In The Cut

by Arlene Brathwaite

Lynise smiled bashfully.

  Olivia was just glad he stopped sweating her. Everyone froze when Glenn walked through the door.

  “You told them,” he said to Grace.

  “Congratulations!!” Everyone shouted.

  Grace ran into his arms. “I’m sorry, baby. I tried to hold it, but they dragged it out of me.”

  “Yeah,” Baby said. “We had to twist her arm.”

  Grace stuck her middle finger up at her.

  Forty minutes later, Olivia was just finishing off Mr. Ryan, when her oldest brother, David walked in.

  “What brings you around here?” she asked.

  “I need a reason to come see my little sister?”

  “What’s wrong? Toya okay?”

  “Everything’s fine. I was in the neighborhood, and decided to drop in to see how you were doing.”

  “Other than working twelve hours a day and having appointments booked as far ahead as next year, I’m doing just great.”

  “That’s wonderful.”

  “Why don’t you go wait in my office. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  “Sure.”

  Olivia walked in fifteen minutes later. “Okay, what’s the real deal?”

  “Sis, everything is fine. I’m just dropping by.”

  Olivia folded her arms and stared at him for a minute, before walking to her chair and sitting down. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m just not used to you coming down, just to see how I’m doing.”

  “Well, get used to it. Me, Jon-Jon, Shawn and Mike had a meeting after we all had our meeting the other day.”

  “Oh really?”

  “Yeah, we kinda agreed that we’ve been just a little overprotective with you.”

  “You think?”

  “You got to understand—”

  Olivia held her hand up. “I understand. The business, dudes trying to get with me just to get a piece of Butta Cutz.”

  “It’s more than that.” David sat on the edge of the chair. “You were young when mom died, but you remember how close we all were.

  Olivia nodded.

  “She was beautiful, inside and out.”

  Olivia put her head down.

  “The night she died was like any other night in our household. We would eat dinner, take our showers, brush our teeth, and go to bed. No one seen it coming. Just like that, she dies in her sleep.” David’s eyes were brimming with tears. “You and mom could pass for twins.”

  Olivia dabbed at her tears as they ran down her cheeks.

  David continued. “She just slipped through our hands. She was the glue that held us together. Then you became the glue that holds us together. If anything was to happen to you, me, Jon-Jon, Shawn and Mike we would lose our minds. So, we hover over you, not because we don’t want you to have a personal life. We just know how it feels to have the woman of our lives snatched from us, and we’re not trying to lose anymore women in our family.”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “You don’t have to say anything. Just know that we love you and we see you as the mother hen. And we’re not going to let anything happen to you.”

  “I appreciate everything that you guys do for me. You know I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for y’all. I still say y’all should be with me when I go on Oprah.”

  “No, that’s your time to shine. And you are going to shine.”

  Olivia stood up and hugged her brother.

  “So, how are you and the accountant doing?”

  “We broke up.”

  “You’re joking, right?”

  “Nope. I think he has some unresolved issues in his life that he has to find closure on.”

  “That’s what he told you?”

  “No, that’s what Dr. Phil would’ve said.”

  “Oh, God. You and Dr. Phil.”

  “The man is a psychological genius.”

  “Well, I’m not a psychological genius, but I know you, and I know you were feeling some kind a way about that guy. Maybe you should use your ‘Dr. Phil’ skills and help him resolve his issues.”

  “I got bigger things to worry about, right now. Byron secured a store front in Queens, on Merrick Boulevard.”

  David nodded. “Okay, we doing big things. A Butta Cutz in Queens, I’m feeling that.”

  “And I talked to his man in Philly. He’s ready to convert his barbershop into a Butta Cutz.”

  “Umm.”

  “And… Grace is getting married.”

  “Get out of here.”

  “Glenn proposed to her last night.”

  David just looked at her smiling.

  “What?”

  “It’s good to see you happy.”

  “I am. And I’m going to treat myself.”

  “Not another pair of shoes.”

  “No, butt head. I’m going to go home, curl up on my couch, and break night watching the Law & Order marathon.”

