“Come on, I’ll fix you up.”
She turns, giving me a knowing look. It’s my ass when we’re alone, I’m in trouble for not telling her. When Tasha and the baby died, it killed me but my mother stayed strong the whole time. Never shedding a tear even though I know it broke her heart. She took to the idea of being a grandma and was ready to babysit and do what she needed so that Tasha and I could be kids.
“Come on, child!” my mother hollers from down the hall. Piper’s face expresses alarm as she hustles out of the room.
Piper
Walking through the club, I can feel everyone staring at me as I follow Saint’s mom out front. I’m nervous about what she wants. Outside the sun is hot, but it feels good on my skin. I find Saint’s momma sitting on an egg crate, humming and pulling random crap from her purse.
I take a breath and head toward her.
“Sit.” She points in front of her, to the ground. Brows furrowed, I sit and she positioned me so I’m sideways.
She grabs a tub of white cream that reads Vonte on it. Using her fingers, she starts pulling on the small strands of hair that have grown out from my accident.
“You know, I always wanted a little girl so I could put her hair in braids, and beads,” she informs, pulling my hair so tight it makes my eyes water.
“I’m wanting to go to cosmetology school,” I inform her.
“That would be good for you. I know a couple gals from church that do hair, and they make good money,” she says, her southern accent strong. My head is swiveled back and forth as my hair is tugged and pulled.
“You were that one girl that Saint brought by the house awhile back, right?” she asks.
“Yeah.”
“You the reason he ain’t been by to see me?” she continues. I open my mouth to answer but stop short. I don’t know what to tell her as I don’t know what Saint was really up to when I was chained to a radiator.
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly.
“What the hell you mean you don’t know. Where was he?” she snaps.
I don’t reply because I don’t know what to say. She’s kind of intimidating. Like the woman off Madea.
“Seeing how you two are together, I want you to make sure he comes and sees me at least once a week, got it?”
I nod.
“I want you to come with him too,” she adds, and I have to bite back a smile. It feels good she wants to see me too.
“You got any names for the baby?” she asks, braiding the hair behind my ear. “You know my grandmama’s name was Nellie, and I just always thought that was different for a girl, you know?”
I turn in her hold, making my hair slip from her hands.
“What’d you say?”
“Nellie, have you heard it?” she asks, snatching my hair back up and pulling my head to the side.
I don’t respond because I can’t, it’s the name I saw in the baby book back at the house. It’s like fate is telling me I’m where I need to be, that history is talking to me.
“Yeah, we should name her Nellie,” I mutter, still in shock at the strange coincidence.
“Alright, all done.” She claps her hands. Lifting my arm, I run my fingers over the side of my head, there are five straight braids.
“Lookin’ like a white Alicia Keys,” she cackles, making me laugh. She tosses her comb and hair creme back into her big ass purse and stands just as Saint walks outside.
Noticing my hair, he smirks.
“Do you like it?” I can’t help but ask, I run my fingers over the hair braided to my scalp, it kind of itches it’s so tight.
“It suits you.” He touches the braids, sliding his finger down my chin.
His mom comes up between us, halfway out of breath.
“Where the hell you been, child?” She sneers at Saint.
“Club shit, Momma,” he clips coldly.
She rolls her eyes.
“I swear to the Lord I’mma kill you if you keep giving me that damn excuse!” she holds her hands up, looking to the sky for strength.
“I’m going to give you guys a moment,” I say, trying my hardest not to laugh at Saint’s expense.
Turning, I can hear them arguing as I enter the club. Delilah stands behind the bar, her eyes widening.
“I love your hair!” she says with excitement.
“Saint’s mom did it,” I say, unsure.
“Make her do mine!” she demands, looking over my shoulder.
An hour later Addie, me, and Delilah are all sitting outside on an old picnic table while Saint’s mother does Delilah’s hair, telling us about men and what they really want.
Delilah having more hair, it takes much longer.
“I’m telling you ladies, men don’t know what they want until you tell them how it’s going to be, and when they argue with you just agree, and then they’ll come up with the same shit you just said only now it’s their idea!” she lectures.
Delilah takes a swig from a beer and says, “I swear we should just be lesbians, being with the same sex seems easier.”
“Child… no,” she scolds. “Maybe you should come to church with me this Sunday.” She offers, and I bust out laughing.
“It’s bound to burn down if Delilah walks in there,” Addie adds, gaining a middle finger from Delilah.
“Ouch!” Delilah hisses, glaring at Saint’s mom.
“You’re fine, hush,” she clips, pulling the long strands of Delilah’s hair into braids. It looks really good, bad ass really. Delilah can do anything and look good though, I’ve always ben envious of her. I look down at my belly, leaning back on the picnic table. I’m going to miss her when she leaves. I wonder if she’s told anyone else about her big move?
17
Saint
In the garage working on a bike Big Chief bought off some guy, I’m tapped on the shoulder.
“Holy shit, you’re not going to believe this,” Chief mutters. Leaning back, I look over my shoulder, glancing out of the garage.
Rad stands in the middle of the parking lot. His white shirt unbuttoned and blowing in the wind, his hair and jeans damp looking like he went for a swim and decided to walk here letting them air dry.
Standing up, straightening my back, something dark enters my mentality. My fingers tensing and strangling the red grease rag in my hand.
“I’m going to fucking kill him.” I breathe heavily.
Big Chief beside me, we strut out of the garage towards Rad. The guys in the club must have noticed him too because Shadow, Lip, and the rest of them come outside as well.
“You have a lot of balls coming here.” Shadow sneers, making his way in front of us all. He stands tall, wearing the club colors on the back of his leather cut proudly.
“I want to talk, explain myself,” Rad says, turning his head to the side and squinting from the evening sun.
“This motherfucker,” I mumble, ready to just beat his fucking ass right here. I don’t even need a gun, I will kill him with my bare hands.
“You shot my son, you shot Cherry, and you took Piper… how the fuck do you explain that?” Shadow’s tone condescending.