Chapter Eight: Hair:

“Noiz?” a loud voice croak early the next morning. The kitty girl awoke startled. Pelagie stood over, looking.

“So that’s where you got to last night,” she said. “What are you doing out here?”

“Huh?” the cat asked as she looked all around her. Noiz found herself in the living room. The sun hit her eyes at full blast. Noiz had to block out the light so that she could see better. She looked down and that she had been lying on a couch. It all made sense to her now.

“Oh,” Noiz said. “I guess I couldn’t sleep last night and I fell asleep on this couch.” She tried to sit up some, but found her lower back rather sore. “Ow,” she muttered under her breath. “Not very good, apparently.” Noiz paused for a moment and looked up at Louise’s mother.

“What are you doing out here, anyway?” she asked. Pelagie smirked at her.

“I’ve come to do your hair,” she replied. The kitty looked at her confused.

“Huh?” she asked. Noiz looked in her hands and saw a brush, comb, grease, and hair accessories. The answer finally registered in her head. She laughed nervously.

“Oh, I get it!” Noiz said. Then, the confusion set inside her mind. “But why?” she asked.

“Why what?” Pelagie asked. Noiz sat up some as the pain slowly healed.

“Why do you want to do my hair?” she asked. Pelagie shrugged at her.

“Because,” she said. “I want to.” Noiz looked at her oddly. Louise’s mother smiled at her still.

“Don’t worry,” she insisted. “I’m not up to anything at all. Your hair just needs something done to it. So what do you say?” Noiz stared on in silence for a moment. She sighed reluctantly. What was the point of saying “no” on this trip anyway? She might as well say yes to everything else on this trip.

“Fine, go ahead,” she said. Pelagie watched her with a smile on her face.

“There you go,” she said. “Sit down on the floor.” Noiz slid off of the couch and sat down onto the dust-colored carpet. Pelagie sat down on the couch behind her and got to work.

“Damn girl,” she said. “Your hair is really a mess! Don’t you ever take care it yourself?” Noiz rolled her eyes as she groaned.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said. “I do. But, your daughter has been dragging me around all over the place, remember?” Pelagie tried to keep herself from laughing as she dipped her long thin fingers into the sweet-smelling grease. Noiz slowly became pissy.

“Can you stop being snarky and just do my hair?” she asked.

“Fine, fine,” Pelagie said. She slavered a huge dab of grease in the kitty’s hair.

“Could you be careful of my ears?” Noiz asked.

“Yeah, yeah,” the older woman said. She greased and combed her hair.

“So,” Pelagie spoke up. “How are you enjoying New Orleans so far?” Noiz sighed some.

“It’s okay…” she answered. The tangled mess slowly came undone into neat, straight strands. Pelagie understood what she was talking about.

“Not feeling it, huh?” she asked.

“You can tell?” Noiz asked. Louise’s mother nodded.

“I can tell that you would rather be in Japan right now.”

“Yeah, pretty much. I was kidnapped here by your daughter.”

“Bummer, girl!” Pelagie brushed Noiz’s hair thoroughly.

“Must be hard though,” The cat looked up at her hair dresser.

“Huh?” Pelagie shrugged.

“I mean, you were ripped away from your husband, baby, and all your friends across the world, am I right?” Noiz sighed in misery.

“Yeah. But I can’t leave if I wanted to. Louise has my passport, cell phone, and my wallet. So, I am stuck here until summer break is over.” Pelagie brushed Noiz’s hair even smoother. Then, picked up a hard black headband and neatly placed it into the kitty’s hair. She smiled at her work. Pelagie leaned in close to Noiz’s ear.

“Just swallow it all down and steal back control of this trip,” she whispered. Noiz looked oddly at that one. Louise’s mother patted her on the leg, grinning.

“You’re a smart cat girl,” she whispered. “You can find the answer to that one with no problems at all! I know you will!” Pelagie sat back some.

“Go look in the mirror and tell me how you like your hair,” she said in a normal voice. Noiz stood up and walked over to the full-length mirror before them. She inspected her hair for a minute. Pelagie had greased it flat, brushed it, and pushed it back with a black headband. The older woman waited for a response.

“Well?” she asked. Noiz smiled at her reflection at last.

“Really good!” she replied. “I might keep it this way for the rest of the trip.” Louise mother grinned at her.

“Glad you like it,” she said. Noiz turned around to her grinning. Pelagie grinned back.

“Now,” she said. “Go and give Lou hell for the rest of the summer!” The kitty nodded at her boldly.

“Sure will!” she replied. Then, Noiz headed up stairs to get washed and dressed for the day. Pelagie watched the hostage do so. Now, things should be interesting!