Authors: Dorothy Phaire
Before Sherrelle could answer, Cha-Cha walked up to the desk and put her arms around Veda in a warm hug. “Hey girl, how you been doing?”
“Better than I was this time a few months ago,” said Veda, and winked at her daughter who then disappeared into the back room to fold the towels and straighten up the supply/laundry room so they could leave. Sherrelle called out to Veda from the laundry room, “I’ll be finished my work soon, Mama. I won’t be too long.”
Cha-Cha wasn’t going to let Veda out of her sight so quickly without grilling her with questions first. Cha-Cha leaned across the reception desk and planted her elbows so that her chin rested atop clasped hands as she gazed inquisitively at Veda. “So, tell me Girl. What you been up to these days?” asked Cha-Cha.
Renee strained her ears to listen in on Veda and Cha-Cha’s conversation. This was more interesting to her than anything in that fashion magazine she was pretending to read.
Veda clutched the strap of her shoulder bag and muttered with a half smile, “I found another job. I’m a secretary now for United Delivery Service or UDS as it’s called. Been there for about three weeks now.”
At hearing the name UDS, Alonzo jerked up his head from the shampoo bowl where Whittni had been massaging his scalp. “I thought you looked familiar, Sweet Thing,” he said, pointing up at Veda. Renee noticed that Veda gave him a half second disinterested glance then turned back to Cha-Cha.
Alonzo wasn’t ready to give up. “You know I’m one of the top drivers for UDS,” he said to Veda. “What did you say your name was again?”
“I didn’t,” Veda quipped and continued to ignore him.
Whittni gently pushed his shoulders back to stop him from interjecting himself into Cha-Cha and Veda’s conversation. “Please be still Mr. Woods so I can give this head a good scrubbing,” she said.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Alonzo beamed up at Whittni and obediently sank his head back down over the rim of the bowl.
After rolling her eyes one more time at Alonzo, Cha-Cha lowered her voice as she spoke, “Girl, that’s great about the new job. It’s good your old boss didn’t give you no hassle about … well, you know.”
“Yeah. I was pretty lucky,” Veda nodded. “Brenda told me about the opening at UDS right after I got released. I guess you know Jerome works there? He told her that apparently their secretary got fired for some reason. I didn’t hesitate to put my application in as soon as Brenda told me that.”
“I hear ya, Girl. It’s not like you haven’t worked around creeps before. Speakin’ of creeps how’s things going with Jerome these days? Brenda say anything about that?”
“Don’t ask me. That’s their business. Cha-Cha, you’re worse than a bunch of old church ladies. Trying to get into everybody’s business so you can go back and talk about ‘em.”
“I’m just asking. I don’t want her calling me cryin’ at two in the morning ‘cause she don’t know where her husband’s at. You know it’s only a matter of time before he screws up.”
Veda shrugged and folded her arms. “To tell you the truth, I don’t see much of Jerome. He’s a driver and I’m in the office all day. Lord knows I’m just thankful to have this job. I’m not trying to cause trouble and I don’t have time to get into people’s business. Mr. Davis, my old boss, said he wouldn’t press charges if I kept up my payments on the installment plan he worked out for me. So you see, I’m off the hook as long as I can keep this job and pay back the money I owe the firm.”
“Humph. Just make sure you stay outta trouble this time,” said Cha-Cha.
“Don’t worry. And, as soon as I pay the firm back, I plan to take the LSATs so I can get into law school. That’s always been a dream of mine. But in the meantime, I’m going to take an online class in criminology.”
“Criminology? You should ace that course, Veda. In fact, you could probably teach it,” laughed Cha-Cha. Veda gave her girlfriend an evil look.
“Girl, you know I’m just playing,” said Cha-Cha, waving her hand at Veda. Veda shrugged and started laughing with Cha-Cha at her own expense.
Renee sat quietly in the far corner of the waiting area, with her face buried in the magazine that she was not actually reading. She felt a tinge of guilt for eavesdropping in on Veda and Cha-Cha’s casual banter, but it gave her personal satisfaction to hear her former patient’s progress and to see how Veda had gotten past her emotional insecurities. Renee was also a little envious. It must be nice to have girlfriends to joke around with when things were going good and to confide in when things were not so great. If only she herself could advance towards self-discovery and learn from her mistakes the way Veda apparently had. Renee was proud of her former patient. She’d come a long way.
Cha-Cha reached out and examined Veda’s real hair under the wig and saw that she was clearly in need of a touch-up and trim in Cha-Cha’s opinion. “If you want me to hook up your hairdo for the club tonight I can fix you up if you don’t mind waiting a little bit.”
