American Chicks Chapter1

CHAPTER 1


On that Tuesday morning when the sun shone and the atmosphere was tranquil,
Andrea sat in her wicker chair holding a mug of tea. 10.30 was the only time in the day when she could relax and not worry about a thing. The mornings were always the same: the twins were organised for school and then business files were checked. Andrea had recently opened a hair salon after having passed her course and had liked to make sure everything was perfect so as not to fail.
Failure was a no-no when Eva lived across the road in her swathe of perfection. While sat in her porch looking over at her abandoned garden, she felt a twinge of jealousy. Eva’s bushes were always well pruned and her flower bed was symmetrical, circling around the pear tree which was the asset of the picturesque garden. But no, she would not lower herself to such a feeling. She loved her life! Or so she thought. Her and her husband Daniel had been trying for a baby for a year now, with no success. The effort she had to put in to conceive was just making her anxious, and rows were beginning to occur as they tried to point the blame. She felt that the relationship was falling apart and in order to save it a baby would solve the problem. But now she was having doubts. Daniel seemed to care more about his job than paying attention to her. She felt lonely. She was the one who was left to look after the children and make the house feel like a home; the one who did the weekly shopping and kept an eye on the income. Daniel seemed to lack responsibility. All her feelings were kept bottled up however as she didn’t talk to Daniel much. He was never there emotionally or physically. That is why she considered one of her lifelong ambitions and chose to climb the business ladder.
Andrea picked the keys from the worn wooden table and started down the stone steps towards her car. The sensor beeped and she opened the door to slide into the seat- Although it wasn’t much of a slide anymore, as the weight had crept around her hips and it gave her less room to manoeuvre that easily. It was much like a dream car, convertible with leather seats and covered in a metallic silver gloss. It was the only item in her life that made her feel the slightest bit important to the neighbours, and the only thing she loved to flaunt, due to its expense and the Ferrari badge set up from the bonnet.
She pulled out of her drive, her hair flying out behind her, and glided down the road. The engine roared with speed and the love songs classics album she had grown to love, vibrated throughout the car and into the air. She was headed to the salon. She had set off earlier than usual so that she was well prepared for her regular and most loved client, Miss Jennings(Chloe). Since the day the salon opened she had always popped by to get a trim; sometimes she would even push the boat out and highlight it. Andrea looked forward to seeing her as they caught up on happenings in their lives. Andrea could speak openly to Miss Jennings about how she felt as she was the only who understood where she was coming from. Their lives were surprisingly similar and they could relate. Beep.
“Dickhead, do you not know how to wait!” Andrea stuck her two fingers up at the bloke driving behind her as he beeped her to move out of the way, “People these days.”
She had just received a text message from Lynne, her next door neighbour, and had took the remote three seconds between the lights turning from red to green, to reply. Just because she didn’t move quickly enough, it did not give the fellow road user behind, the right to beep impatiently, she thought, stuck up people always got on her nerves.
Well except from Eva from across the way, who was snobby-yet-nice and she wasn’t annoying at the most unnecessary time.
         “I just wondered if you fancied coming over to prepare for the sports day. I thought it would be a laugh to do some exercise with Tillie, Monica and Brad because I have gone a bit downhill since my personal trainer moved away, Lynne x”
Andrea really wanted to go over but her day was already full with bookings at the salon and as soon as she got home it was back to her routine of bathing the twins and making tea. She knew Daniel wouldn’t help as he was building a shed at the moment as part of one of his construction projects. But she never had a break, so she figured a way of working around it.
“I suppose I could nip round for an hour or so. I will give Tillie and Monica their tea earlier. I will be round about 5 0’clock.
Andrea pulled into the car park behind the salon, exiting her car with as much elegance as she could proclaim. The road on which her salon was situated was classy; designer boutiques were everywhere and high priced flower shops cornered the street. Earlier that day she made sure to set her feet in the best and priciest shoes that sat in her wardrobe and threw on her comfiest black linen suit. A frilly white shirt creeped out over the highest button on the jacket underneath, and her jewellery was carefully chosen to compliment the outfit; a silver twisted chain that had a diamond hanging from it and an African bamboo bangle that she had claimed from her travels around the world a few years previous. A coffee was in order after the quite long drive, and her mouth was dry. Starbucks was just across the street and so she stood patiently until all passing cars moved on. Stepping down preparing to cross, her heel got caught in the gutter and “DAMN!.” Her heel snapped off and fell down in between the bars. Just her luck considering those shoes cost the earth. Daniel had bought them for one of their happy anniversaries when they first got together. Nowadays anniversaries were just passed off as an ordinary day.