  “You’re playing, right?”

  “Heck no. I’m staying up all night and then I’m taking tomorrow off.”

  “Well, I guess it’s better than getting another pair of shoes.”

  Olivia punched him in the arm.

  Olivia jumped out of her sleep when she heard the pounding on her front door. She looked at her clock, it was ten in the morning. She broke night watching Law & Order as planned, and had just drifted to sleep. She grabbed her robe and rushed to the door, thinking it was one of her brothers.

  “Hold on,” she said as she slid the bolt off. She stepped back in shock when she opened the door.

  “You’re through,” Byron shouted, with spittle flying out his mouth. He threw a 9x12 manila envelope at her. “You think you can play me, bitch? I’m going to show you how to play the game. When I’m done suing you, you’re going to be selling you’re ass. I’m closing your whore house down.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Byron lifted his hand as if he was going to smack her. “See you in court.” He spat at her feet and marched to his car. He filled the early morning with screeching tires as he pulled off.

  Olivia looked at the envelope that she realized she was clutching to her chest. She opened it and pulled out the piece of paper that was balled up in it. In big letters Byron had written “FUCK YOU’. As she read the letter, her hands started shaking. She pulled out the pictures that were inside. She looked at them one, by, one. Each one made her madder than the last. She threw them against the wall and sat in the middle of the floor and cried.

  Olivia’s grief quickly turned to scorching anger. She ran to her room and threw on a pair of jeans, a sweater, and a pair of sneakers. She snatched her car keys up and ran out her house, leaving the front door wide open. She slowed down to the speed limit. She realized in her rush to get to the salon, she didn’t have her license on her. She couldn’t afford getting pulled over. Not now. She had some work to put in. Her car came to a screeching halt. She jumped out without turning it off.

  Miki’s eyes lit up when she saw Olivia walk in. Her mouth dropped open when she saw the dark look on her face. Olivia scanned the salon until she spotted the dead man walking. The whole scene unfolded in slow motion as Olivia ran up on Lynise and delivered her wicked left hook to the side of Lynise’s temple. She collapsed like a beach chair. Olivia kicked her motionless body three times before remembering she had two more victims. She looked up like a rabid dog and her eyes locked with Lynise’s two friends who Jon-Jon had convinced her to hire, Renee and Simone.

  Renee backed up and was about to run for the front door, but Baby grabbed her by her long weave and used her face as a punching bag. She didn’t know what Lynise and her friends did, but to see Olivia ready to catch a body, had her ready to be her co-defendant. Esther, Grace and Miki were all on the same page. Esther started after Simone who was now scrambling toward the front door. Grace stood in front of it like a raging bull ready to charge. Miki came flying from behind the reception desk with a bat. Chuck ushered the customers out and locked the door as
Jordan tried to break up the simultaneous fights. When Chuck turned around, Olivia was on top of Simone pounding her face in like a meat tenderizer. Baby and Esther had tag teamed Renee. Miki stood in the center of it all gripping the bat, thirsty to bash somebody’s head in.

  Lynise made the fatal mistake of coming to and trying to get to her feet. Miki’s face twisted into a mask of anger as she swung the bat at Lynise’s head. God must’ve been on Lynise’s side, because she twisted her ankle as she tried to get up and fell. The bat skinned the top of her head, causing her to gasp.

  One of the customers must’ve seen Jon-Jon on their way down the block, because he was at the door, fumbling with his key to open it. He finally got in.

  “Olivia! What the fuck is going on?”

  Hearing his voice made her look up. Her fingers curled into claws as she stormed toward him. Miki blinked as Olivia snatched the bat out of her hands.

  “I trusted you,” Olivia said like a wounded animal.

  Jon-Jon walked toward her, acting like he was mad, as well. “Put that fucking bat down.”

  “You bastard.” Olivia swung the bat, cracking him square on the shoulder.

  Jon-Jon backed up in shock.

  Olivia swung the bat again. This time he didn’t call her bluff. He back pedaled and ran out the salon.

