“Vaughn that's fine and all, but it sounds like you want me in the kitchen and in the bedroom.”
“Again sweetheart, I think you're taking this to the extreme. And by the way, if you were my wife I would want you in the kitchen, and in the bedroom, and raising my kids and working . . . if you want. But don't get it twisted. I want you in the bedroom because you're beautiful. I want you in the kitchen because you're a great cook. I want you raising the babies because if we marry, I want you to raise our children with the best qualities of both of us. I want you teaching them, nurturing them, and you're the only person aside from me that I want influencing them. By the way, we are not equal. In some ways you are stronger and in some ways I am stronger. That's what I mean by not equal.”
“Then that is what you should've said in the first place.”
Korie kissed Vaughn and headed toward the door.
“You have work to do.”
Vaughn laughed.
“Shit, I said that twenty minutes ago.”
“My bad.” Korie walked away.
“Korie . . .”
“Yes?”
“If you had been with as many men as she had, I would have stopped seeing you too.”
She let out a sigh.
“I just don't think that's fair.”
“Life's not fair.”
“Okay, then for now, can we agree to disagree?”
“I can do that. But just one more thing.”
“What?” Korie thought Vaughn was about to say something insensitive.
“He was going to marry her. At this event this weekend, he was going to propose. He bought a ring a few months ago. I told him it was premature then, but he was going to ask her to be his wife.”
Korie stopped and leaned in the doorway.
“You told him it was premature?”
“I did.”
“I thought it was none of your business.”
“It's not. But he's like a son to me. And I want what's best for him, just like you want the best for your girlfriend.”
“What if what is best for them is each other? In spite of her past and in spite of his ego, what if she's what's best for him?”
“She's not. At least, I don't believe that she is.”
“What if you're wrong?”
“I'm seldom wrong.”
There was that arrogance again. Korie hated it. What softened her stance was the fact that he even said the word marriage. Although they were arguing, she was under the impression Vaughn did see her as a wife. She also kept telling herself that she started this argument and she needed to finish it. Initially, she felt like she won, but she also couldn't help thinking that she lost. She decided in her head to call it a draw and simply go to bed.
“Okay, Vaughn. I'll let you get back to work. I'm going to go lie down.”
“Are we cool?”
“We're cool.”
“Can a brother get a kiss?”
Korie walked over to Vaughn and kissed him. She then retired to bed where all she could think about was Jayna's loss and Vaughn's antiquated views. He made some valid points, but she was still not comfortable with the views. She then thought long and hard about their age difference and weighed the pros and cons of their relationship. The good still outweighed the bad, but Korie couldn't help thinking that the scales might be tipping just a little. More and more she began to see him as a potential husband. She also thought about cutting her losses and breaking up with him before her feelings became even stronger. He was set in his ways and at times he was opinionated, but he was also caring, challenging, and he had a way about him that she was drawn to.
I need to move in with this man, marry him, or leave him alone altogether. I need to make my mind up and it needs to be soon.
Chapter Twenty-five
The Friday before the event, Darren went to the barbershop to get his hair cut. He hadn't been to the shop in a while since he began dating Karen. He had been going to the same salon that he sent Karen and Jacob to. For this event, he wanted to have his signature look. That meant a bald fade that looked so good; it looked as if it were airbrushed on his head. He also wanted to be edged up with a straight razor. His goatee had to be tight, and he had to look his absolute best for this event. He even went as far as to buy a one-karat diamond earring for the event and a new Movado watch. Darren picked up his purchases before walking into the shop.
“Whaddup, D?”
“Hey Gucci, what's up.”
“I got you next.”
As usual there were a lot of women in the shop getting haircuts for their sons. In addition, there were bus drivers, police officers, and a few thugs, all sitting or playing games, waiting on Gucci or one of his barbers to cut their hair. Gucci cut Darren's hair next.
“Bald fade, right, D?”
“Yeah, but this time I need to be edged up with a straight razor and I want my fade to look the same way that Nas's fade looked in Belly.”
“I got you.”
“And edge up my beard too, please.”
“Man, you must be about to do it big tonight, huh?”
“Yeah, I got huge plans. I have an event to go to this evening.”
“Cool. Cool. So where have you been? It's been a minute since I last cut your hair.”
“Oh, well, I've been around, but you know I moved. I live downtown now, so it's hard to drive all the way out to the south side.”
“Oh, okay. I see you've been going to one of those salons too, by the way your hair looks.”
“Yeah, well. Sometimes I just have to go anywhere that's close. You know some days I get really busy and have to just find the first thing available.”
Gucci was concerned. A lot of brothers in the hood were no longer going to see the local barber anymore. More and more brothers were going to the beauty salons or getting their hair cut by the Arabs, who had also recently broken into the barber game. Many of the Arab barbers washed and conditioned your hair before cutting it. They also used special oils and massaged the scalp as well as gave you a fade. Many of them made sure that no hair got in the man's face, and they often used a blow-dryer on a cool setting to make sure that no hair was left on the customer. They did all this and usually for as little as 15 dollars. They also didn't expect tips. Many were just happy for the business and their customer-service skills were impeccable. Darren had been going to one of these shops on the days that he didn't go with Karen to the salon.