“Could I have a decaf coffee please, and a teacake too”. A few calories wouldn’t do any harm she concluded. The lady stood behind the counter looked bored and her hair stuck to her head. Very appealing.
“There ya go,$1.90 please”. The polite lady coughed in Andrea’s face while speaking.
“Here you are, keep the change”, she replied in a more than disgusted way, slamming the loose change on the counter. All Andrea wanted was to get out of there as quick as she could so as not to get sprayed with germs again. Luckily Andrea had a pair of pumps to place on her feet, in her bag, for the privacy of her salon. If anyone thought she would be cutting people’s hair all day in those silly things they had another thing coming. She only wore them to show off to snotty look- ons from Labouitons and Chanel.
“Afternoon, Chloe. How are you feeling”, Andrea questioned.
“oh a slight bit rough. Lucy decided to take me out for dinner last night to cheer me up after the split from Anton. After the meal, however we got a bit worst for wear and I ended up collapsing at her house”.
“Sounds fun. Anyway, shall we go in”. Andrea twisted the key in the door then pushed the door too and wondered inside.
The salon used to have old fashioned décor that seemed to have been undecorated for a while. At the time that she bought it, it was the only derelict building on that street. All the other buildings had moved on with the times: modernising there images to match the constant demands for fashion. So the space within those four walls were in desperate need of a make-over. Andrea loved decorating and her house was always being changed, so when she saw the state the salon was in she couldn’t wait to start making it look fantastic. She saw the potential  to make it look amazing and took the opportunity straight away. Moodboards were created and she ordered lots of templates of wallpapers to compare. Eventually the inspiration came and within no time the salon was refreshed.  The floor was tiled and chandeliers hung elegantly from the ceiling. At the entrance there was a stone statue with a piece of glass situated above. Magazines lay scattered yet arranged on top. On the first level there were long mirrors surrounded with flower imprinted frames and underneath swirly leather chairs with metal legs were positioned. A bar of light hung over each separate mirror and in the corner was a marble desk where her flat screen computer and bookings for that day sat. The walls were white and revitalizing but the ceiling had black flowery leather effect wallpaper that escalated behind her desk and made it the centrepiece of the salon overall. A step led up to the next level that was blocked from the rest of the building by a stone wall. Square holes were dotted about inside it and this is where the latest products were introduced to the customers. Marble basins were accompanied by white leather lounges and the walls were black with white flowers intertwined. Every slight detail was important to Andrea and all was accurate. The two levels were opposites and it added to the class.
“  So what were you thinking of having done”, Andrea questioned while placing her coffee on her desk. She pulled out a coaster then freed the cup from its holder and put it onto it.
“oh, Just a trim. Nothing extravagant today.” She went to sit down on one of the comfy swirly chairs, making sure to grab the latest GUESS off the coffee table on the way.
Oh fucking hell why is Nat so bloody useless. I leave her with one simple task and she still manages to fuck it up. Am I the only who cares around here. You just can’t get the staff, Andrea said a bit too loudly. Chloe turned round puzzled by the fact swear words had just left Andrea’s mouth.
“Oh sorry, I guess you just heard that”.
“Yeah what seems to be the problem”, Chloe exclaims.
“Oh, well where do I start. Firstly I ask blondey (Nat) to type up all bookings on the computer so that I would know which ones were on which day. She hasn’t and now they are all scattered about and I have no clue who is coming in now. Secondly she can’t be bothered washing the basins out at the end of the day and residue has built up around the edge, overnight and thirdly, look in that corner and tell me what you see.
Chloe turns to where Andrea’s finger directs and answers, “hair”.
“Exactly. I wouldn’t mind but I had to slip off early yesterday to watch my twins in a show, so I leave her a list, which I don’t do very often, and she can’t even stick to it. She is getting right on my nerves and her lack of enthusiasm is annoying”.
Andrea walks over to the cabinet which holds the necessary equipment for Chloe’s request inside, places the contents onto a trolley then pushes her way over to Chloe.
“Anyway, how short would you like it. It’s just your hair is split all the way up to here”. Andrea pulls Chloe’s hair over her shoulders and points.
“Yeah that is fine”


