by Saundra
“Wait a minute, let me get this straight. You’re saying you are gonna move in with this guy in Chicago? And you will be living... in Chicago?”
I know I said the word “Chicago” twice, but I just wanted to be sure. Because this sounded crazy to me. As far as I knew, she had not known the guy that long.
“Yes, I would move to Chicago and live with him,” she clarified, like it was no big deal. “We are going to get a place together.”
“Hmmm. Okay, well, if you are asking my opinion, I would say it is way too soon for that. You haven’t even been dating this guy for a year. Hell, you ain’t been knowing him for a whole year. Unless you ain’t telling me something.”
I was being straightforward. No bullshit needed.
“Not quite. But, Mya, he is a good guy and he is already set up financially.”
When she said “set up” my eyes grew big. She knew what I was thinking, so she cleared it up.
“Wait, not that type of set up, he has a job. He’s educated with a college degree and all.”
I swallowed on that one because I knew how she was about Rob when he was down. Rob being in the dope game was the big reason why they kept breaking up.
“All that sounds good, but the fact still remains that you don’t know him that well. I really think you should consider this a little longer before making a decision. This is a huge step. Not only will you be leaving Detroit, your hometown. You will be moving to Chicago, where you basically know no one. I’m just saying.” I shrugged my shoulders as Leslie watched me.
I cared about Leslie, so I had to keep it one hundred with her. And I just didn’t think it was smart to pack up and move to another state with a guy she hardly knew.
“Just give it a little more thought is all I’m saying.”
“I’ll think about it. And thanks for being real and not saying what I wanted to hear.”
“No problem. We are cool and I would want you to at least hear me out.”
I wanted to be clear about that. Losing Rob had been enough trauma in her life. So I had spoken my piece; I could only hope that she listened and made the best decision for herself and her son. A lot of times, people let the heart and emotions make those important decisions.
Chapter 5
“Hey, sis.” Monica reached out and hugged my neck. She had some downtime from school this morning so we agreed to meet up in the mall and do a little candle and accessories shopping before I headed in to the salon. I loved to spend any time I could with my sister. We always seemed to be busy and never able to co-ordinate our schedules. Needless to say, all of the time we spent together was priceless.
Returning her snug hug, I took a step back and looked at her. I was always shocked at how she was growing into such a sophisticated young woman. She was no longer my baby sister and I hated to admit it, but that didn’t stop me from treating her that way. No matter how hard I tried, I just could not seem to let her be an adult. I was working on it, though. Ma had even told me to ease up a little. “Ain’t you lookin’ all cute this morning?” I complimented her outfit.
She rocked a navy strapless wide-leg jumpsuit with a pair of G by Guess Luzter T-strap thong sandals. She looked too cute. I smiled at her as she playfully modeled for me.
“Oh, this old thing?” She played modest with a grin. “I just threw it on because it’s easy and comfortable. But I also knew I would look good in it.”
“Shut up.” I playfully nudged her shoulder.
“So where you want to start first? Yankee Candle or Macy’s?” Monica asked.
She swung her loose ponytail off her shoulder with her right hand while balancing her Calvin Klein monogram tote bag on her left wrist. I swear she could hit the runway because she had the strut down. I hadn’t seen one celebrity who could balance a bag on a wrist like her.
I decided after looking around at all the foot traffic that it didn’t matter where we went first. I hated finding my way through a bunch of impatient people. Mall shoppers were always impatient and their attitudes could suck if they felt you were trying to get in front of them or something. But I could give the “try it” look that made any shopper second-guess stepping to me. I didn’t live in the Brewster anymore, but I could have a flashback in a minute and pop off.
“You decide wherever you want to start. Shit, I thought this time of day the traffic wouldn’t be as heavy.” I breathed a sigh of agitation. “Especially since everyone keep screaming about how bad the economy is.”
“Hmmph.” Monica laughed out loud. “Maybe they are all liars. Either way, I’m ready to shop. Let’s head into Macy’s first. I can’t wait to sample the sunglasses.”
The atmosphere inside Macy’s was cool and calm. The MAC makeup ladies in the cosmetic section were standing around making up each other’s faces. The ladies in the perfume area were stocking the glass cases like they physically mixed the chemicals themselves. Every employee in there looked like a mannequin. The atmosphere was just the way I liked to shop. If only they offered wine, I would be in heaven. Before heading over to the sunglasses we stopped and sniffed the perfumes. It wasn’t like shopping in the hood, where you get hounded as if you gone steal the bottle as you test the perfume. No, they welcomed you to it. I loved it.
When we finally reached the sunglasses, Monica thrived.
“I swear, Mya, I love them all.”
Her eyes gleamed so much from admiration that I could see myself in them. The girl truly loved to shop.
“I’m sure you do.”
I had spoiled Monica the same way my father had spoiled us before he went to prison. I remembered him buying whatever we asked for and more. Christmas was crazy stupid. I’m talking about gifts touching the ceiling in our apartment. Man, I missed those days. The saleslady pulled out shades at our request and we tried them on. They were so comfortable, I felt like I could sleep in them.
