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“You’re bringing up the past.”

“Because the past is relevant to the current problem.”

The salon door swung open with a chime, and I was shocked to see Monica walking around after what Marlon and Chris had put on her.

“There goes that demon seed of mine now,” Ms. Nicki mumbled.

Monica dropped into an available chair and spun around.

“Stop before you make yourself dizzy and throw up in my salon.”

“That happened one time,” Monica protested. “When I was eight. Just so you know, Vera, my mom is hacking away at your hair. It’s choppy, too.”

“Not only am I gonna block you, but I’m gonna trespass you as well,” her mother threatened.

“That’s not nice.”

“And you’re not a nice little girl.”

“And here I thought I would take you to lunch and do a little shopping, but I guess I’m not nice,” Monica said, toying with her mom.

“How are you going to take me out on the money I gave you?”

I closed my eyes and sighed when Monica grinned. “You gave your last boyfriend money to take you out on dates, so I guess you don’t mind too much, huh?”

Ms. Nicki lowered the scissors and glared at Monica. I was prepared for her to go off when she said, “You know what? Fair enough.”

Mother and daughter spent the next ten minutes gossiping animatedly about Joe, who barely had a pot to piss in and still had all the audacity in the world.

I smiled softly. Their relationship was complicated and unorthodox, but it worked for them. My relationship with my mother toward the end was… strained. I wanted to be wild and free, and she was doing her best to shelter me from the world. Back then, I thought she was holding me back. Now, I wondered how much of it had simply been a mother trying to hold on a little longer to her little girl who was hellbent on growing up too fast.

***

“Hold your hand a little higher.”

I extended my left hand over the velvet display while the sales associate slid another bracelet around my wrist. The diamonds caught the overhead light perfectly, and suddenly, I had the urge to get three more.

The associate fastened the clasp, then stepped back to give me room to admire it. “This piece is gorgeous on you,” she complimented.

I slowly rotated my wrist, admiring the delicate and completely unnecessary bracelet. I was going to buy it because my man told me not to return until I spent all the money he gave me.

I glanced beside me where a mountain of designer shopping bags sat in the velvet chair. I’d been shopping since I left the salon at 11:30, and I still had a few stores I planned on hitting up.

“What do you think?”

I tilted my wrist again.

“It’s beautiful.”

“It pairs wonderfully with the necklace you selected,” the associate encouraged.

“May I see your watches?”

“Of course,” she said, gently removing the bracelet. “Would you like me to add the bracelet to your other purchases, Ms. Gray?”

“Actually… how much damage have I done today?”

“The tennis bracelets, stud earrings, and necklace retail at $14,400, not including tax.”