Lovely Vines. Tondria Leatrice
3 said, “If everything split evenly, I’m game.”
Rocky said, “Don’t do shit until I say. Let me find out where the briefcase is.”
Man 2 said, “What’s in the briefcase?”
Rocky said, “Money and flame!”
*****
Lia wasn’t about to tell everything she knew about Mr. Simms. She knew they weren’t telling her everything about the case with him, so she played their game with them.
She saw Mr. Simms go in, and leave with a group of people after the club closed, but Thomas wasn’t about to get promoted off her hard work.
Lia said, “I didn’t see him come or go. You think he knows we’re on to him?”
Detective Thomas said, “I know he’s not that hard to spot. We should get a search warrant for his house also.”
Lia said, “Let me figure out a way to get more concrete evidence first. I’m not letting his nasty ass get off from us fucking up as Afonso did.”
Jez
Mixed Up
Jez had a schedule for every day and hated if she was thrown off because that would throw her whole day off. This morning was the gym at 5:00 a.m. sharp, so she rushed past her mother and her overly strong cheap coffee.
Jennifer said, “Good morning. Would you like some coffee?”
Jez said, “I’ll pick some up on the way. Thanks.”
Jennifer said, “See you tonight for supper?”
Jez said, “I don’t know. See you later, Mother.”
*****
Jez was leaving the gym and noticed a few men walking into the parking garage laughing, but she paid it no mind. She stopped to buy water out of the vending machine as she watched them get in a silver car with tinted windows.
As she approached her car, she noticed another note from the mystery man that kept putting love notes under her windshield wipers. She grabbed it and started crying, immediately opening her car door and watching her back. “What the fuck,” Jez cried out.
I’ve been watching you!
You are so beautiful
One day you’ll be mine!
I will love you forever!
After reading it, she threw it in her console with the rest of them. She started thinking hard about who it could be, wondering what was so funny with the men that just passed her in the gym to the few guys that spoke to her in the gym, and a lot that just looked.
It couldn’t be the guy at the coffee shop because she’s never seen him at the gym, and the only men in her cosmetology class were into men.
Back to the coffee shop by 7:00 a.m., finished with her class at ten thirty, coffee again at ten forty-five, and off to help her sister at her shop by 11:00 a.m.
When the shop closed, she went home to her parents’ house by six thirty every night faithfully.
Whoever was leaving the notes either knew her schedule or worked out at the gym, and she hoped they didn’t know where she lived.
*****
Jez didn’t have to worry about money, so she saved all her money from working at the shop and the clients she had at school.
Right before graduating from cosmetology school, she signed up for business management, and her parents paid for school and transportation.
*****
When Jez entered the class, a few girls were looking at her, smiling all hard, so she turned her back to them and set her station up. She wasn’t about to fake it with their whispering ass, knowing they didn’t like her, and she didn’t care for them either.
The teacher said, “Hello, everyone. Let’s get ready to open the doors. We’re past all the color testing, so relax. You can test on clients or friends with the cut and style. Did everyone hear me?”
“Yes,” all the students said simultaneously.
Student 1 said, “Jez, do you have a client or friend coming today?”
Jez said, “Why? Client and friend are the same shit!”
Tara said, “Jez, my sister coming.”
Student 1 said, “Just asking. Tara. How’d you do on the coloring?”
Tara said, “I took that before you started. I’m done with everything. I’m here getting clients and money.”
Jez said, “That’s a good idea.”
Student 1 said, “I asked my baby daddy’s sister to come, but they act funny when he does.”
Jez said, “Act funny? The teacher said we could use clients. Didn’t you hear her?”
Student 2 said, “Here she goes. Girl, quit talking to her.”
Jez said, “I would act funny if she wanted to do my hair. If she stops talking and listens to the damn teacher, she’d have clients.”
Student 1 said, “Hold on, bitch! I do listen!”
Student 2 said, “You’re a mean bitch, Jez!”
Tara said, “Your lips are loose with that bitch word. Act pretty and professional, so you can pass this time.”
Student 1 said, “Fuck you, Tara!”
Tara said, “You need to fuck this test.”
Jez said, “You’re talking, but you’re the one that told us she failed every test and had to repay for a retake. Not to mention, they’re getting rich off her dumb, not coloring, no cutting, or styling, ass.”
Student 2 said, “I didn’t say all that. You’re adding extra, just like your extra ass.”
Student 1 said, “All y’all ass fake!”
Tara said, “Watch that y’all shit.”
The teacher said, “Excuse me, ladies! I’m opening the doors. Smile.”
Jez said, “Now we’re fake, because y’all talk about each other. Get the fuck out of here.”
Teacher said, “Jez, you did a nice job on that color yesterday. I’ll be making an appointment with you soon. Keep up the good work.”
Jez said, “Thank you, I really appreciate that.”
Tara said, “Hey, girl. I’m proud of you.”
Jez said, “Thanks, Tara.”
Student 1 said, “Teacher always amping.”
Student 2 said, “You know she has to amp her pets.”
Jez said, “You need to amp your girl, so she can get some pet clientele and graduate.”
Tara said, “Not ‘graduate,’ Jez, stop!”
Jez and Tara laughed, clinking their combs together.
Teacher said, “Now. Now. Ladies, let’s keep it cute.”
*****
Jez headed to the coffee shop before going to work with her sister.
Jai said, “Hey, twin, how’s it going this morning?”
Jez said, “Here’s your coffee! Surprisingly you’re here early.”
Jai said, “What’s with you, no hello?”
Jez said, “Sorry, sis! It’s just, this is like the fourth note left under my windshield, and I don’t know what to do.”
Jai said, “You reported