Scarlett (17 page)

“I’m doing well. I almost didn’t recognize you. I haven’t seen you since you first started working at the shop. That’s been about two years ago. They tell me that you’re a good worker and that you keep the office very clean. I was glad to hear that, because Sheila acts like she is too cute to dust.” She laughed at her own comment.

“Yes, ma’am, it’s been a while, and I actually love my job. It requires that I keep the office clean, but I don’t mind.”

“I’m so busy at the restaurant that I don’t have time to even come by, but as long as you ladies are holding it down, then I don’t need to.”

Scarlett smiled. “Yeah, we do the best we can.” 

“Sheila talks about you all the time, still. I’m surprised you haven’t been to the house lately.”

Little did Mrs. Grand know, Samantha had already informed Scarlett years ago that her mother didn’t care for her, and even once said that she was a thief and couldn’t be trusted in their home. Scarlett already knew that she and Sheila were just alike, two-faced.

Scarlett put on her fake smile. “I heard that y’all redecorated the whole house and added on.”

“Yes, we spent over sixty-thousand dollars remodeling,” she gloated. “My house is the biggest one in the neighborhood now. My last name might be Grand, but I am the Jones’!” she shrieked in laughter. Joan and Scarlett looked at each other strangely. It was weird, to say the least.

“I heard it was nice,” Scarlett responded.

“It is nice. She brought pictures in so I could see it,” Joan stated, trying to hold back her sarcasm.

“Well, you’re looking good, Scarlett. Nothing like that lost little girl I used to know,” Mrs. Grand commented.

“I guess that would be a compliment?” Scarlett asked.

“Yes, Miss Lady it is a compliment, and I don’t give out those too often.”

Scarlett smiled. “Well, I should say thank you, then. Joan worked a miracle.”

“Yes, she did,” Mrs. Grand boldly responded. “I mean, you did a good job, Joan.” She tried to play it off.

“Thanks Felicia, I am done with your hair.” Joan spun the chair around. Mrs. Grand primped in the mirror like she was Miss America. She then handed Joan a hundred dollar bill.

“Keep the change, Miss Lady. It was good seeing you, Scarlett. Oh and book me for next Saturday morning, as usual,” she said and exited the building, twisting her butt so hard; they thought it was going to fall off before she made it to her car. Scarlett and Joan began to laugh as soon as the salon door closed behind her.

“That woman is really a trip!” Joan laughed, shaking her head.

“I knew she had it bad, but it seems she’s gotten worse,” Scarlett added.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if her husband was cheating on her ass. She can’t do nothing for him, but spend his money. Hell, even his sister is the head cook at her barbeque place. Talking that shit ‘bout she busy at the restaurant, yeah right.”

Scarlett was shocked. “Really?”

“I wouldn’t lie to you. She lives like royalty because of Greg, and her restaurant is still open because of his sister, Jean.”

Scarlett laughed. “No wonder Sheila acts the way she does. She gets it honest.”

“Speaking of Sheila… Since she heard I did your hair, she started going to another beautician. Word is that she didn’t want my hands in her head if they were also in yours.”

Scarlett looked sad and Joan felt bad for her.

“Don’t do that, baby. You can’t show women like that your weakness. They’ll take advantage of you.”

“I know, but the truth of the matter is that Sheila was once my best friend. At least I thought she was. Now, I just have to pretend that she still is, to keep my job.”

“Well, at least you found out early on that she wasn’t your best friend. Furthermore, it’s hard for women like that to be a good friend to anybody, let alone best friend. For as long as I could remember, she and her mother have always been about themselves. Thank God, the baby girl isn’t like that. She takes after her daddy.”

“Yeah, Sam’s a cool chick, and not like them at all.” Scarlett paused. “I’m glad I decided to come here, Joan. You’re really God sent.”

“That’s really sweet of you to say, Scarlett. I only saw a pretty young lady in need, and I wanted to reach out and help. That’s all and you’ll never hear in the streets what
Joan
did for you. I’m not that type of person.” 

“I know, and I can’t thank you enough.”

Joan smiled and began to comb in Scarlett’s hair. “This hair has come a long way. It’s very healthy, believe it or not.”

“Joan, I know this is off the subject, but do you think that Mrs. Grand’s husband would cheat on her?”

“I wouldn’t put it past him. Plus, she’s always talking some crazy shit about catching Greg cheating on her, then acting a fool when she finds out. I guess she means she’s going in on his ass,” she laughed. “You would think that would be right up her alley. Then she could divorce him and he’d still have to pay her alimony and take care of her, but the honest truth is that she loves the hell outta that man and I don’t see her leaving him for nobody. As many times as she’s talked about him cheating, she ain’t caught him yet though.”

