“She never had much money,” Brittany said. “But she always looked beautiful to me.”
“What made her beautiful?”
Brittany thought about it.
“She made people feel important. Even when she was tired, she listened. She never made anyone feel small.”
I smiled.
“Those are good qualities to inherit.”
“I wish I’d listened to her more.”
“You still can.”
Brittany looked at me.
“What do you mean?”
“Every time you choose to treat someone kindly, you carry a little of her with you.”
She looked away quickly, wiping her eyes.
I continued working until the last of the visible slime had been removed.
The extensions were greasy, and they would need proper washing when she reached her destination, but they were not beyond repair.
Brittany touched them cautiously.
“So they’re not ruined?”
“Not beyond repair. You’ll need to wash them carefully and follow the care instructions. I wouldn’t make any promises about the final result, but we’ve done what we can.”
