CHAPTER 5

“Cut it all off! It’s too hot outside, and this hair is driving me crazy!” Yolanda’s client whined.

Yolanda shook her head.

“I am not cutting your hair! It took a year for you to get it this long. I’m not gonna cut it just because you’re getting impatient. Houston is hot every summer, Lisa. You knew that before you decided to grow it out.”

“I know, I know,” Lisa said. “But I have a new boyfriend now, and we went to see that new Halle Berry movie, and he kept saying how cute her hair was. So I was thinking that maybe you could cut it like that? You know, wild and funky, but something that will fit my face?” she said, pushing her hair up.

Yolanda knew that she was trying to imagine the haircut already.

She sighed. “All right girl, but if y’all break up next month don’t come in here wanting a weave down your back like Naomi Campbell’s.”

“Oh, no, girl, that ain’t gonna happen. Rick is different. I can tell this guy is the one,” Lisa said, widening her eyes for emphasis.

“What’s so different about him?”

“His bank account.”

Yolanda laughed and gestured to her assistant, Megan, to take Lisa to get her hair shampooed.

“Megan, take her to the chemical room first and give her a spot relaxer on her nape area and around her sides. I want it to be really smooth so it doesn’t stick up too much in the back. Oh, and use sensitive-scalp relaxer; she’s probably been scratching, and I don’t want her to get irritated.”

Towering over her petite client, Megan nodded and led Lisa to the chemical room. It upset Yolanda to see that Megan was also tall and thin, yet she was told she could be a model, while she was often given second and third helpings of dinner to help her fill out.

“Say, you hear about Sheila?”

Yolanda heard the familiar pop of chewing gum and instantly knew who it was without turning around.

“Yeah, Tasha, I already heard.”

Please don’t be wearing that horrible red lipstick today. She turned around to check and see. Yep, there it is, brighter than ever. And already on her teeth and her chin…

“Word goin’ around that she stole a wad of cash and split,” Tasha said, followed by another loud smack.

“That doesn’t make any sense. Sheila was making enough money; she had no reason to steal.”

“Maybe she stole for her wedding. Heard it was gonna be the talk of the town.”

“That’s ridiculous. I don’t think Sheila would do anything like that, especially for a man.”

“You actin’ like you really knew her. How well did any of us really know Sheila? Yeah, she worked here a long time, but anybody can pretend to be loyal. Why leave a job where you gettin’ your stash from?”

“All I’m saying is that it don’t make any sense.”

“The only thing that don’t make any sense is that she got caught. Must’ve got lazy.”

“Who lazy?” Maria asked, holding a stack of clean white towels.

“Nobody, Maria,” Yolanda said quickly.

“Miss Yolanda, you not lazy. It impossible for you to be that skinny and lazy.”

“Thank you, Maria, but I wasn’t asking you for any advice, okay?” Yolanda snapped, snatching a white towel from her hands.

Maria walked away, shaking her head and mumbling something in Spanish under her breath.

“What’s wrong with you? Why were you so mean to her?” Tasha asked.

“I don’t know, she just…she gets on my nerves sometimes.”

“That’s a sweet old lady. She didn’t do nothin’…”

“Not to you, Tasha,” Yolanda interrupted, “but she always has something to say to me.”

“She don’t mean no harm! Just blow her off. Just yesterday she tried to give me make-up tips. Like I need make-up tips from an old lady!” Tasha said, laughing and showing more lipstick on her teeth and putting more on her chin.

“Yeah, okay,” Yolanda said.