Chapter 103

The days passed swiftly and Christmas was almost upon them when Cilla had the cab stop in front of an innocuous brick building. The little girl came bounding out the minute she stepped from the cab. “Miss Cilla!”


With a laugh Cilla hugged the girl and looked up to her mother. “You sure you don’t want to come with us?” Cilla had thought long and hard about what to get for Abby and had finally come up with just the right thing. Something she herself had been wanting as well.


Jennie shook her head, “go ahead. She’s been on edge all week waiting for today.” Jennie looked at the girl all but bouncing out of her coat. “Just send me a picture when she has the one she wants?”


Cilla hugged her, “you got it. Is it all right if I take her to dinner after we’re finished?”


“Sure” Jennie smiled. “I can get some wrapping done with her not here.” She took Cilla’s hand before she could step away. “Thank you.”


She squeezed her hand, “it’s my pleasure. I’ve wanted to do this for myself and it seemed like just the right thing for her as well.” She looked over at the girl bouncing on the sidewalk. “I just wish she was a little more excited about it.”


Jennie laughed. ‘Yeah, I had to wrestle her into her coat and drag her out the door.”


Cilla laughed and herded Abby into the cab. “We won’t be too late.”


Jennie watched the cab pull away, sending up a silent prayer of thanks for the friend she had foun din Cilla and all she was doing for Abby.


~


“Are you ready for this?” Abby was bouncing her feet and looking out the window, anxiously waiting for the car to stop.


She nodded her head, “yes. I’m going to have hair again!”


Cilla couldn’t stop the smile. She fingered the knit hat she wore. She had that same thought this morning when she looked at herself in the mirror. “Me too.”


Abby dragged her attention from the window over to Cilla. “Will it be as pretty as your real hair?”


“I hope so.”


Abby grinned, “me too. Maybe mommy won’t cry anymore then.”


“She cries?”


Abby nodded again. “Mostly when she thinks I can’t hear her, and when she’s on the phone with Mr. Richie. They talk a lot.”


Cilla was quiet. She hadn’t seen this coming. Was there something going on between Jennie and Richie? Before she could ask the driver stopped in front of another innocuous apartment building on East 75th Street.


Raffaele Mollica was one of the premier wig makers in Manhattan. And he was a dear friend, had been ever since Cilla had done the pastries and desserts for one of his private parties. When he opened the door she was swept into a warm hug. “Cilla darling, it’s so good to see you.”


“You too Raffaele. How are you?”


He released her and looked her up and down. “I’m fine darling, but what is going on with you?” He then noticed Abby. “And who is this lovely little sprite?”


Cilla pulled off her hat, “as I explained on the phone, I am in need of a little hair help. So is my friend Abby.”


He took their hands and led them further into his studio. He had cleared his afternoon for her. “Come, let’s have a seat and see what I can do for the both of you.”


From her bag Cilla pulled a few snapshots of herself and a couple she had managed to get of Abby. “This is what we used to look like.”


Raffaele studied the photos and then looked up to Cilla. “Do you want yours as long as this?” He pointed to one of the pictures.


Cilla shook her head, “it doesn’t have to be. I’d like the color to be the same though.”


He nodded and turned his attention to Abby. “And how about you, do you want all these curls again?”


Abby looked nervously to Cilla then back at Raffaele. “I guess.”


Cilla took the girl’s hand, “it’s okay sweetie. You just tell Raffaele what you want and let him do the rest. Okay?”


Abby squeeze Cilla’s hand and nodded. “Okay.” She looked back to Raffaele, “Yes, I’d like my curls back please.”


~


Climbing into the cab Abby couldn’t stop swinging her hair around. “Thank you, thank you, thank you Miss Cilla. This is the best Christmas present ever!” She threw her arms around Cilla and hugged her tight.


Cilla hugged her back and buckled her up. “You’re welcome sweetie. I just hope mine looks that good when I get it.” Hers wasn’t going to be ready until at least Christmas Eve. Raffaele had just happened to have a ready made wig that was almost exactly what Abby’s hair had been before chemo. It was just barely a shade lighter, but Abby didn’t care. She had her hair back and that was all that mattered. And in another week Cilla would too.


Abby smiled at her, “I’m sure it will be beautiful too. You’ll come show me, right?”


“Absolutely.” Cilla sat back, “now we are going to go have some dinner and then I need to get you home.”


“Can we have pizza?” It was Abby’s favorite.


“Sure. And I know just the place.” She gave the driver the address and sat back in her seat. “You’re going to love this place. It used to be a church and they turned it into a pizza parlor.”


“Really? Where is it? What’s it called?” Ever inquisitive, the questions just didn’t stop falling from her lips.


“It’s on 44th across from the Shubert Theater. And before you ask, it’s called John’s Pizzeria.”


“Cool. Can we get Hawaiian?”


Cilla looked at the girl. She didn’t know too many people who liked pineapple and ham on a pizza. “You like Hawaiian pizza?”


Abby nodded vigorously. “It’s my favorite!”


She had to chuckle. This little girl was just full of surprises. “Mine to. So I guess that’s what we’ll get.”


The cab stopped in front of the restaurant. Cilla paid the driver and helped Abby from the car. “Come on, let’s get our pizza and then maybe we can run over to the Hershey Store and pick up a treat for dessert.”


Abby took Cilla’s hand, “can we get something for mommy too? She loves chocolate.”


Cilla pulled the door open and ushered the girl inside. “Of course sweetie, of course.”