Chapter 6 - GRACE CUTS HER OWN HAIRTwo years passed.
Grace was seven.
Her hair reached her shoulders again.
One Saturday she entered the kitchen holding scissors.
Laura nearly jumped.
Grace laughed.
“Mom.”
“Sorry.”
“I want bangs.”
Laura stared.
“Absolutely not.”
Grace frowned.
Then Laura realized what she'd done.
She had responded from fear.
Not parenting.
She crouched.
“You want bangs?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Emma has them.”
Reasonable.
Laura booked a salon appointment.
At the salon, Grace became nervous when the stylist picked up scissors.
Laura offered to leave.
Grace grabbed her hand.
“Stay.”
So Laura stayed.
The stylist asked before every major cut.
“This much?”
Grace nodded.
“Ready?”
“Yes.”
Snip.
Grace watched hair fall.
No screaming.
No restraint.
Choice changed everything.
When finished, Grace stared at herself.
Bangs.
Huge smile.
“I love it.”
Laura cried.
Grace groaned.
“You always cry.”
“Occupational hazard.”
That evening Grace said:
“This haircut didn't feel like Grandma's.”
Laura asked:
“Why?”
“Because I said yes.”
Four words.
Laura never forgot them.
Because consent could be explained to a child that simply.
I said yes.
And when she didn't?
Stop meant stop.
May you like
Even for family.
Especially for family.