  “Get these bitches in the back before I kill them,” she said to Chuck and Jordan through clenched teeth.

  “Baby!” Olivia screamed. “That’s enough. Although Lynise had blacked out long ago, Baby was still banging her limp head against her barber chair.

  Baby looked up at Olivia to make sure she was all right and then smashed Lynise’s head against the chair one last time before letting her drop to the floor.

  Chuck and Jordan helped Renee and Simone to their feet and walked them to the back. “Y’all bitches is lucky you ain’t dead,” Jordan said.

  Chuck smacked Lynise a couple times. “Boss, I think she may need an ambulance.”

  “Move!” Baby said, sizing her up like a punter about to kick the shit out of a football, “I’ll wake her ass up.”

  “Olivia grabbed Baby by one of her suspenders. “Back off Baby.”

  Everyone looked outside when they saw the flashing lights of a police car.

  “Shit!” Olivia said. She sighed when she saw that it was her brother and his partner.

  “Olivia what’s going on?” he asked, ready to put some work in, himself.

  “I’m going to kill Jon-Jon.”

  “Jon-Jon did this?”

  “He’s the cause of it.”

  Mike got on his radio. “79 to base. Situation all clear.”

  “Copy that,” the dispatcher said.

  “Chuck, you and Jordan, take her to the back,” Olivia said, pointing to Lynise.

  Mike watched as the two men lifted her up and carried her to the back. His partner looked at him. He shot his partner the don’t-worry-it’s-okay look. “Why don’t you go wait in the car, Gee. I got this.”

  “Whatever you say, Mike.”

  “Sis, you need to tell me from the beginning what happened.”

  Olivia walked to the front door. She locked it and turned the open sign to closed. Everyone followed her to the back where she nudged Lynise until she came to. Everyone sat down and listened in shock as Lynise told them how Jon-Jon came up with the idea to run an escort service from her shop. Her, Renee, and Simone propositioned certain wealthy clients. The ones who they knew wouldn’t tell what they were doing.

  Those that wanted the ‘complete package’ would call Jon-Jon and tell him ahead of time. He would then set up the apartment that Olivia let him stay in from time to time above the salon. Once that certain client got their haircut, manicure, or pedicure, Jon-Jon would lead them to the apartment where Lynise, Renee or Simone would be waiting.

  Lynise, Renee, and Simone all swore, as God be their witness, that they weren’t going to press charges or say anything to anyone. The one truth that they did tell from the start was being students at Hunter College. They knew if this got out, they would no longer be allowed to attend. Everyone parted the way and let them walk out on their own two feet.

  After they left, Olivia shared with everyone the visit that Byron had paid her, and she told them about the extortion note and pictures. Jon-Jon had took pictures of Lynise, Renee, and Simone ‘servicing’ Bryon on different occasions. Jon-Jon was trying to sell the pictures to him.

  “All my years of hard work was for nothing.” Olivia said, on the verge of crying.

  “I’ll go have a ‘chat’ with Byron,” Mike said.

  “No, that’s exactly what he would want,” Olivia said.

  “What does he want?” Glenn asked.

  “He wants to sue me and make a public spectacle of me.”

  “There has to be a way to reason with him,” Grace said.

  “The way he was talking earlier, I don’t know if he’s open to any kind of reasoning.”

  “Maybe when he cools off,” Miki said, hoping to lighten the mood.

  Olivia shook her head. “No matter how you look at it, he’s going to fuck me. Whether he sues me or if he wants to deal. I would have to basically accept any deal he shoves in my face.” Olivia turned to her brother so fast he jumped. “You tell Jon-Jon to do himself a favor and don’t come anywhere near me. I swear, I will hurt that boy.”

  Glenn stood up. “I gotta run.”

  “Run?” Grace said. “Now?”

  “Yeah, I have a lunch appointment with—”

  “Cancel it. We need you here.”

  “No,” Olivia said. “Go handle your business, Glenn.”

  “I’ll be back at seven to pick you up,” he said to Grace.

  She acted like she didn’t hear him.

