King of Queens (a Nas Story)

TWENTY SEVEN

Gia | February 1994

I watched Nasir and Destined from the bedroom door as I walked inside of the apartment with shopping bags in my hand.

Nasir was asleep on his side. His head propped on his right arm being used as a support for his neck. His left hand rested on our son's round little tummy as he slept on his back with his fists balled, his legs bent and his little mouth open.

It was like watching two of the same person. I smiled at the view and sat the bags full of clothes for my son and myself on the carpet in front of the dresser Nasir and I shared.

I shut the door behind myself slowly without letting a sound come out. I stepped into the living room and opened the blinds. It was almost one in the afternoon and Nasir hasn't opened them. I let the sunlight beam inside of our living space.

The house was relatively clean and quiet. I decided to take this moment to head back out, seeing as I was never going to have this moment again to myself. I reached inside of my tote bag that was perched on my shoulder. A Gucci bag that Nasir gifted me just because.

I found my keys at the bottom of it and locked our apartment up behind me as I took the elevator down to the basement level. I scurried through the parking garage to find my car. I got inside of it and locked the doors behind me before starting the engine.

I turned the alpine system on that Nasir had installed and turned the volume up high.

The last song I was listening to was 'All Night Long' by the Mary Jane Girls. A personal favorite of mine that I couldn't help but to sing at the top of my lungs whenever I heard it.

I reeled the tape back with the press of a button and pressed play when it started over to the very beginning of the single cassette tape.

I nodded my head to the beat as I entered into oncoming traffic, driving slowly through the harsh slush of Long Island. I thought I'd pamper myself by getting my hair braided at the African salon I had always passed by on my way home.

Some braids to keep my hair protected and would be easy to take care of, seeing as my son was getting bigger and starting to become more demanding.

I hummed along to the melody of the song before saying the words back to the artists inside of my car. I stopped at a red light and sang my heart out.

"Oh, something's got me so excited baby

A feeling I've been holding back so long!

You got me shook up, shook down, shook out on your loving

And boy, I can't wait to get started—loving you!"

I swayed my shoulders back and forth to the kick of the drums as the light turned green. The area was familiar to me and I knew it wouldn't take long to spot the shop from here.

I spotted parking for the salon quickly as I pulled over and into the parking lot behind the building. I paid the meter and got out of the car, holding my peacoat closely together with my left hand as I locked the car door with my right.

I walked the sidewalk and pushed the door open to the salon. All of the women stared at me as I walked in.

"Hi honey. You want your hair done?" Said an older black woman with short red nails and long braids down her back. She resembled my aunt from Jersey in a way. Her accent was heavy and felt like home when I heard her speak.

"Yes ma'am." I said with a smile as I took my coat off and hung it up on the rack next to me.

"I'll be with you in a moment." She said as she resumed her client's hair that was seated in her chair. A woman with a briefcase next to her on the tile kept staring in my direction. She smiled at me as was getting box braids herself.