Chapter Ten
Eject
The ride home from Victor’s was a blurred one for Mina because her eyes were clouded with tears. Putting it all together, she figured out that Victor was the Latino drug lord that Andrew was talking about. She couldn’t believe that Victor treated her that way. She thought they meant more to each other than that.
Mo and Delicious continuously called her on her cell since she left the shop earlier that day, but she was too drained to answer. Peeling off her clothes, she stepped into the shower. Mina let her tears flow freely as she stood underneath the hot running water. Once she finally stepped out she realized that she had been in the shower for almost an hour. Thanking God that it was a Saturday she knew that she had two days to pull herself together before she would have to face everybody at the shop.
Sunday and Monday came and went and Mina still hadn’t moved from the bed. She laid in bed the entire weekend, listening to Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” thinking of Victor. Only getting up because she had to pee she headed to the bathroom. Smelling herself she noticed the stench coming from under her arms for the first time. After peeing she was just about to hop into the shower when she heard a knock on the door. Hoping it was Victor, she raced down the flight of stairs and opened it without asking who it was.
“Lawd, save me. It’s the exorcist,” Delicious shouted, frightened by her appearance.
“I ain’t got time for yo’ shit today, Delicious,” Mina warned as she turned and left him and Mo standing.
“Girl, what is up wit you? We have been calling you since Saturday,” Mo questioned.
“Yeah, we figured you were up in that big ol’ mansion wit Victor getting your freak on, so we let you be. But clearly that wasn’t the case.” Delicious eyed her appearance once more.
“That was until Jodie said you wouldn’t be coming to work today,” Mo said.
“Let me guess? He didn’t take the news well,” Delicious asked.
“No, he didn’t and it’s all because of Dro, that funky ass cousin of his,” Mina said, angered all over again.
“What happened?” After telling the story of what happened, Mina was in tears.
“Oh, no, that nigga did not play my girl like that,” Delicious declared.
“Yes he did. He played me for a fucking a fool. I actually let myself believe that that nigga cared about me,” she cried.
“Oh, pooh pooh everything’s gonna be all right,” Mo said, hugging her.
“Girl, don’t be sittin’ up there letting that Enrique Iglesias-looking muthafucker make you cry,” Delicious demanded.
“I know, I’m sorry. It just hurts.”
“Do you still want to be with Victor?” Mo asked.
“Yes, but it’s over,” Mina answered.
“It’s not over. As of right now your, little pity party is over. If you still want Victor, then Victor is what you’re going to get,” Mo declared.
“Right, by the time we’re done with Lil Ricky, he will be eating out of the palm of your hand,” Delicious added.
“Are you sure?” Mina asked.
“Was Ashanti sure when she cut those Elvis side burns off? Yes because album sales went up. Was Beyonce sure when she booty hopped her way all the way to Grammys? Yes because she won five Grammys for showing some skin and backing that ass up. Was Puffy’s baby momma Kim sure when she filed child support on that ass for their son and her son by another man? You goddamn right because the bitch went from getting five thousand a month to goddamn near thirty grand a month! Was Usher sure when he lied about having a chick on the side, pregnant, just to boost album sales? HONEY, YES, CAUSE NOW THE NIGGA IS THE NEW KING OF POP,” Delicious boasted.
“Boy, you are crazy.” Mo broke out laughing.
“I’m telling you, girl, you better listen. Now go on in that bathroom and clean yourself up. We got work to do,” Delicious said, helping Mina up.
“Look, I thank y’all for trying to make me feel better but it’s over between me and Victor. He thinks that I lied to him and I am too drained to try and explain what went down. In two weeks I will be marrying Andrew Wellington II, and that’s that.”
* * *
After some major persuasion, Delicious and Mo finally talked Mina into coming to work that day. Grabbing her Dior bag from out of the backseat of her drop top convertible, she headed into her popular salon, Mina’s Joint.
“Mina!” everybody in the salon yelled as she walked through the door.
“What’s up, y’all?”
“Child, hurry up and get in my chair ’cause you look a hot mess by the head,” Delicious declared, still disgusted by her appearance.
“Shut up, Delicious. Don’t start with me.”
“Somebody need to start with you.”
“Just because I don’t have on a full face of makeup like you don’t mean that I look bad.”