  Mike walked Glenn to the front door and let him out. As soon as Glenn’s feet hit the curb he flipped open his cell and hit the speed dial.

  “We need to talk. Shit has hit the fan.”

  “Yeah, Glenn. You can tell me all about it tomorrow,” Saint sighed.

  “There might not be a tomorrow for Butta Cutz.”

  Chapter 8

  For the past two days, Jon-Jon had been staying with his man Ira. His brothers were blowing his cell phone up, leaving all kinds of messages to get in touch with them as soon as possible. Jon-Jon wasn’t up to facing them or Olivia. He’d fucked up.

  I should’ve stayed with the white motherfuckers, he thought to himself. They just coughed the money up. It’s always a black motherfucker that got to throw a monkey wrench in the program and fuck shit up.

  Jon-Jon took one more drag off his cigarette before flicking it onto the sidewalk before heading into Ira’s apartment building. Although Ira worked the midnight shift, and wouldn’t be home right now, Jon-Jon still respected his no smoking rule.

  On his way up the stairs, his cell rang. He looked at the caller ID. He didn’t recognize the number, which meant it was probably one of his brothers calling from someone else’s phone. He tucked his cell back in his jacket and pulled out the apartment keys. He knew he couldn’t avoid the family forever. He just needed some time to think on how he was going to take care of Mr. Byron Turner. He unlocked the door and stepped in. The apartment was in total darkness, which wasn’t unusual, it was just after midnight and Ira always turned off all the lights when he left for work. What was unusual was when he hit the light switch nothing happened.

  “You’re a hard man to track down,” A voice said in the darkness.

  Jon-Jon reached for his gun. He felt it snatched out of his waistband a fraction of a second before his hand got there, causing him to grab nothing but air. He threw a punch at the figure in front of him. The figure moved like a phantom.

  Jon-Jon gasped as a hand wrapped around his neck, while the other pinned him against the wall. The figure’s face came into view when he stepped into the light coming through the window from the street lamp.

  When Jon-Jon saw his face, he started struggling. There was no way he was
going to let a nerd-ass, bean counter rough him up.

  Saint took a step back and threw a straight jab to the right side of Jon-Jon’s chest, just inside his right shoulder. Jon-Jon stumbled sideways from the impact. The pain was so intense, he stopped breathing.

  “You fucked up one time this week, let’s not make it twice. Give me the disk with the pictures of all the clients you’ve been setting up.”

  “I don’t’ know what you’re talking about.”

  Saint delivered another knock out blow, this one aimed at the same point on his left side.

  “My arms!” Jon-Jon screamed, panicking. “I can’t feel my arms!”

  “Waste anymore of my time, and you won’t feel your legs either.”

  “Who are you? You ain’t no accountant.”

  “Disks, where are they?” Saint swept Jon-Jon’s feet from under him. When he fell flat on his ass, Saint rested his heel on Jon-Jon’s leg socket.

  “Okay, okay. In the back room, in the Timberland box.”

  Saint dragged him to the room and shoved him into the corner. He saw the box next to the bed. He picked it up and carried it to the desk and opened Jon-Jon’s lap top. He checked both disks and nodded. “These are the originals?”

  Jon-Jon nodded.

  “And you don’t have anymore?”

  Jon-Jon shook his head. “That’s it.”

  “Three things,” Saint said as he prepared to leave. “I’m going to clean up the mess you got your sister in, so if you got any stupid ideas of doing anything to Byron forget about it. Number two, if I find out that you’re lying to me, I will paralyze you permanently. And number three, get your life together.” Saint stuffed the disks in his jacket and took off, just as silently as he came.

  “Jerry,” Byron said to the guy on the other end of his cell phone. “Trust me on this one. This investment with Double Platinum records is going to pay you triple what you’re putting in.” Byron walked into the office building in Long Island City, where his office was located on the fifth floor. “Have I ever failed you before? You damn right I never have, and I’m not going to start now.” He pressed the elevator button.

  Five minutes later, he was on his floor, working on another deal on his cell phone. He stopped in his tracks.