The Marrying of ZIM

22. Keeping up appearances.

I sat in our makeshift salon while holding my MacBook up so that Kwashie could watch the YouTube video. Was I really going to allow her to lay my lace front wig just for her own personal gratification? Yes.. and that's why I'm sitting right here in this current moment crossing my fingers tightly hoping that it comes out great and I don't have to wear a cap on the road this evening to the business dinner with Richard's associates.

"Kwashie, it has to dry first." I said.

"I can't see it, does that mean it has dried?" She asked cluelessly.

"Does it feel sticky?" I asked.

"Yes..." I felt her fingers tapping my hairline as if she was drumming a desk.

"Pull the wig on.." I instructed.

I helped her to pull the dark brown wig over my head and secure it on my hairline.

"Why do you have to wear a wig, again?" She asked.

"Richard said that I needed to look extra feminine tonight because we have some people to convince. So it was either dress and short hair or long hair and suit. I chose my options wisely," I convinced myself.

She didn't respond, she just held the blow dryer on my forehead moving it just like I showed her to. Won't lie, she learns pretty quickly.

"You boy..." I called to her.

"Yes, you girl.." she rolled her eyes at me.

I started saying it to annoy her ever since she started her T shots and she thought calling me a girl would annoy me equally, it didn't. I've accepted the role that I played in this relationship for awhile now and I didn't mind it at all. We decided to do my hair first since I wanted the whole evening to set the lace and lay my edges.

"Did you bring down the products for your hair?" I asked. She also decided to ditch the salon and made me learn how to palm roll.

She pointed to the medium sized basket with her products which consisted of shampoo and conditioner and, her locking gel. While my basket had way much more. Since we both had natural hair now, we shared the oil mixture her mom made.

She sprayed the mouse in her hands and ran it through the front of the wig then tied it down with the black strips. I took the edge brush that I had with edge control and laid my edges.

"SWOOP." I shouted out when I made the first swipe.

"Look at the lil boy, SWOOP." I continued jeering her while I danced and laid my edges.

"Have you decided what you're wearing tonight?" She asked me.

"Yeah, I pulled out one of my black Armani suits earlier. You?" I was focused on staring at myself in the mirror waiting on an answer that never came.

"You don't know what to wear, do you..." I trailed off and she shook her head.

"Let me do your hair and then we can figure it out." I laughed.

I washed and conditioned her hair paying attention to the lock extensions too to make sure that they got a proper wash. I started re-twisting from the back up realizing that this was probably way more easier than laying a wig or a perm. I put the twisted locks together in a plait for her protective style and continued my way up. I introduced her to Snapchat last year and she ended up with way more followers that I had but most of them were African based.

In the beginning I was hesitant to post her because everyone knew that I was gay and I was afraid of the repercussions I'd get when they saw her. I sucked it up and decided that I didn't care, it took awhile to get used to the terrible comments but I was happy with Kwashie and ignorance was bliss so what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them.