Frozen Memories

Makeovers, Makeovers, Makeovers

When we arrived back to the home, Lisa Jones embraced me. “See you later, Mina.” 

I watched her head back to the car, closing the door behind her. It was a long moment that I watched her, her gaze suddenly distant before I started to speak again.

“Dr. Byrne-”

“I know, Mina.” She said. “I noticed it too. She’s been acting strange since her return to work. 

I looked at her. “Has there been anything else?” I asked. “

Dr. Byrne shook her head. “Odd things. She doesn’t seem to be as happy anymore. She has a short temper and is very jealous hearted. And dare I say-very forward with the male nurses and doctors-even the patients!” She sighed. “Just yesterday, she had the oddest request.”

As if none of what she said was not odd enough, I still attempted to move forward in conversation. “What request?”

“She wanted a transfer to the Pathology department of the hospital. It just does not make sense. She used to love her position-especially after you arrived.” A small smile appeared for only a moment before a frown took the place of it again. “What’s worse still-it seemed there was no paperwork with her transfer-no tests-no nothing!” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “There is something going on with her, and it concerns me.”

I could see the stress on Dr. Byrne’s expression-the stress that whatever was going on with Lisa Jones’ was taking on her.

“She doesn’t have family, Mina.” She finally said. “I have to make sure she’ll be alright.”

I touched Dr. Byrne’s arm. “ We both will.” I assured.

With a tired smile, Dr. Byrne embraced me. “I’m starting to think that you’re our saviour and not the other way around.” She chuckled.

“No, just a friend.” I said.

She smiled. “Well, we’re do back at the hospi-oh!”

“What is it?” I asked.

“Before I forget.” She rushed to her car, and opened the trunk.

“Well, I thought that you may need some more clothes. Pixie-my daughter, helped me pick them out this time around.” She said while I placed the suitcase down and peeked into the inside. “This time, everything is brand new. And-” she continued as she opened her wallet and handed me a large stack of currency.

    Eyes wide and very incredulous, I shook my head. “Dr. Byrne, I certainly cannot t-”

    “Yes you can. And you will.” She cut me off. “I know how that old bat can be.” She returned gesturing toward the house. Somehow I held the distinct feeling that she was referring to Mrs. Falton as I’ve heard her being called numerous names by my fellow housemates before. “And I know it would probably not be in the best interest to get a job right now while you’re still adjusting to things so-”

    “I-thank you so much.” I could barely return any words let alone the few I said. Her kindness was overwhelming to a point as I attempted to catch the tears running down my eyes.

    Dr. Byrne smiled and wiped the tear from my eye. “You are completely welcome.” She said before kissing my forehead. “I’ll see you later, Mina.” She returned before she got into her car.

    Lisa rolled her electric window down. “I’ll see you soon, Mina.” I smiled, not sure how I felt about her words as I watched the car drive away.

    I turned around to make my way back to the house with the large suitcase in tow.

    “So, new clothes?” Max inquired just as I shut the front door behind me. I turned to see her descending the stairs whilst I nodded in confirmation. She helped me tug the thing up the stairs. “So, how is the doc? And your friend Lisa?”

    I looked up at her. “Do you really care, or is this a trick question?” I asked, remembering the first time she asked about something concerning my personal being.

She smirked, apparently remembering the same. “Not really, but since I asked-bore me.”

I sighed. “Dr. Byrne is fine-great actually. Well, with the exception of her concern for Lisa Jones.”

“What’s up with Lisa Jones?” Max asked.

I simply shrugged. “You’d have to know her to understand.” I replied. “Which actually reminds me,” I hesitated for a second, knowing that in our short amount of time spent together it was easily sensed that Max was not a people person. “they would actually like to meet your acquaintance.” I chanced just as we entered our room.

    Max did not respond to my comment at first. Her eyes held that of doubt as she continuously eyed me. Her look was obviously that of distrust. “Why?”

    It was when she asked that reasonable question, that I realized that my inability to fully divulge my emotions was a common ground that Max and I shared. “I-mentioned you.” I hesitated.

    My back turned to Max, I heard as her footsteps neared me closer. “And what, pray tell did you tell them about me?”

    I could hear the rising paranoia in her voice. “only that I may not have, adjusted to life so easily-” I returned in exasperation of her tone. “had my-you not been here to assist me.”

Max, who’d dropped the suitcase when I started on the subject, picked it up again and assisted me in placing it on the top of my bed.

    “You said that?”

    I turned around, took in a deep breath and admitted. “Yes, I did.”

    She scoffed, looking away. “Thanks, I guess.” She shrugged, and then turned to the suitcase and unzipped it. “Looks like the doc has good taste in clothes.” She picked up a pair of pants. “A little off on the size.” She said eyeing my lower half. At first thought I felt that I had started to eat less since getting out of the hospital, but judging by the increased size of my hips, I had evidently not. Especially, since rooming with Max Powers. “Must have gained a little weight since the last time they saw you.” She chuckled. She tugged at the pants. “They stretch, so you’re good.”

