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"You must not have heard me the first time." I spoke into the phone as I paced back and forth in my small ass apartment. "I have to be to work in ten minutes! You live 15 minutes away and it takes me 20 minutes to get to the shop! I'm already about to be late cause you couldn't climb out the pussy at a decent hour last night and overslept. So, again, no August, I can't drop her off!"
"See, all that yapping and bullshit you doing right now, Jus, is unnecessary. I told you it was cool, drop her off at my mama's house and I'll pick her up later." He shot back. I pulled the phone away from my ear and counted to ten before I cursed his ass out.
I took a deep breath."I didn't have a baby with your mom, August, so I'm not about to keep taking her over there cause you don't know how be a father to your child!" I spat at him.
"I know how to take care of my daughter, Aaliyah, don't start that shit." He growled at me and I laughed. I knew he was mad too cause he called me by my first name, which nobody but my mother and him called me. He only used it when he was mad at me. He knew I hated it but I wasn't 'bout to let him get to me. "Bitch, you think that shit is funny?"
"Hell fucking yeah!" I continued laughing, ignoring the fact that he called me out my name. "If you really think you know how to be a father to our daughter then we wouldn't be having the same conversation for the fifteenth time. You know what? Don't even worry about it, go back to nasty ass Nicole. I got her."
I hung up the phone and tossed it on the couch. I groaned in aggravation seeing Aubrielle tucked in her car seat looking as peaceful as ever. If it wasn't for my baby girl, I probably would've have been shot her trifling ass daddy. But seeing her smiling face reminded me what I was doing this for and what she deserved. Despite Aug's fucked up ways and the shit he puts me through, I couldn't deny the fact that Aubri needed him. I knew what it was like growing up with out a father and I promised on the day she was born she's never have to go through that. Here we are at six months and I'm still fighting hard to keep that promise.
I sighed and gently put her pacifier back in her mouth as she stirred in her sleep. I covered her up with a blanket and went to grab my car keys. I gathered up my purse, work bag, and her diaper bag before picking her car seat up. I moved a bit quicker as a locked up and rushed down the stairs and to the parking lot of the Edgewood project apartments I've been living in for the past two years. I struggled to carry Aubri and our bags but I somehow managed to hit the alarm to my 2012 Mercedes Benz G550. The freshly washed custom cherry red paint job glistened in the hot early sun as I quickly approached it.
After getting Bri settled in and buckled up, I got in and put my bags in the passenger seat. As soon as I got the car started, my phone rang from my cup holder. I rolled my eyes and put it on speaker and hooked it up to my AUX cord so I could put it on my lap.
"What?" I said in disinterest, cutting on the AC and switching gears. I slowly backed out my parking spot and into ATL traffic.
"Where you at?" August asked me. I rolled my eyes. I think this nigga really be calling just to hear my voice cause I could've sworn we just had a conversation about this less than ten minutes ago.
"On my way to work, August." I said like I was speaking to a child. "What do you want?"
"Watch your mouth, Justice. Where's Aubri?"
"In her car seat sleep!" I semi-shouted. "The fuck you want? I'm driving."
"Didn't I just say watch your mouth?" I rolled my eyes. "I'm coming to get her." He hung up and I sucked my teeth.
"It's too early for this shit." I slowed down at a yellow light and unlocked my phone to put on my music. I sang along to Formation and turned it up a bit to get into a better mood. I had faces to beat and I wasn't about to let Aug's laziness effect my money.
"Cause I slay, I slay, I slay.." I danced in my seat a bit and continued on driving.
When I reached my job, I pulled into my usual parking spot and unplugged my phone and slid it in my pocket. I got out the car and went to unbuckle Aubri. She was awake and smiling. I smiled back and kissed my baby's beautiful cheeks. She was so precious to me. She had her dad's smile and his eyes, but she had my nose and both of our natural curly and thick hair. Her complexion was a perfect mixture of honey and cinnamon and her loving personality shined through her attitude. Aubrielle was a dime in a dozen and I loved every ounce of her. I took her out of her car seat and inside the shop. They all shouted instantly seeing my lil princess. They started bickering of who got to hold her. My baby was spoiled like the princess she is everywhere she goes.
"Awww, Justice, can I hold her?" Heather, one of the stylists asked. I laughed and just passed her to her and shrugged. The others groaned in protest.
"Y'all all doing hair so hush," I told the other girls. "Watch her for a second. I'll be right back."
I went back to the car and got the rest of my bags and Aubri's car seat and locked my doors. I went back inside and headed over to my station where my first client was already waiting for me.
"Hey, beautiful. I'm sorry I'm late." I kissed her cheek and put my stuff down to set up. "You haven't been waiting long have you?"
