Street Soldiers by L. Divine Read Free Book Online

is bright with fluorescent lights and flat screen televisions on each wall. Everything from the pleather chairs to the hair tools are black, silver or pink. There’s even a disco ball hanging from the ceiling causing rainbow rays to bounce off of the mirrors. It feels more like a nightclub than a place of business.
    “Is Mickey here?” Nellie asks, claiming a fashion magazine out of one of the baskets on the end table where I notice a braid magazine. It wouldn’t hurt for me to see what’s new in the business.
    “I’m back here getting my nails done,” Mickey yells.
    Good. I need to look her in the eye when she comes up with an excuse about why she’s tripping on her ex after she foolishly put her relationship with Nigel at risk for his ass.
    I follow Nellie to the back of the shop where the nail salon is housed. Mickey and three other women are getting the works. It must be nice for my girl to be a teen mom with hood-wifey benefits. Speaking of which, who’s bank rolling all of this pampering?
    “There she is, Miss M.I.A. herself,” I say, posting up against an empty station closest to my girl with my magazine in tow. I hope CoCo doesn’t mind if I borrow it; she’s got plenty to spare. And it’s not the most recent issue so I doubt anyone will miss it.
    Mickey rolls her eyes in my direction as Nellie takes a seat in the spa chair next to hers. It must be nice living the ghetto fabulous life without a job. I hope Mickey knows her days are numbered living under Rah’s roof with no income. He doesn’t play that shit.
    “Paula, can I get a mani, pedi and brow wax while I wait for CoCo’s chair to clear? Please and thank you,” Nellie says, relaxing into the massage chair.
    The tall, black woman with blue streaks in her asymmetrically cropped hair nods her head without taking her eyes away from her client’s acrylic claws. Nellie places her oversized Michael Kors bag on the end table attached to the large chair and slits her eyes at Mickey for leaving her behind. Mickey shrugs her shoulders and refocuses her attention on the large television screen mounted on the wall in front of her. This is the place to hangout even if you’re not getting any services.
    “So Mickey, did you get my many, many messages about your ex?” I ask, flipping casually through the colorful magazine. I could do all of these styles with the right comb and enough time.
    “Yeah, I heard them but I’ve been busy with Nickey and school. You know how it is,” Mickey says, lying through her teeth. Nickey’s down for the night by eight and we all know she’s never taken any of her schoolwork seriously.
    “Mickey, spill it,” I say, abruptly closing my magazine. This girl is testing my patience.
    Nellie looks at Mickey waiting for the real story, too.
    Mickey looks at Nellie and then me, ready to give in. “The reason I can’t go to the hearings is because G doesn’t want me there.”
    “Mickey, I don’t think that’s true,” I say. “There was no one there for him at his hearing yesterday except for my family and our neighbors. I know you’re probably mad at him over Nigel blowing up, but he needs whatever kind of support he can get.”
    Nellie looks away pretending to read her magazine. I know there’s something they’re not telling me.
    “Okay, what the hell is going on around here?” I roll the magazine up and place it inside of my purse lest I forget to take it with me when I finally do leave. I know Mama and Netta are watching the clock.
    Mickey looks down at her toes soaking in the bubbly water and then back up at me. “We’re back together, Jayd,” Mickey says. “And, G doesn’t like his family getting involved in the court system and all that nonsense. By not being there I’m doing exactly what my man wants me to do.”
    “What the hell is wrong with you, Mickey?” I exclaim, ready to take the rolled up paper out of my purse and smack some sense into my girl. “Have you completely lost your mind, Mickey?