Page 4 of Same Girl
“I’ll bet your husband loves that,” Diamond stated.
Ciara glanced at the ring on her finger as I parted her hair to prep it for perming. “My fiancé pays for my weekly housecleaning service. I don’t really have to do too much other than be beautiful and put that love on him.”
“I know that’s right!” Sonya stated and high-fived her. Her station was right beside mine, and Diamond was across from mine.
“Have you all set the date for the wedding?” I asked.
“Yes, we have. It’ll be in four months. He’s hired a personal trainer for me after the baby comes in case my snapback isn’t all that.”
I tried so damn hard not to roll my eyes, but Diamond caught me, and she smirked. I continued applying the base to Ciara’s scalp as she chatted with Sonya.
“We would have married sooner, but he’s got some loose ends to tie up.”
“What kind of loose ends, girl?” Sonya asked. She was good at getting people to feel like she was a friend and they could trust her. Clients easily let their walls down around her, forgetting that she wasn’t their best friend but a stylist. I was good at it, too, but I preferred not to.
“He’s going through a divorce right now. He’s been separated from his wife for a year, and she’s been stalling on the divorce. He would have forced her hand before now, but Aaron’s always so busy, and he’s got lots of important clients that he has to attend to. So you never know,” she answered.
My hands trembled as I turned back to my station and rearranged a few supplies. Although I didn’t start the gossip, Iusually engaged a little. Diamond’s eyes met mine in the mirror, and I knew that she realized I had grown unusually quiet.
“Mm. Aaron. What’s he look like?” Sonya asked. Diamond and I flashed a look at her.
“Girl, my man is so fine. We’ve been together for a little over a year. He’s six-one, dark chocolate, he’s built to the gods, bald, and full-bearded,” Ciara replied with a giggle.
I grabbed my water bottle and took a long chug because my chest was tight, and my mouth was extremely dry from swallowing repeatedly. This was all just a coincidence.
“He must have money, miss mamas, because you said he’s hiring you a cleaning service every week. Where can I find a man like that?” Sonya asked messily with her lips twisted as she narrowed her gaze at me.
I rolled my eyes. I was certain this was all a coincidence.
“I’ll have to ask if there are any other fine men at his agency. He’s an entertainment lawyer.”
I choked on my water.
“What kind of car does he have? I bet it’s reeaall nice, girl,” Sonya quipped.
“Mya, you look flushed. Why don’t you go to your office and rest? You’ve been on your feet all day. I can take over,” Diamond stated as she finished with her client.
“No. I’m fine,” I countered.
My client looked between the two of us and then settled back in her chair. She pulled her Sociogram account up and started scrolling through, commenting on people’s photos.
The bell chimed, announcing another visitor. I glanced up and saw my husband, Aaron, walking through the door with a sheaf of papers in his hand. I was surprised to see him because he seldom stopped by in the middle of the day anymore, unless it was Saturday. During the week, his schedule was too hectic.
Before I could ask him what brought him into the shop, Ciara’s large-bellied self tipped forward out of my chair and greeted him. “Baby! What are you doing here? You must have checked my location and wanted to surprise me.”
Aaron’s jaw dropped, and he looked between her and me. Ciara missed everything with her self-centered self. She threw her arms around him, my mouth dropped, and I shook my head.
“I know you lying,” I stated, taking a couple of steps back from my chair.
Aaron patted her gently and pulled her arms off him.
“Uhm, baby—” he started.
My heartbeat slowed. “How could you?” I asked as nausea roiled through me and tears burned my eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Aaron apologized.
“Sorry. Is that all you’ve got? You’ve been cheating on me, proposed to another woman, and got her pregnant, and the only muthafuckin’ thing your sorry lips can find to say is that you’re sorry?”
