Noah opened the front door to find his mother standing on his doorstep, she pushed pass him without so much as a hello or good morning which could only mean one thing: he was in trouble. He tapped his forehead on the door before closing it then followed her into his apartment. Noah and his mother weren’t on the best of terms, after he had found out how she sabotaged one of Valerie’s most important catering events because she disagreed to stay away from her son. Audrey had been the cause of all things hectic in the young couple’s relationship and Noah only hoped that his mother had come to make things right before things took a more drastic turn. She sat down on the facing the TV and Noah seated himself in the armchair to her right. She shifted uncomfortably, lifting up a cushion and putting it to her left when a pair of red lace underwear dropped on the floor. Audrey stared wide eyed at the lace material as if it offended her, Noah’s face blanked before a small smile appeared on his face. Little did his mother know, prior to her arrival, Noah and Valerie got very intimate on that same spot and in a hurry, stuffed her underwear down the back of the sofa while Valerie raced to the bedroom to avoid being seen. Noah had put his mother under the impression that the two had broken up so she wouldn’t make Valerie’s life hell.
Audrey lifted her stare from the item on the floor to her son’s amused expression. “Is that…” She began just as Valerie stuck her head around the corner from the hallway, behind his mother. Noah shifted his gaze from Valerie back to his mother and gave her a one shoulder shrug. “I’m a grown man, I have needs” He finally answered. Valerie stepped out of the hallway, wearing nothing but one of Noah’s shirts that stopped just above her thighs. She was miming something but Noah couldn’t figure out what she was trying to tell him, he furrowed his eyebrows at her. “Well I…” His mother was at a loss for words, her usual reaction whenever Noah’s bedroom activities became the subject of the conversation. As a teenager he found it mortifying but since he started his twenties, it only amused him. Soon he realised what Valerie was trying to say, he leaned forward to pick up the underwear. His mother watched him throw it over her shoulder; Valerie’s face turned a deeper shade of red as she caught the item in her hands.
Noah grinned at both females’ reactions, he knew he was going to face extreme punishment from Valerie as soon as his mother left but he was a man of the moment. “Uh…hi, Mrs. Evans” Valerie mumbled, risking a death glare at Noah who winked at her. Audrey stared at her son then back at Valerie, her face too expressing her feeling. “If you don’t mind mother, Valerie and I were in the middle of something” Noah finally said, getting to his feet and strolling over to Valerie. The small girl remained stiff as her other half wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder, his blue eyes fixated on his speechless mother. Audrey got to her feet and paused on her way to the door, she opened her mouth to say something then snapped it shut again, shaking away her thoughts and hurrying out of the apartment.
As soon as the door slammed shut behind Audrey, Valerie removed herself from the embrace and punched Noah in the stomach. He released a soundless laugh, putting his hand where she had placed her fist. “Oh come on, you have to admit that was a little funny” He argued in an entertained tone, the same smirk still lingering on his features. Valerie palmed her face before hitting him again. “Oh my god, I don’t think I’ll be able to look at her ever again!” She exclaimed, walking off to their bedroom. “I’m never showing my face to the outside world again!”
In response to hearing Maxime’s scream, Ryan rushed from the living area to his bathroom only to find that the door was locked. “Maxi, open up!” He called, banging on the door and trying the doorknob again. “Go away!” She shouted back in a small voice. “I look horrible”. A wave of relief washed over Ryan and he relaxed just as his curiosity took over, he assumed that she had another bad hair dye job. “Let me see it,” He requested then stepped back from the door. Maxime wrapped her hair in a towel then unlocked the door; Ryan opened it immediately and entered the bathroom with his brows furrowed. “I won’t laugh, I promise” He said as he reached for the towel only for her to jump back with green palms raised. Maxime reached up and pulled the towel off her head, her wet hair flopped down to each side of her face. Ryan pursed his lips in an attempt to keep his promise. “Don’t you dare, you promised!” Maxime pointed her index finger in his face. “Wow,” Was all Ryan could summon himself to say in response to her florescent green hair. “I know!” She whined, turning to look at the mirror. “The box said forest green not, this!” She pulled at her hair then turned to Ryan with her face crumped. “I’m never showing my face to the outside world again!”
This was something that would happen every now and then when Maxime showed up at his apartment to dye her hair. Over time, he had grown accustomed to moments like this and always managed to find a solution but this particular one had him at a loss. “Ketchup” Ryan suddenly said which caused Maxime to look at him as if he had lost his mind. “Ketchup” He repeated before explaining himself. “As crazy as it sounds, the red from the tomatoes counteracts the green and the acid will help remove whatever caused that to happen” “English, please!” Maxime probed. Ryan rolled his eyes then explained again. “If we put a crap load of ketchup in your hair, live it on for about half an hour, then rinse it out…all the green will go” The two then rushed to the nearest convenience store, with Maxime wearing one of Ryan’s beanies to cover her hair up. Ryan grabbed one of the shopping carts then Maxime scraped the entire shelf of tomato ketchup into the cart, Ryan handed one to the woman who wanted ketchup for its proper use.
They returned to his apartment and emptied the bottles into a large bowl then Ryan massaged it into Maxime’s hair. “God, I’m sorry you always have to put up with my stupid shit” Maxime sighed as he finished off putting the ketchup in her hair. Ryan chuckled and shrugged. “Don’t be, you make my life more exciting. How many guys can say they spent their evening putting ketchup in their best friend’s hair, huh, name one” Maxime laughed then settled it with a small sigh. They spent the next half an hour disposing of all the empty ketchup bottles before Ryan assisted her with washing the ketchup out of her hair. When they finished, Maxime’s hair had returned to its natural colour. She picked up the box of hair dye and chewed the inside of her cheek, then looked up at Ryan who rolled his eyes then shook his head. “You’re not seriously going to try it again, are you?” He arched his eyebrow at her.
