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Olive’s Salon was a quaint little arrangement on the corner of one of the busiest streets in Barton. If she wasn’t at home and she wasn’t at the casino, she was usually at the salon. June had been getting her hair cut their for decades; really, ever since Peggy, her oldest and dearest friend, had taken it over from her mother. The girls had known each other since before either of them had hit puberty and, while they sometimes behaved in ways that the other didn’t agree with, it could be safely said that both women put up with things from each other that they wouldn’t have tolerated for a second from anyone else. Peggy had been there for June when she’d ended up pregnant at sixteen, and had helped her to keep it as secret as possible until the inevitable day when she’d had to tell her parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Sterling were horrified by her condition at the time and, not wanting to have anything to do with such a reckless slut, had kicked her onto the street. Peggy, who had suffered a miscarriage before having to tell her parents about her own pregnancy a couple of years before, convinced her mother and father to let her friend stay in their home above the salon. Peggy was Harold’s godmother and, as far as the Sterlings were considered, as good as family.

June smiled to herself as she waltzed into the salon, wearing her favorite sundress and a pair of new shoes, and nodded once to each of the ladies inside. Peggy was fluttering around a toddler, who cried as she watched her golden curls fall to the floor with every snip of the scissors. Her mother stood in the background, chewing nervously on her fingernails. Apparently, this was a first time for the both of them. How sweet.

“Beth, its good to see you,” she smiled and waggled her fingers, not unkindly, at the skinny waif of an old woman across the room, “How’s Charles? I heard his heart surgery went well.”

“Charles is fine,” Beth answered croakily from underneath her hair dryer, “Doctor gives him another eight years to live.”

“That’s wonderful,” June tried to sound sincere, but it was difficult when Beth was so sour. The other woman didn’t comment anymore. June wondered, idly, if Beth had wanted her husband to finally kick the bucket. Charles was a rich man, twenty years Beth’s senior, who’d had poor health for as long as June could remember. He was a sweet man, and unfortunately naive. All of the women at the salon suspected that Beth had only married him for his money. Lord knew, at eighty-eight he wasn’t likely to be a very passionate man.

“Gretta,” June turned her attention to the overweight, thin-haired woman, who habitually sat right beside the complimentary coffee and buns, “How are your kids? I saw Nigel and his wife at the grocery store yesterday. She said her baby’s due any day now. This is their third, right?”

“Yes,” Gretta grinned merrily as she helped herself to a biscuit, “grand-baby number three. Nigel and the boys are hoping for a little girl. Though, I suspect it’ll be another boy. I had all sons, Frank had nothing but brothers, and I think there’s only two girls from all five of them. If we didn’t make such adorable boys, I’d say its a curse.”

“How intriguing,” said June, who really couldn’t have been less interested if she’d tried. It didn’t matter. The conversation had been steered in the direction she’d hoped for. She’d opened the door herself, and was steeling herself to step over the threshold.

“You know I’ve been-

“Guess who else is pregnant,” Louise, who was Peggy’s business partner and money handler, spoke up from the counter. They all looked at her expectantly. The young mother looked awkward and out of place in the corner. She clearly hadn’t come here for gossip.

“Who?” Beth finally asked, looking at them all over her hook of a nose.

“Eliza’s grand-daughter, Shannon. You know that one she used to bring in here, that couldn’t keep her hands out of the candy jar? I think she’s just turned fifteen.”

“..and she was such a sweet girl.”

“Well, I’m not surprised.”

“Some people’s kids.”

June and Peggy shared a look, but said nothing. Neither of them had call to talk. Even now, fifty years after Harold’s birth, the scrutiny and discrimination she’d been subjected to hung over their heads. s**t happened.

“Yes, well,” June began again, “as interesting as that is, I’ve been thinking about-

“Fifteen and pregnant,” Gretta shook her head sagely, “can you imagine? If I’d had any daughters, nothing like this would have happened to them. Poor Eliza.”

