by A'zayler
“Honnneyyyyy,” Rick said as soon as she walked into the door.
“Hey Y’all,” Honey waved at everybody as she made her way to the back of the building. She needed to drop of the remainder of the money she’d taken this morning to handle her business. She hadn’t spent it so there was no need to keep it. She put in the code to unlock her locker and grabbed her red bag. Honey double checked over her shoulder to make sure no one was coming in before pulling the money from her pocket and sticking it in the bag. It was getting pretty full which made her happy. That meant she was saving more money.
“Aye Honey you got a visitor out here.” Zay had just come in the door and was walking past her to his locker.
“Is it one of my regular’s?”
“Nah I don’t think so. He got on a McDonald’s uniform though.”
Oh no!
It was Samuel. He had come looking for her. This was so unexpected. He hadn’t come back to the shop since the first time she’d ever met him. He had long ago stopped coming because he claimed to hate the way the men in the shop watched her. She walked back and forth in place for a minute before trying to think of what she was about to tell him. She couldn’t think of one thing. Oh well. She couldn’t hide forever. Honey checked her face in the mirror. Her hair was wrapped in a tight bun in the center of her head and she wore nothing but a pair of silver ear rings.
“You straight Honey?” Zay had put on his barber jacket and was standing there watching her pace the floor.
“Yeah I’m straight. Tell him I’ll be out there in a minute.”
Zay looked at her for a little longer clearly trying to figure out why she was such a nervous wreck. Honey smiled hoping to give him reason enough to move on. She didn’t know if it worked or not but he left anyway. Honey decided she might as well get it over with. Samuel wasn’t her daddy and he wasn’t the most confrontational person either so it wasn’t like they were about to have a serious fight. In her blue jean shorts, racer back American flag shirt, and silver sandals she’d had to buy from Walmart this morning, Honey walked to the front of the building. Men caught sight of her as soon as she exited. Simple as her outfit was she was still stunning. Her face and thighs were putting niggas in a trance, but as always Honey acted as if she didn’t see it. She smiled as big as she could when she saw Samuel. She walked to him and grabbed his hand pulling him from the shop. If he was going to talk she didn’t want him putting everybody in the building in their business. He wasn’t smiling and it didn’t feel like he was holding her hand back.
“Hey baby, what you doing up here?”
“What you think I’m doing up here? You were gone when I woke up this morning and you haven’t been answering your phone. What’s with that?”
“You didn’t get my text?” Honey got her lie rolling.
Samuel’s face frowned and he shook his head. “You aint text me.”
“Yes I did. I told you I had an early morning appointment today. It was a wedding party and I had to cut like ten people’s hair so I wanted to get an early start so they would be on time.” Honey’s lie was coming out better than she’d expected.
“Well if that was the case why haven’t you been answering the phone for me then?”
“I’m sorry baby. I had it in the back on the charger. I forgot to charge it last night so it’s been dead all morning and I hadn’t even a paid it any attention,” Honey grabbed both of his hands. “I was just about to call you back when Zay told me you were out here. I think I feel special. You must really love me if you came all the way over just to check on me. I know how much you hate this place.”
Samuel was looking at her so she smiled and looked away. She didn’t want to lay it on too thick so she tried to relax a little.
“Damn right I hate it. You didn’t see all those niggas watching you walk out of there?”
“No I really didn’t. I think you’re just overreacting.”
“I think you’re too damn naive to work in a shop full of men. You don’t pay attention to nothing.”
Honey wasn’t feeling the way he was talking to her but she didn’t say anything. She was just ready for him to go. The less she talked, the less he would talk. Or so she thought.
“I think it’s about time for you to quit.”
“What? NO!”
Samuel must be crazy if he thought she was about to quit her job.
“Who you yelling at?”
“I’m just saying Samuel I like working here. Plus I’m able to help your mom out with bills and stuff. If I quit she might put me out.”
She knew Joanne was a soft spot for Samuel so she played on it. “Your mama wouldn’t like me sitting at home with her all day.”
“Yeah I guess you right. Next time just let me know beforehand what you have going on.”
“I will.” Honey smiled and walked to him for a hug. She hadn’t wanted to show any signs of affection for real because she knew everybody in the shop could see them but she had to do what she had to do to ensure she had somewhere to lay her head tonight. Of course Samuel being the extra possessive man he was, he had to rub all over her back and butt the whole time. Honey wanted to shrink into one of the cracks on the sidewalk.
“I’ll see you at home. I’m closing tonight.”
“Okay.” Honey hated when he had to close. She was stuck at the house with Joanne and Samuel’s sister for too long by herself. Maybe tonight she’d stay with Congo until it was closer to time for him to get off.
Samuel squeezed her hand once more and walked over to his car. She saw him looking at Congo’s car that he just so happened to have parked next to. Honey watched him until he pulled out of the parking lot. She took a deep breath before going back inside.
