Chapter 7: Fall Dance

Happy girls are the prettiest girls. – Audrey Hepburn

After Dean had cried her eyes out on his shoulder the night before, Reese decided that this boy needed a lesson. First being how to treat a lady.

Secondly, you didn’t break his princess’ heart.

So he called the experts. His daughter. And then his ex.

He approached the door to the nail salon as the brunette from TRAAC or officially Thompson, Roberts and Associates Accounting Company, stepped out. She smiled politely and said thanks to the woman that held the door. The woman and her friend, both way too skinny for his tastes, giggled at each other. 

“I didn’t realize they had wide load chairs here.” The first woman said. 

“Probably has to get a pedicure because she can’t see her feet.” The second agreed.

Reese was certain that Helen heard, but she gave them no attention. When he stepped in behind the women, they both tried to get his attention. 

“What color should I get?” one asked the other as they both looked at the nail polish colors. 

“I’m picking one that’s going to look good exploring all those tattoos.”

Reese ignored them and as he looked for his niece. She slid on her flip-flops before walking towards him.

“I need to pay for my niece.” He said handing over the credit card. 

“The lady that just left, she was so sweet, Uncle Owen.” Dean beamed holding her hand out for him to admire. He obliged and studied the black French tips with burgundy accents and rhinestones. “She helped me pick the color.”

“She did a good job, princess.” He said with a smile. 

“She’s single.” Dean nudged him. 

“Why would he want to date a fat pig?” the lady from the door asked. 

Reese turned and looked down at her. “I would rather date her than a self absorbed bitch.” He looked at the man behind the counter. “The lady that helped my niece, does she come here often?”

“Yes, sir.” He said handing the credit card back. 

“Can I pay for her next appointment?” 

“Like a gift certificate, sir?” Freddie asked as the woman scoffed. “I’m sorry, ladies, we are all booked up for today.”

“You have empty chairs right there.” The friend said. 

“Not for you, we don’t.” Freddie replied getting a gift certificate out of the drawer. 

The women scoffed at him. “We’re going to give you a very bad review.”

Freddie smiled politely. “Have a good day.” He said before he muttered in Vietnamese under his breath. Reese and Dean both laughed and Reese agreed with him, also in Vietnamese. 

After paying for the gift certificate and jotting a quick note in the card, Reese placed a protective arm around Dean’s shoulders and they walked across the parking lot to a little café for brunch. 

Afterwards, when they went back to the car, Dean noticed the garment bags in the back seat.

“Uncle Owen, the house is in the opposite direction.” Dean pointed out when he turned the wrong way after they left the shopping center. 

“I know. I talked to your cousin.” He said taking another turn and pulling up to a stop light. 

“What did Cheryl say?”

“Break the bastard.” He said shifting gears as they crossed through the intersection. Dean laughed and he loved hearing that sound. “You did take a shower this morning, right?”

“Yes, you told me to.”

“Good.” He turned the blinker on and she looked in the direction he was turning and saw the day spa.

“Seriously?” she squeaked at an almost inhuman octave. 

“I figured if we’re going to break the bastard, we’ll break him good.”

Dean squealed again in her excitement. She was not what she would consider a girly girl. She was jeans and flip-flops most of the time. Her shirt depended on her mood. It could range from grungy t-shirt to name brand cashmere sweater. 

And she despised pastels.

They washed her out and she quite simply preferred the vampire look. Dean didn’t consider herself goth or emo,  but she liked the look. 

Where her mom had encouraged femininity, Uncle Owen embraced her dark side. There was a quiet voice in her head that told her he was considering what teenage boys would see. Since he had his daughter right out of high school, he knew what teenage boys were thinking. 

Reese checked them in and handed over the bags. The clerk had the bags taken up to a day suite and called for their first appointments. 

Dean was taken down to be pampered with getting her hair and makeup done professionally. Once she was settled with the technician, he went down to the barber shop in the spa. He loved a good straight razor shave.

At five thirty Dean walked out of her room at the spa looking stunning. Her knee-length black dress had burgundy accents that matched her heels. The sheer sleeves covered her enough that Reese approved, but the dress showed off the young woman she was becoming. 

Her dirty blonde hair was artfully piled on top of her head with a few tendrils framing her face. The eye makeup was done to emphasize her bright blue eyes. 

Smiling, she twirled for her uncle who stood in the main room. He wore dark gray slacks and a burgundy shirt that was open at the neck, his rose tattoo exposed above his collar. Standing with his hands behind him, he gave a low whistle.

“You’re missing something.”

Dean checked her clutch, her phone and touched her ears where her mom’s black diamonds dangled on silver chains and the matching chain at her neck. She couldn’t find anything that she was missing and looked at him confused. 

With a little chuckle, Reese stepped toward her and produced a three rose wrist corsage with black and burgundy accents. “The flowers are held on with clips, you can keep the bracelet.” 

“You’re the best.” Dean whispered as he slipped the bracelet on.

He kissed her temple, carefully avoiding her hair. “Always for you, princess.”

Reese pulled on his sport coat and smiled at her. “Now, let’s go break the bastard.”

“Remind me not to get on your bad side.” Dean laughed as they headed to the door.