Fiction: Good Hair Day

This month's Words for Wednesday prompts are supplied by River. This week's words/prompts are: extravagant, koala, plane, charged, potatoes, alone. Another optional prompt is Charlotte's colour of the month - vivid tangerine. 
    The aim of Words for Wednesday is to use one or all of the prompts to write something – ie, a story, a poem, an essay or any forms of writing, fiction or nonfiction, basically write anything you want.

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~ This is a continuation of this story here ~

Fiction: Good Hair Day
11:01 AM
The Samoyed was too busy admiring herself in the mirror to notice Tess Mercy walking out the door and closing it. Sometimes Tess thought she must be living in another plane of existence or else why did it keep happening? Her ability to change people into animals when she touch them when they anger or mistreat is a family curse she inherited nine months ago when she turned thirty. 
    The Samoyed was Tess' landlady, Mrs. Grant. She never used to raise rent or evict anyone but after her husband's passing, she became highly charged with anger and distrust. Tess wished she had not been so hasty to rush down to Mrs. Grant's apartment when she read the notice with the rent raise. Considering the building had been slowly falling to disrepair, a 300 dollar raise was ridiculous. But Tess' plead didn't alter Mrs. Grant's decision even if Tess did save her life once. 
    Five years ago, Mrs. Grant was evicting one of the tenants when the man set fire to his apartment with Mrs. Grant inside. Tess heard her scream when she was walking down the stairwell. It was hard work carrying a semi-conscious Mrs. Grant down the five flights of stairs. Sometimes Tess regretted saving her especially when the old woman kept raising the rent. 

1:02 AM
Ingrid's Diner was full and Tess was rushing back and forth between tables. Since the diner no longer opened 24 hours each day, Tess had to work the evening shift of 1 to 6 instead of midnight to 6.
    Tess ignored her ex-boyfriend's sneer and offered Rob and his lady friend free slices of blueberry cake. He was sure to eat some and pretend not to be allergic because he had this absurd idea that such things as allergies to be a sign of weakness.

07:03 PM
Tess practically danced out of Jody's Hair Boutique. Two weeks ago, when Ariel had turned Tess' hair a murky blue, she had ran away before she might turn Ariel into a cat or a koala. To make up for it, Ariel offered to do Tess' hair for free. Normally, Tess wasn't extravagant about her hair but this time indulged a little. Her once dull, shoulder length black hair was now a vibrant red-brown with a slight curl. 

08:04 PM
On the way up the crooked stairs toward her thirteenth floor apartment, Tess thought of explanations for Mrs. Grant. Usually, those who had turned to animals never remember what they did as animals but they remembered most things before their change. Mrs. Grant was sure to remember how Tess had yelled and cursed her. But as Mrs. Grant was still a dog and was sleeping by the mirror when Tess sneaked a peek on her, she wasn't going to worry about it until later. Sometimes it would take hours or even days to change back.
    Tess got to the thirteenth floor and found a tall man standing by her door. He wore a dark suit tailored to his lean body and with leather monk strap shoes that shined in the dull hallway light. Even his leather briefcase shined. Tess was too tired to run away. 
    "Are you Teresa Mercy?" His voice was strong and firm, exactly like someone who ordered people around and expected to be obeyed.
    She gave the man a lazy glance and took out her keys from her shoulder bag. "Yes. What do you want?" she said. 
    "I'm Madis Turner. Why didn't you call or respond to my letter?" His green eyes stared back at her with a calmness that annoyed Tess. 
    "Because I don't want to." Which was true but mostly Tess forgot about him.
    Turner rubbed his roman-es nose which was pretty ruddy even against his tan skin. "Why not? You are Mrs. Marple's only living relative and you are to inherit her property which you can sell to pay the debt."
    "Why don't you do that - sell her property, pay the debt and leave me out of it." Tess didn't care for relatives not since they left her an orphan at five.
    "Can we talk inside? I do not like doing business in hallways." He dusted his shoes with a handkerchief which no longer shine as bright. 
    Tess smothered a smile. "Sure. Come on in."