Zay was on her as soon as she got inside. “Honey, I know that aint who you be curving a nigga for?”
“Nope. I curve you because I don’t date coworkers.” Honey kept it simple without giving out all of her business. She went to her station and wrapped her smock around her body before motioning for the boy waiting on her to sit in her seat. She snapped the cape around his neck as her phone began to ring. It was Congo.
“You thinking about me already?”
“Hell yeah. You handled your business?” Congo’s raspy voice was so sexy.
“Yeah, and some. Did you need me to do anything for you before I pick you up? I only have a few appointments today.”
Congo was quiet but she could hear other people talking in the background.
“You could bring me something to eat if you don’t mind. I didn’t bring shit with me.”
“Sure, what time?”
“How about an hour?”
Honey checked her clock.
“That’s cool. What you want?”
“Some Honey.”
Honey held her head down and snickered to herself. He was always making her blush.
“Can I get me some of that? I been thinking about it since last night but ya boy was too tired to even fuck with you.”
“We’ll see. I’ll be back over there in an hour.”
“Good. I need to see your face anyway I’m tired of looking at these old ass ugly muthafuckas.”
Honey could hear Congo and some other men in the background laughing. She laughed too as she flicked her clippers on.
“Go head do your thing Honey, just hit my line when you on your way.”
Honey told him she would and hung the phone up. Talking to Congo had her in such a good mood. She cut the two heads she had within an hour and was out the door. Driving his car around made her feel like they were together. She grabbed him some Bojangles and headed to his job. When she pulled up and parked she text him letting him know she was there. A short while later she saw him come to the stairs in front of her and waved her up. Honey grabbed his food and got out. He met her halfway up the stair and took his food from her. When he had everything in his hand, he leaned his head forward with his lips poked out. Honey kissed them before following him up the stairs. He led her into a
small trailer that a few other men were sitting in. It was cool and clean.
“Samuel came to the shop looking for me today,” Honey said as soon as they sat down.
“I know,”
“You know?”
“That’s what I said.”
Honey waited for him to elaborate but when he didn’t she knew she was going to have to ask.
“How you know?”
“Don’t worry about that. Just know I know,” Congo took a bite out of his chicken. “Why you letting that nigga feel all over your ass and shit though? Y’all had to do all that just to talk?”
Honey bit the inside of her jaw.
“Open up ya mouth. Y’all had to do all that just to talk?”
Congo’s face was serious and his eyebrows were bunched together in the center. He was staring straight at her while still chewing his food. If she didn’t know any better she’d think he had an attitude but that couldn’t be it, not when he knew Samuel was her boyfriend. When she reached for his soda and he pulled it away she knew he was mad for real then.
“Nah, you probably kissed that muthafucka too.”
“No I did not.”
“Well shit you letting him grab all over your ass and shit you might as well would have let him kiss you too. What the fuck difference would it have made?”
Honey rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair. Congo pointed at her with the plastic fork he was using to eat his rice.
“You can stop that shit right there.”
“What shit?”
“Oh he got you cussing now too? Aint this some shit?” Congo faked surprise.
“Congo, you have serious issues.”
“I sholl the fuck do and you better remember that shit the next time you letting niggas feel all over yo ass for the world to fucking see.”
Honey was really surprised by the way Congo was acting. He had been so calm ever since she’d met him and he was acting a fool right now. Maybe her being hugged up with Samuel was a bigger deal than she thought. She had been spending a lot of time with Congo lately, he was probably feeling her the same way she was feeling him. That would explain the little attitude he had right then. He finished eating his food while she sat and watched. Neither of them saying anything to the other. Once he was done he got up and threw his trash away. Honey didn’t like him being mad but she didn’t know what else to say, especially since she didn’t know him well enough to know what would work. He was so sexy. His tall dark frame and thick eyebrows. Oh lord Jesus and his face. His face was just everything. He was so handsome. Smooth skin, perfect teeth, and an even better smile. The angry expression he wore only enhanced the sex appeal. It was almost funny to Honey that he was so busy pouting he didn’t even know how cute it made him. His thick lips were poked out just a tad, looking like they needed to be kissed. He was sitting across from her looking in every direction but hers. His demeanor gave away that he was bothered. Even if he had not just told her, she would have been able to guess it. His shoulders were slightly slumped and all she could see now was the waves in his jet black hair. He was looking down at his phone, no longer paying her any attention. Honey liked it better when they were friends so she needed to fix this, and find out who in the world was telling her business.
Honey got up and plopped down in Congo’s lap. Before he could object she wrapped her arms around his neck. He moved his arms around so that he could look back at the screen of his phone. “Now I know you aint that mad?” She kissed his forehead.
“Yes the fuck I am too.”
“Well you don’t need to be.”
“Why I don’t?
