Black is the Color of Beauty

Chapter 6

NiNi's POV

December 24,2019

JMart (Asian Store)

Cleveland, Ohio

          Maybe if I reach a bit higher.... I could grab get the it. It is currently Christmas Eve and I am stuck at an Asian market buying some last minute things for my family including some white flower oil. White flower oil is an ancient Asian medicinal remedy used to cure temporary aches and pains. Its ingredients include evergreen, camphor and lavender. My fave thing about it is that its holistic. I am now standing on my tippy toes flailing my right arm around, hoping to knock a box of it down. After about a minute, my calves start to burn and my arm is aching.... but still no white flower oil. Fuck!!!!! I swear everything that can go wrong will go wrong.

"I can grab if for you. If you don't mind." A deep voice rumbles from behind me. I turn around to see a Goliath sized giant with bushy thick eyebrows and a pair of kind deep chocolate brown eyes. "Would you please? My grandmother has bad arthritis in her left wrist and this is the only thing that works for her." I say to the stranger. He nods his head and with ease grab a box of white flower oil from the top shelf as if its the most natural thing in the world. "Here you go." The stranger place it inside of my shopping. Then, I remember.... " I'm sorry to bother you but could you grab another one, I forgot that my other grandmother likes to use it to." I stare down at the ground as I say this because I feel slightly embarrassed asking a man for help. Like, I don't ask for help with shit especially not from a man. But, I know Day's grandmother would fucking kill me if I was at JMart and didn't buy her a bottle of it. Her grandmother is 4' 9" of pure Japanese spitfire that is not meant to be fucked with. " Sure." the stranger replies before gently smiling at me. After he passes me the second bottle of it, I make my way to the cash register at the front.

  " Your total is $45.71. Would you like to pay cash of credit?" the teenage girl in  ask me. " Credit is fine." I pull out my credit card waiting for her sign to tell me to swipe it. Then out of nowhere there is a huge commotion, an older man comes up to my cash register and fussing at the teenager. All I can pick up on is "Méiyǒu" which mean "no" in Mandarin. Shit, I need to get back to studying it because I'm rusty af.  After a minute of the fussing, the older man flicks his wrist and dismiss the young girl from the cash register. " I am so sorry. She is new here, please do not hold it against us. Your purchased is already covered Mrs. Please have good day and come back anytime if you need anything." the older gentleman tells me in a flustered manner. "Are you certain?", I ask. He nods his head. Shittttt, I ain't about to argue about no free food and shit. I politely thank him and quickly make my way to the parking lot.

 The parking lot is dimly lit. Shit, what the fuck time is it. I glance down at my watch to see its only 5:45 p.m. Ugh, this is the only thing I hate about the winter time it gets darker earlier. I squint and look down at the ground to trying to find my parking spot number R3. I get to R3, but my car isn't there but rather a big ass pickup truck..... wtf, but before I can go off my eyes wander to two parking spots down at R5 and see that my car was parked there. Is it possible that my car was parked there the entire time? I stop in my tracks to process this thought. Its unlike me to forget things, but sometimes I do forget the simplest of things. Suddenly, a cold gust a wind comes and smacks me in the face. Fuck it, its way to cold to think about it right now. I get inside of my car and turn it on. Now, I need to get some gas! I start to make my way to the nearest gas station. I get paid in two days, so I only need about $12 in gas that would give me about a quarter of a tank that should last me. My hand automatically goes to the radio, I HATE driving in silence. " Hey, welcome back to 82.3 radio station or as we like to say it the greatest radio station on Earth. Before we play " All I want for Christmas" by the legendary Mariah... we have to report some grave news. One of our coworker's cousin has gone missing. His name is Tyrell Johnson....." My car swerves at hearing this news. Tyrell? He just messaged me two days ago. Unable to intentionally process what is going on, my body goes into survival mode aka autopilot. I arrive at the gas station roughly five minutes. Before, I cut off my car I check my gas needle. Immediately, I am surprised to see that it is a third of a tank. But, how? My mind is so tired of over thinking shit.... it concluded for itself that its a Christmas miracle. 

    Well, that leaves me with an extra couple dollars in my pocket. I can buy a Black& Mild and get a few snacks. I walk into the gas station and make a beeline toward where the Little Debbie honeybuns are at. Damn, I haven't had one of these in fucking years but why the hell not. Then, my body freezes and I feel a sharp pain in my stomach. " Something is about to happen." the small voice in my head tells me. I quickly pull out my phone and drop my location via text to my cousin Kia and Day. As soon as I press send I hear, "Put all the money in the fucking bag". Shit, not another robbery. I slowly begin to turn my head over my shoulder, but stopped by the feeling a cold metal being pressed into my back. "If you turn around I will shoot you." the figure standing behind me comments. I drop to the ground and put my hands behind my head. This went from a Christmas Miracle to a Nightmare before Christmas real quick. But, what can I say this is just another day in Cleveland .