Kannon
As soon as my Apple watch went off, I stripped a pair of latex gloves from my hands and hurried to the sink. I had been on the clock sixty-nine minutes longer than Iwas scheduled, and I refused to hang around an extra second. From administering medicine to fitness hour for our patients, every part of my day seemed hectic. Mid-way through my shift, I snatched off my wig, and by the end, I had sucked the moisture from my lips. In dire need of a bath and Vaseline, I rushed out the building. Even though the sun welcomed me back to the real world, a subtle breeze made me tighten my Alo jacket as I rushed through the parking lot. Out of breath, I flopped down in my truck right as my phone started ringing.
“Hi, pretty lady,” I sang, answering Yari’s call.
“Are you still coming by to get your hair done?”
I palmed my forehead. “I forgot. I just got off of work, but I’ll head to the shop now. If I slap on this wig another day, people are going to think Istole the bike, Holiday.”
“I mean, you said it. Not me.” She laughed. “I’ll see you when you get here.”
I wasn’t close by Yari’s shop, but thanks to a clear road, I reached my destination in thirty minutes. Along with herbest friend, Yari opened their beauty shop four years ago. Her books had the names of every hoodnigga’s baby mama, and the cosmetologist had added a few celebrities to her client list. Kinship aside, getting an appointment with my cousin was scarce, which was why I typically went to get my hair done during the week.
“What’s up, bitches?” I spoke as I entered the pink paradise. “Did y’all miss me?”
“Always, but didn’t I do your hair a week ago?” Yari tapped her salon chair.
“Yeah, but I messed it up a few hours after I left the shop,” I admitted, thinking of my night with Neptune.
“See, and that’s exactly why I make you pay. You don’t take care of your hair.”
The instant her fingers touched my scalp, I shut my eyes.
“How could you forget your appointment when you’re walking around with your head looking like this?”
I shook my head. “I know. I’ve been working crazy hours, and self-care has been on the back burner.”
“Mm. I love that you’ve been going hard. Does that mean you’ve accepted your fate, Nurse Blackstone?”
“Fuck no. I’m padding my bank account since my daddy is still acting funny. He doesn’t fund my lifestyle, but over the years, he’s had my back if I fell short. Now, I’m building my cushion.”
“Damn. You guys haven’t spoken since he went off?”
“Mostly through text, and you know that’s not his specialty.”
“I hate to hear that, especially since you apologized like he asked.” The scalp massage she gave me came to a halt. “What ever happened with ol’ boy? You haven’t said much about him since y’all met up to talk.”
I shrugged. “He’s around.”
“Kannon, you can’t be serious! Is that why your ass has been missing in action?”
“Something like that.” I glanced around the shop. “Let’s talk about it later.”
“Yeah, okay. We are going out for drinks as soon as I’m done with your hair.”
My cousin ushered me to the shampoo bowl, and seconds later, Iwas knockedout. By the time my hair was clean and dry, I spotted my sister enter the salon. Kasey walked over and spoke to a stylist, then spun around and laid eyes on me. A few shades lighter than me, Kasey’s complexion and eyes were a golden brown. Shewas dressedin expensive threads and smelled like money, and she could be dingy as hell. Over the years, we made attempts at getting close, but her snotty ass tested my patience. Had I known my sister was going to show up, I would’ve rescheduled my appointment.
“Baby sis! I’ve been calling you,” she said in a valley girl cadence. “We need to get together so we can plan Daddy’s birthday party. I know his birthday is months away, but I want to do something big.”
I rolled my eyes. “What’s the point, Kasey? We both know you don’t want my input.”
“My therapist said I should. If you don’t want to help, I can handle it. Though I think it would be good for Jeremiah’s girls to work together.”
“In a month and a half, I’ve heard his voice twice. You really expect me to plan his party?”
“Of course! Can you blame him for being pissed? You crossed the line. It’s not your place to jump into men’s business.”
I inched to the edge of the seat like a pressing comb wasn’t in my head. “What does that mean?”