“I heard she’d planned on getting an abortion,” this was from Louise, who accepted the young mother’s change and counted it carefully before smiling at her and waving goodbye.

This announcement was followed by a steady debate concerning abortion. Predictably, some of the ladies thought it was an abomination. Others thought it was acceptable, especially if the parents weren’t even responsible enough to use contraceptives.

June felt like a zombie as she listened to them drone. Ordinarily, she would have jumped right in and probably led one of the arguments. It was in her forceful, straightforward nature to guide. Today, however, her mind was on a different train altogether.

“I’m going to adopt a baby,” she announced loudly, so that she could be heard over the incessant chatter of the ladies. They continued for a couple of moments, as if they hadn’t registered what their friend had said, and then turned to stare at her open-mouthed. Peggy shot her a surprised glance, and then continued with her current customer.

They all spluttered and laughed outrageously at her. Louise coughed and covered her mouth with her hands, but her shoulders continued to shake with amusement. June didn’t join in. She just stared at them. After awhile, the ladies came to their senses and, having taken in June’s utterly sober appearance, had the grace to look apologetic. They could see now that she was serious.

“A baby?” Beth inhaled sharply, and looked her up and down skeptically, “You?”

June had always been the most energetic of the ladies at the salon. The only one who’d ever been able to keep up with her was Peggy. She hadn’t suspected any of them to be especially pleased with her decision. It didn’t matter.

Several seconds passed before the ladies remembered their manners. It was one thing to discuss their disapproval behind her back, and another one entirely to let her know what they honestly thought. June felt smug. She knew that all they did when she wasn’t around was talk about Estelle and Sampson and what a fool she was. Peggy had told her. Now, at least, they’d have something new to be catty about.

“Good for you,” Gretta smiled sweetly. June grinned back at her. Gretta may have been as dull as her ex-husband’s long underwear, but she was a genuine person. She always had something nice to say about someone, regardless of the circumstances.

“Thank you, Gretta,” June managed to sound as sincere as the older woman.

Louise and Beth shared a miffed look. Peggy shook her head and smirked before taking an electric razor to the nape of her costumer's neck.

He's arrived~

Can't Call You Four Eyes

---

Devin loved how the leaves crinkled under his boots. Fall had finally taken it's course, the wind had an unmistakable bite to it. Winter was coming. The little dark elf was bundled in a knitted hoodie, long denim jeans and bright yellow wellington boots. Let's just say that one could tell that the toddler had dressed himself. At least he'd done it so he'd stay warm. A charming smile appeared on his face as another gust of wind blew the leaves around. The sky was silvery gray from the sun peeking out behind the clouds. It looked like his hair! That thought made him smile again.

The toddler made his way towards the slide, being closely followed by his father; though he didn't seem to know it. Zee sat on the wooden bench closest to the slide, and took out a book. He wasn't really planning to read, but he couldn't let other parents know he cared about Devin, could he? No, that wasn't right at all. He didn't even like the book. He considered it to be a pathetic love story, about a stupid elf girl falling for some weak human king.

And of course, everyone knew Zee was one hundred times better than any weak human king. The book was The Fellowship of the Ring.

"Well, we're here. Now, why don't you go play?"

Wallace peered up at his mother, with a wondrous expression on his green face and his mouth slightly open, and then turned to consider the various instruments and metal structures that decorated park. Oh, how he'd waited for this day! Wallace couldn't exactly remember the first time they'd passed by this place, in June's old blue station-wagon. All he could recall was staring, with his nose pushed up against the window, as other children (his size, and bigger!) jumped and skipped and played. He'd bugged and begged his mother, in his own gentle way, everyday since to bring him here- so that he could partake in the fun and, now that he finally had the opportunity, Wallace wasn't quite sure where to start. He was a little overwhelmed.

He fidgeted shyly beside June, who smiled down at him, with one hand supportively on his blonde head.

"Go on, boy," she nudged him gently with her leg, and nodded towards the slide, "you'll like it. Just watch the other children, and you'll catch on before you know it. I'll be right here if you need me."