09:04 PM
By the time Turner was done explaining all the legal stuff, Tess had finished one peanut butter sandwich and was nibbling on her second with the third on the plate along with a glass of milk. A couple of times, she had zoned out since he spoke like he was reading legal documents. 
    "Miss Mercy," he said, turning the mug of tap water around in his hand and staring at her across the small table. "What have you decided? The house is worth a little over 5 million dollars but I doubt I could get that amount, not until it gets fixed. Now if you—"
    "Five millio—" A large chunk of peanut butter struck in her throat. She banged at her chest and tried to swallow but no use. She slammed a hand on the table and pointed at her throat. Turner just stared at her with wide eyes. Was this man daft? She shot up out of her chair. He stood up and held out his arms but he didn't move. She dragged herself to the sink and coughed out the unchewed peanut. She must stop buying the crunchy kind. After a calm pause, she turned, walked back and shouted, "What the hell? Can't you tell I was choking?" She struck him on the arm.
    "I— I'm sorry. I didn't know the Heimlich. And I didn't want to do it wrong so—" He widened his eyes more as he suddenly turned into an enormous creature. Tess lifted the plate and glass of milk just as the creature was scrambling out of the crushed chair, twisting until he was on his feet and toppling the table. He made a  turn and Tess jumped out of the way to avoid his tail that ended like a dagger.  That was when Tess realized what the creature was and by her math, her apartment being once a factory was maybe 20 feet high so that made Turner a 17 or 18 feet dragon.
    "Meow." Diva, the gray and white British Shorthair, appeared by the window sill. 
    "Diva, go away," said Tess.
    Turner turned his glance on the cat. Diva tilted her head as if studying him. Turner opened his mouth and flames bursted out but he turned and the flames engulfed the pile of furniture and went out.
    "You're paying for that!" Tess meant to fix those broken furniture and resell them for some bits of cash. 
    Diva hissed, turned and leaped back out the window. 
    Turner shifted and his wings bumped against the walls and upset some photo frames onto the floor. The sound of falling glass might had scared him and he shifted again and staggered onto the couch, crushing it with his feet. He peered down as if surprised, stumbled forward off the couch and fell on his stomach. He mumbled something. Tess swore he was telling her to stay away. His wings folded around him like a blanket and he heaving up and down. 
    Tess waited but the dragon didn't move. She started on the last sandwich and drank all the milk. No use wasting food. When she was done, she quietly made her way toward the dragon. She was used to dealing everything alone but right now, she wished there was someone to fix this for her.
    Maybe if she touched him again, perhaps Turner might turned back sooner.  She sat down beside him. Of all the animals she had expected, a dragon was not one of them but she had no fear of him. Tess swore she heard him cursing her but he didn't move when she placed a hand on top of his left foot. His body was heaving up and down. "Please, turn back," she said.

12:05 AM
Tess woke, yawned and stretched her arms. Tuner was asleep beside her and back to his human form. Miraculously, his clothes were intact but was wrinkled and dusty. Tess never understood how clothes appeared and disappeared off and on a person but she was glad Turner wasn't naked even if he was a good looking chap.    
    Turner stirred and sat up. He yawned and quickly covered his mouth. "Pardon me."
    Tess nodded and smiled. 
    He glanced at his wrist watch. "Had I been out for three hours?" He stared at her blinking away as if she could offer him answers. 
    "Yep," she replied.
    "For three hours?" His mouth hung opened.
    She shrugged. "It happens. Yesterday, I slept on the train for five hours." And then I was fired because I was three hours late. Tess didn't like hauling around heavy boxes anyway. That grocery store manager was cheating people with their pretended price slashing but the fruits and vegetables were fresh and delicious especially the potatoes.
    Turner got to his feet. "I should go. We'll continue this another time." He found his briefcase and glanced around the mess. "I'll pay for all the damages. Good night." He was out the door before Tess could respond. He remembered? But she decided that's a problem for later. She went to bed and hoped never to repeat this day.