“Girl, you better take a page from my notebook. What if a news reporter caught you looking like that?” he asked.
“And if they did, so what? I am a regular person just like anybody else. We all have our bad days.”
“Mina,” Delicious said, knocking on her forehead. “You are still engaged to the Mayor’s son. Ain’t nothing ordinary about that.”
“I ain’t trying to hear you Delicious. It’s too early in the morning to be having this conversation wit you. I’m going to my office.”
“You gon’ need my advice one day and when you do . . . I’m gon’ give it to you.”
“Hey does anybody want anything from the Bread Company? I’m getting ready to run down there,” Mo asked.
“No, thank you,” everyone replied.
As Mo was leaving, the girl Sherry who Quan was cheating with, walked in. Not knowing who she was, Mo continued to walk past her, only for Sherry to bump into her on purpose.
“Excuse you,” Mo spat, holding the door open.
“No, excuse you, bitch.”
“Bitch, you bumped me! What the fuck is your problem?”
“You’re fucking my man, that’s the problem!”
“Who the fuck is your man?”
“Quan!”
“What did you say?” Mo said, coming back into the shop.
“Do it look like I stutter? I said Quan!”
“Uh oh, looks like its gon’ be some head bussin’ up in here today y’all,” Delicious instigated.
“Yeah, bitch, I’m Sherry! The one your man be fucking every night!”
“So you’re the stank bitch that’s been playing on my phone?”
“I ain’t no stank bitch, but, yeah, that’s me!”
“Okay and? Is that supposed to mean something to me? Bitch, I don’t give a fuck about you fucking Quan!”
“If you don’t give a fuck then why won’t you leave him alone?”
“’Cause that nigga caked up! He buys me whatever I want! You see that drop top BMW sitting out there, that’s mine, courtesy of Quan! My bills stayed paid and I ain’t got to work or do shit! That’s why I’m not leaving him! So go right ahead, bitch, keep on fucking him! I don’t give a fuck! I don’t want to fuck his fat ass anyway! You’re making it easier for me!”
“You just mad ’cause he don’t want you no more!”
“Whatever, continue to talk your nonsense! I ain’t got time for this!” Mo said turning to walk away.
Mina came out from the back station. “What’s going on? I can hear y’all all the way from the back,” Mina questioned.
“Quan told me everything! He told me that you can’t even have kids! He told me that y’all been trying for the longest and you still can’t get pregnant! Well, guess what, bitch? I’m two months pregnant with his baby.”
“Oh, naw, bitch, you wrong for that!” Delicious shot up.
“Bitch, get yo’ broke, trifling ass out my shop!” Mina said, pushing Sherry out the door.
“Don’t touch me!” Sherry yelled.
“You better be glad I don’t whoop your ass,” Mina slammed the door in her face. “You okay, girl?”
“I’m cool. Fuck that bitch. Let me run up to this store. I’ll be back in a half an hour,” Mo said trying her best not to show her true feelings.
“Okay,” Mina replied unsure of what to say or do. Turning around Mina saw that everybody was still standing around, gossiping. She threw her hands up and shooed them back to their stations. “The show is over!”
* * *
It took Delicious approximately two and a half hours to fix Mina’s hair and to get her back looking the way she normally did. She had decided on an upsweep hairdo that would showcase her high cheekbones and sultry eyes. Since it was the middle of the afternoon and business had slowed down, Mina, Mo and the entire staff decided to head out for lunch. A buffet meal was on everyone’s mind so they made the ten minute ride to the nearest Ponderosa. After ordering and being seated, they all grabbed a plate and tore into the buffet. As they all stood in line, Mina turned to Mo and brought up the subject of Quan and Sherry.
“Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Girl, I’m fine.”
“What are you going to do if she is pregnant?”
“I’ma keep doing me. I can’t be worried about Quan’s trifling ass. I got better things to worry about.”
“Are you sure, Mo-”
“Look, Mina, I know you’re trying to help but I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Subject dropped.”
“Mo, yo’ fat ass bet not eat all of the chicken,” Delicious warned, returning from the restroom.
“Just for that yo’ black ass gon’ have to wait for the next batch of chicken to come out, Na,” she said, sticking out her tongue.
