No Sister Of Mine

Chapter Six: Dirty Hands

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You would think that Genie would be used to the reaction people have to her face by now. But with the way that the world is moving she is becoming more of a side show. Dealing with the stares and whispers of people when they see the pretty little black girl with the face like a painter’s canvas is one thing. Now days Genie can’t go to the grocery store without somebody pulling out their phone to take a picture. Kids these days will come up and ask you rude shit like “Don’t you feel ugly with  your face like that?”

Walking into her mother’s salon today was nothing different…

Dana’s House Of Hair has been the place for Cleveland’s elite women to come and get their hair and nails done since 1988. Dana started doing hair in her kitchen when she was fourteen to pay for an underground abortion. The kind where they used coat  hangers and such to the job. It was then that she realized that she had a talent for doing hair and painting nails. She met Henry while she was in beauty school. His business smarts from running a gambling house mixed her passion for beauty gave birth to a powerhouse conglomerate.

And a lifetime of mess.

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The naked eye will never see the sour nature Genie carries within. She is a pleasure to know and fun to be around with the outside world. She glides through the salon smiling and greeting patrons in a Stepford Wife like fashion. Playing her role like a Tony award winning performer.

You can’t help but be in a good mood when you enter Dana’s. The sweet smell of lavender and vanilla mixed with the tranquil R&B crooning softly from the sound system takes you in immediately. She bypasses the stations with marble countertops and Nubuck leather seats on her way to the back of the building, which leads to the second floor office space.

“Hey, Genie.” Tarra, one of the newer stylists, calls out to greet her. She has a woman in her chair that Genie’s never seen before. Her face is twisted in a disgusted look.

“Hi, Tarra. How are you?” Genie goes over to them.

“I’m good, girl. Busy as usual. I’ve been getting a lot of new clients.”

“I see. I had to come closer so miss lady here could get a closer look.” She smirks at the twenty something year old who in turn looks away embarrassed.

“No, Genie…” Tarra looks down at her patron and gives her s chastising look. “I don’t think she’s trying to be rude or anything.”

The girl looks up and forces a smile. “I just never seen nobody with a face like yours before. I mean, on TV yeah, but never in person. You’re like the girl off Top Model. You remember that season don’t you, Tarra?”

“Yeah, she was real pretty.”

Genie shakes her head and laughs. “You ladies have a good one” she says and continues on her way. 

She would fuck with the girl a little more if she had the time. Fortunately for the ratchet wannabe Genie has more important business to handle. Her mother is taking a brief hiatus from work for the week leaving a small amount of time for her to gather ammunition against Dana. She wants to take over her mother’s business while she was in prison but after the conversation they had she changed her mind. She doesn’t want to just take over while she is away, she wants to take over for good. Sure, Genie can let her emotions get the best of her sometimes but she is nowhere near the weak individual the her mother makes her out to be. And she will prove that to her.

She makes her way back to the frosted glass double doors and pushes them open. She takes the steps two at a time to the floor above. Genie slips past the vacant receptionist desk and goes up to her mother’s office door. It’s locked.