Promises & Patches (An MC Romance)??

"Some will win, some will lose. Some were born to sing the blues. Oh, the movie never ends. It goes on and on, and on, and on." -Journey, Don't Stop Believin'

1996.

The year of Taiwan's first direct presidential election. Major League Soccer made its debut in the city of San Jose, and the United Nations adopted the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Prince Charles and Princess Diana decided that love just wasn't enough and got divorced, while the world watched as scientists cloned a sheep named Dolly. No Doubt told all of us to "Don't Speak," while Tom Cruise stirred our hearts when he shouted "Show me the money!" in Jerry Maguire.

The last of the leaves had long ago fallen in the picturesque town of Northridge, North Carolina—making way for the bitter January snow. Northridge. The place, that at one point had seemed like it was a ride straight into the bitter banks of hell. A place that would forever plague me, while it shackled me to it as I screamed. I had never imagined that Northridge would grow on me with a fondness that was unlike the original cancer I was so convinced it was.

Northridge was home.

Northridge was as much a piece of me, as everything else that had come along, weaving its way into my core and leaving little pieces of it inside. Pieces that ended up molding me into the Rachel I never knew I wanted to be, but the Rachel I was always destined to be.

The blasting from the hairdryer paired nicely with Charlie's sweet voice as she sang along with the radio. Some new country song called "Strawberry Wine," blared across the small speakers. Her hips swung from side to side, as the hair brush lifted to her pink full lips and she belted out the high notes. I tapped the heel of my boot on the grey linoleum as I curled the hair of the young girl in my chair. Her soft strawberry highlights glimmered under the bulb lights of my station.

I peered over my shoulder as Charlie twirled once, before she snatched up the can of mouse and squirted a hefty dollop into her palms. Slapping them together, she ran them through the wet hair of Mrs. Peterson. When I deviated my gaze back to my station the photographs that lined my mirror caught my eye. Lines of pictures of me and Kai on various small trips in between his different deployments. The last one I had added was a trip to the redwoods, when we took off on his motorcycle and rode all the way to California. I snickered at the thought of making love to him under the stars, and for a second, I sighed in sadness. I missed Kai.

Three more weeks and he would be home from overseas. Hopefully, this time for good. I was anxious to not have our lives interrupted by the military any longer. I was ready and itching with anticipation for a forever, with the only man I had ever loved.

"Alright, Cindy, I think you are good as gold," I remarked with a smile, as I snatched the small can of hairspray from my table and spritzed her, before tugging off her cape and setting her free on the town. "Enjoy your dance tonight!"

"Thanks, Rach!" She smiled, as she dug out her money from her small shoulder bag and gave me a generous tip.

Tucking it into the back pocket of my tight jeans, I warmly smiled as I glanced up at the clock. It was almost time for me to head home and I was dying for a relaxing half hour in a hot bubble bath. Quickly sweeping my station, I threw my dirty combs in the disinfectant tub and tucked the rest of my supplies into my cart, securing everything for later.

"I'm out, Charlie!" I shouted over the song she was singing and she gave me a warm smile and a delicate wave, before resuming her attention back on her client.

Shrugging on my heavy jacket, I pulled my hair into a messy ponytail and fished my sunglasses out of my purse. The chill in the air, that wafted through the small crack in the glass door, made me wish I had brought my car instead of walking to work. It wasn't that far to Heyman Customs, and for a moment, I wondered if I should stop by and shoot the shit with Gas Mask before I headed home.