She Listens
“Okay, let’s take it slow,” Maria said gently, her voice calming amidst the tension. “We’ll start with a comb, really work through the knots together.” She flashed a reassuring smile. “We’ll save the Clippers as a last resort, deal?”
The girl regarded her with confusion and curiosity before nodding hesitantly. “Why do you even care?” she asked, her voice tinged with vulnerability. And then came the words that pierced Maria’s heart like a dagger.
What she said next shattered Maria’s composure, leaving her feeling raw and exposed, the weight of the girl’s pain settling heavily on her shoulders.
Why Do You Care?
“Nobody ever cares,” the girl confided in a soft voice, her words carrying the weight of her experiences. She unraveled her life story to Maria, revealing the gaping void left by her mother’s recent passing. Since then, she had been navigating a relentless storm of grief and despair, feeling herself slowly unraveling.
She confessed she couldn’t even bring herself to brush her hair in her darkest moments. But why did she want to cut it? Maria listened, her heart aching with every word, realizing that beneath the tangled strands lay a more profound pain, a cry for help that had gone unanswered for too long.
Her Reason
“The new school year’s coming up,” the girl mentioned, her voice tinged with apprehension. She knew she’d need a fresh photo for the semester, but the pain of untangling her hair seemed unbearable.
Maria’s heart went out to her, her schedule suddenly feeling insignificant in the face of the girl’s pain. Without a second thought, she rearranged her entire weekend, shifting her appointments to her colleagues and clearing her schedule for the girl.
Throughout the day, Maria sat by her side, patiently working through the tangled mess, determined to ease her burden. As she carefully combed and cleaned, she silently wondered if she could convince her to hold onto her locks, a tangible reminder of resilience and hope.