𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 |𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐄𝐃

01| Self Care

ASIA LA'MOORE NORTH
DETROIT | MAY 2021

   THE WIND BLEW SOFTLY AS I SAT on the last step of my MeeMaw's (Grandmother's) home. She continued to braid my hair in cornrows despite my flinching and light foot taps.

"How you gone ask me to braid your hair but can barely sit still?" MeeMaw fussed, swatting my shoulder with the comb she was using to part my thick 4c hair.

"Cause I ain't feel like paying extra, but if I knew you were going to grip so tight then I would have." I rolled my eyes playfully, making sure to keep a smile on my face so my MeeMaw knew I was playing—otherwise I would be getting swatted with a comb.

"I used to braid your hair all the time as a kid, no problems, now your hair done got so much thicker and fuller."

I silently agreed with her.

My mother gave me the hair of life, me and my sister, but it was also the worst struggles of our life. Someone was always wondering if it were real or how long it was when it was flat iron or they would try to touch it.

"Londyn's with your father right now, I think they're on a daddy-daughter date." MeeMaw commented.

"Oh.. okay, that makes sense. He took me on a daddy-daughter day like two days ago and I was wondering why Londyn wasn't around."

My dad wasn't the best, but he was trying. He was a successful buisness man until him and my mom divorce then she took everything from him. She's living her best life now, as if she didn't have two daughters staying in the hood with their Grandmother.

The past was the past though, we were better now. In our own condo and making our own money.

I never stressed it though. I was about to be twenty-six years old, I didn't have time to be worried about a forty year old who was more than capable of changing my life around— for the better, in a snap of a finger.

Now my daddy was just a construction worker. I didn't really see how he was able to stay in the hot sun all day but as long as he was happy, I was happy.

"Now roll along to your lil appointment, you aren't late either so don't rush."

I knew she was talking about my speeding but I drove fast even if I wasn't late, hence my number of seven speeding tickets.

"I won't, thank you MeeMaw." I smiled, pulling her into a warm hug before fully standing up and wiping my bottom off of any dirt.

"Bye baby!"

I held my keys in the palm of my hand as I walked to my 2020 Mazda CX-5, that I was gifted from my Father a year ago. I had to make sure to have a tight grip on them because a random could come snatch my keys at any given moment—i've seen it happen.

Waving off to my MeeMaw before I settled into the drivers seat. There was enough time left to take a quick trip to Chick-fil-A so I'd figured I'll stop there before heading to the salon. 

_____

"Wait though! Wait, wait, wait!" I held my finger up as I proceeded to try and halt the argument.

"They might not be real here but mermaids are in the islands, like Jamaica or Hawaii." I shrugged, stating my claim.

"I can agree with you because when I visited Jamaica they were telling me about the mermaids. I didn't really believe it but now that you say that I'm taking it into consideration." My best friend, Sanaya pointed out.

"What about aliens though? Y'all think th—"

My words were cut off by a deep angry voice that irrupted from the entrance of the salon.

"You want me to pay for yo hair like youn got a nigga! You playing with me for real bruh, I asked to see my kid, not you!"

Despite his arched eyebrow and his vein protruding out of his forehead, he was fine. Like a 90's fine honestly. His beard connected from his upper lip to his chin, it looked soft too. His waves were swimming, his eyes sat low, and his lips.. oouu those lips looked soft and were so plump.

He was beautiful.

"Girl don't stare for too long, that ain't the first baby mama nor the second." Sanaya statement was followed by a "hmph" from others.

I forced my eyes off of his 6'5 figure and onto the mirror. My hairstylist was now done, she just was adding a light spray of oil sheen and a few more fluff movements to my curls.

"Thank you, this is so cute." I squealed, looking over the pictures she took of me.

"Send me those two please."

Paying the full amount along with a forty dollar tip, I looked over my nails noticing they did need a refill so why not make this a self care day.

However, I noticed that I never even opened the door but somehow I was outside. Weird.

Looking to my left I noticed the man who was yelling to the women about his kid, held the door open for me.

"Thank you."

"No problem love." He winked, walking away.

His voice.. his voice was everything. It had me rubbing my thighs together, which was ironic. Shaking the dirty thoughts out of my head, I sped walked to the car but was stopped by— who I'm guessing— his baby mama.

"Don't get into that, you don't want these type of problems." She threatened.

I looked at her with a raised eyebrow before chuckling. "Girl back yo ass up before I run yo dumb ass over."

I admit, I was classy but I grew up in the hood around nothing but females who were fighting over stupid shit such as food, niggas who shot at cars for fun, and drugs being swapped by a handshake. I knew how to handle myself.

She simply scoffed, sizing me up and down before walking away.

Yea, find you some safe to do.

_____

FIRST CHAPTER OF "TENDER"
I'm going in a way different direction with this book opposed to my other works. They're still going to be that black healthy love but it's going to be a lot harder to maintain this time. There's also going to be a lot of characters involved so make sure to follow along.
STAY TUNED! I HOPE YOU ENJOY 😘