Savage Sweethearts

Chapter Two

River

"All I'm saying is there's no way you can be as famous as you are, voted the most successful singer and sexiest woman of all time, sell over millions of records, make billions a year and tell me you'll stay married to a man who cheated on you. 'Weak moment'...pshh. That shit don't make NO sense to me," I argued wrapping up the last braid I had on my clients head.

My manager, Lady Deb, laughed while cleaning her station, "Girl bye, these men gone do whatever they want to do. Including their women! If they chose to stay, to each its own,"

"Ms. Deb...please don't start with that whole 'just go out and do your thing' as a way to say pave for a solution." I scoffed, rolling my eyes so far they hit the back of my head. I couldn't stand women who thought like that. It made my eyes burn.

Ms. Deb sat on the edge salon chair intended only for customers, crossed her legs, and placed her hand under her chin deep in thought. "So...what do you millennials these days do?"

"Ahh," I laughed. "For the last time I am not a millennial...I was born in 95!"

I had never particularly been in a good place, I wouldn't know about my first home and certainly not all the substitute ones. I was cursed with eternal bad luck, and was forced to play a game of rushing roulette, if that made sense.

There were never 'good' foster homes, the ones you could live with, the ones you wouldn't live if you stayed at, and the ones that decided they couldn't live with you.

I shook my head clear of my old bad thoughts when Ms. Deb continued our conversation.

She waved me off, "Chile, you get to be my age it's the same difference. Any man from your generation take a stroll with me got a lot to learn, and I ain't talkin' about life," Ms. Deb grinned.

My client, Star and I burst out laughing "I cannot with her," She clapped.

See, what people didn't know about Ms. Deb was she was more than just a hairdresser. That woman grew all who worked in her shop up. She gave us food, clothes, shelter, but most importantly knowledge. Knowledge is power. In order to make it out here, you better not take it for granted. I knew I had a lot to learn. Growing up in group and foster homes taught me a lot about life, but I still had ways to go.

My name is River Jones, I am 23 years old, from Houston, Texas. I moved here to Harlem, New York when I was 18. There's nothing in Texas, but good stake, horses, and a whole lot of racist hillbillies. It was nowhere for a beautiful Chocolate Queen to stay, at least for a better life. I never knew my parents, or even got a chance to know more about who they were. However, one day I had hope to meet them. I was never given a chance to make my print known to them until now. I wanted them to know that no matter what happened before was born I loved them. I'm here. I made it. I survived.

I had no special gifts or talents but doing hair and poetry. Sometimes I liked to envision my mother and I going head to head to see who could rap the best and my dad was the beat boxer.

Yeah...

Some dream...

"All done!" I grabbed a mirror and handed it to Star. Her eyes shot up in amazement.

"Oh my god! My faux locks look so beautiful! See, that's why I stick with you River. You always got me looking right," She smacked her lips and ran her hand through her hair.

"Yeah, yeah my clients still drive me crazy. Just pay me my 140 so I can be out," I joked, nudging her in the side. She laughed while handing me her payment. I gave her a hug and she waved us off on her way.

I let out a huge sigh adjusting my cap as I sat down in my seat. "I'm telling you Ms. Deb, these heffas are relentless out here. I'm thinking of going up on my prices," I grouched.

"Braiding is very time consuming, but you're very talented River," She said, eyeing me closely. We both looked out the window as the sun reflected another day's done.

The sunset echoed a bright yellow orange light throughout Miss Beauty Bar, staring at the small yet rather successful shop around me. There was hair products lining each wall, an old desk in need of replacing where sat the cash-register, and large white slick chairs for all the clients to get comfortable in as the girls and her did their hair. I watched as my melanin skin began to glisten.

"Thank you Ms. Deb,"

"What you are thinking about baby?"

I sighed. "Do you ever just wish that...you could go in your future ten years from now just to know if you truly made it or not? Don't get me wrong Ms. Deb, I'm so thankful for this opportunity you gave me to come and work, so I could take care of myself. I mean the only family I have is you and the girls."

"But, there's just so much more I want to do in life, you know? I know I was destined to do more than just work. I want to help, inspire...I wanna help young boys and girls find homes and shelter's where their safe. Teach them about their history, give them love and build a generation better than the one we see." I looked down "Better than mine,"

Ms. Deb laughed "Girl bye, what you mean better than yours? You're only 23 River, not 65. And even then you would still have a chance to make the world better."

"How do you figure?"

"You're alive aint'cha?" She paused, "Still got that spark, that passion...that anger in your eyes since the first day I saw you step in this shop. I know you're going to do great things River. Now, your one of the hardest workers I know, you come in here every day trying to take care of me and make sure I got money to keep this place running. At some point though River, you're going to have to be selfish and do for you. If you want that dream that is,"

I sighed, frustrated with the lack of a good option, "You know I can't leave you, Ms. Deb. I just need something to happen. I want to pay off this place for you, so you wouldn't have to worry about stupid patrol coming to bother you about late fee's or getting threats to shut it down,"

She waved at me, but I cut her off before she could argue.

"I mean it's true. Think about it Ms. Deb if we paid off this salon, the girls, you and me. We would never have to worry about struggling. Miss's beauty bar would be known across New York. More workers, more pay, less work. I mean you wouldn't have to watch over us all the time-"

"So, that's what this is about? You act as if that was ever a burden for me-"

"You know what I mean," I interrupted. "I just want to do something special for you like you do for us. That's all."

"And you will...You and my girls have never been a burden on me. I've always told you guys if you ever needed anything I'm right here. Stay whenever you need. I know it gets hard seeing what I have to go through just to keep everything together but I'm alright, I chose this life. I chose this life, and I chose to help you. "

For what felt like the millionth time, I sighed. "I hear you,"

Ms. Deb grabbed my hand "Whew girl, you've got a head on you. I wonder who you get that from?"

Before I could answer a loud crash came from outside. Seconds later followed by paramedic sirens. Ms. Deb shook her head. "Now I don't care how long I've lived here. You never get use to violence or someone getting hurt."

"Would you check up on that sound? I don't think these bones have it in them."

Something didn't feel right. I turn my head to the side, standing up slowly, eyes unfocused.

"Yea, I'll be right back."