Monica was looking in a mirror admiring herself in a pair of Michael Kors Blue Grad. I could tell that she was feeling them.
“So I have been thinking.” She repositioned the sunglasses on her face and posed.
She didn’t say anything for a minute, so I edged her on as I tried on some Ray-Bans.
“Are you going to tell me what you have been thinking about today or tomorrow?” I was sarcastic on purpose.
“Oh, my bad. Like I was saying, I have been thinking about maybe moving out and finding me and Imani our own spot.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I think it’s time. Now that Dad’s home, he and Mom could use some alone time to reconnect. Not that I feel like Imani and I are in the way, I know they love having us there, especially Dad, since he can see Imani every day and bond with her. But what if they want to run around the house naked?”
That statement made me discontinue examining myself in the mirror.
“That was information overload, Monica. I did not need that image in my head, now or ever.”
“Sorry,” she apologized, and we both laughed.
All in all, I agreed with her. Mom and Dad could use some time alone. After all, they had years of absence to make up with each other. But I also knew that Mom and Dad would not want Monica and Imani to leave just yet.
“I agree with you, that it is not a bad idea.”
Monica looked at me as if she was shocked. She was probably expecting me to go ham, blow up, and tell her she shouldn’t move.
“Wait a minute, you mean you ain’t gone trip or snap out?” She popped her fingers.
“Hold up, what you trying to say?” I played at being offended. “Do not act like I’m always trippin’.”
“Ahh, you do, crazy lady.” Monica rolled her eyes and popped her mouth.
“You and that damn Hood, always accusing me of being controlling.”
“That is because you are. I totally one hundred percent agree with my brother-in-law.”
“Okay, okay, I see. Well, you betta call your brother-in-law up here to pay for them sunglasses then.” I pretended like I was wa
lking away.
“All right, all right.” Monica grabbed me and pulled me back to the sunglasses. “You are so not crazy or controlling. Just the best sister a girl could ever hope for.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure. Now I’m the best.” I laughed.
I loved these playful moments with her. It always made me remember the times she, Li’l Bo, and I played together. We would have so much fun.
“But I agree with you.” I got back on track with our original discussion. “Only I think you should wait until school gets out for the semester. Because you might have to make some changes with Imani’s childcare depending on the area you move to.”
“Right.” Monica shook her head to agree with me. “I thought about all that. So I’ll start looking around and kind of gettin’ some ideas to see what will fit.”
“Good idea. But you not moving nowhere near the damn ghetto, so don’t even think about it.”
I was serious. The last thing I wanted was her and Imani dodging late-night stray bullets.
“Look, I have to get what my money can afford, but no, I don’t plan to move to the ghetto. I’m going to be getting a part-time job with AT&T. I already talked with someone I know who is hooking me up.”
She was excited just talking about it.
“Now, that I don’t agree to.”
Here I was being controlling again, but I had to speak up.
“Monica, like I have said a thousand times, you need to focus on school. Working will only complicate things, another responsibility. Don’t worry about bills. I will pay them; you don’t have to sweat that,” I assured her.
“Here you go.” Monica threw her hand in the air and shook her head side to side. “I thought you said you were not controlling. Mya, I appreciate it, but I have to be responsible for Imani and me. You do everything for us. I can do this and I promise I won’t allow it to affect my schoolwork. I’m going to finish school, I promise.”
At this moment, my head was as hard as a rock. I refused to allow her to work.
“Look, my mind is made up and I say NO. Trust me, Monica, it’s for your own good. Can’t you see that you are going to have something that no one else in our family has? A college degree. That’s priceless.”
I had tears forming in my eyes.
Monica caved. “All right. But as soon as I finish school, I am getting a job.”
“I should hope so ’cause I ain’t gone take care of your grown ass,” I joked and we both laughed.
“Enough about that and on to another subject. When we gone hit the club? All this schoolwork and no play is gettin’ boring. Hell, I do like to have fun.”
I was forever forgetting that she was an adult. But she never had a problem reminding me.
“Oh, so you are ready to party with the big dawgs, huh? All right, I got you. I will let you know soon and you better be ready.”
“Don’t worry, I’m ready to let loose. All those books have turned me into a genius. If I don’t have any fun soon, I’ll crack.” She held out her tongue and let her eyes roll around in the back of her head to be funny.
“Stop.” I laughed. “Before you end up stuck like that. But not to worry, baby sis, I got you.”
We tried on shades for another hour before we finally made up our minds. By the time we were done, I had dropped a grand on shades for Monica and me like it was candy. Monica walked away with those Michael Kors Caicos 57 in Blue Grad. They were cute and, according to her, they matched her outfit, so she slid them on. She also got a pair of BVLGARI shades. I also grabbed a pair of those—they were hot. Right before I handed the saleslady my Black card, my eyes found a pair of Burberry Grey Grad Pol that I put on before leaving the store as well.
Happy with our choices, we skipped over to Yankee Candle, where I dropped another five hundred on candles. As usual, we picked up Mom a few scents. Citrus Tango and Exotic Bloom were some new spring scents and I grabbed one of each, along with some summer scents. Yep, she too would be happy.
