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Chapter Thirty Nine:
Mid-morning Megan dropped the boys off with Brad's mother Wanda. Megan's first stop was for her hair appointment. After signing in, she sat and scrolled on her phone. She noticed the woman sitting across from her, she appeared to me in her mid fifties, looking at her uncomfortably. Megan looked up at her and smiled. Megan said "good morning." The older woman said "good morning" and put her head back down into her magazine. A few minutes later, Megan felt herself being watched again. She looked up to find the older woman quickly averting her eyes. Megan said "I know, it's not every day you see someone wearing one of these."
The women's face turned red. She looked up sheepishly and said "I'm sorry." After a moment she said "my daughter had to wear one when she had braces. She was twelve when she got her expander and facemask. It looked exactly like yours. Well, except hers was blue. She got braces about six months later but had to keep wearing the mask. Altogether she wore the facemask for almost two years. She hated it. But it worked and she is so glad she did it. We both are. She is 27 now and still has a gorgeous smile. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare. It just reminded me of her."
Megan gave her a big smile and replied "aww, that ish sweet. I am so glad it worked for her. I am hoping thish worksh for me. I know it will. It is easier for kids though that is for sure."
The woman said "I am sorry, I'm Liza. And you are?"
Megan said "I am Megan! Pleasure to meet you."
Liza said "I guess adult braces are in now. I notice more and more adults have them. Even people my age. Mal has them too. At my last appointment her and Kari were talking back and forth about them. Kari was quizzing her on them, what it was like. It sounded like she was considering getting them herself."
Megan said "that is how I met Mal! It is why I started coming here. My husband is her orthodontist. Well, all of ours. I was in the office one day and she overheard me complaining to Maggie, that's his scheduling coordinator and front desk boss, about my hair. Mal was in the waiting room and overheard. She introduced herself and gave me her card. That is how we met. And I am glad we did meet. Isn't she just the best?"
Liza said "both of them are. Kari is my girl, but when she is out Mal has done fantastic."
Megan said "yep, both of them are great. And Kari was considering braces. Was."
Liza gave her a puzzled look before she heard "Lishza dear! Sho good to she you!"
Liza turned towards the familiar yet slurred voice. There in the doorway stood Kari. She had a big metallic smile on her face. Jen said "shorry about my shpeech, I just got these lasht week. I am just now feeling human again. And I am shtill learning to speak around thish scaffolding." She looked over and saw Megan and said playfully "thish is all your husbandsh fault. At least he said no headgear until my next appointment. But I will let Mal know you are wearing yoursh. And that a spy is amongsth us." She let out a hardy laugh giving a good view of the metallic framework on the roof of her mouth. She said "Lishza dear, why don't we go on back." As she turned she said "Mal is jusht finishing up a color and curl. I will let her know you are here."
As the older woman stood she said "it was a pleasure to meet you sweetie, I will see you in the back I guess." Megan smiled and said "absolutely!"
About five minutes later a college aged woman emerged from the back, her fresh blonde curls bouncing with each step. The young woman was exiting the salon door as Mallory, or Mal as everyone called her, entered the waiting area. She was in her mid-thirties, curvy with a very pretty face framed by short bob cut black hair with blue highlights. But what really stood out was the silver facebow coming out of her mouth, hooked to a black high pull headgear strap with dark blue modules that blended in well with the color of her hair. As she made her way over, Megan noticed that the blue highlights in her hair exactly matched the shade of the headgear modules. As Megan stood she thought this was surely intentional.
Before she said anything Mal gave Megan a big hug. When she did, she felt the corset Megan was wearing. Stepping back Mal said "it is so good to see you. It has been too long. Congratulations on the baby. Chance is just adorable. So, let me see."
Megan quickly removed the facemask from her face, tilted her head back, and opened wide. Mal examined everything in Megan's mouth and said "wow. I thought I had it rough with my nance and the headgear. So, how goes it with everything? And is that a corset you are wearing?"
Megan said "and that is not all." She pulled up her dress briefly and let it fall back. As Megan put her facemask and elastics back on she said "I even got the matching leg braces to go with it."
Mal squatted down and with no shame pulled up the hem of Megan's dress. She said "oh wow babe, what did you do?"
Megan said "apparently I have a faulty flux capacitor, because everything seems to be breaking down. But the leg braces are to help stabilize my ankles. Plus, between me and you, Brad likes them because I can't run away as easily." Mal laughed at what she thought was just a joke as Megan continued "and yep, I am wearing a corset. You may have even felt the matching belt". Megan omitted exactly what the belt was for. She continued "I am working on the baby weight. But just between me and you, I really like wearing it. The support it provides. And let me guess, you just put your headgear on?"
Mal grinned sheepishly and said "guilty as charged. Kari told me you were here wearing yours. Come on, let's get you in a chair. We have so much catching up to do."
Mal and Megan bantered back and forth while Liza and Kari did the same. Much of the time the two conversations intertwined. As could be expected, much of the talk was about Megan's baby and orthodontics. All during the appointment, Megan noticed that Liza kept looking at her and Mal in the mirror. At one point in a lull, Megan locked eyes with Liza in the mirror and said "It isn't too bad wearing it. Especially when you are around other people who understand. Isn't that right Mal?"
Mal laughed and said "I don't know about that. It is pretty awful. Why do you think I chopped off my hair? Because of this stupid headgear." Megan swatted her arm and said "it is not that bad. And your hair looks amazing now. You even colored it to match the headgear. How glam. And I promise it could be worse."
Kari said "she ish right. At leasht you don't have six schrews drilled into your mouth Mal. You can shpeak. And eat. And I am getting a new, bigger, better headgear than you have. Lucky me. But Dr. Miller says I only have to wear it at home."
Mal laughed and said "ha, at home. I have heard that. Just wear it at home. For 14 to 16 hours a day."
Kari said defensively "well that is what he said. And didn't you say that he mentioned you getting a Miller headgear at your next appointment if there wasn't more progress? Hey Megan, you are the expert on this, how crappy is it to wear?"
Megan said "well, I haven't worn it. It does look imposing. But a couple of the women in the office wear it. They seem to be ok with it.
At least Brad says they are. I know he is pretty proud of it."
Kari said "well, I will find out in two weeks. I will make the best of it. Whatever, as long as I don't have any more headaches." After a minute she said "and of course my headgear will be bigger, I can't let Mal out do me."
Mal laughed and said "well, if I don't do a better job the next few weeks wearing mine, we might be matching. Even if I know who will wear theirs with more flare."
Kari said "no way bish. It is on."
Mal said "oh, so now you think you are a better stylist and will do a better job wearing your headgear than me?"
Kari said "I don't think so, I know so." While the mood was light, Megan knew the two women were super competitive.
Mal said "oh no, NOW it is on."
Liza said "wait, what? Are you two going to, well for lack of a better word, try to out headgear the other?"
This drew laughter from all three of the women. Kari said "well, since you put it that way... Yesh, that ish exactly what I am going to do."