Courtin' Jayd (4 page)

 

Ever since yesterday's scene with Mickey's man, I've been avoiding Mickey like the plague, which also meant avoiding kicking it with Jeremy and the rest of the crew all day long. All I wanted to do was to be by myself and study. And it doesn't help that I have to see Reid and Laura at lunch rehearsals and in class every day. I must admit, Reid is good at his role as Macbeth but that still doesn't change the fact that he's an ass. I haven't missed being in a room with him, but he seems to be enjoying our unplanned reunion. He always goaded me into arguments last year when we were on the debate team together. But I've had enough of Reid for one lifetime.

I've been anxious about talking to Netta all day. I know she prefers to work alone, but I hope she lets me be her apprentice. Netta's hair skills are tight and she could also use the company. Before I have a chance to talk to her about it, she and Mama attack me as I walk in the door, and they've been grilling me the entire afternoon since. I knew I shouldn't have told my mom about my dad's offer last night when she probed my mind. She can't keep a secret for nothing.

“Jayd, you really should think twice about letting your daddy pay for your lessons. Girl, you know how manipulative he can be,” Netta says, clamping the hot curlers fresh out of the miniature oven sitting at her station. “Tell her, Lynn Mae. Tell that girl how manipulative her daddy can be.”

“Calm down, Netta, before you burn my ears,” Mama says, folding down her right ear so Netta can curl her hair. I'm always amazed at how quickly Mama's hair grows. “Jayd knows who she's dealing with.”

“But it's like making a deal with the devil, Lynn Mae. Tell her.” I think Netta's more passionate about hating my daddy than Mama is.

“Okay, to be fair I think he's just trying to help in his own way,” I say. Usually I wouldn't dare defend my daddy, especially not to them. But they're missing the bigger picture, which is to my advantage ultimately: I get to learn how to drive and that's more important than their vendetta.

“Help, my ass, Jayd,” Mama says, spinning herself around to face me. “I know you know better than that. You just want the same thing your mother wanted: a car. And like your mama, you'll settle to get it.” Damn, it's like that? If I let my daddy help me, I'm settling? I just want something that normal teenagers have.

“Mark your grandmother's words, Jayd,” Netta says, tilting Mama's head forward to put the final touches on her crown. “That man don't mean you no good. I hate to talk to you like that about your daddy, but it's the truth or this ain't Netta's Never Nappy Beauty Shop,” she says, waving the hot curlers toward the neon sign on the front window.

“She's right, Jayd. Your daddy has a history of hurting your mother through you. Don't give him another chance.” I know Mama's right. His little comment about my mother's men wasn't a slipup. He knows he's got something I want and will find a way to use it to his advantage. Mama sure knows how to make me feel like a traitor, but I don't see them offering me an alternative to what my main goal is: vehicular independence. And I think this is the perfect time to bring up my job proposal.

“Well, I could pay for the lessons myself if I had a source of steady income,” I say, getting up from my seat at the dryers and walking over to Netta's stool. I think I'll have more influence if I hug her up a little bit.

“Uh oh, I smell a plot,” Mama says as Netta sprays oil sheen all over Mama's hair, creating a sweet-smelling mist in the air. She and Mama make the best hair products.

“Not a plot, a proposal,” I say, handing Netta the plan I typed up this morning at break. “I want to work here part-time, Fridays to start and Saturdays once I get my own wheels. I can be your apprentice,” I say, putting my arm around her shoulders as she looks over my work.

“Jayd, how is working here one day a week going to help you get your license?” Mama says. I expected some opposition from her, especially since I've been slacking in my spirit work. But she knows I need a job and this is the best place for me to perfect my braiding skills.

“Well, as the plan outlines in detail…” I say, ready to make my case. I've been practicing my speech for days: “If I start out at seven dollars an hour working ten hours a week, plus tips, I'll be able to save enough for a nice down payment on a car, and insurance, by my birthday.”