Veda raised her eyebrows in a look of disbelief. “Cha-Cha you must be crazy if you think I’m giving you my whole paycheck
and
waiting around here all day for you with your slow self.”
Veda stuffed her loose hair back in place, “Besides, my little bottle of Dark & Lovely at home’ll work just fine. I’m just here to pick up my daughter. Speaking of which, … Sherrelle?” she called out, “you ‘bout finished with your work, baby? We gotta go.”
“Suit yourself, Veda. My customers know I make them look good. They don’t mind waiting for me.”
“Humph, that’s what you think. News flash Cha-Cha—people have better things to do than sit around here all damn day.”
Veda continued with a chuckle. “Anyway Cha, I’m not trying to look too good on the job these days. I’ve already been warned by one of the girls in shipping and receiving not to come in to work looking too cute.”
“What?” said Cha-Cha, “What’s that supposed to mean? Why can’t you come to work looking fabulous? I know I couldn’t deal with that.”
Veda glanced over at Alonzo at the shampoo bowl before whispering to Cha-Cha. “One of the girls who works at UDS said ‘looking too cute’ is exactly what got the last secretary fired. Apparently, this girl came to work everyday like she thought she was starring in an MTV rap video. They say our boss is some kind of nutcase and feels threatened by attractive women. I don’t know if any of this is true but my coworker said Boss Lady doesn’t want any female coming to the office looking better than she does. The only problem is, that’s gonna be hard to prevent,” said Veda with an amused look on her face.
Cha-Cha laughed and waved her hand at Veda. “Oh, I get it. Your new lady boss is a mud duck.” At that, Veda couldn’t help laughing too. “Well maybe not that bad. A little thick around the middle and too much facial hair above her lip. It’s nothing that a personal trainer and a good waxing job couldn’t fix.”
Veda’s smile faded as she turned serious, “Cha-Cha, you know how some people like to gossip. Who knows why the last secretary got fired. All I know is, I’m glad I got a chance to take her spot. I don’t intend to mess up. Lord knows I need this job.”
“I know that’s right,” Cha-Cha mused, wearing a slight smirk. “Who knows. She could’ve stolen money from the company account and gotten herself fired.” Veda’s face turned stone cold. Cha-Cha stopped grinning when she saw the serious look on Veda’s face. Cha-Cha cleared her throat. “Like I said, Veda. Stay outta trouble, Girl.”
“Don’t worry about me, Cha. I learn from my mistakes.”
Just then Sherrelle walked up and grabbed her purse from behind the desk. “I’m ready to go now Mama. Is it okay, Miss Cha-Cha? I’m finished everything.”
“Sure baby.” Cha-Cha smiled at Sherrelle and opened her arms wide. “Where’s my hug good-bye, young lady?” Sherrelle hugged her briefly then started towards the door. Cha-Cha nodded her approval to Veda. “You got yourself a good girl right there Veda. Looks like you did something right. So Sherrelle, what’re your plans after you finish high school?”
Sherrelle stopped and looked back, smiling with excitement. “I’m going to cosmetology school next year to get my license. And, one day I’m going to have my own shop.”
“Well, well. This little diva’s got ambition, Veda,” said Cha-Cha, “Just like her Mama. Ya’ll be careful out there.” Cha-Cha sighed, “Enough socializing for me. Guess I better get back to work.”
“Get back to work?” Veda said, mockingly, “Girl, looks to me like you haven’t even started yet.” Before Cha-Cha could react, Veda leaned in and gave Cha-Cha a hug good-bye. “Good seeing you, Cha. Take it easy.”
Cha-Cha nodded and returned the hug. “You too, girl.” She gave Veda and Sherrelle a wave as they went out the door. After Veda and Sherrelle had gone, Renee put down the magazine that she had been using as a shield and gave Cha-Cha direct eye contact while visibly checking her watch. Cha-Cha glanced at the client sign-in sheet on the desk and saw Renee’s name written next to hers as stylist. “Come on back, Honey,” Cha-Cha motioned for Renee to come sit in her chair. She kept up her non-stop talking to the other stylists as she worked. It did not escape Renee’s notice that Cha-Cha still had not apologized for making her wait so long.
“Nadine, can we please listen to something a little less nerve-racking?” asked Cha-Cha as she began applying the creamy mixture to Renee’s hair, “all that yelling and screaming is giving me a daggone headache.”
