“Larry, what a pleasure for you to call. What can I do for you?”
“I got a lil’ problem down here at Blessyn and Shears. A few of your boys are here without a warrant and the place is a fuckin’ mess. They haven’t found any drugs or weapons on the premises and she has to close down for the day just to get this place cleaned up. Call them off before we make a big deal ‘bout and it put y’all under fire.”
“I don’t want no problems with the community. Let me make a call. I owe you one anyway.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Pleasures all mine.”
Before I could get back to Blessyn the boys were rounding up. Perc knew by the way I was staring at him that he had to see me after this. Blessyn was starting to pick things up and clean up. Thankfully nothing was broken but she wasn’t going to be able to work in this environment until tomorrow.
“Let’s just leave and I’ll have my company come in and clean up. Just give everyone the rest of the day off. Y’all start fresh tomorrow,” I told her.
I had a cleaning company that had contracts all over the city. We cleaned majority of the Federal buildings, state buildings, and the major companies downtown.
“Perc let me holla at you real quick,” I pulled him outside so no one could hear us.
“Don’t ever feel like you gotta lie to me ‘bout some shit. Are you serious ‘bout cutting hair?”
“Yeah, I love that shit. Blessyn done taught me everything and I love being ‘round her. She’s like a sister to me.”
“Nigga she is gon’ be your sister for life but you can’t fuck up her trust like that. Don’t sell shit else outta this shop. I know it’s a hot commodity but you gotta think smart. She brags on you all the time nigga. She genuinely got love for you. Don’t fuck this up. I don’t want her lookin’ at me funny either.”
“You feeling her like that, huh?”
“Goddamn right. I ain’t never did some of the shit I’ve done for her and to her.”
“You the nigga sending all the gifts too. Now it makes sense. It’s something having to be signed for every day ‘round this bitch. You spending a bag on her bruh.”
“That’s why I got her and you stuck wit’ your crazy ass baby mama. Make sure to go get your lip checked too nigga. You mayneed a few stitches in that shit.” I stopped talking when Blessyn approached.
“Now that’s over with, why am I just finding out this is your brother?” The stress had left her face a little.
“Shit we never dug into family history and shit. I didn’t know the muthafucka was cutting hair. Got me ‘round this bitch payin’ folks to cut my hair when he can do it.”
“He cut the hell out of some hair too. He learned from the best in the city.” Blessyn smiled.
“Perc check on my sister and text me and let me know how she doing. I can’t talk to her right now for obvious reasons.”
“I got you. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Perc had a respect for Blessyn and I could see it. This may be his way out. I told him to find something before he turned twenty-five. This shit didn’t last long and I didn’t want to lose him to the streets. Never would’ve thought he would be connected to Blessyn; this was a sign like no other.
Iwas hurt that I had no one in my corner. It’s been two days and I had been closed up in my house trying my best not to break down. The one thing that I loved to do, I couldn’t because my sister fired me. Couldn’t even do the shit out of my condo because all my shit was at the shop and I didn’t want to get into it with her for going in there to get it. Perc bitch ass was ignoring me and that was really driving me nuts.
I ended up catching a ride with a female truck driver. A complete stranger was nice enough to drop my ass off at a truck stop in Atlanta and I still had to get an Uber into the city. My sister was wrong for leaving me out there like that. Anything could’ve happened to me and she left because of some shit I said. Khi loved her but that nigga was fucking bitches left and right while Blessyn was trying to start her business. That’s why hebought the shop because he knew she would be occupied trying to build her clientele.
When he died, I wanted to tell her but she was going through it from their loss. I was hurting too from losing Kj. He was my world just like he was my own. That was just another thing that added trauma to my life. The loss of Kj made me weak but what really got me was waking in every now and then and seeing my sister drowning in her sorrow with alcohol from losing two children and a nigga. What I said was harsh but it was real and I couldn’t help that. She needed to know. It may not have been the right time but she still deserved to know.
Blessyn was living her life with her new nigga and I was locked away trying to decide if I wanted to call Perc or not and break the news to him that I was pregnant. I was trying to save myself the embarrassment and just get rid of it. Honestly, I didn’t know who the father of my unborn baby was but I was almost sure it was Perc’s. I picked my phone up to call him but a knock at the door stopped me. My heart stopped when I opened the door to see Perc.
“Look, I know we mad at each other and shit, but I needed to teach you a lesson. I told you a long time ago to leave that nigga alone but you kept fuckin’ him. Every fuckin’ time you call me, I come runnin’ and for the first time, I didn’t come to your rescue you make me out to be a monster. Everything ain’t ‘bout you, Merci. Think ‘bout others sometimes.”
“I’m sorry. It was Blessyn’s fault that I even had to call you.”
“Nah, don’t blame her for this shit either. You got tricked and if anybody should be the blame it should be you. I bet you ain’t mad at your married nigga but you mad at us. You really need to check yourself.” Perc poked me in the middle of my forehead.
“You right,” I said defeated.