Scarlett was shocked. “Never?”

“Never, I mean if he had or still is then he must be slick as oil,” Joan responded.

“Wow, ain’t that something.”

“Damn right it’s something. I think that deep down, Felicia really feels she is the best thing that ever came his way, and that he wouldn’t cheat. However, she mentions it from time to time just in case anything ever came to light about him cheating. I know one thing. It would probably kill her. He’d crush her ego if he did that.”

“I’m sure it would.” Scarlett said thinking that she’d surely fall over and die if she found out that it was her that Greg was seeing.”

“Just be careful working around that shop. It seemed that you weren’t a threat before, but now that she’s seen how pretty you are, things will surely change. Keep an eye on her and her daughter,” Joan suggested. Scarlett still didn’t say a word as she took it all in. She sat there staring in the mirror at herself.

Joan reached in Scarlett’s hair and pulled out her hairpin. “Well, come on to the back so I can wash your hair.” Scarlett followed her to the back of the salon, but the advice Joan gave her weighed heavily on her mind.

__________

Scarlett pulled up in her driveway. She looked in the rearview mirror at her hair. It was very pretty and bouncy. As usual, Joan had done her thang. She smiled at herself, winking her eye.

It feels good to feel this good
. She had just left the nail salon from getting a pedicure and manicure. She was feeling like a pampered woman, and enjoyed every minute of it. She stepped out of her car.

“If it ain’t Miss ‘thank she’s all dat’, a voice called out. She rolled her eyes when she saw that it was Gwen walking up to her.

“You know how to fuck up a wet dream, Gwen.” Scarlett walked toward her front door trying to ignore Gwen who was following closely behind her.

“Can I breathe?” she asked, looking back at Gwen.

Gwen smacked her lips. “You think you cute, huh…”

Scarlett grinned. “No, you think I’m cute.”

Gwen laughed out loud. “I’m sorry to bust yo’ bubble, but you got the wrong one if you thinking that I think you’re cute.”

Scarlett sighed. “Why are you here, Gwen?” she asked, stopping at her front door. She didn’t want Gwen in her yard, let alone her house.

“I came to see my boy. Is he home?” She asked scratching under her chin with lips white as powered donuts.

Scarlett shook her head. “I don’t know, but I’ll see and if he is I’ll tell him you’re out here.”

“Oh so it’s like that now? I can’t come inside your house?” Gwen quickly asked.

“You knew that when I put you out.” Scarlett unlocked her door. Gwen stood there but then snapped once she saw that Scarlett was closing the screen door behind her and leaving her outside.

“Let me in this muthafucka to see my son!” She snatched the door open and pushed past Scarlett. Anton came rushing out of his room while Scarlett stood there shaking her head in disgust.

“Ma, what are you doing here?”

“Hey, son… I’ve missed you.” Her tone changed like she was the sweetest person in the world just that fast.

Scarlett frowned. “If you missed him so much then you would get your shit together.”

“Shut the fuck up! Nobody is talking to you,” Gwen snapped with her hands on her hip.

“Don’t talk to her like that, Ma.” Anton said.

Gwen’s mouth opened wide as if she was in shock. “Are you taking up for this thang?” Anton got quiet, because he noticed Samantha was standing behind him.

“Go back in the room, babe,” he told her. Samantha looked confused, but she had heard many stories about Gwen. Without saying a word, she quickly headed back into the bedroom.

“I’m not taking up for nobody, Ma. I’m just saying that you shouldn’t be here in Scarlett’s house and talking down on her.”

“So is this everybody wanna gang up on Gwen day? What the fuck!”

“Gwen, you’re such the drama queen and you don’t even get paid for acting out like that. Scarlett stated, shaking her head.

“Didn’t I tell you to shut the fu—?”

Scarlett snapped with resentment, cutting Gwen off. “Don’t make me kick your ass outta my house! You’re not gonna walk up in my shit and talk to me any kind of way, and if that’s what you’re thinking, Gwen, then you got another muthafuckin’ thing coming!”

“That’s the Scarlett I like to see, the hot-headed bitch,” Gwen provoked.

“You ain’t seen hot-headed, Gwen, but keep pushing me to the limit,” Scarlett warned. Gwen laughed and tried to touch Scarlett’s hair. Scarlett knocked her little frail arm out of her way.

“I was only trying to see if it was real, because I just know that ain’t your hair looking like that.” 

“It’s not your business and I don’t want your grimy hands touching me or my hair.” Scarlett stated.