“Girl, that’s my new Ludicrous CD and this jam right here is tight. Besides, when it’s your week to pick the music, you can play Barry Manilow for all I care,” said Nadine, tartly.
Whittni cleared her throat and chimed in, “I’m with Cha-Cha, girl. My last client’s at 7 so I’m gonna be on my feet all day. Can we save the pumpin’ Club jams for later?”
There was an awkward moment of silence between the women, while the music blared. Nadine, a plump thirty-ish looking woman in a short, natural Afro marched over to the CD player and popped in a soft love ballad by Mariah Carey.
“Thanks, girl. I didn’t get to bed ‘til three this morning,” said Cha-Cha.
“Up all night again with some ‘Yo boy’, huh?” teased the petite, willowy one they called Takara. Dressed in tight, black knit pants and a V-neck top, Takara’s
creamy complexion accented her
highlighted chestnut hair that was cut in a
short
, layered style.
“Yo boy? What the hell’s that?” asked Nadine.
“You know, one of them gansta wannabes, always saying
'Yo man, what's up or Yo Ma, come here,
' explained Takara, “Every third word out of their mouth is Yo. A wannabe thug who failed eighth grade English.”
“Nah, Takara. That’s your type,” said Cha-Cha as she sashayed over to the shampoo bowl, motioning for Renee to follow, “Y’all can just kiss my big, black luscious behind.”
“So what’s your excuse for keeping your client waiting for almost an hour?” said Nadine as she set the flat iron down and put her hand on her hip, “Just who do you think you are—struttin’ in here like Queen Makeda? Then taking your sweet time to start working.”
There it was, out in the open. Nadine had voiced the same sentiments that Renee had been feeling and had wanted to say to Cha-Cha herself but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Renee felt her head tingle from Cha-Cha’s strong nails, scratching and massaging the shampoo into her scalp. Nadine’s accusations must have hit a nerve.
“Girl, you better watch the time on your own customer’s relaxer and mind your own damn business,” said Cha-Cha to Nadine over her shoulder.
A moment later she switched to her sweet, seductive voice and offered an explanation.
“Well, I did meet me a real cutie pie last night in the Helix lounge at Club 2K9,” said Cha-Cha, “Of course, I didn’t need a VIP pass ‘cause I was looking fly in my red spandex sequined halter. The dude at the door just let me right on in. Anyway, that Brother I met is one fine specimen of a man. We played some pool, drank some Cristal. And got to know each other better, if you know what I mean.” Cha-Cha paused, as if recalling a dream.
“James Ian Mathias,” Cha-Cha went on to say, “His friends call him Ian. He’s got dark, dreamy, bedroom eyes. He’s 29 years old and he’s a Scorpio like me. The Brother drives a midnight-blue Jag—an XK8. He graduated from Georgetown U four years ago with an MBA and now runs his own Marketing Consulting business downtown. And by the way, he owns a lavish condo in Georgetown. I didn’t want to say anything about him in front of my girlfriend, Veda. I didn’t want her to be jealous seeing as how she’s all alone right now.”
“Oh, how thoughtful of you,” said Takara, sarcastically, “What did you do, girl? Have the man investigated? You got his whole damn dossier. Anyway, no need for your girl to be jealous of you. This dude sounds like a drug dealer to me. One of them executive thugs, you know what I’m sayin’?” The other stylists started laughing in agreement with Takara.
“Y’all just jealous ‘cause you ain’t getting no play,” Cha-Cha taunted the other girls over the running water.
“Umhum. Ian right? Where’s this dude from?” said Nadine.
“He was born in D. C. but his mama’s people are from Jamaica and his daddy’s American—Black. Ian said I was like champagne in a Dixie cup and he’d make sure that from now on I’d always be poured from a crystal glass.”
“What? What kinda sorry bullshit line is that?” laughed Nadine out loud.
“Girl, you getting ready to get in trouble again,” said Whittni as she shook her head.
“That’s right,” said Nadine, “Y’all know she stay stuck on stupid. We ain’t forgot about that married man you keep going back and forth with. I don’t know who the hell you think would be jealous of you.”
“Shoot, that’s ancient history, girl. I’m all through with that. Anyway, Ian ain’t nobody’s ‘Yo boy’ and he’s too refined and educated to be a drug dealer. And he is S-I-N-G-L-E. You’ll see for yourselves soon enough. I gave him my card and he’s coming in for a haircut today.”
“Umhum. Yeah, okay. Right,” they all said in unison, “We don’t believe a word of your Cinderella bullshit, Cha-Cha.”