"No, I just got here." She smiled and I smiled back. I went through my make up and realized some of my brushes needed to be cleaned. I told Deja to give me a minute as I grabbed my cleaning solutions and brushes and headed to the back. I was only in there for about ten minutes before my name was being called.
"Justice!"
"What?" I wiped down the last brush and cleaned up the mess.
"Tell August to give me the baby back!" Heather whined. I laughed and picked up my brushes. I walked out the back and laughed even more seeing Heather mean mugging August as he tickled Aubrielle. Her laughter rang out throughout the entire shop. Seeing them together warmed my heart. Despite his attitude this morning, I love seeing Aug making our daughter smile.
"Tell her shut up." August cooed to Aubri as he cradled her in his arms. I walked over to them. "Where her stuff?"
"Over there." I pointed and tied her shoe. Aug went to get her stuff while I went to work on my client.
"I need to borrow your car." He said putting Aubri in her seat. I shook my head and let out an aggravated groan. "Fuck you groaning for?"
"Don't start." I warned, lifting Deja's face so I could see her face properly. "What's wrong with your car?"
"Trav using it. His in the shop." He explained walking over to me.
"What's wrong with it now?" I asked curiously, glancing over my shoulder at him.
He shrugged. "Same thing as last time. You gonna gimme the keys or what?"
"And how am I suppose to get home?" I asked with my hand on my hip.
"I'll come back and get you, stop bitching." I rolled my eyes at him and went back to work.
"Whatever, August."
I paid close attention to what I was doing as I filled in Dej's eyebrows. I've been doing makeup since I could say the word lipstick. I started off just playing in my mom's stuff, loving the things a little mascara and blush could do. When I hit middle school I was just practicing on myself and my girls. I knew I was obsessed when I realized any little bit of spending money Mama gave me I was spending on makeup. But I was just having fun. By high school I got so good at it, girls would come up to me begging me to do their makeup like mine. I had so many girls wanting their face done for our junior prom I barely had time to do my own. Once my name really started getting around I had to start charging folks. At first it was just another side hustle and it took me years to take seriously despite everybody telling me I should, but everything change for me when I got pregnant. So I finished school, got my license, and started working outta Kendra's Beauty Bar. And even though I've only been certified for a year, my skills were legit and my work definitely spoke for itself.
I've been building up my clientele since high school and my name surely rang bells in my neighborhood. I wasn't about to let August ruin my reputation 'cause I wasn't on my shit and fucked up this girl's face. I heard him come up behind me as I searched through my makeup kit for my eyeshadow. I looked at him through my mirror as he put his arms around me.
"Move, August." I tried shrugging him off but he wouldn't budge. "I'm serious, get off me."
"Man, shut yo' cry baby ass up." He kissed my cheek and then my neck. "What's wrong with you today? Why you acting up?"
I ignored his kisses. "Nothing is wrong with me, now move."
I was finally able to shove August's arms from around me and grabbed my brand new Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow palette. I saw it at Sephora the other day and I already envisioned the shades that'd go perfectly with Deja's complexion.
"Yeah something wrong alright." I felt him press up behind me and snake his arms back around my waist. "You miss Daddy is that it?"
I rolled my eyes "Boy, bye."
He kissed my neck again and whispered in my ear, "It's okay to miss me, baby. Daddy miss you, too."
I raised my eyebrow and moved out his grip once again so I could finish working. "Get away from me."
I felt a hard smack to my ass. "Ow! Motherfu—"
I quickly turned around and mushed Aug's head as he walked away laughing.
"You gon' make me mess up her face, stop." I sighed at his childish antics but couldn't help the smile etching the corners of my lips. He played too much at times but August always seemed to know how to make me smile, despite the fact I was ready to cut him this morning. I bit my lip as I concentrated on blending Deja's eyeshadow without no further interruptions. I felt myself beginning to zone as I continued to beat my canvas with ease. I almost forgot Aug was still here until I heard Aubri crying.
"Jus, where her bottle?"
I didn't look up from fixing Deja's full mink lashes but pointed to her diaper bag now sitting by my station.
"Ain't no milk in here!" Aug said over Aubri's cries. I rolled my eyes and kept working. "Jus!"
"I hear you, August." Shit, the whole shop could. "There's no can in there because she already ate before I left. If you would've took her back to your house an hour ago instead of just sitting there, a perfectly good bottle could be made with the formula in your cabinet." I explained standing up and looking over my work so far. I was almost done.
"Well, we not at my house."
I wanted to ask why but chose not to. I picked up my Anastasia Beverly Hills lip gloss and touched up her lips. I cringed hearing my baby fussing and tried to finish up a bit quicker without messing up my work.
