Chapter 13
“Reign, thank you for helping me out today. I really wouldn’t have made it through the day without you,” Nia blew, dropping into an empty seat.
“It’s nothing. I love doing hair. I hate that I can’t anymore but,” Reign shrugged as she swept the floor.
“You mind if I ask why?” Nia posed, looking at her. “You’re really good at it. I’ve watched you with the clients today and you have a gift. Even one to shut Markus the hell up and no one can seem to do that.”
Reign waved the thought of Markus away. It was more annoying that it was warming. She pushed her dry hair out of her face. “I’ve learned quickly that men give and men take away.”
She stopped sweeping to dig into her pocket to hand Nia the money she was handed throughout the day. “Here you go, that’s everything.”
Nia gently pushed her hand back. “Keep it.”
“No, you’ve already have done too much for me. I appreciate the clothes and everything but it’s too much. I don’t want to be someone’s charity case,” Reign replied.
Nia offered her a soft expression and then some of her own truth.
“Our mother was beat to death by our father. I was small when it happened. But I still remember the bruises on her face and body. And that smile. That barely there smile. The one you had all day. This isn’t charity Reign.
It’s what no one did for my mother. It’s protection. It’s sisterhood.”
Reign dropped her eyes to the floor, hoping the tears would vanish.
“I’ve never had that. My mother…” Reign stopped to bitterly laugh.
“Put me out on my sixteenth birthday. Said I needed to figure out what it was to be on my own and make my own money. I had some friends who let me crash on their floors or couches. But you know that only goes on for so long until they’re tired of you.
I could always do hair, so I started doing it for the strippers.
Slept in my car until I had enough to get my own place.
In hindsight, that was better than the last few years of my life. ”
Reign hadn’t realized Nia moved from her seat to being in her space. She took the broom from her, swept up the rest of the hair. When she was done, she motioned Reign to the seat.
“We all got stories. Things that broke us. Things that are actively breaking us. I know I’m hard all the time and I’m loud but I see you.
You’re a mirror. I also know that those years are behind you and you have all the control now.
First, we’re going to start with all this pretty hair you have.
And if you’re up to it, a girls’ dinner at my house tonight? ”
Reign gave her that barely there smile.
“Have you even had a hot meal?”
“No. Eating really hasn’t been at the top of my list,” Reign admitted.
Nia buzzed, pulling Reign’s long tresses out of the low bun. “We’re going to fix that. You need a trim and deep condition.”
Reign lifted her eyes. “Thank you. Really.”
“Don’t mention it. Whether you know it or not, you’re lowkey family now.”
Reign chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Let’s just start like friends or something.”
Nia laughed. “I got you.”
Almost an hour later, Reign sat in the seat, her hair trimmed, shampooed, deep conditioned, blown out, wrapped and pinned.
Nia grinned proudly. “The only thing you’re missing is some hoop earrings and a fresh pair of butters.”
Reign pinned her brows. “Butters?”
“Yeah, Timbs. The sidewalks get icy in the winter,” Nia shared, removing her cape. “I have a proposition for you.”
Reign wearily looked at her. “What?”
“Nothing crazy,” Nia corrected. “Let’s say I can get you a driving license and a cosmetology license under the table, you work here Tuesdays and Thursdays until I do and you take over the other salon?
I am up to my eyeballs with clients and as you see, half these stylists ain’t shit.
You keep all the money you make, we continue to cover the overhead.
You stack and get on your feet. And stay there. ”
Reign chewed on the inside of her lip, the next question, she knew the answer to. “Do I have to handle any of the product?”
Nia shook her head. “No one touches that side of the business besides me and Money.”
“Is it going to be stored in the shop?”
“Occasionally. Is that something we can trust you with?”
“I just want to mind my own business and stay as lowkey as possible. Plus, in this world, anything other than trust gets you killed,” Reign stated.
Nia took that comment in, realizing Reign had been involved in a lot more than she let on. The trust between women now was a two way street. Nia needed to trust Reign with the business and Reign needed to trust Nia with her story.
Before she could reply, Cyn walked in. “Sorry I’m late, I was supposed to be doing a half shift but those patients and doctors just can’t get their shit together.”
Cyn stopped, noticing Reign’s presence and frowned just enough for Reign to detect her detest. “Didn’t know you had company.”
“I was just about to finish stocking,” Reign said, turning on her sneaker-covered feet. She was used to women not liking her off of her mere presence. Since she wasn’t even looking remotely her best, she assumed Cyn had bigger issues and none of which had anything to do with her.