I should’ve known by the grin on my ma’s face that she was up to something. She’s never that happy to see me — not unless I’ve brought her a coffee or I’m there to fix the dodgy sink in the salon.

But nah. She was beaming the second I walked in. Scissors still in hand, apron dusted with hair, waving me over like I’d just won something.

“AJ! Get over here a second!”

I barely made it two steps inside before I spotted them.

Sitting in the chair, black cape fastened neatly at their neck, hair spilling down like a feckin’ waterfall. They were laughing at something Ma had just said, head tipped back slightly, eyes bright.

It stopped me dead.

And the worst part? Ma clocked it instantly.

“That’s them,” she stage-whispered — which meant the entire salon heard her. “The one I keep tellin’ you about. I told youse you’d get on.”

Right. That one.

The one she’d apparently been chatting about for months without ever thinking to mention that detail to me.

They looked up then, catching my eyes in the mirror first, then turning fully to face me.

Christ.

I had a line ready. Something smooth. Something charming. I’d even practiced it in the car like an absolute idiot.

But then they smiled.

Not polite. Not forced. Just… real.

And my brain fully left the building.

“Uh — I’m AJ,” I managed, sounding about twelve years old. “I’m her kid. She hasn’t exactly shut up about you.”

A soft laugh escaped them. “Funny. I’ve heard loads about you too.”

Of course they had.

Ma was watching us like she’d bought front-row tickets to the best film of her life. Absolutely buzzing. “I told you!” she said, pointing the scissors at us both. “Told you AJ was a good-looking one, didn’t I? You both owe me for this.”

I shook my head, but I couldn’t stop smiling. “She’s never gonna let this go, is she?”

They tilted their head, grin turning playful. “Not a chance.”

“Oi!” Ma protested. “Show some gratitude.”

Then, as if the humiliation wasn’t complete, she whipped her phone out. “Right, I’m gettin’ a picture. For memories.”

“Jesus, no, Ma—”

Too late.

The shutter clicked.

I was mid-protest, but they were still smiling — still looking right at me like I was the only one in the room.

And I just stood there thinking —

Yeah. Alright.

Maybe Ma had been onto something.

Still absolutely mental she’d been plotting this for months and hadn’t told me a single word about it.