2 V 2
"I'm finna run out and grab some tampons before Mr. Cherry closes up his store," my mother said as she grabbed her handmade purse and headed for the doors. Mr. Cherry usually closed early on Tuesday's because he liked to go around the corner and do God know's what behind the liquor store. "Okay," I nodded at her. So, that was basically code for me to watch the store while she was gone.
Great.
See, as the kid of a shop owner, a small business owner at that, I always had the quite rational fear of us being robbed. My mom pulled in the most money between both of my parents, I mean, my father was a nanny for God's sake. And, what if we were robbed while I was supposed to be watching the store. Not only would I feel guilty for life, but I had also watched my mother build this place from the ground up.
Well, not quite literally, but I use a lot of metaphors and similes and shit like that when I'm really nervous.
I'm really nervous now.
I glanced around my mother's boutique. I eyed the perfectly put together accessories she possessed, the nice plush chairs that recently shipped in that were really comfortable to sit in. The two male customers in the back looking lost as hell. The older lady who was-
"Ma'am. Excuse me," I called out from the front of the store. Clarence, our security guard, (who was really just my older cousin who had muscles), glanced up quickly at the volume of my voice.
"Ma'am, you can't place boutique items on your person without paying for them," I recited my mother's rules.
"Oh, I was just...uh, I was just-
"Empty your bag please," Clarence ordered, his hands on his hips in a Superman stance. If that was his way of looking imposing, I don't think my mother had hired the right person. I mean, his tanned, bulging muscles and tall stature already did the trick, but when he stood like that...it almost made him look comical.
"I'm just an old-
"Ma'am," Clarence repeated firmly.
I glanced around at the rest of the customers in the store. For all I know, the old lady could be a distraction while someone else steals something more important. But, the only two other customers in here seemed to be so fixated on a pair of boob earrings that they hadn't noticed, or hadn't cared, what was going on over here.
"...just wanted to get something nice for my grandbabies," I tuned back into the conversation between the older woman and my cousin.
"I'll pay for your things. All of them. But please, just empty your purse, or let me see it. I don't want to have to notify the authorities, ma'am," my ever-so-kind cousin offered.
"Y'all would do this? To a poor old lady?" the woman sighed heavily, like it was taking her utmost strength to lift her faded brown purse off of her shoulder. Outfitted in a long dress with boring floral patterns, her hair curled to the crisp with a few gray flyaways, and relatively healthy skin for someone in her age bracket, I never would have guessed someone like her would try to steal, but honestly, you can never be sure.
The lady allowed Clarence to look through her things. He dumped out her purse on the counter up front, exposing two pill bottles, some panty liners, loose change, and three accessories my mother produced.
"Booty Beauty earring set, Lazy Loofah earring set, and Sexy Scrungie 3 pack," I muttered to myself as I recorded it down in the notebook my mother left underneath the counter. The occasional times that people come in here to steal, it's usually something small or something they think we won't notice is gone, but this store has been my life for so long.
I notice everything.
So far, the earring sets seem to be the most popular steals, according to the data the boutique was keeping, and our bracelets. Nobody usually went for the scrunches or the rubber bands and hair ties.
"I'll watch as Vonna checks you out. Then I'll have to ask you to leave," Clarence told the lady.
The woman muttered under her breath, but made no objections as my cousin paid for the products she would have stolen. I printed out the receipt and gave it to Clarence, asking the woman for her name.
"You ask all your customers for their names?"
"Would you rather we take a picture of you and tape it to the front counter like we at a beauty supply?"
Clarence's gaze drifted to me. I wasn't usually that snappy with people, but the day had wore my patience and my temper thin.
"Merica Gield," the woman spelled out her name.
I filed away that piece of paper and bagged her items. "Hope your grandbabies like the gifts," I said tightly, trying my best to remain professional.
"Mhm," the lady said, snatching up all the things that had been poured out of her purse and leaving the premises under Clarence's careful watch.
"Third person this month. People starting to get bold," Clarence commented as he walked past me, heading back to his post by the front of the store.
"I think it's because they wanted to give us about a month or so to settle into life in Upper Aster Waters." My mother had opened up her shop here around when school started in August, right between the downtown area of Aster Waters and a decent neighborhood where we lived. Trust me, there's nothing fancy about this town unlike certain aspects of Houston or Dallas, but for the most part, this was supposed to be the four stars type of area.
I guess people are trying to test out the boundaries of my mother's boutique to see if we're good at catching people trying to steal. I mentally sighed. This was the last time I was going to let Clarence pay for somebody's goods. If word gets out we're being soft on people trying to take advantage of us, this might start happening more often.
A few moments later, my mother came back into the boutique, right after I checked out the two guys lurking in the store at the register.
"What's wrong baby? You look stressed," my mother commented, putting her groceries in the back room then coming to place a soft hand on my forehead.
"An old lady came in here. Tried to leave with three things. Clarence paid for them and let her leave," I shrugged, moving her hand away irritably. My mother only sighed. "Clarence is a sweet heart but he can't keep doing things like that." At least me and her were on the same page. "I might need to invest on some real security and maybe some of those metal detectors and scanny things that be on products," my mother said.
She pinched my cheek. "Stop frowning. I hate when you worry. Why don't you text your dad and see if he can pick you up? I don't want you here late on a school night."
"Okay," I agreed, knowing that she wouldn't let me stay even if I begged her to.
"Let me know when he answers back. I'll walk you outside and wait with you," she told me.
I pulled out my phone, my Lock Screen a picture of me in a grey Nike fit and some matching Van's. I remember the people I was cool with at that time wouldn't let me live that down for shit. They were acting like it was a crime to mix two different brands.
My phone did Face ID and I went to my Messages. I asked my dad what he was doing, then told him that mom was trying to get rid of me, in a sarcastic way.
A few seconds later, he let me know that he would be on the way, and I went back to sitting on my little stool behind the counter. My mother was rearranging some misplaced items around the store, (I hate when people randomly throw shit back).
"Closing time?" Clarence called out across the empty store. "Yeah. Probably give it about ten more minutes. If you see Vonna's dad out there, let us know. He's on the way," my mother told my cousin.
"Should be him pulling up now."
My eyes peered out the window besides me. You could see out, but people on the outside couldn't see in. A black sedan or SUV was pulling up in the rain quickly, the windows slightly tinted. I couldn't tell if it was my father or not.
"Can't tell if it's him or not," Clarence commented, speaking out my thoughts. "I'm gonna pull out my gun, just in case," he informed us.
My mother paused what she was doing and looked out the window too. Suddenly, we saw my father's brown head poke out the driver's side. I grinned at him (even though he couldn't see me), and grabbed my things, already forgetting about my glumness of leaving the store.
"Bye Mom. See you at home. Love you," we kissed each other on the cheeks. I already knew my mother wouldn't walk me out because of the rain, so I headed out before Clarence felt compelled to offer.
"Bye cuzzo," Clarence said, waving down at me.
I easily stood at 5'8, but damn, this nigga was almost Shaq height. "Bye, Clarence." I noticed his height more so when we stood close together.
I bolted out the store, running through the rain, my hoodie tight against my head as I jumped into the car. "Imma turn the heater on," my dad said, already backing out of the parking lot in front of the boutique.
"So, guess what happened today," I started.
"Oh boyyy," my dad chuckled.
Vonna East
17 yrs old
Stud