“Jayd, I've always worked alone,” Netta says, putting down my paper before taking Mama's robe off. “But I could use some help around here. I'll think about it.” Yes. That's all I needed to hear. I know her and Mama will go back and forth about it for a couple of days. But with Netta on my side, I know I can make this work. I may not need my father's help after all and I know that'll be a big plus for Mama. For now, I'll just have to wait and see what happens. I can't wait to tell Rah the good news.

M
ama and I hardly spoke a word to each other when we walked home yesterday afternoon. I hope she lets me work with Netta, if Netta decides to hire me. My final paycheck from Simply Wholesome should be at my mom's house when I get there on Friday, but that's two days away and a sistah's broke now. Luckily I don't have to worry about lunch for the next few weeks while we're rehearsing for the play. But after that I'm going to be eating bananas all day until I can get some steady money flowing in.

Speaking of money, I wonder if my Uncle Bryan will let me borrow some cash to tide me over until I get my check, if need be. He's been in such a generous mood lately and it wouldn't hurt to ask.

“I don't know if I feel comfortable letting you borrow money from me without a job, Jayd. That's bad business,” Bryan says while he picks his Afro in the mirror. It's bad enough I didn't make it to the bathroom before him this morning. Now I have to hear his perpetually broke ass lecture me about money. Ain't this some mess?

“Man, please,” I say, pushing him aside to enter the steamy room. “You're the last person to give financial counseling to anyone. As much money as you borrow from me, I need to start charging your ass interest,” I say, handing him his toiletry bag and towel while pointing him out the door. He can finish picking his Afro while he smokes a spliff in his broke-down van like he does every morning before he goes to work.

“You're right,” he says, putting his foot in the door and preventing me from slamming it in his face. “So how about we make a deal? You can work for it by braiding my hair.”

“Bryan, I've been trying to get you to pay me for hooking your bush up forever. Why the sudden change of heart?” It would be nice if he and a couple of his homies became my steady clients. Then I could really impress Netta with my skills and make some good money.

“Well, my new girl likes a neat man so I have to clean up my appearance a little. You know, just until I get the panties,” he says, laughing at his own disgusting reasoning. I should've slammed the door on his foot while I had the chance.

“Bryan, you make me sick.” Why are dudes so foul when it comes to sex? Are there any mature guys left in the world?

“So is that a yes or a no? I need the hook-up and I trust your hands. How about today after school? Don't act like you have something better to do,” Bryan says, opening the door to his room and creeping in so he doesn't disturb Daddy and Jay sleeping.

“I'm not going to help you deceive some innocent girl into believing you're an upstanding young man when you're just as trifling as the dogs I have to deal with,” I whisper before closing the bathroom door. I've wasted enough time talking to my uncle. His shady reasoning has put me in a bitter mood and I still have the rest of the day to go. I avoided drama yesterday by keeping to myself. But that isn't going to fly today and I need to be as calm as possible to deal with school.

“My girl doesn't need to know all of that. Why I do what I do is my business. And besides, this one's special. She might be your auntie one day. And if it works out, it's for your benefit. You'll have a regular customer for life,” he says, coming back out of the room wearing a pair of wrinkled black Enyce sweats with a T-shirt to match. He throws his hoodie over his left shoulder before snatching his backpack from behind the bedroom door, heading outside.

“And what if y'all break up? You won't need my skills then and I'll be out of my regular pay.” Having steady clientele is no joke. That's how a stylist eats and if I am going down that road, I've got to show him I mean business.

“Well, I'll still come to you when I want to look extra flyy,” Bryan says, kissing me on the cheek while I set up my beauty tools on top of the closed toilet seat. At least when I'm at my mom's place, she has enough counter space for all my products. I barely have enough space for my lotion, deodorant, hair spray, and other toiletries, let alone extra room for the rest of my hair utensils. Depending on the day, I may need more to maintain my style than the cramped room allots.