Honey kissed his forehead, ignoring the stares of the other people in the trailer with them. She kissed the side of his eye, then the middle of his face where his eyebrows were bunched together. They relaxed once her lips left them. She could feel his body loosening beneath her when she grabbed the bottom of his face and pulled it up so he was looking at her. Her head lowered until her lips were on his. He wasn’t receptive of her tongue initially still trying to have an attitude but all that changed when she grabbed his bottom lip with her teeth. She held onto it.
“Kiss me back,” She said against his lips like he’d done her in his car the night before.
He shook his head with a smile on his face. Well more so his eyes than his face because she still had his lip held securely between her teeth.
“Kiss yo man,”
“You are my man,”
Congo shook his head. “Nah I’m yo nigga. Not yo man.”
Honey smiled and let his lip go so she could kiss him for real. She sucked on the spot she’d just let go before slithering her tongue back into his mouth. He took it this time, and took it full speed. He was kissing her like they were somewhere in private. He held onto her sides and pulled her back into his lap a little more. They were so lost in each other, in their own world, they’d totally forgotten he was still at work and there were people in the room with them.
“Damn, what I gotta do to get a lunch break like that?” A male voice said breaking their lip lock.
Honey’s face flushed red as she held her head down. Congo looked to see who was talking before he laughed. “Nigga, fuck you.”
“I’m saying though. Shit what a nigga gotta do?”
“Bruh get yo ass on,” Congo patted Honey’s butt. “Come on bae let me walk you out since we got muthafuckas watching us and shit.”
She was still slightly embarrassed so she didn’t even bother to look up as they passed the man and went back out the door. Congo was holding her hand as he led them back to his car. She followed closely behind him, not that she had much of a choice since he was holding her hand close to his body. It was two spaces from being in his pocket. In front of his car he leaned against the hood and pulled her body between his legs.
“What you finna do?
Honey played with the collar of his shirt. “Go back to work I guess. I don’t have much else to do.”
Congo stuck his hands in the back pockets of her shorts and held her against him. “You feel that?”
Honey scooted closer and nodded.
“Yeah, that’s what the fuck these little ass shorts doing to me. Where you get these from?”
“Wal-Mart. You know they clothes aint made for black girls. Especially not the thick ones. These shorts so tight on my legs I can barely move.”
“You a gotdamn lie. These shorts made exactly for yo ass. They fitting you like a muthafucka. I like yo thighs. You aint got much ass but we can work on that.”
Honey punched him in the chest as they both fell out laughing. He pinched the back of her thigh and bit the side of her face.
“I’m fucking with you. But you looking sexy as hell in these off brand ass clothes.”
“Thank you,” Honey shook her head. She’d take that as a compliment from him.
“You coming with me again tonight?”
Honey shook her head no.
“I figured that. Just make sure you pick me up on time.”
“I can stay with you a little later I just can’t spend the night.”
“Cool. We can go to my people’s house for a little while so I can take a shower. Unless you wanna come to me and Neeka’s spot.” Congo smiled knowingly.
“You so childish. That aint even funny.”
They talked and made jokes for a few more minutes before Honey got back into Congo’s car and pulled away. She thought about what she was doing with Congo and was it going to be beneficial or would it hurt her in the long run, she couldn’t really say. All she did know was that it felt good. It felt better than anything had in a long time. When she got back to work, things seemed to be moving in slow motion. She’d cut a few more heads before sitting down to draw. She’d finally finished her drawing on the strip mall, and moved on to something else. It was a picture of a man. She never really enjoyed doing face pictures, because it required too much feeling in her opinion. But at this very moment she felt inspired. She wanted to draw a pictur
e of man. Not just any man, but a strong black man, fighting against the world. So far she only had the man. Nothing else. This was going to take some time, and that’s one thing she had a lot of.
“Honey, what time you getting out of here today?” Rick walked past with his keys and phone.
“I’m actually about to go now.” She put her sketchbook in her backpack and cleaned her station. She grabbed her things and followed Rick out of the shop.
“You need a ride?”
“Nah, I have my friend’s car.”
This caught Rick’s attention because Honey didn’t associate with many people.
“What friend?”
“Just this guy.”
She could feel Rick watching her but she kept walking until she was standing next to Congo’s car.
“Congo is your friend?”
“Yeah why?” Honey asked with a hint of an attitude.
“Pipe down girl I’m just asking. I know bruh from around the way. I just never picked him as your type. I thought that was that nigga car when I saw it earlier.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Honey crossed her arms over her chest.
“It means that nigga is rough. He does foul shit. I’m used to seeing him fucking with bitches from the hood. You aint like that. That’s all I was saying.”
Honey was listening but she didn’t appreciate Rick judging Congo. To her it sounded like he was throwing salt but she wouldn’t point that out to him. Being that he’d tried his luck with her a few times before only to be turned down might have had a lot to do with the way he felt about her dating Congo. She’d feel him out for herself. She liked Rick and all but she was not about to take the word of no nigga that probably had feelings for her.
“Thanks for looking out but I think I got it.” Honey opened the car door and got in. She didn’t even wait for him to say anything else before pulling off.