First Love

2018 (9 years later) Chpt. 16

"Yes honey I needed this...A bitch been walkin round with my shit lookin like Fred Flintstone", Junior said as the Asian lady scrubbed and washed his feet.

Me, Junior and Vicki were at this upscale nail salon/spa getting pedicures while sitting in the massage chairs and sipping on wine.

"You aint lyin about that." Vicki laughed.

Junior gave her a mean mug. "Bitch I know you aint talkin with them crackhead feet you got goin on over there"

I laughed at both of them, they were something else.

"That's from me walking around doing heads all day. I'm so proud of my shop, business booming as usual. I'm thinking bout changing the decor though"

"Ooooohhh, let a bitch know cause I wana help. I'm thinking lavender and green for the theme colors!", Junior said excitedly.

"Yea no, I think not." She rolled her eyes in disgust over that crazy suggestion. She turned to look at me. "So Ms. Lyssa, how's school goin?"

"Stressful as always."

Law school was knocking my ass out and I barely had a life outside of studying and completing complicated assignments.

"Girl what did you expect?" Junior chimed in.

"Be still. Feet no stay still. Try to finish dinosaur foot!", the Asian lady popped Junior on the ankle and continued to complain in her native tongue.

Junior looked at us, down at the Asian lady and then backed at us. "I know good and damnwell Chun Li aint just pop me."

"And said your ass got some dinosaur feet", Vicki reminded him.

"She better be glad she do some good feet", he muttered.

Vicki's phone chirped, signaling that she recieved a text message. She opened her crimson leather Kate Spade purse and pulled out her phone. She looked at her messages, rolled her eyes and threw her phone back in her purse.

"Him again?" I asked, irritated.

Vicki sighed. "Yea."

Vicki's been out for only an hour and Jeremy, her husband of 4 years and the father of her 2 year old son, continues to text her to make sure she's at where she said she was going to be. Me, along with the rest of our family, hated Jeremy's entire existence. He constantly cheated on Vicki, lied to her, disrespected her and had even put his hands on her on several occasions.

"Vicki why do you put up with that mess?" I asked for what had to be like the 1000th time.

"I keep telling her to say the word. Erick will gladly shoot that nigga", Junior added, knowing damnwell Erick wasn't gonna bust a grape.

"Not now", Vicki said in a stern voice, not wanting to talk about it as usual.

Junior rolled his eyes---frustrated with it all. He took a sip of his glass of wine. "I'm just hoping yall bitches don't flake out on me Friday night. Lyssa don't give me that 'I gotta study' bullshit and Vick I don't want to hear excuses from you either. We're going to Club Mecca's grand opening, this shit is the talk of the town and spose to be the hottest shit in Atl right now"

I rolled my eyes. "Ugh Junior, I honestly do got too much work though. I really don't think I should go."

It's like he doesn't understand that if I don't complete these assignments they're just going to pile up and I also had an exam coming up the following monday.

"Lyssa what I said? I don't give a fuck, you're going", Junior said.

I groaned. It's not that I didn't want to go because Lord knows I did, it's just that I had so much work and studying to do. Law school was no joke at all.

"Fine, I'll go."

I needed a break from school anyways. Besides, I hadn't been out clubbin in awhile and I kind of miss it. Law school really took up most of my time.

"Vick?" Junior asked, raising his eyebrow with his arms across his chest.

Vicki sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Junior I said I'll try...it's Jeremy, you know how he is."

"Vick. Stop. You're a grown ass woman. I'm tired of him controlling your every move, it makes no sense. You're gonna get out and have fun", he demanded.

"Yea Vick. It's been awhile since we all hung out together. We use to go clubbin every weekend but now its like we barely do anything fun together anymore", I told her.

"Fine...okay...I'll find a way out of the house."

She'll find a way out of the house.

I wanted to tell her how ridiculous it was that she couldn't leave her own damn home without this man's permission but I kept my mouth closed.

"But anyways, how's my niece doin?" Vicki's eyes lit up. "You know she facetimed me on her own the other day?"

"Yea, how's my little flower?" I asked.

I hadn't seen little Giselle in over a week and I missed her cute self terribly. Junior and his partner, Erick, adopted her when she was 5 months old, she's now a bubbly 3 year old.

Junior sat back in his seat. "Chile a hand full!" He laughed. "She's a ball of energy! Her little ass keep me and Erick on our toes."

I smiled as Junior and Vick gloated over Gissie's cuteness.

Hanging with my cousins always made my day 10 times better.