Chapter Forty-Four

"Are you sure," Ronnie asked hesitantly.

"Yes." Esper stared in the mirror and picked up one of her long locks. "It was one of the things Maxim was obsessed with. I want it gone."

"Well," Ronnie sucked in a breath. "Here goes nothing."

Ronnie picked up the scissors off of her boudoir and took a deep breath. She let out a nervous whimper as she took the first snip of Esper's hair. The strand fell to the ground and coiled up like a lone snake. The lock was soon joined by its siblings as Ronnie took more confident cuts.

When she finished, Ronnie brushed the stray strands from Esper's shoulders and then turned her towards the mirror. "What do you think?"

Esper sucked in a deep breath and looked into the mirror. Her once waist-long locks were now well above her shoulders in a shaggy bob and bangs. It was the first time since she was a small child that Esper had short hair. It was a lot to take in, but it was also freeing. A weight had been lifted from her shoulders,