Trinity barely being eighteen and having to pick up her parents slack made me feel a twinge of guilt but I couldn’t hold on to it. I might have been in her life but in the end it was her parent’s responsibility to make sure she was good.
“That’s a damn shame they failing her like that. Makes me sad.”
“Porsha, don’t take that guilt into yourself. I can already hear it in your voice. Ain’t nothing you could’ve done differently so just let it go.”
“I hear you mama.”
“Yeah but I know your soft-hearted ass gone feel some kinda way for a minute. Lord how did I get such a sensitive child?”
“He gave me all the fucks you didn’t give.”
I loved to joke with her because in reality I was just like my mama. She was tough as hell but was a sweetheart once you got to know her. I’d watched her cuss somebody out and then give them a meal and some money.
“Clearly. But anyway, be nice to my boy. I’m ready to call him my son-in-law. I’m about to go hop in this card game.” I could hear her shuffling around like she was about to head out.
“Call me when you get back home.”
She sucked her teeth and I could see her rolling her eyes and her neck at me. “Girl, I’m grown.”
“I know but you clearly doing some kind of cutting up still. You over fifty years old—”
“Girl, don’t be telling my age!”
I looked around the room confused, before I yelled right back at her. “Ma ain’t nobody else on the phone!”
“Whatever. I’m bout to get off this phone with you, Prissy.”
“Keep playing with me, Toots. I bet I’ll be on the first thing headed south if I don’t hear from you tonight.”
“I swear you think you the mama.” She was trying to sound aggravated but I could hear her smiling.
“I love you ma. Be safe.”
“Always. I love you too. But don’t think I’m letting off on you. I’m not about to let you run my son-in-law away. I’m speaking that man being your husband into fruition. You blessed with a praying mother even if I be praying about foolishness sometimes. But that man? He is a blessing I refuse to let you miss out on.”
“Tiana, you ready?”
Her eyes lit up and she nodded as she walked toward me. The damn blogs couldn’t keep this girl’s face off of them. Tiana had come in and made all the white folks lose their minds by bagging the most eligible bachelor in all of Texas. A multi-billionaire who wanted nothing but the best for his girlfriend. She had them hos gagged and they would constantly be under her pictures and posts talking shit. Parker made one statement that the more they did it the harder he would love her. They thought he was joking until he proved it by taking her on a vacation that was so extravagant it had them sobbing in the comments.
Tiana ignored them mostly but one chick had gotten crazy enough to approach her. That felony assault charge the weirdo racked up was enough to make her lose her job. The restraining order that Parker put on her on his and Tiana’s behalf meant that she couldn’t be within three miles of them. That made her a social pariah. I had never heard no crazy shit like that but leaveit to money to talk. But since a Black woman was reaping the benefits I was cheering on his highhanded ass from the sidelines.
That same billionaire reached out when Tiana had mentioned me. He wanted to have the shop shut down for her use along with her friends. Since her friends were already clients it was nothing for me to oblige. Rye was already under the dryer and Billy was getting her brows threaded. Tiana’s cousin Rachelle was having her nails finished and Tiana was getting her consultation done for a new unit. I was happy to have my hands in some hair to distract me from missing City.
“Yes, Porsha thank you so much for accepting me. I’ve been trying to manage my hair by myself but I just damaged it. I know you are the miracle worker and I appreciate you taking me on.”
She was being sweet, but her man had created his own package for her in the store. Parker put a credit card on file and told us to charge him for whatever service she needed as often as she wanted it. It wasn’t unheard of because I knew Antwan and Jacoby would do the same but this man was really applying pressure.
And we loved to see it.
I took a glance at her hair but it was pulled back in a bun so I wasn’t sure what was going on with it. “You know I’ll get you right. We are going to do a quick analysis so come on back with me.”
“This place is beautiful. I know you’re in and out and I was too shy to approach you about helping me before. My cousin Rachelle says it’s because I think I can always do stuff myself.
“I gotta ask you a question and I hope you don’t take offense.” I sat her down at a bowl that was in front of the washbasin. Since the shop was shut down I didn’t feel the need to keep stuff overly private.
She turned to me with a strange look in her brown eyes. Tiana was gorgeous and I’d previously seen her rock her hair ina big curly fro. I was unsure why she wanted a wig but I would absolutely make sure she got one she adored.
“Wait why you start it out like that?”
