Page 22 of His Lucky Blessing

“Aye, you got somebody up here to see you,” Perc said. “I told em’ you just got here and to come back. You want me to handle it?”

“Nah, I’m coming.” I looked at the message and got up to see who it was.

“I just messaged you because I wasn’t sure if you were here,” a bright skinned woman said as soon as I appeared.

“And you are?”

“I’m Tela and this is my son Wale.”

“Oh, you’re coming to get his haircut? I don’t have any spots today but I believe I can get him in tomorrow,” I looked at my appointment book on my phone.

“No, I was coming to talk to you about helping me with my son.”

This wasn’t out of the normal either. I helped plenty of single mothers but this bitch had a nice pair of shoes on and so did the kid. I wasn’t about to go for the sad single mother story today. I had a lot of personal shit going on.

“Can you explain what you mean.” Perc was all ears and so was my cousin sitting in the corner.

“Can we talk in private. It’s kind of embarrassing.”

“You good?” My cousin asked. I gave him a nod before escorting the woman to my office with her son.

“What’s the problem?” I asked, sitting behind my desk.

“Since Khi been dead I been taking care of our son on my own and it’s getting harder to take care of him. Someone told me that you loved him and you’ll help.”

“Wait a damn minute. You coming to me like I’m the side bitch. I was Khi’s woman and I was the one who buried him. Where were you? How old is he?”

“He’s seven.”

My heart started racing and my breathing changed. I had to hold it together so she wouldn’t think I was some weak ass bitch.

“Khi lived with me for a long time. When he would leave, he said he was out working but he was always there with us during the day. He took him to school and everything. I didn’t find out about you and your son until after he died. He always made it seem like it was just me,” Tela explained.

“I can’t help you and I would leave if I was you.”

“I know that Khi left you some money. I did some research on you and I know you have money. If Khi were alive, he would make sure of it our son was straight. You got everything and my son deserves some of it.”

“I hate to inform you; I make my own fucking money. Khi ain’t leave me shit ‘cause he didn’t have a muthafuckin’ thing. I found that out when I tried to bury him. I guess all of them days he spent with y’all he was supposed to be out making money but he was playing a husband role with no fucking plan. I hate to be this mean but you gotta look somewhere else. Perhaps get a job to keep up with whatever fantasy he gave you.”

She sat there for a moment before grabbing her son’s hand and walking out. Today was turning out worse than I thought. If I didn’t get away from the city soon, I was going to explode. How dare this bitch come sit in my face and tell me what she thinks she deserves. Shit, I deserved all my fucking time I put into our relationship back. Ain’t no telling how many kids his ass got.

“Who was that?” Perc asked.

“Nobody important. What your books looking like today? I may need some of your help so I can go home.”

“I got you. You don’t look good.”

“I’m tired as fuck. Fucking ‘round with my sister last night.”

“Yeah, she called me fo’ day this morning but I didn’t answer. She aight?”

“That ain’t my business to tell. Just call her back and she’ll tell you.”

I could tell that Perc cared about my sister. If you asked me, I thought he was perfect for her, but I just didn’t want them being involved and working for me. The tension was thick when they weren’t speaking and that’s what I was trying to avoid. I got my ass up to walk into the barbershop so I could get my day started. I was working off a wing and a prayer because my energy was gone. Lucky sent a text for me to meet him down the road for lunch. I confirmed and started on my first head.

Right before lunch, I cleaned up my section and sanitized my combs and shit when Lexus walked in with her and Perc’s daughter. She was the prettiest little girl I had ever laid eyes on but her mama was bat shit crazy. Perc didn’t have anyone in the chair because usually at lunchtime I wanted all the workers to rest and grab something to eat. Our days of working through lunch was over. I never got in their business so I kept cleaning up. She sat their daughter down in the waiting area and walked up to Perc’s station.

“Lexus don’t come in this woman shop on no bullshit. Damn sho’ not ‘round my baby.”

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