Chapter 16

 

Evidently the little boy had no parents and drugs were definitely involved. He lived in a two story house in East Oakland with a friend who had not seen Faye or Kevin for about a week. I knew he was lying with his ole high ass but couldn’t prove it, so I left a message and told him I’d be back. I got back to the house and to my surprise my husband was not where I left him.

He was gone. Yes, fucked up leg and all, straight gone. Vicky was in her room and of course saw nothing. When I called, his phone went straight to voicemail.

I didn’t know that the next day would start a chain of events which would shape my future and cause it to spiral out of control.

The day was like so many others, my husband was not in bed when I woke up, and I was a mad black woman. I got dressed and headed to the salon after checking on Vicky who was getting dressed.

I walked in the door at a quarter to eleven and the drama began. Toya was in though she wasn’t due until one. But, there she was with a head in her chair. Ra’Nee was talking to her head loudly as she sewed a weave in and Bay-Bay was giving Diamond a manicure. No Faye.

“Hey ladies. Anyone seen Faye?”

“Naw, she ain’t been in since her last head two days ago,” Bay-Bay said.

“Yeah, the little bitch was supposed to bring me my movies,” Ra’Nee said. “She done had ‘em fo’ a munf.”

I looked at Ra’Nee, “A what?” I started to smile trying my hardest to hold back laughter. Ra’Nee was hilarious and ghetto as all hell.

“A munf, you know a munf?”

“No I-”

“She mean a month,” Diamond said with a little giggle that sounded like a hoarse laugh.

“Oh,” I said not able to hold my laughter in any longer. I burst out laughing.

“Bitch don’t act brand new, you knew what I was talkin’ about. You got yo’ days, weeks and munfs,” Ra’Nee said loudly. “Gonna head and get yo’ ass kilt fuckin’ with me.”

“Kilt Ra’Nee?” I asked coming down from my laughing high knowing I was about to start again. It felt so good to laugh, and shit like this happened every time I came in the shop. Ra’Nee kept it live, and I loved the shit. Either I needed to come in more or hang out with her more because she always lifted my spirits.

Ra’Nee sighed, and the shop erupted with laughter as she said, “Yeah, you know the past tense of kill.”

Got dammit this hoe was talkin’ ‘bout past tense now I thought as I said laughing, “Killed: Ra’Nee”

“No, it’s kilt.”

“In what dictionary?” I asked, and Bay-Bay answered, “The one she writing because I don’t even think that’s in the urban dictionary.”

“Y’all can all go to hell, I bet that’s in the dictionary,” she yelled going back to work on her head.

I was shaking my head laughing as I headed to my office when Toya spoke. “Afternoon Shi.” I stared at her for a few seconds taken aback because this bitch never speaks to me. Usually she had something smart to say.

“Good afternoon Latoya,” I said trying to make my smile genuine-though I knew it wasn’t-as she spun the chair with her head in it around. My brain must of known before I could really register who was sitting in her chair because my heart stopped and all of a sudden I felt cold.

“It’s been awhile,” the woman in the chair said. All eyes were on us. I swallowed hard and smiled, at least I thought I smiled. “What’s it been six, seven years?” I tried to swallow again and gave a little shrug. “You look good.”

“You too,” I managed to say as the bottom dropped out of my stomach. It felt like I had to shit I was so… I don’t know if it was scared or nervous. I mean I wasn’t scared of the bitch, was I?

“You’ve got a nice place here, my girl Toya told me good things.”

Yeah right.

I nodded, I wanted to get out of there. I dreaded seeing the bitch though I knew for a while the day would eventually come, but I had not planned on it being so soon.

“Okay you’re done,” Toya said. “Why don’t you and Shi go catch up? I’m sure you have a lot to talk about.”

I was trying to be civilized, but with Toya there it was becoming hard to hide my shock and anxiousness with civility.

Just as the woman-who still looked as good as she did in high school stood-Vicky walked into the shop.

“Hey ladies-” she stopped short and abruptly, surprise and shock contorted her face as she saw me and the woman. I could have peed myself I was so relieved to see her. With her there I could breathe a lot easier.

“Look who we have here, Ms. Victoria,” the woman smiled. “Guess we’re having a little reunion. Hey Vicky.”

Vicky walked over, stood next to me across from the woman and Toya-who had a smirk on her face-crossed her arms and said, “Carmen.”