Chapter Eighteen
It had been a few days short of three weeks since Kylee had last seen her mother. They had talked a few times on the phone, but every time her father walked in the room, her mother would rush her off the phone. Her father was still upset about her moving Eli in and it was putting a serious strain on their relationship. Kylee had a few minutes to spare before her hair appointment so she decided to stop by to visit her mother for a minute, but not before riding by the hotel her father and Sylvia met at every Thursday to make sure they were there. Like clockwork, she saw his car parked in the lot, so she headed over to her parents’ house.
“Mom,” Kylee called out, using her house key to get in, surprised her father hadn’t changed the locks on her.
“I’m in the kitchen,” her mother replied while cutting up some fresh vegetables.
“What’s up?” Kylee asked, smiling, walking in and giving her mother a kiss on the cheek.
“Hey, baby.” Her mother smiled back, happy to see her daughter.
“What you cookin’?” Kylee asked, catching a whiff before walking over to the stove and lifting the top off of one of the pots.
“Spaghetti; why, you want some?” her mother asked, wiping her hand on a dish towel.
“Naw, ’cause ’bout time it gets done, he’ll be home,” Kylee said, taking a seat on the stool.
“He who?” her mother turned around and asked.
“You know who he is,” Kylee replied smartly.
“That he is your father, Kylee,” her mother stated sternly.
“I can’t tell. He sure don’t act like it,” Kylee said, rolling her eyes.
“Why, because he’s upset about you movin’ a man up in your house?” her mother asked.
“No, that ain’t the reason,” Kylee said, knowing it was.
“There can’t be any other reason. Ya dad gives you the world,” her mother said.
“Gave,” Kylee corrected.
“Well, didn’t nobody tell you to move a nigga up in ya house knowin’ your daddy was payin’ the bills. You could still be gettin’ the world if you woulda listened to your father,” her mother said.
“I’m cool. I don’t need him to do nothin’ for me. Eli takes good care of me,” Kylee bragged.
“Well, I hope you got sense enough to not depend on no nigga. You need to get out and get your own!”
I don’t ever remember you goin’ out punchin’ nobody’s time clock, Kylee wanted to say, but out of respect she kept it to herself. “I just don’t see the logic behind Daddy’s attitude,” Kylee said.
“You don’t think your father should be upset about you movin’ a man in your house after he asked you not to?” her mother questioned.
“No. I can see if Eli was livin’ up in there rent free. He pays all the bills. I can see if I moved a broke nigga up in my spot, but I didn’t. Eli owns his own businesses and everything,” Kylee protested.
“Chile you got a lotta growin’ up to do,” her mother said, shaking her head before tending to her food.
“You always takin’ his side,” Kylee huffed.
“I’m not takin’ anyone side, Kylee,” her mother said, taking the top off the pot and stirring her homemade spaghetti sauce.
“Yes, you are, you always take his side, even when he’s wrong,” Kylee said, catching an attitude.
“Well, if he doin’ it all like that, how come he doesn’t have his own house?” her mother questioned.
“He did,” Kylee said, leaving it at that.
“Did?” her mother asked.
“Yeah,” Kylee huffed, not trying to have her mom all up in Eli’s business, giving them something else to throw up in her face.
“Well, what happened to it?” her mother pried.
“I don’t know. Look, I’m about to go,” Kylee said, standing up from the barstool.
“Already? You just got here. Your father don’t come home for lunch on Thursdays so you can stay a little longer, can’t you?” her mother asked.
“No, I gotta go get my hair braided.”
“Well call me later on, okay?” her mother said, not wanting her daughter to leave.
“I will, Mommy,” Kylee said, giving her mother a hug before turning to walk away.
Kylee hopped back in her car and pulled off. Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pools” was banging out of the speakers as she pulled up to the red light. She looked over to her left and saw Josh in the car with his wife and instantly got jealous. Kylee could tell he was avoiding turning his head her way on purpose by the way he looked out the corner of his eye.
“No, this bitch ain’t frontin’ ’cause he wit’ his bitch,” Kylee said, blowing the horn, catching the attention of his wife. She looked over at Kylee and frowned. Kylee blew Josh a kiss and busted out laughing before speeding off from the light, leaving them in her dust.
Still smiling, Kylee pulled up in front of the African shop and got out. She looked over at the Cadillac she parked next to and instantly recognized it. She pressed the wrinkles out of her clothes, threw her purse strap onto her shoulder, and walked into the shop with her head held high. She walked over to the assortment of hair and picked out the color. The entire time Tionna and Edna were staring her down with mugs on their faces.
“You ready?” asked one of the African braiders as she walked over to Kylee.
“Yep,” Kylee answered, following the lady over to an empty chair. The lady sat Kylee across from Tionna and next to Edna. The two friends continued staring at Kylee. Kylee sat down in the chair, looked over at Edna and then at Tionna, and smirked.
“These young hoes really think they be doin’ somethin’,” Tionna looked over at Edna and said.
“Don’t they. You betta than me ’cause I woulda been whooped her ass,” Edna said, trying to start some shit.
Kylee didn’t respond. They could continue to hold a conversation about her like she wasn’t there if they wanted to. As long as they didn’t put their hands on her, Kylee was cool with them talking. It was quite entertaining. She didn’t want any trouble. All she came there for was to get her hair put in micro braids.
“Whoop her for what? Shit, what she don’t understand is me and my husband got a bond that can’t be broken,” Tionna said with confidence.
Not being able to contain herself, Kylee let out a chuckle.
“You find somethin’ funny?” Tionna looked over at Kylee and asked.
“Only the fact that you think Eli is comin’ back to you,” Kylee replied smartly.
“Look, baby girl, you don’t have anything to offer my husband but some ass, so why would he try to build a future with you?” Tionna asked.
Edna and a couple of the other customers snickered.
Embarrassed by the truth because Kylee knew Eli was paying all the bills, plus giving her money to spend, so she really didn’t have anything to offer Eli.
“I bet you still livin’ at home wit’ ya mommy and daddy,” Tionna continued.
There was more snickering in the shop.
“Actually, I got my own place, thank you,” Kylee replied.
The African lady finished up Tionna’s hair and handed her a mirror to look at the finished project. Loving her new look, Tionna handed the lady the mirror back and stood up.
“Look, you might have my husband for now, but mark my words, he’ll be back and when he comes home don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Tionna said before turning to walk away, making Kylee feel small in front of the other customers.
“I’ll call you when I’m done,” Edna called out to Tionna as she headed over to the register to pay for her hairdo.
“Okay,” Tionna said, handing the cashier two crisp hundred dollar bills before heading out the door, leaving Kylee feeling small.