after this night (camren)

37. Camila

As I unlocked my front door, I was filled with a sense of pride over a job well done.

The only trouble was there was someone I desperately wanted to share this moment with.

I settled for my best friend instead. Dinah had just returned from her honeymoon, so I called her to tell her the news.

---

"So what's your verdict?"

"Uncross your legs" Taylor said.

"I hardly think uncrossing my legs is the answer to all my romantic woes" I said after telling my stylist most of the details of my situation.

Taylor winked at me in the mirror as I followed orders, "I don't know, sweetie. Kinda sounds like uncrossing your legs has been working pretty well for you with this girl"

I laughed, "Fine, you got me on that"

"Champion racehorse in the sack, right?"

I covered my mouth with my hand daintily, pretending to be shocked, "Did I say that?"

"No. But it sure as hell sounds like it, from the stories you've told me about her prowess"

"Prowess doesn't even begin to cover it. But that's not what we're talking about. I need to know what you think I should do next. A woman can't make this decision without consulting her stylist"

"Don't consult me" Taylor said, brandishing her silver scissors playfully in the mirror.

"Consult the scissors?"

Taylor shook her head, "Ask the ink" she said, and tapped her bare arm with the silver scissors, pointing to the cursive letters on her arm spelling out I want to be adored. I had always admired the tattoo, even more so because Taylor's wish for love had come true. I leaned in close to the tattoo and whispered, as if offering a plaintive plea to an oracle, "Ink, what should I do?"

"Allow me to translate for the ink" Taylor as she resumed snippong hair, "Do you love her?"

"Yes"

"Can you forgive her?"

When phrased like that, the answer seemed patently obvious, "Yes" I admitted in a small voice.

"And most of all, does she adore you?"

I tried to suppress a smile, as if I could hold in all that I felt by not admitting the pure and honest truth. But I blurted it out anyway, "So much"

Taylor gave me an approving nod, "One more question. Do you have any idea how devastated I will be to no longer do your hair if you move to Los Angeles? Fortunately, I still go there every few months to cut Jane Black's hair" she said, mentioning the Grammy-winning rock singer.

"Name-dropper"

"I'll see if I can squeeze you in after Ms. Black"

"Watch it. I'm going to be famous now too. You'll have to start calling me Ms. Purple Snow Globe"

"You do know that sounds like the name of a vibrator, right?"

"Which makes it an even better name for a drink. Because when you drink one, it makes you feel like a vibrator does" I said and cracked myself up, along with my stylist.

"That should be the marketing slogan. But you don't need a vibrator with your champion racehorse"

"If I take her back" I added, emphasizing that one word. If. Because I had promised myself a week to make this decision.