“Hey, D. Look, um, have you seen Karen?”
That made Darren's heart skip a beat. He didn't want to mention to Gucci that he had been dating her. Not after all he now knew.
“Karen? Karen who?” Darren feigned ignorance.
Gucci whispered in his ear.
“Special K. She was supposed to be one of your patients, remember?”
“Oh, you mean the sister you were making fun of that day?”
“Yeah.”
Gucci sounded as if he were ashamed of his behavior. “Isn't she your client?”
“Oh, no. I referred her to someone else.”
“So, have you seen her? I mean at your officeâhave you seen her?”
“I think I have seen her once or twice, Gooch, Why?”
“Just wondering.”
“Hmm, why?”
“She stopped coming here. I think we crossed the line and went too far the last time she was here and she stopped coming. She doesn't bring her son anymore.”
“Wow. Sorry to hear that. Is business bad?”
“Nah, business is cool. It's just thatânothing. Never mind.”
“O . . . kay. Never mind.”
Gucci continued to cut Darren's hair and edged him up properly. As usual guys joked, looked at women's butts as they left, and they signified and talked about one another like they were out on the streets. Floetry was playing overhead. The song “Getting Late” was blaring over the speakers and as Gucci cut Darren's hair, it was obvious that there was something pressing on his mind.
“Gucci, what's wrong?” Darren whispered.
As Gucci finished up, he asked Darren to step out in front of the shop.
“What's up, Gucci?”
“I miss her, D.”
“You miss who?”
“Karen.”
Oh shit, Darren thought.
“What do you mean?”
“Man, we used to go out. That's why I clowned her so bad last time she was here. I clowned her because I was ashamed.”
“Ashamed of what?”
Darren knew the story, but couldn't let on to Gucci that he did. He also couldn't let him know he was sleeping with her, either. It would be like Kobe telling Shaq that he bedded his woman.
“Look, I used to see her, right? This was back when I was playing ball. She's an incredible woman and all. I mean, she's sensitive, she's smart, she's hood . . .”
That's for sure, Darren thought.
“. . . and we had a good thing, you know.”
“So what happened?”
“I didn't know she danced. I caught feelings for her and I saw her one night dancing up at the strip club, shaking her ass for all those niggas up in there. Man, I just got pissed. My boys were clowning me and shit so I snapped.”
“What did you do?”
“I snatched her off the stage.”
She didn't tell me all that, Darren thought.
“I snatched her off stage and called her all types of hoes and shit. Then security tried to get at me and we all got into this huge brawl. I even tried to hit her.”
“Gucci, you didn't.”
“Nah, but I wanted to. I wanted to kill her ass that night, but my boys stopped me.”
“You wanted to kill her because you had feelings for her?”
“Because I loved her. I really loved her. Because she danced, I couldn't bring myself to get over it, or to continue dating her. I wanted her to give that life up, but when I was on top, I treated her like a piece of ass andâ”
“And what?”
“And now, since she's gone, I miss her. Stripper or not, she was a good woman. She had my back, ya know?”
“Okay. I feel you.”
“She was also incredible in bed.”
“Hmn. Okay.” Darren tried to maintain his composure.
“Anyway, niggas is telling me she ain't at the club no more. One of the guys in the shop says that he's seen her recently downtown at a City College. He said she was looking good. Not just good, but better than she has ever looked. He said she looked like she was getting herself together. He also said that she lookedâ”
“She looked, what? Finish your sentence.”
“He said she looked happy.”
“And that's a bad thing?”
“Nah, but it's eating away at me. If she's happy, it should be because of me, not some other cat, ya know?”
“Hey You” by Floetry was blaring over the speakers. The more they sang, the sadder Gucci seemed to become.
“D, you ever fuck up with a woman only to realize that she might have been the one?”
Silence fell between the two men.
“Yeah, I have.”
“So what did you do?”
“I'm trying to get her back now.”
“So that's what I should do?”
“If that's what your heart is telling you. Then go after her.”
Darren couldn't believe he was saying these things. But he knew how he still felt about Korie. Gucci should pursue Karen if he thought she was the one for him. So should any man if his heart told him to. The thing was, Darren was feeling Karen. He was really feeling her and if Korie wouldn't let him back in, chances were he could see himself being with Karen. It was wrong, because he and Gucci were cool, but he figured Gucci messed up. He had his chance. Just then, Darren thought to himself that might be what Korie was thinking: That he messed up and he had his chance. Fuck that. I have to get her back, he thought.
He decided that this would be the last time he got his hair cut at the shop. Darren reached into his wallet to give Gucci money for the cut, but he declined.
“No charge, D. Thanks for listening, man. If you see her, will you tell her I need to holler at her?”
“I'll tell her, Gucci.”
“Thanks.”
Darren felt like shit. He left the shop and headed back home. He carefully laid out his clothes for Saturday. Friday night Karen came over to spend the night. Darren felt guilty as he made love to Karen that night. The guilt didn't start, however, until after his orgasm.