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We laughed and Becky asked, “Why?”
“I don’t need my employees to be friends. I need for them to just get along. Next thing I know, they’ll be conspiring to rob me. I’ll be headed over to the shop before going home.”
“You should want a family environment there,” Ines advised with a smirk.
Corinne could be a riotous bitch when she wanted.
“Family steal, too, Ines!” Corrine argued. “Hell no! If I wanted that, I would’ve hired my sticky-ass finger family.”
As we cracked up, the doorbell rang.
“That must be Peach,” I thought out loud, dropping my first batch of hushpuppies into the bubbling grease.
“I’ll get it.” Becky abandoned heriPadand sauntered out of the kitchen.
“I see you over there grinding those hips, Ines.” Corinne teased before pushing another salmon bite into her mouth.
Ines snickered. “This was real music.”
“Stephanie Mills is talking about being a jumpoff,” I noted. “I guess that is real.”
“She’s talking about a mistake.” Ines shook her. “Her heart was pure. Being in love can be so painful.”
“You were a jumpoff, Ines?” Corinne asked.
Ines’ face remained toward the vegetables she was cutting for a salad. “I’ve lived, honey.”
Corinne and I exchanged a glance of discovery. Ines rarely talked about her past.
“You know what song I like of hers?” Corinne tried circumventing the awkward moment. “If I Were Your Woman. Stephanie Mills was talking someGshit on that. She was telling a man she would be a better woman to him than his woman!”
Ines’ head rocked as a soft grin warmed her face. “I ain’t think you young girls could understand that type of declaration. By the way, that’s off this album. Sometimes you just know you can be better for a man than what he keeps choosing. You can have a connection with him intense enough to know his needs better than him. You just gotta be sure you’re up for the job. You may have the knowledge, but still lack the wisdom to carry it out. Finding a man you can connect with on a deep level is rare for women in your generation. You’re too damn independent. You think paying bills is the only thing a man could bring to the table.”
Corinne’s eyes rolled toward the ceiling, forehead pinched.
Feeling the same confusion she expressed, I asked, “What else is there?”
“Dick?” Corinne guessed. “Because you can come to Lodi and I’ve got every color and size of those you need.”
“Hey, hey, y’all!” Peach announced herself as I snickered.
“Hey, girl!” Corinne turned to greet her with a hug and kiss on the cheek. “Your hair looks amazing!”
“Thank you!” Peach beamed. “I hit up ShawnNicole this morning, and actually got in her seat.”
“That’s the celebrity stylist chick?” Becky asked, adjusting herself onto the stool.
“Damn!” Corinne howled. “How you get in there?”
“The pure grace of God. I’ve been researching her hair care treatments everybody’s been talking about for a few months now. Then I decided to make the call, but I didn’t know how I would actually do my hair. I couldn’t believe it was her when she walked up on me, touching my hair. She’s really cool. Sweet demeanor and very personable! Hey, Ms. Ines.” She reached for a hug. “I know you’re cooking and I’ve got my coat on, but I gotta give you some love.”
“Hey, baby,” Ines leaned into her. “You look pretty.”
“Thank you!” Peach smiled from ear to ear, swinging her tresses from side to side. “I love it. Bought some products, too.”
“How much did that set you back?” Corinne asked. “Because I know she charged seventy-five dollars just for you to walk through the doors.”
I shook my head, chuckling while turning over the hushpuppies.