Encouraged by her reassurances, but still a little nervous, Wallace swallowed and, in that slightly awkward and bumbling way of toddlers, slowly made his way towards the slide.

June sighed happily as she watched him go and paused to examine her fingernails. They were long and sharp; painted a violent shade of red. Another summer had come and gone, and the changes in the weather echoed deep within her bones. She was growing to be an old lady; in much the same way that the leaves turned to gold and died in the autumn, her originally dark hair was now silver and in serious need of a new dye job. It was tied into a tasteful french braid at the back of her head.

Devin went down the slide, but sat at the end of it for a long while. The little dark elf was staring. Not in a rude way, no. In the I-want-to-be-your-friend-because-you're-so-cool-looking-but-I'm-too-shy-so-I'll-stare-at-you way little kids were prone to doing. You'd think with a skin-tone like his, nothing could surprise him. The fact remained that he'd never seen anyone quite like Wallace; and the toddler was wondering where the other boy hid his second eye. And why was he green? He'd learned from his older cousins (well, one in particular) that when people were sick, they turned green.

Of course, he'd taken his cousin's every word seriously. He wasn't old enough to have realized that people don't literally turn green, and that it was just a saying. And so, deciding Wallace was sick, Devin decided to go make him feel better. He toddled up to him, golden eyes clouded with concern for the other boy. " 'Ope you feel better," he said with a smile. "Wan to play?" He naturally avoided words with S's.

Zee looked up, and smiled when he saw Devin talking to someone his age. He'd been worried since Devin had met his older siblings that the toddler wouldn't be able to relate to his peers. Then he spotted June, and put his book down on the bench. He walked over to her politely, and flashed a kind smile. He gave half a bow before looking to her. "You may sit with me, if you wish," being around an older woman, or someone that appeared older, made him fall into his old habits. He was behaving well... Somewhat like a prince. He gestured to the bench in a polite manner. "We have a good view of the park, and since our children seem to be getting aquainted, we can assume they'll play together." If only Thali could see how he was behaving. She would have laughed.

Though, it probably would have been worse if Zee's fiancee saw him acting this way. He'd never hear the end of it.

Staring. Everywhere he went; Wallace was exposed to this oppressing pheonomen. He was no fool. For a toddler, the little cyclops was acutely aware of the world around him; and even more so when it came to his own appearance. It only bothered him a little bit, really, that he was the only green person he knew, and the only one with three toes, and the only one with as single eye. To quiet his various, nervous insecurities June had told him stories about all sorts of different people; from different countries, and even different planets. And Wallace was pacified. He couldn't help the way he looked, after all.

But sometimes the unwarranted attention unsettled him. He noticed the boy with golden eyes watching him, and experienced simultaneous, contradictory feelings of shyness and wonder. He was blue! Like his favorite crayon! But, he was staring.

Wallace blinked in surprise when Devin approached him and, curious about the expression on the other toddler's face, waited patiently for him to speak. He grinned and, while he didn't feel sick at all, decided he'd rather welcome his new friend's good manners than question his train of thought.

"Thank you," Wallace offered happily, endeavoring to return the favor, "You feel better too. And, yeah! I wanna play!"

June, who'd been watching Wallace and the other little boy with a fond smile on her laugh-lined face, hadn't been expecting any company other than her young son's at the park that day. She was a friendly woman; vivacious and, built a bit like a brick wall, strong in her old age. She turned when Zee approached her, and was instantly charmed by the smile on his face and his impeccable manners.

"I would like to sit, yes," she returned his grin and, inspired by his bow, curtsied. It was an awkward attempt; she'd never tried it before, and her cheeks were flushed slightly with embarassment when she returned to her full height. June had never been much of a lady.

"Oh, is that your boy over there?" Her voice was unecessarily loud, but good-natured and cheerful. "He seems very darling. Wallace is so shy. I was worried he might have trouble meeting other children."