A Love Like This (Book 1) (33 page)

“
No!
”
 
Nickie
 
says louder than she intends.
 
Mrs. Carter clutches her chest startled.
 
“
I
’
m sorry,
”
 
Nickie
 
says touching the woman
’
s shoulder.
 
 
“
I
’
m just getting out of a really bad relationship.
 
I don
’
t want anything to do with men for a long time.
”
 
 
This gets the attention of some of the other women in the shop.

“
Girl you
’
re
 
too young to be jaded already,
”
 
Tabitha says.
 
She
’
s sitting at a corner booth applying fake lashes that match her new auburn hair extensions.
 
 
“
What you need to do is find yourself one of them old rich men to take care of you.
”
 
 
Nickie
 
walks over to Keisha
’
s next client and escorts her to the shampoo bowl.

“
Don
’
t
nobody
 
want old wrinkly balls but you Tabitha,
”
 
Keisha says.

“
Hell I
’
ll take
 
em
’
 
old, young, blind, cripple and crazy as long as he
’
s paid and can lay pipe,
”
 
another woman says.
 
They all laugh and
 
Nickie
 
can
’
t help but smile.
 
Maybe all she needs is a little beauty shop therapy.

“
I
’
m done with men old and young,
”
 
Nickie
 
says.

“
Are you switching teams?
”
 
 
Tabitha asks.

“
You just haven
’
t met the right man yet,
”
 
one of the older beauticians says before
 
Nickie
 
can respond to Tabitha
’
s question.

“
Leila
’
s coming home next week.
 
We
’
ll all go out and find you a good man,
”
 
Keisha says.

“
Every man I
’
ve ever dated has treated me badly,
”
 
Nickie
 
says feeling her sadness being replaced by anger.

“
There are plenty of good men out there.
 
You just need to try
 
em
’
 
all out until you find the right fit,
”
 
Tabitha says.
 
 
“
Speaking of good men how is your father,
”
 
Tabitha says.

“
Our daddy is fine,
”
 
Keisha replies looking at her suspiciously.
 

“
Girl fine is the right word to describe that man.
 
If I wasn
’
t afraid your mamma would
 
shanke
 
me I
’
d be all over him.
”

“
Keep talking about my daddy and
 
I
’
ma
 
burn your ass with this curling iron,
”
 
Keisha says pointing the steaming iron at Tabitha.

“
What,
”
 
Tabitha says with a chuckle.
 
 
 
“
That
’
s a complement.
 
I
’
m just saying your father is a very handsome man.
”

“
Is your father one of the Peterson boys?
”
 
An older woman with bleached blond hair and a southern accent asks.
 

“
Yes Xavier,
”
 
Nickie
 
replies.

“
I can tell because you girls look just like him.
 
So how
’
s your older brother?
”

“
We have a younger sister no brothers,
”
 
Keisha says.

“
Really, because I
’
m positive that woman told me she had a boy.
”

“
Our mother
’
s name is Dana and she does not have a son,
”
 
Keisha says.

“
Her name wasn
’
t Dana,
”
 
The woman says scrunching her nose and snapping her finger.
 
The woman doesn
’
t notice that everyone in the shop has stopped what they
’
re doing to
 
listen to her.
 
“
Valerie,
”
 
The woman shouts excitedly.
 
 
“
Valery Callaway had a child by the oldest Peterson boy.
”
 
 
The woman realizes all eyes are on her
 
so she stops talking and looks down at her hands.

*****

Nickie
 
and Keisha lock up the shop after the last customer leaves.
 
 
They walk out to Keisha
’
s car.
 
 
“
Momma
asked us over for dinner.
 
Doug
’
s picking up the kids and meeting us there,
”
 
Keisha says.

“
What
’
s she making?
”

“
She
’
s making lasagna.
 
She made
 
a small
 
meatless lasagna for Trinity since she decided to become a vegetarian.
 
She said her tummy will not be a grave yard for dead animals.
”

“
That little girl reminds me so much of you,
”
 
Nickie
 
says laughing.
 
 
“
She
’
s so outspoken and she knows exactly what she wants.
”

“
Yeah she
’
s a mess.
 
I just wish she wouldn
’
t bully her sister so much.
”

“
You use to do the same thing to me,
”
 
Nickie
 
says.

“
I never bullied you,
”
 
Keisha replies.

“
Girl you made me do your homework your entire senior year of high school.
”

Keisha is quiet for a few seconds as they drive down the 710 freeway.
 
“
Heaven reminds me of you.
 
She
’
s so gentle.
 
I don
’
t know why I can
’
t get her to stand up for herself.
”

“
Not everyone
’
s a fighter,
”
 
Nickie
 
says.

“
Well everyone should be.
 
You don
’
t have to be aggressive but you have to know your worth.
 
If you don
’
t let people know what you will and will not stand for they will walk all over you.
”
 
 
Nickie
 
turns to face the window.
 
She
’
s feeling more anger than she ever has before.
 
 
“
I went online last night and ordered some college brochures,
”
 
Keisha says.
 
 
“
I know how much
 
you
 
love English.
 
You should go back to school.
”

“
Thank you,
”
 
Nickie
 
says still facing the window.

They pull up to the curb in front of their family home.
 
 
“
Are you alright,
”
 
Keisha asks
 
Nickie.
 

“
I
’
ve wasted so much of my life trying to please other people.
”

“
Girl stop
 
being so morbid, you
’
re only twenty-four you still have your whole life ahead of you.
”

_____

Okay, I have to admit that running away from Tucker
’
s family was not my finest moment.
 
 
When they all turned and looked at me and
 
I freaked.
 
 
What was I supposed to
 
say,
 
“
Sorry Tucker and I eloped but I promise I
’
m not a whore.
”
 
 
The way I saw it my only options were to run, faint or have a panic attack.
 
In the heat of the moment running was the only option that made since.
 
So here I am doing the 100 yard dash down the hall through the kitchen and out the back door.
 
I nearly fall twice on the wedged heels I
’
m wearing.
 
I
’
m not sure where I
’
m going because this house is on the side of a mountain and my car and driver are nowhere to be found.
 
When I reach the walkway I hear Tucker calling my name.
 
 
I look back and my foot gets stuck between two rocks.
 
I trip, land flat on my stomach and everything goes black because my dress flies over my
 
head.
 
I lie perfectly still hoping that this whole day has been a bad dream and that I
’
ll wake up in my bed wearing my footie pajamas.
 
I can hear footsteps approaching.
 
 
“
Her foots stuck,
”
 
Mr. Bradley says.

This is not a dream.
 
I
’
m on my stomach. My dress is over my head.
 
Tucker and his father are behind me and I
’
m wearing a thong.
 
Tucker dislodges my shoe from the rock and rolls me over.
 
I have leaves and rocks in my hair and I skinned my knee.
 
I close my eyes tight because I can
’
t bear to see their faces.
 
He picks me up and I press my face against his shirt and ask,
 
“
Did your father just see my ass?
”
 
 
 
Tucker kisses the
top
 
of my head and carries me into the house.
 
He puts me down in the kitchen and Joan comes running towards me.