Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Fumi
The salon was packed. The blow-dryers were humming—R&B music played softly in the background. The clients were chatting and laughing about the latest celebrity gossip. Nicole was finishing a silk press while I wrapped up a color correction.
Keena walked out of her office. “Fumi...” I looked up to see what she wanted. “Somebody outside is asking for you.”
I looked toward the front windows. A Barbie Pink Mercedes-Benz sat parked directly in front of the salon. It was brand new, with a red bow tied around the hood. My heart skipped a beat. For a second, I couldn’t breathe. No... It couldn’t be. I set my comb down.
“I’ll be right back.”
The moment I stepped outside, he was there. Hood. Standing beside the Benz, both hands in his pockets. He looked over at me and nodded. It’s been a few weeks since I last saw him.
“What’s up?”
I looked from Hood... to the car.
“What is this?”
“It’s Yours.”
I frowned. “Hood... I told you I’d take care of it. You ain’t have to.”
“I know.”
“But I wanted to, since it’s my fault some shit happened to your Benz.” He reached through the driver’s window and grabbed two envelopes, handing them to me.
“What’s this?”
“The title.”
I opened the first envelope. My name was printed in black and white. I looked back up at him.
“Hood...”
“The other one too.”
I opened the second envelope. It was the Audi. I looked at him, confused.
“What about the Audi?”
“It’s yours.”
I closed my eyes briefly.
“What?”
“You wanted that car... Remember, I got that shit for you, but I never had the chance to give it to you. It’s been sitting for years.”
“The title behind the Benz.”
I looked down at the paperwork again. Everything... was in my name.
“Hood... I can’t...”
“You can. And you will.”
He smiled. “I already signed everything.”
I stood there speechless. For once... I had nothing slick to say.
“Thank you.”
“You good.”
He gave me one last look before turning toward his Chevy.
“Hood...” He stopped. Didn’t turn around.
“Yeah?”
“You ain’t gone stay?”
“Nah. I just came to drop off your Benz. My work here done.”
He started walking again. No flirting. No asking for a date. No trying to steal five minutes. Just walking away. Inside the salon, every stylist had abandoned their station. They were pressed against the windows, watching the entire exchange.
The moment I walked back inside... The shop exploded.
“Bitch!” Nicole screamed.
“WHAT?!” Aimee covered her mouth.
“He bought you a whole Benz! And let you keep the Audi?” Another stylist shook her head. “Where do they make niggas like that?”
Keena folded her arms, smiling. “I ain’t saying to get back with him... but I am saying... that nigga ain’t playing.”
Everybody started talking over one another. I wasn’t listening. I looked back through the window. Hood was gone. He hadn’t called or texted in two weeks. He never tried to make me feel like I owed him. He dropped everything off... said what he came to say... and left.
Funny... A couple of weeks ago, I wanted Hood to leave me alone. Now... watching him drive away without looking back... didn’t feel as good as I thought it would.
The salon finally settled down. Kind of. Everybody eventually went back to their stations, but every few minutes, somebody glanced out the window at my new Benz and shook their damn head.
“Bitch...” Nicole walked past me. “I still can’t believe that nigga.”
“I know.”
“He really bought you a whole BENZ and let you keep the Audi.”
I laughed. “I know.”
“You are smiling.”
“I am not.”
“Girl, yes, the fuck you are.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m smiling because y’all are getting on my nerves.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Nicole walked off laughing.
I looked back out the window. I saw a Benz and an Audi parked out front of the shop, taking up space. Damn... This nigga really did all this... and didn’t ask me for shit. Hood, didn’t ask for a hug or a kiss. Not even five minutes of my time. That bothered me more than it should’ve.
I grabbed the keys to both cars and sighed.
“Damn.”
The excitement wore off almost instantly. I had two cars and one driver. I looked down at my phone and stared at Hood’s name for a long second. He still hadn’t called or texted since he popped up at my house a few weeks ago.
Funny... Now I was the one debating whether to reach out. I sucked in my teeth. “This don’t mean shit.”
I pressed his name anyway. He answered on the first ring. “Yeah?” His voice was calm, like he’d been expecting my call.
“Uh...” I suddenly forgot why I’d called.
He laughed softly. “What’s up, Fumi?”
“I got a problem.”
“You straight?”
“I’m good. I just...” I looked out the window. “I have two cars.”
“I noticed.”
“I ain’t got but one driver.”
“I figured.”
Silence.
“You busy?”
“Nah. What you need?”
“Can you...” I hated asking. “...drive one of ‘em to my apartment?”
“I got you.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there in twenty.”
Before I could thank him, he hung up.
Twenty minutes later, Hood’s red Chevy Chevelle pulled into the parking lot. Right behind it came a candy-painted Hellcat. Hood climbed out of the Chevelle. Guap stepped out of the Hellcat.
Hood had changed clothes. Gone was the simple outfit he’d worn earlier. Now he looked like... Hood. Black Amiri tee, distressed Amiri denim jeans. He wore a pair of Amiri shoes. A gold AP resting on his wrist, catching the afternoon sun. A few Cubans resting on his chest. Dope-boy fresh.
