Live Like Us

4. So Real

"Kick it with the king, be the queen it ain't no cost." – T.I.

"For real Yani, classes start next week." Shay repeated herself as she moved the broom side to side, sweeping up the area near the dryers. Every month, Shay closed the shop for a weekend to do extreme cleaning. Some would consider her a neat freak, but she just considered it good business etiquette.

"I heard you Shay." Yani said in a low voice laced with annoyance. "Why do I have to go anyway? I already know how to do hair." Yani defended herself causing Shay to stop her current task.

"No one works without a license." She responded pointing to the wall along the front of the shop. All of their licenses were framed in gold and lined up one next to the other. "So stop whining and get over it." Shay demanded. Bria laughed but tried to suppress it upon seeing Yani's facial expression.

Shay shook her head before she continued to sweep as she wondered how she was going to fix things between her girls. Since shay was the mother of the bunch, she felt obligated to. She wasn't nosy though, so the problem was finding out a way to get Cash and Yani back on speaking terms without them noticing. She would have a talk with Chris about it later on in the day.

For a while, the only thing that could be heard was the current mix CD that played through the wall speakers that were strategically placed throughout the salon. They had only been cleaning for a couple of hours but the show wasn't that bad, so they were almost done.

Shay temporarily retired to her swivel salon chair to take a drink of her Arizona Green Tea. As she was looking around her establishment, her gaze fell upon Breezey, who was moving slower than usual on this particular day. She paid close attention to her for a second and began to wonder what was bothering her.

Shay placed the glass bottle back on her station before sliding out of the chair.

"B, could you come and help me clean the back room please?" She asked while walking towards the closed door that read 'For Employees Only'. Shay turned the doorknob and walked in, leaving the door agape for Breezey. She smacked her lips once she saw that the television was on. Every one knew that they were suppose to turn it off before leaving the room but she decided to leave that situation alone for the time being.

Breezey came waltzing into the back room with a roll of paper towels and a spray bottle in her hand.

"I'll get the TV." She replied but Shay shook her head.

"Let me talk to you first." Shay said before sitting down on the leather couch. Her response caused Breezey to raise an eyebrow but she sat down as well.

"What's up?" Breezey asked wondering what was on Shay's mind.

"Are you okay?" She asked with a concerned tone that immediately caused Breezey to smack her lips.

"Shay, I know everyone's concerned but it has been months, I'm fine." Breezey said. She was very irritated by the fact that everyone was treating her as if she was disabled or something. "I mean, I'm over it. It's in the past."

Her last statement caused Shay to glance at her for a second before looking down.

"I never told you all this but, I was pregnant once." Shay admitted causing Breezey's breath to get choked up in her throat.

"Are you serious?" She asked and Shay confirmed her confession with a slight nod of her head.

"A few months before I graduated." Shay responded while picking at the ring that laced her right middle finger.

"You had a miscarriage too?" Breezey asked. Shay slowly shook her head no as a lone tear slid down her cheek. "Shay you didn't?"

"I was selfish, young and stupid. When that doctor told me that I was a month and a half pregnant I freaked. I had the abortion about a week after that." Shay confessed as Breezey's right hand abandoned the bottle of Windex and flew to her mouth. "As soon as they did it, I felt empty as hell. I had lost a part of me with that baby and I can never get that back."