Chopped

My youngest sister, Cecily, is on duty for Larkin pickup from the train station. When I get out at the Hartford stop around 7:15pm, I quickly find her, toss my bag in the trunk, and hop in. We have a quick catch up and then I ask a question that’s always important with a family of 6 - what am I walking into?

She laughs. “Kind of a lot, honestly.”

Turns out, my parents are having a sorta dinner party. A full house with us, to be fair, is already on its way to dinner party status. Throw in a boyfriend, and we’re definitely not sitting at the island barstools. Throw in a couple friends and the cloth napkins come out.

Tonight, apparently, is full family, Clare’s boyfriend, and one of my mom’s best friends from high school and her husband. I’ve known them my entire life. Not exactly a crew I have to be ‘on’ for, but it’s definitely not going to be a ‘heat up your leftovers in the microwave’ night.

I walk in, say a quick, distant hello, and state my claim that unfortunately my first stop needs to be the bathroom (I abstain from train toilets whenever possible). When I return, I make my slower rounds of hi’s. The way it works out, Clare is my last hug hello.

I get to her, and do a double take.

“Wait —- what?!”

She laughs. In fact, everyone laughs. Predictions of my reaction must have been discussed.

“When did this happen?! Was there any consulting done?? I love it!”

“There was no consulting.” Julia informs me from across the table.

Clare’s hair is at least 10 inches shorter than the last time I saw her. And much blonder.

Let me tell you, when you have three sisters, things are not done without consult. We got at least 10 pictures of outfit selections for Cecily’s career day earlier that week. A 10 inch chop would usually be an intense group chat debate. I would have been pro. My guess, if I’m going to be totally honest, is Julia probably would have been con (not to say she couldn’t have surprised me). Cecily would also probably have leaned con, but only because she herself had fallen prey to the bob cut years ago and looks back at those photos in horror (I don’t think it looked that bad…).

But Clare knew what she wanted. And she knew she was going to do it either way. And she did not care what any of us had to say about that. And, as Clare is one of the cutest humans that could ever exist and would look good with any hair situation, it looks incredible.

And, as we all know, hair grows back.

It’s spring! Get the chop!