The Baby They Bonded Over

“You don’t mean that, Nadia,” Paul straightened up. “You know that this is our thing. I fu*k up; you forgive me and take me back. Are you seeing somebody or something?”

“Why do I have to be seeing somebody to not want to be with you? I’m not the naïve little girl you met four years ago. I’m a different person. I’m about my business and you just don’t fit into my future anymore. You really need to go. There’s nothing left for us to talk about,” Nadia was done entertaining Paul and his antics.

“You’ve got to be seeing somebody!” he was convinced. “Why else would you be so against talking to me? You not just gonna up and change on me without some dude whispering in your ear. So who is it?”

“Paul, for the last time, you need to leave! You’re gonna mess around and get me fired! I’m not seeing anybody and even if I was that ain’t none of your business! Just go!”

“Paul, you really need to let my stylist and customers get back to their appointment,” Megan, the boutique manager, chimed in as she approached them.

“Meg, don’t start!” Paul barked. “You know how we do!”

“Yes, I know exactly how you two do,” Megan crossed her arms across her chest and stood firm in her position. “This is neither the time nor the place for it! This is a business. I have clients here and while you think this is okay… Please believe me that it’s not. You need to take your personal issues somewhere else! She ain’t having it and neither am I! You really need to go Paul.”

“You know what,” Paul sighed. “You’re right Megan and I apologize. Clearly, I thought the woman I was here to see was more mature than she’s acting so I’ll catch up with her later. We can finish this discussion another time. Maybe then she can tell me who her new man is.”

Nadia screamed, “I’m so sick of you! Fine! You’re right! I’m seeing somebody and there ain’t nothing you can do about it! So go!”

“I knew it! When do I get to meet this fool? I gotta be sure he’s the right one for you!” Paul demanded.

Nadia scoffed, “You got a lot of nerve! You don’t get to meet anybody! And you don’t get to have any say in who I’m seeing!”

“I get it, it’s cuz dude ain’t even real. Y’all relationship ain’t as deep as I thought; since you care so much about whether we meet or not. But it’s cool. You know where home is. Let me know when I can meet dude and I promise to back off,” Paul was sure she wouldn’t agree.

But to his surprise she accepted his request, “Fine, I’ll call you later and we’ll figure out the details. You’ll meet him by the end of the week! So now you can go! Conversation dead!”

Paul sucked his teeth, swallowed his ego, and exited the salon. He kept his eyes on the door refusing to allow these women to make him feel any less of a man. Nadia released a sigh of relief as Paul finally left. The door closed and chatter amongst the women resumed. Nadia was sure she was the topic of their discussions but she didn’t care much. She returned to Charlene’s hair but was thrown off her game.

“Are you gonna be okay to finish me up girl,” Charlene’s concern seemed genuine.

“I should be alright, girl. I just hate how he’s able to get to me like that,” Nadia admitted. She couldn’t believe she let Paul suck her into that lie. She didn’t have a man and she didn’t even know where to get one.

“Well it shouldn’t matter since you have a new man anyway,” Charlene eyed her through the mirror, “Who’s the lucky guy?”

Nadia was suddenly overwhelmed with worry and anxiety. She couldn’t find the words to keep lying about this imaginary boyfriend. She needed a moment to gather herself. She dropped the comb and then the brush. Her hands quivered as a panic attack consumed her.

Charlene noticed her uneasiness, turning around in the chair, “Oh my God! Are you okay, Nadia?”

“I’m fine, I just need a minute. Excuse me,” Nadia darted off to a back room. She paced around the boutique’s supply closet wondering why she allowed Paul to get her so worked up. She didn’t care about him anymore, especially after all the times he cheated on her. She had to get some reassurance. So Nadia did the first thing that came to mind; she called her older sister Sylvia.

The phone rang, and rang, and rang. She hung up and tried again. It rang, but Sylvia didn’t pick up sending the call to voicemail.

Nadia decided to vent to the machine, “You are in so much trouble when and if you get this!!! Why aren’t you picking up when I need you!? It’s Def Con 3 at the shop and I’m freaking the fu*k out! Pick up Sylvia! Pick up!”

The machine cut her off so she called back to pick up where she was disconnected, “Sylvia! Paul showed up trying to be all Mr. Romantic. I tried ignoring him but these bubbleheaded broads wouldn’t let me! They think he was being all sweet, but we know the deal! He ain’t about noth-“

The machine cut her off again, but Nadia is determined to get her messiness out onto Sylvia’s voicemail, “I hate your voicemail. Have I told you recently how much I hate your voicemail? Anyway I messed up big and told Paul that I had a serious boyfriend. He wouldn’t leave me alone. He pretty much-“

“Arrrgghh,” Nadia grumbled into the phone once she gets the voicemail again, “I can’t keep calling you. I really need you to be a sister and pick up the freaking phone, and tell me what I should do. Who can I get to be my boyfriend? And I need them to be mine by the end of the week! Call me.”