    “Oh, what is the term?” I closed my eyes to concentrate before it came to me. “Shut up.” I returned in amusement and yet still suddenly conscious of how my weight carried.

    Max laughed. “Nice comeback.” She countered in sarcasm before picking up another piece of clothing and pairing it to her body. “I wouldn’t worry too much about the weight.” She chuckled. “meat on the bones is all the rage nowadays.” She added before cautioning me that some of my new apparel would be worn by her.

    “Help yourself.” I answered as I then pulled out a pair of shoes. I was not too pressed on the beautiful clothing, considering how much I loved my sweatpants. I certainly held out the hope that I would find a pair in there. And I did! I placed them to myself to see if they were big enough when Max snatched them away.

    “Speaking of your wardrobe-your whole style actually.” She muttered the last part. “I’ve been thinking.” She said, grabbing my extremely long French braid. I looked at her hesitantly. “You ever thought of cutting this?”

    I turned to the mirror, suddenly anxious at the thought; and certainly not in a necessarily good way. I grabbed my long braid with the little C curled tip.

    “I, di-I never thought to do such a thing. I-I like my long hair.” I returned.

    To my response, Max sighed. “Well at least take the braid out. Or spruce it up or something.”

    “Well-I would not know what to do with-” I continued as I stared into the mirror and at my braid again.

    Max then proceeded to take the braid from my hand and undo it. When she was done, she ruffled her fingers through my scalp. “Let me work with it.” She suggested.

    I took in a shaky and very hesitant breath. “I do not know if th-”

    “I took cosmetology as an elective my ninth and tenth grade year.” She attempted to reassure as if I were supposed to know what the word meant.

    “Cosme-what?”

    “Geeze!” she hissed. “It’s amazing how you know the biggest and most complicated words and then get stunted by the simple and more common ones.”

    “Cosmetology is a common term to you?”

    “Look, it just means that I know how to make your hair look decent.” Max cut to the point. “Just, trust me.” She said and began to play with my hair, us both looking in the mirror. “You do trust me don’t you? Or was that a bunch of bull you were saying to the doctor and your friend?”

    Judging by the use of Max’s choice of words, I could already deduce that she was using the term ‘bull’ in a negative way. I decided not to answer her question and just make it easier on myself by agreeing to do it.

    “Alright.” I finally answered.

    Max’s inquisitive look turned into what I realized to be a very rare happy grin. “Oh, this is going to be fun…..”

    By the night’s end, I was very excited to look in the mirror. Max inquired about me coloring my hair, but I decided against it, not wanting to be of an unnatural color; nor look like every other girl at school with burgundy blonde or brunette hair. Oddly enough, it was not more so that I wanted to stand out more than the fact that I had grown to like my appearance; however odd it was, and I did not want to change to look like everyone  else. There was a reason I looked this way-whether positive or negative, I was not completely sure. Nonetheless, I did not want to make too drastic a change for fear of changing something about myself that represented something good-something that I had yet the privilege of finding out about myself yet.

    When I made my decision to keep my color, I was surprised to see that Max seemed very content with my decision.

    “I must say, I am surprised that you enjoy this sort of thing.” I admitted.

    Max smirked. “Why is that? Cuz, I’m the bad girl bully?”

    “Well, yes actually.”

    Max laughed. “Well don’t judge a book by its cover.” She returned. And she was right in saying it.

    “I am sorry if I offend-”

    “Oh please! No.” Max snickered, “Truth is-I don’t like or trust people enough to actually want to do this all the time. So, I don’t.” she admitted.

    “Sounds sensible.” I returned.

    “Alright! Enough of that!” Max replied. “All done!”

    “Lovely!” I returned as I attempted to look into the mirror when Max stopped me.

    “I don’t want you to see till the morning.” She grinned. “So don’t you dare try to look in that mirror.”

    “Bu-”

    “No buts.” She said, walking over to the old bag that I brought when I first got here. “Aha, you should wear this.” She pulled out something red and black-like plaid. She then placed it on the bed.

“What is that?” I asked, starting to pick it up when she went over to the suitcase full of new apparel.

“A dress, doe-doe-.” She said. “Surely, even in being as old as you think you are, they had dresses back then.”

I lifted the dress up. “Not like this.”

“I think they’re called handkerchief dresses.” Max informed me. Whatever it was, it was quite short in some places. “Ah! And this-you should definitely wear this.” She picked up something black. “Leather crop jacket and those combatties.” She grinned.

“This-why can I not wear my sweating pants?” I asked in melancholy.

    Max cut her eyes. She was obviously annoyed. “You cannot wear sweating pants every day, Frosty.”

    I slunk down on my bed as a silver lavender string of my hair that only held a small separate strand of black fell across my shoulder. It was still very long, however now it held a bend. I started to touch it when Max put on some sort of silk cap on my head.

“Now, you can go to sleep.” She smiled.

Sleep. The word caused me to realize how exhausted I actually was. Max had no other words as she was apparently as tired as I and went to bed. Shortly after, I followed, my body as well as my mind slipping into slumber.