Enzo
Nora, a woman with long hair since childhood, was delighted to notice changes in her hair texture and growth during her fourth month of pregnancy. Her hair seemed longer and thicker, a delightful effect of the increased estrogen.
After giving birth, Nora radiated with her lush, long locks, and her mother-in-law, Ellen, who had moved in to help the couple with the baby, provided additional assistance.
However, a few months later, as Nora’s estrogen and progesterone levels declined, she was devastated to discover significant hair loss. She confided in Ellen, who regretfully informed her that this was a normal part of pregnancy and to expect more.
As Nora continued to lose hair, Ellen explained that it was nature’s way of preparing new moms for a new phase of their lives, where their focus shifted to their children and their appearance became less important. She suggested that Nora consider cutting her long hair, which was thinning and becoming choppy. Reluctantly, Nora agreed.
A few days later, Ellen offered to take Nora to her hairdresser for a consultation. Nora was hesitant but agreed to explore options.
At the salon, Ellen’s stylist assessed Nora’s hair and recommended a shorter, simpler style that would be easier for a new mom. Nora expressed concern, fearing she would end up with a “Mom Bob” that made her look frumpy. Ellen agreed, emphasizing the importance of maintaining appearances for Nora’s role as a wife to her son.
The stylist suggested a short and cheeky cut, describing it as a modern style that would be both stylish and practical. She painted a picture of Nora being sizzling hot on the dance floor, while keeping her cool in the kitchen.
Nora turned towards Ellen, her heart pounding, looking for approval. Ellen smiled reassuringly and said, “That sounds like a plan.” With Ellen’s vote of confidence, Nora agreed.
As the stylist washed Nora’s hair, a few more clumps of hair fell out, which was quite surprising. And as she brushed and sectioned Nora’s hair, separating the top from the back and sides, even more hair filled the brush and comb, leaving her certain of the hairstyle she had chosen for Nora.
The stylist began removing the bulk of Nora’s hair by cropping the lower nape and sides down to as short as possible with her shears. She then worked upwards towards the crown, cutting longer lengths that blended in with the shorter sections.
Nora watched in the mirror as strands of hair fell steadily, collecting on her lap and the floor in lifeless tufts. The look on her face was tense, her lips pressed tightly together. Ellen supervised the cut, watching as her daughter-in-law transformed in front of her.
Suddenly, the tension in the air was broken by the snap sound of clippers coming to life, and the rhythmic hum of the clippers filling the air. Using the longest attachment, the stylist methodically buzzed the sides and back of Nora’s hair to a uniform length.
Using multiple attachments, the stylist tapered Nora’s hair to the skin. With each deliberate stroke of the clippers, Nora’s hair diminished further. The pile of hair on the floor increased, a sign of the radical change taking place. Nora’s neck and ears, which had never seen the sun, were now starkly exposed.
When the clippers finally ceased, Nora breathed a sigh of relief. The stylist took a moment to survey her work, then turned her attention to the top of Nora’s hair.
The stylist then blunt cut the crown above the ears and cut in a short fringe, then ran texturizing shears through the whole top to take a bit of bulk out, leaving Nora with a short pixie bowl cut.
With a soft brush, the stylist dusted away the fine clippings of hair from Nora’s neck and shoulders. Nora looked down at her lap, which now bore the remnants of her once long hair, now scattered on the cape and the floor.
Before removing the cape, the stylist applied pomade to Nora’s hair and showed her various styling options that she had.
When her cape was removed, Nora raised her hand to her head and felt the buzzed surface. She looked towards Ellen, who had watched the Nora’s transformation, now fully unveiled. “It’s… different,” she remarked, her voice tinged with approval.
Nora gazed into the mirror. Her reflection was a bold transformation from when she entered the salon. Her expression radiated shock, surprise, and a serene acceptance. She turned to Ellen with a victorious smile and declared, “It is different… I’m different… I’m a mother now.”
