Retribution: Throat Diva 2

21

Forgiveness and second chances are forfeited the first time you fuck a bitch over.

The next morning, Rihanna's "Diamonds" is blaring through the speakers as I step through the salon's doors at eleven A.M., and the first thing I'm greeted by is Booty's ass bouncing and shaking, fingers popping, knees dipping, hair swinging. "Yessssss, goddammmit! Diamonds ' dingaling on my mind Oooh, Miss Rih-Rih tore her drawz"

The salon is packed to the seams. And all the seats in the lounge area are full and this bitch is flouncing around, giving everyone a show, like she's about to turn my shop into a damn strip club and ride down on a pole. I scan the room and spot Janelle my eleven o'clock, twisted in her seat, eyeing Booty as she literally performs.

"Yes, gawd feel the warmth between these thighs" she winds her hips, then pops her shoulders shine bright like a diamond yes, gawd Rih-Rih soaked my drawz with this right here"

This bitch has no shame!

Of course her back is turned so she doesn't hear or
see
me when I saunter in, taking a deep breath. I walk around to the receptionist's counter, grab the stereo's remote, lowering the volume and shutting her one-woman party down.

"Cassandra, what in the world do you think you're doing?" I ask, hand on hip, head tilted. "Seems to me you're at the wrong address. If I'm not mistaken, The Coochie Cutter is ten blocks over." The Coochie Cutter is one of the local strip clubs in town where most of the hand-to-hand drug dealers and wannabe ballers and ratchet and makeshift divas frequent. I've even heard that in the past, a few of their dancers/strippers had bullet holes and razor cuts on them.

"Ooooh, no, Miss Pasha, girl," she says, walking over to the counter as she's dabbing her forehead with a napkin, "don't do me, sugah-boo. I had to take me a lil break."

"A break?
A break from
what?"

"From" she reaches over the counter and hands me a stack of messages written on pink Post-it notes"this. I done handled all these messages for you. I've been here since nine o'clock waitin' on you, sugah-boo. And Booty's exhausted. You know I ain't used to doin' no kinda work unless it's in the streets or in the sheets."

I blink. "Umm, Cass, why were you taking messages for me?"

She gives me a one-eyed stare as if I've asked her the most ridiculous question. "Sugah-boo, it's been packed in here since the doors opened. These nigga-coons have been carryin' on tryna get they hands n' feet done." She must notice the puzzled look on my face. Today's Wednesday, the salon is usually not this packed on a Wednesday morning. "Mmmph. You act like you ain't runnin' a special today. You know anytime you run them thangs, these booga-coons come scramblin' up in here like you givin' away free eggs n' cheese"

Shit! I'm so wrapped up in my personal drama that I completely forgot all about the ad I ran for two weeks advertising for the "Nappy on the Go" special, running Wednesday through Friday of this week.

"Ohhhhkay. But that still doesn't tell me why you are answering the phones?"

She sucks her teeth. "Cause ain't nobody else around to do it. The phone been ringin' crazy all mornin'. You still ain't got you no counter help. You're two stylists down 'cause they don't know how'ta keep they dick suckas shut. And you just now struttin' in, like you
ain't got clients to see. Your eleven o'clock is already here. And I done put me in for right after her. Twelve, sharp."

I stare blankly at her. The phone starts ringing. I go to grab it, and this bitch slaps my hand away. I catch Janelle's eye, holding a finger up for her to give me a minute. I hold my breath as Cassandra answers the call. "Nappy No More yes, yes we sure do, ma'am Excuse you? Oh, no, sugah-boo. Rho-Ho don't work here no more sweetness, that ho got fired ooh, see you tryna be nosey"