Forever His Princess

-six-

AMARI ROUSSEAU

"Ma!" I heard Manny say as he shook me awake. "Come on, let's go shopping."
I groaned tiredly and told him to pick out his clothes whilst I washed my face, brushed my teeth and got dressed.

I changed him into his clothes and ran my hand over his head trying to flatten the curls that had come out of his braids. "I gotta redo your hair."

"Can I choose?"

"Yeah, I'll give you my phone when we get in the car and you can pick which style you want."

I decided the easiest thing when it comes to doing Manny's hair was to let him pick what style he wants so he doesn't complain whilst I'm doing it or after.

We have a bunch of pictures of hairstyles I've done on him in the past so I usually just let him pick from those. As long as he has a film or something on in front of him then he doesn't complain about the pain or having to sit down for so long and I'm so grateful for that.

Growing up I would do Antoine's hair and he was the complete opposite. He's tender headed so doing his hair was always a pain in my ass.

I moved Manny's car seat to the front and buckled him in and we made our way to the shops. "Have you found one you like yet?"

"This one." When we reached a traffic light I looked down at the picture to see straight back corn rows.

"That's fine, baby. We'll do them tomorrow just make sure you tell me if you change your mind before I start braiding, ok?" He nodded.

—

"Can we get ice cream?"

"Yeah but we have to wait until after we get everything else or it'll melt by the time we get to the car."

"But I want to get it now."

"You remember the conversation we just had about being respectful and listening when people speak to you? This is where you show me you listened to what I said." He huffed and crossed his arms, a heavy frown sitting on his face. "Don't start with that, Manny, I'm not entertaining it."

He followed me around the store, dragging his feet as I got the rest of the food we needed. "Almost done, baby, I just need to get oil." I said as I turned around but he wasn't there.

What the fuck? Where'd he go? He was literally just behind me.

"Manny?" I called out. I took the basket, running down to the ice cream aisle but he wasn't there. "Oh God." I mumbled to myself, running my hands through my hair. "Emmanuel!" I yelled, probably looking like a crazy woman. I checked every single aisle and I still couldn't find him.

I decided to go back to the ice cream aisle and on my way there I found him. He was being carried by a man.

He jumped down from his arms and ran to me. I hugged him tight. "Are you ok, baby?" I asked, checking him over.

"I'm fine, Ma. I got the ice cream."

"But you also ran off, you scared the crap out of me, don't do that, Manny. I told you we'd get it, you didn't have run off."

"I'm sorry. But those nice men helped me out."

"I've told you over and over not to talk to strangers."

"I didn't speak to them."

"So how did they know you wanted ice cream?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I think I just have a face that looks like I want ice cream." He said.