“Len, did Ashley give you the final headcount for who’s getting what done the morning of the wedding?” Raven shouts from her office into the salon where my fingers are ready to fall off from weaving the intricate braids this kid requested for her Sweet Sixteen. “No, not yet. I’ll get on that today,” I yell back, careful not to unclench my fingers or skip a row of plaiting in her silky, golden hair. My brain loops in circles as I contemplate all the things I need to ‘get on’ before the week is up. And nowhere on my list of to-do items is my boyfriend. He’s pulled twelve hour shifts four times in the last seven days, and I haven’t had a minute to breathe myself. But I’ll be damned if the looming list of untied loose ends will interfere with us hanging out tonight. He’s invited me to his apartment for a home cooked meal and a relaxing night in. Since I haven’t been to his place yet and I need a night of nothing but Lane, I’m chomping at the bit. Unfortunately, relaxing isn’t in the cards for this maid-of-honor.
