Barking Belle
"Beauty supply shop owner Charlene makes every woman in Barking gorgeous, but when single dad Marcus comes in looking for his daughter's hair products, she makes him feel pretty handsome too."
Marcus stared at the wall of hair products like it was written in code.
"Yuh look lost, darling."
He turned. The woman behind the counter was thick and amused, gorgeous in a way that made the beauty products seem redundant.
"My daughter. Her mother left. I don't know what any of this means."
Charlene's eyes softened. "Come. Mi help yuh."
She taught him about textures and moisturizers and protective styles. Her hands were patient, her knowledge vast.
"Yuh a good father," she observed. "Lots of men would just cut it off."
"Her hair is important to her. So it's important to me."
"That's..." She swallowed. "That's really sweet."
"Can I come back? For more lessons?"
"Yuh can come back anytime."
Weekly lessons. His daughter's hair flourished. So did something between them.
"Daddy, is Miss Charlene your girlfriend?" his daughter asked.
"Would you like that?"
"She's pretty. And nice. And she makes my hair beautiful."
He asked Charlene that night.
"Girlfriend?" She laughed. "Yuh asking me in mi shop?"
"Is that a no?"
"That's a 'take mi to dinner first.'"
He did. Then took her home. Then took his time with that thick, beautiful body.
"Yes! Marcus! Right there!"
She was as generous in bed as in teaching—giving, patient, wonderful.
His daughter now has two parents who love her.
And the best hair in Barking.
"Yuh both mi girls," Charlene says.
"Yuh our belle," Marcus replies.
Beauty inside and out.
Found in a supply shop.
Kept forever.