I laughed so hard my sides hurt. “Yeah, she almost turned purple with anger when I told Keylisa I’m tired of twists. Not all of her styles are boring, just the same four she keeps doing on me. I see some of her other clients, they walk out of here looking fierce.”
“She still sees you as a little girl, otherwise she’ll cry every time she sees you because you look so much like your Mom. Keeping you a little girl hurts less. Safer for her heart that way.” Brielle opened her arms. “Maybe you both should be back in therapy.”
No one else saw me cry. Not one other person on Earth did I trust the way I trusted Ms. Brielle. On the days when I thought my heart might melt or explode, she’d see me. Notice something about the way I played, or walked, or talked. I don’t know. But for the first few years after Mom died, every time I felt like I might want to disappear and go be with my Mom, she’d find me and hold me until I felt better. “I know life for me and Keylisa is good, all things considered. I love Aunt Tanya and Uncle Corey. I do. They just don’t get it. Ya know.”
“Yeah, I do.” Brielle squeezed me and let me cry all over her shoulder. Good thing hair stylists wear black and keep a couple of back up shirts around.
The tears slowed. I sighed. “Thank you, Ms. Brielle. Guess, I need to go wash these towels.”
“This is why God invented godmothers and yes, you do. I have three new clients today.” Brielle gave me one more squeeze before letting me go. “I’ll let you Aunt know I’m here for it. This may not have started well, but I’m glad it happened. We haven’t had anything juicy in the natural hair community for a while.”
I shook my head and laughed. “A quiet life is a happy life.”
“Sounds boring to me. Friction, action, and drama are part of growth… Sometimes it’s fun.” Brielle tossed me two more towels from Aunt Tanya’s bin. “Come back after 5 so we can get this senior sexy swag party started.”
The top of my ears burned with embarrassment. “Don’t let Aunt Tanya hear you put me and sexy in the same sentence.”
“Girl, I love Tanya, but I’m not scared of her or anything. You’re about to be a woman, sexy is inevitable. Remember, this is why God created godmothers.” Brielle winked before turning the music up and resuming her pre opening routine. “I can’t wait to do this cute style I found the other day. It’ll show off your length and stay cute after practice.”
2
I fluffed the bone straight bangs. The beat from my favorite K-Pop band pulsed in my ears. I grabbed a brush from the dresser next to the full-length mirror in my closet. The feel of the blunt cut swished across the top of my shoulders.
Took me less than five minutes to adjust and secure the wig Breyonna’s mom lent me. She said wigs gave you every hairstyle you can imagine without the burned scalp or regrets. I twirled around and around as the music switched from BTS to my hip hop playlist.
Uncle Corey introduced me to the ol’ skool rappers. So in between J‘Cole and Kendrick Lamar were a few cuts from Digable Planets and Lauryn Hill. She could sing and rap. The music didn’t match the look, so I took the blunt cut bob wig off. Ms. Ebonee gave me a layered wig the same color as my hair and almost the same length when straightened.
Once I secured the wig, my concert began. I posed in the mirror as my favorite Lauryn Hill song played. After my “Doo Wop” set finished, I turned around. I paused before my dramatic slow turn back around to the crowd in my mirror. Just as I prepared to turn, I heard my Aunt’s shrill voice.
“You have lost your mind, Little Girl!” Aunt Tanya froze in the doorway for a moment.
I lost my mind? Who just barged into someone’s room uninvited? She made wanting to go away to college so easy.
“How did you even afford a keratin straightening?” Aunt Tanya shook her head. “Because you aren’t bold enough to get a relaxer. Sneaky behind. Going off after saying you’d wait. Lying to people-”
My eyes filled with tears of rage and frustration. I snatched the earbuds from my ears. Seconds later, I peeled the wig off and flung it at her feet.
“JeShaun,” Aunt Tanya picked the wig up and examined it. “This looks just like your hair color.”
I crossed my arms. “Good to know what you think of me. Better a sneaky liar who hasn’t lied or snuck around than a bossy, fake, manipulative, wanna be.”
“I knocked three times, young lady. You didn’t answer the door. I told you after I knock on a door in a house where I pay the bills, the door will open.” Aunt Tanya placed the wig on my computer desk.
I rolled my eyes and sucked my teeth. “Well, not like I have a choice. I appreciate you and Uncle Corey being here for me and Keylisa, so we didn’t end up in foster care. I’m glad you kept your word to your sister. I get good grades. I don’t chase boys. I’m making a way to pay for college on my own. You weren’t given some problem to tend to… You always remind us of what you’re doing. Who forgets losing a parent?”
“What? Wait a minute, JeShaun--”
I put my phone down on the dresser next to the other wig. “No, you wait a minute. I’m sick of you treating me like this. Like I’m some little child… Little girl,” I made air quotes around “little girl” and mimicked her voice.
Aunt Tanya shook her head. She opened her mouth.
“Do you want a plaque? An award telling everyone in the world how you’re such a great person? Taking in these two