“Fine, after school and it's twenty dollars. Cash only,” I say. I actually feel relieved to have some income coming in this afternoon. This way I don't have to worry about buying my snacks throughout the day. I have AP meetings today and need the sugar to make it through.

“Cool, Jayd. And just to show how much love I've got for you, we'll name our first girl after you.” He can be so silly sometimes. And knowing my luck, he'll probably have all boys, if they have any children at all.

“Never mind all that. Just get me my money and I'll be satisfied,” I say, finally closing the door to get started with my morning routine. It's strange not having a boyfriend to dress up for anymore. I want to look good always, of course, but I don't have to worry about every single detail of my gear because no one's going to be that close to me at school. I wish I knew what was up with Rah and his silent treatment. I should've asked Bryan if he's heard from him, since that is one of his regular connections for herb, but he's already outside and I have to get ready before I'm late for school. I'll have to remember to have a talk with Nigel when I get to campus.

 

My first two periods went by okay except for the fact that Mrs. Malone hasn't finished grading my paper yet. I'm anxious to find out how I did on the rewrite. Maybe she'll have it for me at the AP meeting today at lunch, since the meeting at break was cancelled because Mrs. Bennett is absent today. I guess the AP English world comes to a halt without the chief bitch on staff to lead it. Her students must be happy to have a day without their shrew. I wonder if Mr. Adewale is sitting in for her classes.

“Jayd,” Mickey says coming up behind me and practically pulling me away from my locker before I have a chance to lock it good. “Meeting in the ladies' room. Now.” Whatever it is must be good if we're meeting in the bathroom. That's our spot to chat when we don't want anyone else to hear.

When we get inside, Nellie's primping in the mirror, even if her look is already flawless. The bathroom is fresh and cleaner than our bathroom at home. There's a couch in the small hallway leading to the sinks and stalls. All of the bathrooms on campus are nice, but this one is by far the best.

“I'm assuming you already checked the stalls,” Mickey says, momentarily glancing under the ten adjoining doors before leaning up against the long vanity on the other side of the spacious room next to Nellie. When I went to a football game at Compton last year, I went inside their girl's bathroom and it wasn't nearly as clean or modern as this one.

“I know I'm fine enough to be a black Bond girl like Halle Berry, but don't get it twisted,” Nellie says while brushing her long, jet black hair into a ponytail draped over her shoulder. “Hell no, I didn't check the stalls and I've been in here an entire five minutes. No one's come in or out that I've seen.”

“What's with all the secrecy?” I ask before entering one of the empty stalls. I might as well take advantage of the situation I'm in, even if I would rather be buying some CornNuts. Nellie, having the same idea, follows suit, leaving Mickey the floor.

“How late can I be before I should take a pregnancy test?” Mickey asks as I squat behind the closed door. I'm glad she can't see my face because if she could, I know I'd get a mouthful about my obvious disgust.

“Mickey, did I just hear you right?” Nellie steps into the stall next to mine and closes the door. “Jayd, do you have a tampon?” she says, reaching her hand under the wall and into my space. Reaching behind me to the small pocket on my backpack, I pull out a maxi pad and hand it to my girl.

“I only wear pads.” Mama refuses to let me wear tampons because of the health risks associated with them. She says that's another thing that was wrong with my mama in high school. I sneak them in every now and then when I don't want to risk the embarrassment of spotting. But I don't like to wear tampons on a regular basis.

“Oh my God, Jayd. You really need to get with the times, girl,” Nellie says, reluctantly taking it from me. But a girl can't be too picky in these types of situations. “This will last me until I can get to the nurse's office. I know she has a tampon in there.”

“Uhm, hello. I just asked y'all a serious question,” Mickey says from her station at the mirror. “How long should I wait before taking a pregnancy test?”

“Mickey, I thought you were smart enough to use protection. I know you've been with your man for a long time but I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him, and he's a big dude,” Nellie says, beating me out of her stall. My Baby Phat gold belt is more intricate than it appears at first glance. Every time I wear this thing I feel like I'm trapped. But it seems like Mickey's the one caught up right about now. I'm with Nellie on this one. How could Mickey be so stupid?

