When the days are long

 "Why can't you help her?" Holly looked desperate, but Stevie could only yawn. God, he wished he could go to bed. Why in the world did he answer her call? Instead, he showed up at Holly's place which was quite tidy and smelled of lemons and lavender.

"What is it?" Honestly, he could barely hold his eyes open. The last few days had been a blur. His sleepover on the roof with J felt like years ago. They'd been doing a lot of rearranging at work. And it didn't help that some just walked off the job. People still wanted Joey's yogurt. And since they were closing, all sorts of people were showing up.

"Can you help Carrie cut hair?" She reminded him that he did have a certification in hairstyling. Granted it was a free course back in high school.

Stevie shoved his hands deeper in his tracksuit pockets and took a seat on Holly's sofa. Maybe he could have a cat nap.

"I dunno." He winced. He'd never really worked at a salon. Sure, he cut his mother's hair and all her friends' hair. "Maybe YouTube could help."

"YouTube!" Holly yelled back with a look, are you for real!

"Well, who's hair do you want her to cut?"

"I don't know."

He knew it wouldn't be hers. Holly wore wigs anyway. 

"Do you have any caffeine?" He sighed.

"Carrie!" Holly yelped. "Put on a pot of coffee."

"She's here?" Stevie rubbed his right eye, and he yawned again. 

Carrie brought coffee as if she already knew this would happen. She sat the cup of frothed coffee on the coffee table. Stevie just stared at it, trying to will it into his system without having to actually drink it.

"Thanks," Stevie knew his smile was weak. He asked her how she was doing. Carrie only shrugged.

"She's gotta go back to Beauty School. She just has to." Holly told both of them. But Carrie was straight-lipped about it. 

Stevie patted down a spot for Carrie to sit next to him. Only, she didn't sit very close. "I think I'm getting a headache," he said rather sleepily as he turned toward Carrie and landed ever so comfy in her lap. Her fingers touched his messy locks. He smiled and went fast to sleep.