The salon’s lobby area was unusually crowded. There were three females who were regulars standing at the reception desk, their faces showing signs of confusion and agitation. There were several phone lines ringing and Pam, who normally had it all together, looked frazzled, but she was still wearing a smile. Something was up.
“Stylz by Design, hold please.” She repeated that line for the next four calls.
I wasted no time in stepping behind the counter. I whispered to Pam, “What’s going on?”
“Everything,” was her quick response.
She eyed the three women standing at her desk. I knew she wanted to speak to me in private, but the last thing we wanted to be was rude to customers, especially regulars.
“Let’s step in the back for a minute,” I whispered.
Turning to face the clients I asked, “Ladies, can you give us just a minute? We will be right back.”
As soon as were out of sight of the women, Pam, who was leading the way, turned to face me. She got so close that I could smell the Reese’s peanut butter cups that she had been eating.
“Rochelle is gone. She had all of them scheduled for appointments and she just up and left, out of the damn blue.”
Now it was my turn to look confused.
“What do you mean she left?”
“I mean she gone,” Pam repeated without question. “She came in here this morning and did her first client of the day, that Tiffany chick. Next thing I know, she comin’ out of the back with her purse and keys. She didn’t even stop at my desk. She just said out loud in passing that she was leaving. She was walking so damn fast wind hit me in the face as she passed by. I yelled to ask her are if she was coming back, and without even looking back at me she said she didn’t know.”
I couldn’t believe what Pam was saying; this didn’t sound like Rochelle. I tried to grasp it all, but apparently Pam was not finished.
“Five minutes after she leaves, her next appointment shows, or least that’s who I scheduled for an appointment. Because the next people that came through the door said they had scheduled appointments with her at the same time. I knew that couldn’t be right because I didn’t schedule them. According to them, Rochelle booked their appointments.”
I threw my hand up. I needed to make sure I understood what she was saying. Why would Rochelle schedule these appointments, then skip out on them? This was part of the reason I wanted her to take some more time off. The only logical reason was that she was not ready to work again.
“Are you telling me that all of them think they have appointments right now?”
I asked this question even though I knew the answer. For some reason I wanted to make an excuse for Rochelle walking out, but I knew better.
“Yes.” Pam folded her arms.
“Shit,” I finally said.
I was big on customers getting the best service, so this was not okay. I took in a deep breath. The last thing I wanted to be was angry, especially with Rochelle, because I knew she was going through something. I just wished she had listened to me and hadn’t tried to make herself come back so early. But I could not dwell on that; the problem was here and I needed to fix it.
“Okay, I’ll take care of this. What about Trina? Is she here?”
“Yes, she has a client in right now.”
I should have known that, but I wanted to exhaust all options.
“What time is Trina’s next appointment?”
“In two and a half hours.”
This is why I needed Pam: she carried all the information with her, not just when she was sitting in front of the computer.
“I got it, and this is what we will do. I will take one now; once she is under the dryer, I will grab the next one. Then I will have Trina fit the other one in while her appointment is under the dryer. You get back to the calls on hold and I will come out and get the first girl.”
“Sounds good to me. Let’s work.” Pam was amped just like me. She wanted the issue resolved. The customers must come first.
> “Have them take a seat while I go tell Trina the plan. I will be up in a minute.”
“Cool,” Pam said, then stepped past me, heading toward the front. “Oh yeah, your dad came in, but he left. He told me to tell you that he stepped out with Big Nick.”
“All right,” I answered without a second thought. I had other fish to fry at this moment.
After laying the plans on Trina, I grabbed the first client and went to work. Before long, five hours had passed and all three clients had left the salon happy and satisfied. Rochelle was on my mind the entire time that I was doing heads. I still could not believe that she had walked out like that. She had not called me and said a thing as to why she did it. Rochelle always told me everything. But things were slowly changing in our friendship and I did not like it all. Since she would not call me, I picked up my cell and hit Rochelle, but the phone just rung until it went to voicemail but I was not surprised. I could barely remember the last time she had answered one of my calls.
When I got home, Hood was already there, sitting in the den. It was another surprise, but definitely more welcome than the one I got earlier. I wished it could be like this every day but I would not torture myself with this hope. It only pissed me off and started arguments that I did not want in my marriage.
“Babe, why you home so early?” I asked as I bounced down on the sofa next to him.
“No reason, I just came to the crib. Another one of my spots got hit tonight.”
“For real. Why you ain’t out there seeing what’s up?”
“Shit, I’ma let Lonzo handle that shit. He knows what to do. He got to learn how to handle these small situations, so I gave him a li’l string.”
Hood was calm. He didn’t seem upset at all. If you ask me, since he had been back in the game he didn’t seem interested. I mean he still ran things with a fine-tooth comb, but something was missing.
“How was your day?” he asked.
“Crazy. Just like yours.”
I sat up and started to take off my shoes. My feet were killing me. I had been wearing six-inch heels all day, mainly because I had not planned to be doing heads.
