Chapter 47: Slightly Excluded

Wednesday morning Iris decided to stop by Enchantment Tea Shoppe for a coffee and a few breakfast pastries to take home. Paul didn't see their mom the day before so he would surely go see her today, she thought.

She heard little mystical bells chime as she pushed the door open. She laughed inwardly at her friend's vision because the noise seemed to have come from everywhere and nowhere are the same time.

What a dork, she thought of her friend, but that's why she loved her.

"Welcome!" A cute, red-headed freckled young lady met her immediately, holding a menu. Iris noted the ornate silver name tag that read Justine in black lettering. "Table for one?"

Iris brushed a few hair strands that had gotten stuck on her lipstick away from her face. "Good morning," she responded with a smile. "Actually, no need for a table, but thanks," she walked over to the counter, setting her purse on top of its surface. "Is Serena in yet?"

Justine with the expressive brown eyes and plump dark pink lips shook her head. "No, she won't be in today at all. She decided to take an extra day."

Iris frowned. "She did?" Her voice unintentionally went a pitch higher than intended.

Justine nodded. "May I help you with anything else?"

With her mind still on Serena, Iris walked to the pastry display case and placed an order for a pastry assortment, two coffees and one jasmine tea to-go.

When she arrived home with the goods her mom greeted her in the kitchen. "Hi, baby. Is that from Serena's shop?" Ellen immediately reached for the disposable cups with the whimsical Enchantment Tea Shoppe logo and looked into the cups through the sipping hole grabbing the one with tea.

Iris placed both hands on the kitchen counter. "Serena wasn't there," she said matter-of-factly. "Don't you think that's strange?" She turned to look at her mother's face suddenly remembering she didn't see Paul's car outside. "And what time will Paul be here? I brought him a coffee."

Ellen reached into the pastry bag pulling out a berry crostata the size of her hand. "Well, I don't know if it's my place to tell you," she carried the edibles to the breakfast table. "In fact, I know it isn't my place to tell you but I'm going to anyway." Ellen motioned to the chair across from her.

Iris grabbed a cup of coffee and a croissant before joining her mother. "Well? Don't give me the dramatic pauses, Mother, just tell me already."

Ellen released a deep sigh, elongating the suspense. "Paul won't be stopping by today. Serena broke up with Wes."

"She what?!" Iris spat. She stood heading directly for her purse on the counter certain she probably missed a call or a text from her best friend. "When did this happen?"

"Yesterday morning. I am not clear on the details but apparently, your brother was there when it happened. He's been with her, consoling her."

"Hmmph," Iris snickered. "Consoling or bedding?" She asked as she flipped through her text messages and missed calls finding none from Serena. "Did the accountant forget to pay the phone bill?" She asked her mom, realizing she'd had no issues either making or receiving calls.

Ellen smiled at her daughter. "The accountant is once again your mother, and I can confirm the phone bill is up to date."

"I'm going to call her," Iris ignored her mother and began pulling Serena's contact information on her cell phone. The phone went straight to voicemail. Iris disconnected the call and texted Serena asking her to call her.

"Baby," she heard her mom calling from behind her. "Don't you have a hair appointment coming up?"

Iris looked at the time display on her mobile, gasping. "Oh, no! It's too horrific!" She squealed before grabbing her purse and running towards the door. "I'm going to be late and Laurel already warned me she would speed through a cut next time I was late! Love you!" She managed to yell at her mom before slamming the kitchen door shut behind her.

Laurel Montoya was the only hairdresser in all of Apple Bay that could get Iris's hair to behave but it took time and care to cut it just right. She couldn't bring herself to reschedule her appointment again because she had already done so thrice on account of her own habitual tardiness.

As of now, she would only be five minutes late. Surely, Laurel wouldn't have the heart to punish her for five little minutes?

As luck would have it, Iris found a parking space directly in front of Apple Bay's Roots Hair Salon. She quickly shut off the motor and ran into the salon where she nearly ran into Laurel who was standing at the entrance with her arms crossed and a disapproving scowl on her face.

"Five minutes late, Iris!" Laura scolded. "Time is money! Leave your purse at my station and get to the shampoo station, now!"

The woman was petite, her head barely reached Iris's shoulders, but her strong presence made her feel like the tallest, most imposing person in all of Apple Bay.

Iris quickly jumped on the instructions doing Laurel's bidding. Ten minutes later she was sitting at Laurel's station getting her hair cut. Laurel was moving swiftly making Iris wonder if she was going to keep true to her word.

"You're not really going to rush are you, love?" Iris asked sweetly. "Because I'll remind you my mom's been really sick. If she sees her little girl come home with oddly shaped hair, you just may give her another heart attack and send her right back to the hospital."

"Hmmph," Laurel kept cutting. "You forget this is a small town and everyone knows everything about everyone. I know your mom is healing nicely."

Iris chuckled. The door to the salon swung open. Instinctively she looked in the mirror and immediately sobered.

Heather Lindley walked into the business and seemed to make her way straight to Iris's path. Laurel turned to look at Heather. "I'll be right with you, why don't you have a seat?"

"Well, well. If it isn't Iris Worthington," Heather spoke as she sat down. "I was hoping to see you today."