almost like he expected me to react this way.
“As you wish. I have some information on your birth mother I’d like to share with you,” he said.
At that moment, it felt like the ground gave away from under my feet. Those were words I had often fantasized about hearing, but hadn’t ever come close to in reality.
How could this be happening?
“Amelia?” Marcie said my name in a whisper. These girls didn’t know much about my personal life. We weren’t exactly buddies. So I was sure they were confused.
I was pretty confused myself.
“It’s okay. You guys should head inside. I’ll be fine,” I murmured, while the man continued to smile at me knowingly.
“Are you sure?” Eliza asked.
I nodded.
This was definitely something I needed to hear. I’d waited for it my whole life.
***
“You need to come up with answers and fast, or I’m walking away,” I snapped at the man, crossing my arms over my chest. I made sure to keep my distance from him as we stood together outside the salon.
The only reason I even agreed to speak to him was because it was the middle of the day and the sidewalks were busy. I’d never speak to him alone.
He was a middle-aged man. Dark slick hair, a bony face and a big body. He may even have been handsome at some point, but he definitely wasn’t anymore.
“I’m very happy to see you, Amelia,” he said and my brows furrowed with suspicion.
“Should I know you for some reason?”
“You remind me so much of her, when we first met. Spunky, is the word that came to mind when I first met your mother,” he continued, almost like he didn’t hear my questions.
My muscles froze up again. Just the idea of this man possibly having known my birth mother, made me tense. Personally, I knew nothing about my biological parents. They’d been a complete mystery to me since the authorities had no information on them either.
I had spent all my life not knowing a thing about my past or where I came from.
So now, as this man spoke to me, my fingers seemed to shake.
“Who are you and how did you know my mother?” I hissed. My eyelids were heavy, I felt my cheeks burning up.
“My name is Aldo Baron,” he replied. “Your mother and I used to be friends. She…she made me promise I’d find you when you grew up and help you in whatever way you needed. So that is exactly what I’m doing.”
His words knocked the air out of my lungs. I was afraid I’d collapse to the ground. He watched me closely, like he knew the effect he had on me.
When he reached out to touch my arm, I yanked it away from him. I hated being touched, especially by strangers. He held his hands up defensively.
“I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth? What do you want from me?”
Aldo breathed gently, holding my attention completely.
“How else would I know everything about you? How else would I know where to find you? I’ve kept tabs on you, waiting for the right moment to make introductions. I know you’re struggling, I know you could use some help in your life. I don’t want anything from you, Amelia. I’m just here to fulfill the promise I made to your mother on her deathbed,” he said.
I met his calm dark eyes and I couldn’t deny the feeling that there was something familiar about him. Was it possible I’d met him when I was a baby? Before my mother gave me away? That he’d been buried in my subconscious all these years?
I didn’t say anything, I couldn’t speak.
Aldo lightly touched my arm
