Stay For Awhile

Bianca

     "I'm just saying, he could've at least bought me a damn pair of earrings. It's like the bastard just wiped his ass with the thought of me and Christmas huh," Mrs. Williams, or Marjorie, snorted. 

     I chuckled at my client's rant and kept focus on adding the finishing touches to her finger waves. It was already going on 4 p.m., and the quicker I finished with my last client of the day, the quicker I could go turn up with my crew. 

     Lisa, another regular in the shop, glanced at Marjorie over the top of her Vibe magazine and popped her gum. "You telling me that nigga was able to buy a 12 pack of beer, but couldn't even bring you home some roses?" She rolled her eyes to the top of her head so hard they almost flew out. 

     "See, unh unh. Just what I thought. Older niggas ain't worth a damn either." The women in the salon chuckled and voiced their opinions. Marjorie shook her head, but smirked cause she knew she was about to save face. 

     "What y'all don't know is, I got me a lil young tender on the side..." 

     My eyes grew wide and I laughed, "Marjorie! Now you know you are too old—" 

     "Too old my ass! Muthafuckas are gonna learn to stop playing with my heart. You damn right I got a lil some some on the side. What he don't know, won't hurt him." She shrugged her shoulders while I handed her a personal mirror to check out her fresh hairdo. 

     Me and the other women laughed and joked with the older lady. I couldn't blame her though. Marjorie's husband was full of shit since the day they said "I do"...or at least that's how I saw it.           

     That shit is exactly why I chose to stay single all this time. After a failed relationship with my ex who constantly slept around on me, I decided to focus solely on gettin my cosmetology license and opening up my own salon. Which, is exactly what I did. I may have not had a man, but I had my goals. There was always time for dudes in my book; I was only 23. I couldn't imagine committing my time and energy to a nigga just for him to fail on keeping the romance alive in our relationship. I would kill a nigga...for real. 

     The rest of the women in the shop who were just lagging behind knew my routine. Once it was almost time to close up, I would walk around blowing out the candles I had lit up to set the peaceful zen type of mood. I would then turn off my speaker that had Summer Walker playing in the background. After throwing my hair tools in their cleaning solution to soak and closing the window blinds, we all started walked toward the front of the shop.

     Marjorie couldn't keep her frail hands out of her hair. "Miss thang, I don't know why you won't let me just give you an extra tip. Maybe this will perk his ass up a little bit."

     I chuckled and hurriedly locked the shop up behind me. It was 33 degrees outside in the city of Memphis, and my FashionNova trench coat could only keep me warm for so long.

     "Girl your extra money is no good here. Just keep on being a loyal customer here and we're good, ya hear me?"

     I exchanged hugs with Marjorie before we sped walked to our cars. I had at least two hours to spare before my girls made it to the club, and I needed to go home and shower. I just had a long week, and a Blue Hawaiian was just what I needed.

***

Mikel

      "You are not wearing those sweatpants, Mikel," McKenna huffed as I checked out my attire in our floor-to-ceiling mirror.

     It was the day I promised to take her shopping after a little argument we had...which seemed to be happening all the time now. McKenna always had something small to whine at me about, but because she was my baby I dealt with it.

     "Why not? A nigga gotta look good but still be comfortable." I turned her way and cheesed.

     McKenna glared at me with her slant eyes. "You just want those hoes at the mall to see your dick print, you not slick. Just wear some regular jean shorts or something, like the ones I bought you," she fussed.

     I smirked and ignored her as I sprayed my Sauvage cologne on. She had to be a damn fool to think I was putting those grandpa ass shorts on. Don't get me wrong, McKenna could dress her ass off. But when it came to styling me, she tried to keep me as modest as possible. Another one of her insecurity ticks.

     We had been together for years, and you would think this girl would stop being so jealous all the time. I never gave her a reason to, even though I could've plenty of times. I had all the bitches during my senior year of high school. There wasn't one female who could tie my doggish ass down. All I cared about back then was passing the football on the field and passing bitches to my niggas after smashing them. I actually don't know what it was about McKenna that made me want to settle down with her, but I had. And I've been content ever since.

     I sighed and walked over to where McKenna was standing, wrapping my arms around her small frame. "Can we just enjoy this lil shopping trip? I don't have eyes for no one else but you." I lustfully stared at her full lips before leaning in to tongue kiss her, sucking on her bottom lip just how she liked it.

     McKenna wanted to complain some more, but she let it go for the time being when she felt me getting hard. "Ok bae...but can we at least go another round?"

     I smacked her ass and laughed before I grabbed the car keys off the dresser. "Nah, I don't need you to have another reason to trip. Come on."

     After hours of walking around the mall and letting my girl get bags full of shit she thought she needed, we stopped to grab a bite at the food court. I handed some change over to the cashier before I grabbed two Philly cheesesteaks and a large lemonade for us to share and walked to the table McKenna was occupying. 

     "Mane this shit was high as hell." 

     McKenna simply nodded her head before staring at somebody behind me. I glanced at her before turning around, and then sighed when I saw who it was. It was a jump-off I used to fuck with back in school named Zaria, but that was it. I had no feelings for the girl. 

     "Aye mane, don't start that shit. Eat your food." I didn't say anything else as I picked my sandwich up and dug into it. McKenna picked at her food as she watched the girl look our way and smirk at her. I couldn't lie, Zaria looked good. With her cami romper on and some heels that extended her already long legs, I could tell she peeped me sitting with my girl and just knew her looks would make me miss her. Little did she know, I couldn't care less. I was a committed man now, and a girl who was nothing more than a freak to me couldn't get me to change my ways.

     McKenna decided to let it slide off her back and enjoy our quality time and her food. She knew I wasn't going anywhere...no time soon.