“I got your grimy hands, bitch.” Gwen reached down inside her dingy smelling jeans. She rubbed on her crotch and pulled out quickly, popping Scarlett in the mouth with the palm of her hand.

Scarlett was stunned. “I know you didn’t just put your funky pussy smelling hand in my face.”

“Yeah I did,” Gwen gloated. “Not only did I put my funky pussy smelling hand in your face, but I slapped you in that big ass mouth of yours too. I told you earlier to just SHUT THE FU—”

BOW!
Scarlett punched Gwen with her fist so hard in the chest that Gwen flew back to the front door.

“Bitch, don’t you ever put your muthafuckin’ hands in my face!”

Anton ran over as Scarlett headed towards Gwen, who was trying to get off the floor. Gwen tried to strike back, but her frail arms were no match for Scarlett, who had tagged her again.

Gwen grabbed her face. “Get this bitch off of me,” she screamed. Anton tried to hold Scarlett, but she had gone H.A.M. on Gwen. She grabbed the back of Gwen’s neck, squeezing the blood flow to her brain while opening up her front door and shoving Gwen outside. On her way out, Scarlett footed her so hard in the ass that Gwen fell to the ground face first.

She lay on the ground, groaning in pain. “I’ll get you, bitch!” she mumbled. Once Gwen was able to get up, she stumbled off out of sight. She knew that it was in her best interest to leave, because she didn’t have a chance in hell of winning a fight against Scarlett.

“You better not go see how she’s doing, because she was wrong for that shit, Ant.”

“I know Sis, but I just wanna—”

“Wanna nothing, because Gwen was dead ass wrong for that shit. She came over here looking for trouble.” Scarlett walked over to the kitchen sink to wash her face. She felt disgusted that Gwen would slap her in the mouth with the scent of her musky, funky, pussy scent.

Scarlett sat down at her dining table. Anton sat down across from her.

“Are you alright, sis?”

“Yeah, Ant,” she responded. “I’m just so sick and tired of your mama, I don’t know what to do. I don’t understand why she hates me so much. I’ve tried to be cordial with her, I’ve let her live with us, I’ve taken her mental and physical abuse over the years, and still she does things that are continuously hurtful to me.” Scarlett wanted to cry, but somehow the tears wouldn’t fall. Maybe it was because she had cried so much over the years from Gwen’s hatred towards her that this time it just wasn’t happening.

Anton could see the look in her eyes, and he could tell that Gwen had truly hurt her this time, but there had to be more to her pain.

“Talk to me, sis.”

“I just don’t know what to say, Ant. I’m really trying to get my life together, and Gwen is determined to mess that up for me. I’ve put her out and she keeps coming back.”

“Don’t worry, sis. I’ll have a talk with her and tell her to leave us be.” Scarlett looked up at him. For so long, Anton tried to take up for Gwen in a way, now he finally realized that there was no hope for her.

“Thanks, Ant, but please don’t go out of your way to go see her. She’s not worth it. Maybe she’ll stay away a little longer this time, since she’s gotten her ass kicked. I truly hope so, or I might do something to her that I’ll regret.” Ant could tell by the sound of Scarlett’s voice that she was dead ass serious.

Samantha came walking out of the room. “Hey, Scarlett.”

“Hi, Sam. I forgot you were in there. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good. I’m sorry to have witnessed Gwen’s behavior first-hand,” she said.

“I’m sorry too, babe,” Ant said.

She pulled her keys out of her Coach purse. “I think I’m gonna go home and lay down. I feel tired,” she said.

“You sure, babe?” Anton asked.

“Yeah, I’m sure. All that excitement got my nerves rattled.” She headed for the door. “I’ll see you later, Scarlett. I hope you feel better.”

Scarlett looked up at her. “Me too, Sam. I hope you feel better, too. Again, I’m sorry you had to witness Gwen’s outrage. She is a hand full.”

“Yeah I see,” Samantha responded and exited the house. Anton followed behind her.

Scarlett walked inside her room and lay across her bed. One minute she was feeling like a princess with a bright future, and the next, a crack head’s daughter with a fucked up life. She dug inside her purse and popped two Xanax pills. She didn’t even need anything to wash them down as she swallowed them quickly.
Damn, I need some vodka to drink.
She sat on the edge of her bed and remembered the champagne cognac she took the night she was with Greg. She had it neatly hidden in her closet, just in case Anton was snooping. She walked inside her closet and got the Remy Martin XO Excellence. She immediately opened it and drank straight from the uniquely designed glass bottle. She gulped the cognac down, like it was an ice-cold beer. She sat back down on her bed, trying to get the evil thoughts out of her mind about Gwen.