Chapter 50. Close but Not Close Enough

ASTRID

Early in the evening, one of Atlas's pack members approached me and offered to braid my hair. Initially, I was surprised but told her not to worry because I had someone for that. Samantha was capable of tending to my hair if I needed to. The lady insisted and said she was very good at working on hair.

After trying to dissuade her, I finally let her braid me. A few minutes in, I appreciated her work. It was terrific, and she used an oily sap on my hair, making it smoother and straighter as she braided.

“Where did you learn to braid like this?” I asked her.

She chuckled. "My grandmother. She always braided us when we were younger; most neighborhood children came to her. She didn't charge them."

“She sounds like a lovely woman,” I said, smiling at the girl. “Where is she now?”

"She passed on," she said, pursing her lips for a long time. For a few minutes, she didn't speak but silently worked on my hair. I didn't talk too becau