“I swear the next time you’re in my chair I’m gon’ burn you.” Delicious pounded his fist into his hand while staring at Mo.
“They got some baked chicken over there.” Neosha pointed out.
“Sorry, sweetie, I just took the last piece,” Janiya grinned.
“Now y’all need to quit! Y’all know I’m on Atkins,” Delicious said, upset.
“Didn’t nobody tell you to take yo ass into the bathroom and touch up yo makeup,” Tiffany said, laughing.
“A diva must always be presentable.”
“Well this diva is getting ready to fuck this chicken up.” Mo took a huge chunk out of a thigh, eyeing Delicious.
“Die, bitch, die.” Delicious pointed his fork in her direction.
“You know you ain’t right. I’m getting ready to go sit down,” Mina said, after fixing two plates.
“Me, too,” the other girls replied. Back at their table they all said grace and prepared to eat.
“Oh, I love their mashed potatoes and gravy.” Mina savored each bite.
“I love their salads,” Jodie chimed in.
“Girl, I love a big dick on a rainy night,” Delicious said, sitting down.
“Keep me near the cross, Jesus.” Jodie shot Delicious a look.
“You are so nasty,” Mo said, ready to vomit. “Don’t you see us eating?”
“What? What I say wrong? Don’t front like I’m lying.”
“He is right. Ain’t nothing better than making love to your man when it’s raining outside,” Tiffany replied, with her eyes closed reminiscing.
“I can’t even front ’cause Quan was digging all up in these guts last night,” Mo declared with a smirk on her face.
“You was backing it up on him, girl?” Delicious put his hand in the air to get a high five.
“And you know it,” Mo snapped, giving him a high five.
“You don’t know nothing about backing it up, Mo,”
Neosha teased.
“Girl, please. You got her fucked up. She been fucking since she was twelve,” Delicious joked.
“Fuck you, Delicious,” Mo said, giving him the finger.
“Speaking of backing it up, Mina, did you see your boo from across the street today?” Janiya questioned.
“Nah,” she answered. Disappointed, she bit her lip to keep from crying.
“Did somebody forget to give this dumb bitch the memo that said don’t talk about Victor,” Delicious said as he smacked Tiffany upside the head.
“What? I didn’t know and if you hit me one more time I’ma cut yo punk ass.”
“Come on, Miss Tiffany. We can do this! I will fuck yo’ big ass up!” Delicious declared with hands up in the air signaling for her to bring it on.
“Delicious, you better calm your ass down. Tiffany ain’t no joke with them hands,” Janiya teased.
“Girl, please, I will go Kill Bill on that ass. Please believe I take Judo classes three times a week. ” Delicious broke out laughing.
“I don’t know what I would do without y’all.” Mina laughed, too.
“Well, you’ll never know.” Mo hugged her neck.
“Oh, ain’t that cute? Look at the ghetto version of Tia and Tamara,” Delicious joked.
“Fuck you,” Mo said, hitting him in the face with a sweet roll.
“So what’s the plan? How are we going to get Mina and Victor back together?” Tiffany asked.
“Y’all can forget about it. Victor doesn’t want anything to do with me,” Mina answered.
“But you have to try at least one more time.”
“I tried. He didn’t want to listen to me so fuck him.”
“So that’s it. You not gon’ even try?” Delicious asked.
“No, and I don’t wanna talk about it anymore.”
“Leave the girl alone. If she doesn’t want to fuck with Antonio Badhairday no more then that’s her business,” Mo joked.
“Shut up, Monsieur Georgia Mae Parthens,” Mina teased.
“Ooh, no, you didn’t,” Mo threw down her fork.
“Oh, yes, she did,” Delicious instigated.
“Georgia Mae? Your middle name is Georgia Mae?” Tiffany laughed, spitting food out of her mouth.
“Yes, it is. I was named after my grandmother,” Mo tried to explain. Everybody still laughed, though. “Y’all know better than to make fun of the dead. And, Daniel, I know you ain’t joning.”
“Delicious, your real name is Daniel?” Neosha laughed.
“Bitch, I will cut you. Don’t be laughing at my name.”
“Delicious, yo’ momma get an F for naming you Daniel,” Janiya teased, while they all laughed.