I pulled up to Aunt Kelly's salon, the familiar neon pink sign glowing even through the dreary New York winter weather. It was icy out, but inside, the warmth of laughter and hairdryers created a cozy haven—one I desperately needed today.
As I stepped inside, the sweet scent of coconut-scented hair products and fried plantains welcomed me. Aunt Kelly looked up from her station, her oversized hoop earrings catching the light. "Hey, baby girl!" she called out, her smile a bright spot on a chilly day.
I settled into the chair while flicking at my nails. "Tt Kelly, guess what? Casey showed me a video of him and Carla having sex to admit his cheating so we can try to work it out." My heart felt heavy as the words spilled out of my mouth.
She dropped her tools in disbelief. "I know you lyin'! That girl need her ass beat. I told you that little girl was shady, and Casey bet not let me catch his behind! Stop pickin' at your nails, you next," she admonished, quickly wrapping the last client's hair before turning back to me.
Before I could respond, Asia entered, flaunting her confidence. "Did you hear about the club last night? I whooped Carla's ass when she tried to jump Erika for fight a girl named Kia!"
"Well, at least y'all whooped ass," Aunt Kelly said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Come sit down now, little girl, so I can fix these damn nails of yours. Look at them—overgrown and broken from fighting!"
As Aunt Kelly set to work, I felt the comforting rhythm of her artistry; she poured love into every stroke. But amid the steady buzz, my phone vibrated, stealing my attention. An unknown number flashed on the screen, and curiosity piqued.
Text conversation: Unknown: What you doing today?
Ace -
Me: About to get my nails done.
Ace: wya? I'm tryna see you.
Me: I'm on Hartman and Main.
Ace: bet I'm on my way, have you ate today? What you want eat?
Me: Alright and no, I haven't. I've been busy. Raising Cane's... the six-piece and a sweet tea.
Ace: bet I gotchu, see you soon.
I smiled despite everything swirling in my head. Ace always knew how to lighten my mood.
"Erica, come on here, girl!" Aunt Kelly coaxed me back to the present. I moved to her station, and just as I sat, she glazed over my hands. The scent of coconut oil wafted through Aunt Kelly's salon, mingling with the fragrance of freshly painted nails and the pulsating beats from the radio. I leaned back in the chair, my fingers getting the royal treatment as my aunt expertly worked on my nails. "Oh, and your mother is back in town," Aunt Kelly said, her tone light but laced with concern.
I sighed, a weight settling in my chest. "She ain't called me. I'm tired of reaching out just so she can talk down to me," I replied, stirring the pot of emotions I had learned to navigate since childhood. "I love my mom, but since I didn't want to be a medical assistant, she doesn't really care about anything I do. So, fuck it."
"Baby, she just stuck in her own ways. She'll come around. If not, your auntie Kelly will always be here to support you," she reassured me, as she carefully finished one nail and moved to the next.
Just then, the bell on the salon door chimed, breaking the tension in the air. Ace walked in, a casual smile on his face, holding an oversized bag of Raising Cane's and sodas. My heart fluttered at the sight of him.
"Can I help you, young man?" Aunt Kelly asked, looking him over with a motherly kindness.
"He's here for me, Auntie Kelly," I said, unable to suppress a grin that mirrored Ace's.
"Hello, ma'am, my name is Ace. I came to see Ericka," he said smoothly, taking a seat next to me, that bright smile making my stomach do somersaults.
"Well, if that's so, you can call me Auntie Kelly," she quipped, clearly charmed.
Asia, my childhood best friend, wiggled her eyebrows from the corner where she was flipping through a magazine. All I could manage was a shy laugh, brushing off the implication.
"Young man, you keep smiling like that, my niece gonna give you a run for your money," Aunt Kelly teased, and Ace erupted into laughter.
"Stop! We're just friends," I retorted, but I couldn't deny how easily my heart raced when he was near. He skillfully placed the food on the table between us, casually asserting a comfort that felt both foreign and intoxicating.
"Mmmhmm, if you say so," Aunt Kelly replied, a knowing gleam in her eye. "You better be at family dinner next week. What color are we doing for your nails?"
"That's up to him, Aunt Kelly and White French tips," I said, my heart racing," I giggled, taking a fry from my food Ace had brought me.
"I don't mind coming to family dinner, as long as Ericka's cooking," Ace said playfully, digging into his meal with an easy grace that made it all feel effortless.
"Oh, that can be arranged," Aunt Kelly laughed, her eyes dancing as she looked between us.
As we shared a quick laugh, I felt a flicker of warmth in a moment that had once seemed ordinary, yet felt bravely different. For the first time in a while, I could breathe, if only for a second, in the midst of the chaos that was my life. Here in this salon, surrounded by love, friendship, and the aroma of comfort food, I realized one thing: despite the struggles, I was beginning a new chapter—a page I dared to turn with hope.
