Black is the Color of Beauty

Chapter 13

NiNi's  POV

March 3, 2019

Pish Posh Nail Salon

7:00 p.m.

Columbus, Ohio 

       "Surprise," Lia and Mia say in unison as one of them take of my blindfolds. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust from being outside to inside of a cool building. " What is this?," I turn around to look at the identical set of female twins. I met Lia and Mia in elementary school. I saw them getting bullied on the playground big the school most notorious popular girls group because of their appearances. I didn't hesitate to step in and tell the girls off. I even pushed one of the bullies to the ground. Ever since then we've been like peanut butter and jelly. One of the twins begin pulling at the ends of her medium brown curly hair before speaking. "Well... ummm... your birthday was last week... so yeah," struggle to complete her sentence and left it hanging. She looks over at her twin for help. Yup, this twin is definitely Mia. Mia is the shy one of the two and struggles with communicating when the spotlight is put on her. " What Mia is trying to say is that this was set up for your birthday," Lia moves her right hand horizontally as if presenting the empty salon on a game show. " Okay....," I am so confuse about all of this. Lia seeing that I have not made the connection yet at all. "Girl, this nail salon space was rented out for the next two hours for your birthday. We are the only ones in here," Lia say in an excited tone. I look over in Mia's direction to see her smiling weakly at me.

    Before I can fully process what is going on, I am seated in a massage chair and my feet is soaking in a foot tub. Mia is sitting to the right of me, while Lia is sitting to the left of me in their own massage chairs. " Hello," a middle aged Vietnamese man appears in front of us. " Hello," I smile at him. " Would you like some champagne?," he ask. Champagne? Since, when tf do nail salons give out.... you know what NiNi don't even question it at all just go with the flow. " Yes, can we have three glasses and two bottles of champagne. I'm certain one bottle not going to last between the two of us," Lia state bluntly. I feel my face turning red with embarrassment at my friend's greedy ass ways. The man bows his head and walks to the back of the salon. "So, I appreciate the kind gesture. But, couldn't we picked a place in Cleveland instead of driving two hours to Columbus?" Shit, because once we are done its probably going to be like 9 p.m. which means we are going to have to drive back home in the middle of the night. Ugh. "You don't remember this place, do you? I guess... it makes sense since its been renovated last year," Mia comment quietly. What the hell is she talking about? I would notice a place that I visited before. Maybe my mama was right, the twins might be a little off if you catch my drift.

   " Hello, did someone order champagne and a fruit platter?," a sing song voice ask. Could that be, no it couldn't be..... "Hey, baby how have you been?" the short, curvy Asian woman ask me. "Kim? Omg, its really you." I feel like my eyes are being pricked by a thousand needles. Kim squeeze in between Mia and my chairs to give me a hug. As quickly as the hug begins, it ends. That's Kim for you, she's never been really big on being affectionate or emotional at all. Long story short, Kim was my nail tech my freshman, sophmore and junior year of college. The summer before my senior year, she was diagnosed was breast cancer and never came back to the nail salon again. After I graduate, I move back to Cleveland and never visited the salon again. "Is it gone?," I look down at Kim with watery eyes. She is now scrubbing my feet. She takes a deep inhale before responding. " It's been in remission now for two years, some days are better than others but I am glad to still I'm glad to be there. How have you been?," her deflecting the conversation back to me was all the signal I need to know that her cancer was a sensitive topic. Over the next 90 minutes, Kim and I caught up on each other lives and whatnot... and honestly it felt like no time has went by. Kim had two guys come out to give the twins a pedicure and manicure. At the end of it, I had my toes and nails painted a beautiful nude color per Kim's suggestion. My nails were coffin shaped with a beautiful black flower design on the pointer fingers. I can honestly say this is the best birthday ever and definitely worth the trip down to Columbus.