One night in Manhattan

Ashes to Ashes

Zac sat in the barber chair getting his weekly line-up. He wasn't normally there on Tuesday but since he had things to do after work yesterday he texted his barber to make space for him. "Bro, I heard you got a pitbull on your hands." His barber said wrapping the cape around Zac's neck. "what you mean?"

"I heard about ya girl getting crazy with ya ole girl in the middle of the meat aisle." The barber joked.

"man watch ya mouth. And it was the fruit aisle."

His barber put his hands up in surrender. "no disrespect. I'm just saying I heard shawty don't mess around. That's all."

"nah. she don't." Zac said allowing a smile to creep up his lips. He couldn't help but smile thinking of Fatima. Even when she was being crazy.

"Damn nigga! I could use a lawn mower to shave ya nose as wide as she got your nostrils." His Barber said watching him smile at the mere thought of his girl. "I guess that means y'all going good. that's good. We all need someone that's gonna have us smiling like ya ass."

"man shut up."

"And imma say this too, when you was with that other chick you ain't never come up in here smiling and skipping and shit. So, I'm happy for you brother."

"Man, thanks. now can you start my cut please! I ain't got time to be in here all night."

"iight nigga my bad."

The knicks game was playing over the television screens lining the walls of the shop. Jamar walks in and notices Zac. "wassup bro." they exchanged handshakes.

"Yo J, you got one ahead of you." the barber calls out letting Jamar know the wait was gonna be about 45 minutes but most likely an hour. Jamar took a seat and scrolled through his phone quietly for a while before closing it. If you simply looked at him beside Jordan, you wouldn't think they were in a relationship. However, if you were to close your eyes and listen to Jamar speak, you would think when you opened them, Billy porter would be standing before you in a beautiful ensemble and full glam. It used to mind fuck the hell out of Zac but after awhile he got so used to it that he no longer noticed it. "You not having a party this year for your birthday?" Jordan asked making conversation. He already knew about the surprise birthday party Fatima was planning for him. He got the invitation a month ago and has already RSVPed.

"Nah, I been chilling lately. I just wanna keep it small this year. Do something with my lady and daughter." Zac answered honestly. When he and Fatima discussed his birthday, he admitted to wanting to go a new restaurant for lunch and maybe the movies with her and Seven. Normally he'd be having a party or a group event of some kind but this year would be different.

"How you chillin' and you and Jay at a party every weekend?"

Zac looked confused for a moment. He hadn't been to a party with Jordan since the beginning of the summer. They'd hit a few bars over the summer but they had not been partying together for a while. "yea, but I mean like hosting my own stuff." He said covering for his friend. He may not know what was going on with him but that was still his brother and he was not gonna rat him out to his boyfriend. Zac made a mental note to call Jordan. He needed to call him to get his mother's number and now he needed to really talk to Jordan, especially if he was roping his name into whatever he was lying to Jamar about.