"Rub them together, Dej." She did as I said and I touched up her liner a bit.
"Justice, take her!"
I let out a heavy breath and stood back too observed my client's flawlessly beaten face. I grabbed my cheetah print mirror and passed it to her to see.
"Yassss, hunty! The slay as usual!" She smiled catching the lighting to see the glo I blessed her with. "I love this lip stick. Thank you, boo." She stood up and grabbed her purse and jacket.
"You're welcome, D." I collected my $200 and pocketed it in my tight jeans, popping my gum as I walked over to August struggling to calm Bri down. Thank God nobody in the shop was aggravated from her screams. My little princess was causing a riot.
"Alright, alright, baby. C'mere, shhhh. It's ok, come on." I cradled her in my arms and quickly began to soothe her. "Her diaper is wet. Kendra, can I use the back room?"
She looked up from the custom wig she was making and nodded. "Yeah, go head. I'll make sure nobody buss in."
I told Aug to grab her diaper bag and led the way to the back room where we kept extra supplies and a table to chill out at. An employee bathroom was off to the side and I made sure nobody was in it before sitting at the table.
I laid her down on her diaper mat and put her pacifier in her mouth to keep her from fussing. I took off her pants and changed her while August sat to the side on his phone. When I was finished I picked her up and kissed her chunky, tear streaked cheeks. I sat down at the table and positioned her on my lap before lifting up my shirt and releasing my breast to feed her. I had planned on just pumping but since she was still here and hungry there was no point. By now she had quieted down and relaxed in my arms.
I smiled down at her and rocked her gently. "That's better, huh? Lil mama was hungry." I looked up at August texting furiously and rolled my eyes. "You know the point of you babysitting her is so I can work. Y'all should've been left. I shouldn't be doing this for you, August."
He didn't even look up from his phone. "I told you gimme your keys."
I frowned deeply. "Don't pull that shit. My keys were sitting right there at my station. You could've been left. This is ridiculous. When you gonna realize I didn't have her by myself and I need your help?"
He didn't even respond. His phone rang suddenly and he quickly disappeared into the bathroom without acknowledging anything I said.
"What the f--" I paused and closed my eyes momentarily to calm down, focusing on the soft breaths of my serene baby girl. She drifted off to sleep full and comfortable and giving me slight peace of mind. I tucked my breast back in my bra. I wiped the corners of her mouth softly with her burp cloths then putting it over my shoulder so I could burp her. I could hear Kendra telling my next client that I'd be out in a minute and I sighed deeply.
I never in a million years would regret having my daughter, but I have debated who I had her with. August loved Aubrielle, that I knew with all my heart but I also knew the type of man he was. He put his family and the streets on the same priority. August has been hustling for his paper for as long as I could remember. Before Aubri, I was even right by his side some nights, doing whatever he needed me to do cause I loved him that much.
But when I got pregnant, my world switched. Edgewood was known for the thugged out hustlers and their ghetto fabulous baby mamas. Every single one of them either living the hood dream or grinding to get there. I used to be just like that, me and Aug both. But when the doctor put her in my arms and I saw her face, it all became real for me. It hit me all at once and that's when I realized it.
She deserved better than these dirty ass, pissy apartments and knock off designer. We both did. I owed it to myself and my child to get us better and I was gonna do it. I was just wondering when August was gonna cut the bullshit and realize the same.
He came out the bathroom minutes later with a serious look in his eyes but a smile on his face. He was hiding something.
"What?" He reached for Aubri and I pulled back. "Nope, uh uh. Who was that on the phone?"
August shrugged. "Nobody. Gimme her so we can go." I wasn't letting him off easy.
"Do I have stupid written on my forehead? I know you like the back of my hand and right now you're hiding something. What is it?"
He shook his head before grabbing both sides of my face, pulling me closer and kissing my lips soft at first, but quickly turned dominate as he tongues me down passionately. I sighed deeply, recognizing the trick but yet I still kissed him back. To this day I couldn't resist the touch of Aug's lips and he knew that.
"Chill out, ok? It's nothing. You know if something was popping, you'd be the first one I tell." He kissed me once more before gently taking a still sleeping Aubri. I sighed again and followed him out the room. I guess I'd leave it alone. For now at least.
Once he had my keys, and all Aubri's stuff, Aug was out the door and finally leaving me completely at peace to work. As I worked on my clients, I battled between keeping my mind on my money and not August. Something was always up with him and that was the problem. I thought about our child and shook my head. My love for August was strong but the love for my daughter was stronger. I was really gonna have to start doing better for her.
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