“Monica, don’t do that to Brad”.
Andrea and Lynne were sat taking a break on the benches sipping water. They had been running about playing catch and being referees for the children and exhaustion had got the better of them. Especially Andrea. She had got back from the salon at 4o’clock and made Monica and Tillie Chicken and salad. Then they all scurried around to Lynne’s in preparation for the sports day.
“How are you doing”, Lynne asked politely while stood at the door inviting Andrea in.
“Oh well the day has been a bit hectic but I’ve plucked up the energy to join in”. Monica and Tillie have been little angels today at school, or so Miss Maple said. I just hope they aren’t naughty here.”
Brad came rushing through from the living room as soon as he saw Monica and Tillie. He re-enacted a plane in all his excitement then encouraged them into the garden.
“Come on. I’ve got a new baseball do you want to see it?”
The girls looked bored. They didn’t have any brothers and so took no interest in boys and there toys.
“Aren’t they so cute”, Lynne and Andrea cued in unison.

Monica and Tillie were having a secret conversation over by the pond. They had decided to sneak off from Brad as soon as he started talking about swinging a baseball bat. He stood there oblivious to the fact they were on the other side of the garden and was carrying on his conversation to thin air.
They were the sort of twins that did absolutely everything together. They wore the same clothes and even spoke the same. They were inseparable. But underneath all the perfection they portrayed lay a mischievous and cunning attitude. They loved getting others into trouble and poor little Brad was there next victim.
        “I told you already. Be nice”.
         “O.k mummy”, Tillie and Monica chanted in there sweetest voices.
Lynne and Andrea then worked there way back in to the house, obviously with no intention of doing sports anymore.
         “I scored. Do you want to try?” Brad asked Tillie and Monica in his victory voice.
         “I tell you what. Seeing as your so good at hitting”, Tillie started.
         “Why don’t you try and hit that drainpipe. Then if it lands in the drain, it will roll down it and you can carry on your game”, concluded Monica.
She walked over to the house and got ready to say GO while Brad arranged himself.
He threw the ball up in front of him, and then with a swing of his arm he hit the ball as far and high as he could. What happened next was unimaginable.

         “Oh my god! What the hell is going on”. Lynne slammed her cup down on the worktop and stormed outside, with Andrea quickly in tow. Lynne soon started shouting.
         “Brad, get here now!”
Brad, with his head drooped, nervously crept towards his mum, tears welling in his eyes. Monica and Tillie were sniggering with there hands up to there face; they stared at the gaping hole in the window feeling happy with themselves that they had encouraged Brad to cause such damage. They were disguising there laughter and as soon as there mum or Lynne looked there way they began rubbing there eyes and moaning. There plan had worked.
         “You are in deep trouble young boy. Now get up to your room and only come down when you are willing to apologise”. Brad sauntered off and began to cry hard. As soon as he was out of Tillie and Monica’s view he ran as fast as he could. When he got to his room he slammed the door behind him and flopped onto his bed. Life is so unfair, he thought.

“I am so sorry about that. I hope next time you come round it is more calm”, Lynne sighed.
Andrea grabbed Tillie and Monica and went straight home. She was glad to be out of that mad house. I mean she did like Lynne it is just that she had the naughtiest son ever. Little did she know that it was her daughter’s that were the problem?