Shut Up & Listen

8. don't trip

"How you know what my hair needed?"

"You have the same kinda hair as Dame. Makes sense with y'all being brothers."

"That's what's up."

"I hope Dame remember since he got a daughter now."

"If not, she got a uncle who know what he doing."
Lonnie complimented Cole while sitting between his legs facing the TV in the living room. Cole continued to comb out the wet hair lightly coated in oil and lotion. Once he got it detangled well enough, he grabbed the towel and gently pressed onto Lonnie's coils, removing a little of the excess water.

"Feel it." Cole told him. Lonnie reached his hand up to his hair with two fingers and thumb, grabbing hold of a lock of hair. He rolled between his fingers, admiring the soft feel. "Can I go see it?" He asked like a child, fresh out of the chair at their first hair appointment. Cole pushed him off of his legs as a 'yes' and stood to follow him to the bathroom. But, he decided to clean up the mess first. While retopping the containers, he didn't hear anything. He was confused so he walked down the hall and peeked into the room seeing Lonnie staring at himself in the mirror repeatedly running his fingers through his hair, mesmerized by how his fingers would go straight through.

Cole smiled and walked away wanting Lonnie to experience the moment for as long as he could. He remembered the first time he had his hair done by his adopted mom. It was the first time anybody had touched his hair. He was never taken for cuts by his fosterdad and the man certainly wasn't washing it. He sat on the couch reminiscing on his mom and the many firsts he experienced in her care. He knew the meds had kicked in when he looked up and realized Lonnie had been standing there calling him. He smiled at the sound of his name coming from those beautiful pink lips.

Lonnie smiled back at him. "Wait, don't u gotta go see your brothers or some shit?" He asked, "Lemme get you something to put on." He offered, leaving the room and returning with some boxers, grey sweats, a white tee and some socks. "You can get your clothes when you come back. I'll wash them for you."

Cole got dressed and left the home in Troy, hitting 75 at 90 making it back to Midtown, Detroit in record time. He pulled into the parking garage and fell asleep there, not waking until the morning because of a call. It was loud enough to wake him up as he never turned his car off and his phone was still on Bluetooth. He rejected the call instantly, wiping his eyes and powering off the car while he got his bearings.

August 22,
10:56 AM
As he sat up, a sharp pain ran from his eye to the back of his head making him groan. He closed his eyes for a few seconds. "Fuck." He whispered, holding his head. Reaching across the passenger side, Cole opened the drawer underneath the seat and dug around for a little baggie. After a few seconds of digging, he felt the plastic against his fingertips and pulled it out. He unsnapped it and stared at the options in the mixed up baggie of miscellaneous pills. He decided to close his eyes and pick two randomly. He swallowed them and threw the bag back where he found it.

The phone rang again. It was Cecil, his big brother. He answered it this time. "What up doe?"

"You still going to Dame house this morning? I thought you were coming by last night?"

"I got held up, but i'm outside if y'all wanna just ride with me." He offered.

Cole walked into the house trailing his big brother, Cecil. He stopped to pick up the baby from Sadé's lap and hugged her, greeting the both of them. He continued walking, holding the newborn, until he found Damon in his bedroom.

Dame was excited to see Cole with his baby and immediately opened the camera on his phone and snapped photos. "Aye, you remember them freeform dreadlocks I had as a kid?" Cole asked his big brother with a smile, still thinking about his hair journey.