“Look Nellie. Maybe that's how it works in your world. But we don't always know when we're going to do it, so my man may not have condoms on him at the exact moment. It's called spontaneity. Besides, a baby isn't the end of the world.” Now I'm positive Mickey's not thinking straight. A baby right now would be the end of her world as she knows it. Not only would she miss out on our senior year of high school next year to change diapers, but if her man finds out she's been messing with Nigel at the same time, she'll really be dead.

“Are you sure he's the daddy?” I say, opening the cream-colored metal door and joining them at the sink to wash my hands. Her and Nellie stare at me in silence through the reflection in the large mirror. Nellie looks from me to Mickey, who's searching for the right answer in her head. But the look on her face tells me she doesn't know whose baby it is. “Damn it Mickey. You can't be serious.”

“What, Jayd?” Mickey says, staring back at me through my reflection. Me and my girls make a pretty picture, but this isn't a Kodak moment. “You think I don't know how stupid I sound right now? I don't need either of you rubbing it in,” she says turning off the faucet and shaking the excess water from her hands before walking over to the paper towel dispenser. “I just need some help.”

Mickey's right. We shouldn't judge her, even if I did know something like this was going to happen. How could she sleep with both Nigel and her man without a condom, at the same time? And how could they sleep with her when I know they're all creeping too?

“Well,” Nellie says, touching up her hair as the warning bell rings, announcing third period. Soon the bathroom will be filled with girls rushing to class. Our meetings usually take place before the madness begins. “They do have those test that can let you know as soon as three days after your missed period. How late are you?”

“Three weeks,” Mickey says like it's no big deal. I know her mama got started early but damn, she needs to get it through her head that this ain't going to be no walk in the park. At least her mama knew who the daddy of her baby was.

“Three weeks? What are you waiting for Mickey, the baby to graduate from college? You need to go to the doctor as soon as possible,” Nellie says. I'm glad she's here to handle damage control because I really don't want to be involved in this one, especially not after what Mickey's man said to me yesterday.

“Jayd, why are you so quiet?” I want to tell Mickey what happened but I don't know how to say it without incriminating myself in her eyes. The last thing I want to do is get into an argument with Mickey about her man but she needs to know exactly how foul he is for herself. “Can you please tell Nellie it's not that serious?”

“Mickey, it is that serious,” I say, drying my hands and tossing the paper towels into the garbage before exiting the bathroom with my girls right behind me. “And you need to get all the tests they can run on you at the free clinic. You might be pregnant and no matter who the daddy is, the situation isn't good.”

“What are you talking about? My man would take care of our baby. He takes care of me, doesn't he?” I hate to bring up her man's wandering eyes, but now is as good a time as any to call her out on her trifling man.

“Mickey, taking care of you is more than making sure your whip is clean,” I say as Nellie grabs one more look in the mirror before following us out the door. The hall is beginning to fill with busybodies rushing to get to their lockers and I'm in no mood to be pushed around today.

“Yes, it's about taking responsibility and your man can't do that from his front porch,” Nellie says, making a very good point. “How's he going to help you and your child if he can't keep his ass out of jail?” Unfortunately, like a lot of brothas I know, her man's addicted to the hustle of street life and jail is always in his future.

“Nellie, why do you always have to throw salt in my game?” Mickey says, stopping at her locker and turning the combination. “Besides, my man gets off house arrest in six months. After that he'll be able to get a real job and stop hustling.” Mickey switches her books and checks her appearance in the small mirror hanging from her locker door.

“Six months? You act like that's around the corner,” Nellie says, leaning up against the lockers and eyeing the crowd with me. I notice KJ and his crew walk in through the main entrance, still gleaming from their defeat over my boys the other day. I hope Jeremy's in a good mood in government class. Talking to him always makes the hour go by faster.