Read Online A Cherry Cola Christmas by Ashton Lee - Free Book Online Page B

Ardenia Bedloe was nothing if not an adorable creature of habit.
    â€œMama!” he repeated, walking over quickly to take a seat next to her. “That’s a little loud, don’tcha think?”
    When she did not immediately obey, he snatched up the remote and muted the TV himself. “That’s better. Now I can hear myself think.”
    It was only when he actually focused on her eyes that he grasped the fact she was not watching and listening to the TV at all, and in a further searing flash of emotion that spread from beneath his chest to every nerve in his extremities—one he would remember for the rest of his life—he realized she would never be watching and listening to the TV again. Then the remote fell from his hand onto the carpet below as the room was filled with his primal scream; but despite enduring the worst pain of his life, he was somehow able to compose himself enough to call 911.
    Â 
    Maura Beth and Jeremy had just finished another round of their energetic lovemaking in her brass bed and were cuddling in the afterglow when the phone rang on the nightstand. They weren’t going for a record or anything like that, but the honeymoon had continued in their bedroom without a hitch. Yes, it was true that the routine of everyday life had kicked in for both of them and brought them down to earth, but so far, they had kept Key West alive and glowing in their flushed cheeks and throbbing pulses. Their marriage was off to a fast start.
    It was Jeremy who reached for the receiver, and playfully said, “The McShay residence. You have reached the party to whom you are speaking.” This was followed by a couple of quick snorts and a contortion of his face.
    They both chuckled as he listened briefly and continued. “It’s Terra Munrow. But I think you’ll have to wait until she stops laughing.”
    â€œGive me that!” Maura Beth told him, snatching the receiver with a wry smile in place and propping herself up against her pillows. Then she got down to business with her tall, edgy stylist. “Jeremy’s thinking of quitting his teaching job and going into stand-up comedy in case you’re wondering what that was all about. But please, talk to me about Cherico Tresses and these rumors.”
    At the other end, Terra’s laughter shifted into an even higher gear for a moment. “Your Jeremy is too much, girl. I wish my Ricky had that kinda sense of humor. We went up to Memphis to eat tonight, and that’s why I’m so late getting back to you.” There was a pause after which Terra’s tone changed dramatically. “But to answer your question about the salon—yes, I’m afraid it’s true. Miz Shirley Coates—she’s our owner—is shutting us down and moving the salon over to Corinth about six weeks from now. Of course, she’s letting us all keep our jobs if we want ’em. She says we can make more money over there, and our business has been falling off steadily for over a year now. I know I’ve lost three of my best ladies in that time, and none of ’em were unhappy with me. They all said their husbands got better jobs somewhere else, and they were leaving Cherico. So, I’ve been telling all my clients about the move one by one as they come in, and you’re scheduled for next week, I believe. I hope you don’t think I was ignoring you—because I wasn’t.”
    Maura Beth tried to sound matter-of-fact but fell short. “No, I would never think that, but I sure wish you were kidding about this.”
    â€œI wish I was, too, but I’m not.”
    â€œBut who’s going to do my hair now? The Cut-Up is a train wreck. I went there when I first moved up here, and they gave me what I still call the perm from hell. I looked like Little Orphan Annie’s big sister and went around for weeks trying to cover it up wearing one of those pretty picture hats. I mean, you would have thought