Effortless.
Guap looked around the parking lot. “Damn... So, this is the famous salon.”
Hood laughed. “Behave.”
“Shit, I am.”
I walked outside with both sets of keys. “Hey.”
“What’s up?”
I held up the keys.
“Appreciate y’all.”
“Ain’t no problem.”
Hood reached for the Audi keys. “I’ll drive this one.”
“I’ll follow.”
Before either one of them got in the cars, Hood looked toward the salon suite across the street in the distance.
“You still staying in the same spot?”
“Yeah.”
He nodded. “You might wanna start looking for another spot.”
I frowned. “What?”
“You have two expensive cars now. No garage. No gate.” He shrugged. “I don’t like that.”
“I’ll be all right.”
“I know, but think about it. It ain’t about the cars. It’s about you.”
I looked at him. “I’ll think it over.”
“Good.” He nodded once. “Let’s roll.”
It didn’t take us long to get back to my apartment. Hood parked the Audi. I backed the Benz in beside it. The two cars looked unreal side by side. Hood climbed out, locked the Audi, and walked over. He tossed me both key fobs.
“There you go.”
I caught them. “Thank you.”
“You good.”
Damn, that was it. Hood wasn’t trying to linger or flirt. Something was up with that nigga. Normally, he’d try to start another conversation. He turned toward Guap’s Hellcat, preparing to leave.
“Hood...”
He looked back.
“Yeah?”
“I...” The words caught in my throat. I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to say.
He smiled. “You ain’t gotta say nothing. I’ll see you around, Fumi.”
Hood climbed into the Hellcat with Guap… Guap gave me a quick wave from the Hellcat before peeling out of my parking lot. Within seconds, they were gone. I stood there between two cars, keys in my hand, watching the street long after the Hellcat disappeared.
A couple of weeks ago... I couldn’t wait for Hood to leave me alone. Now... every time he did... it felt like he was taking a little bit of air with him. I looked down at the keys in my hand. One for the Benz. One for the Audi.
Damn... This man really bought me another car.
This felt different. Usually, Hood would’ve found another reason to stay, another reason to steal five more minutes. Today... he handled his business... and left. I hated to admit it... But I didn’t like it. Not one bit.
I unlocked the Benz and tossed my purse inside, then locked it again. Then I walked over to the Audi. Two cars, no garage. Hood did have a point. It’s his fault. Nobody told him to buy me this BENZ that sticks out. I laughed to myself. “Damn.”
It took me about 20 minutes to get back to the shop. My mind was in overdrive. Before I could make it inside... Nicole walked out, carrying her purse. She looked from me... to the Benz... to Hood’s Chevy.
“Girl...” I already knew that tone.
“What?”
“Do you have another client coming?”
“No, I was about to clean up my station and go back home.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Nicole folded her arms. “I saw you watching Hood leave earlier?”
“No, I wasn’t.”
She looked around dramatically. “Oh... my bad. I thought that was his Chevy pulling away down the street.”
“It was.”
“So... You were watching him leave, lying-ass bitch.”
I rolled my eyes. “I wasn’t.”
“You really out here lying.”
“I am not.”
Nicole laughed. “Fumi...”
“What?”
“If that man ain’t your man... why you look so disappointed he ain’t stayed?”
I frowned. “I am not disappointed.”
“So, you wanted him to leave?”
“Yes.”
Nicole nodded slowly. “Good. That’s exactly what he did.”
Silence.
She smiled. “Funny...”
“What?”
“You finally got what you wanted. So why are you standing out here looking like you didn’t?”
I opened my mouth to respond... then closed it. Nicole’s smile widened.
“Oh... So that’s what we’re doing now.”
“What? You in your feelings.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
“No.”
“You absolutely are.”
I sucked my teeth. “He just...”
“What?”
“He’s different.”
Nicole nodded.
“Oh, I noticed. He ain’t begging. He ain’t blowing up your phone. He ain’t showing up unannounced. He’s replacing cars. “Protecting your name. And leaving before he overstays his welcome.” She shrugged. “I ain’t telling you what to do. But... I’ve never seen Hood this patient.”
Neither had I. Nicole started walking toward her car, but then stopped.
“Oh... One more thing.”
“What now?”
She grinned. “Don’t get too comfortable.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You ain’t the only one outside.”
I looked at her, confused.
“What?” Nicole laughed. “You think a nigga that look like Hood...and got his shit together...ain’t got bitches trying to get his attention?”
She opened her car door.
“Girl... You better quit assuming he’s gonna be standing on your porch forever.”
With that... Nicole climbed inside her car and pulled off. I stayed there... completely still. For the first time... that thought never crossed my mind. What if... Hood stopped waiting?
I told myself I didn’t care. I told myself Hood deserved to move on if that’s what he wanted. I convinced myself I was happy for him.
Damn... Why is that lie so hard to believe?