Braver Read Online Free Page B

hairspray. Such an operation was impossible without hairspray.
     
    After what seemed like hours, my arms aching with the effort of contorting them to make the delicate actions dictated by the magazine, I finished. I used tiny black rubber bands to secure the ends and hid these with bobby pins, tucking them beneath the existing braids. I gave one last spray over everything, my eyes watering at the fumes, and took a look at my masterpiece. It looked really fine.
     
    I stepped outside to wash my hands in the bathroom and was met with a gasp. It was Shimmy, dancing down the hall and tossing an apple up in the air.
     
    “Girl, your braids are amazing!” she gushed. “Where did you learn how to do that?”
     
    “From a magazine, just now,” I said, grinning at the compliment.
     
    “You think you could do that on me for tonight?” she asked. “They’re going to throw themselves at you.”
     
    I knew that by “they,” Shimmy meant our customers. She was probably right, especially after I strapped on my push-up bra and did my makeup.
     
    “Of course I will,” I said. Even though I’d just mastered the design, I knew it would be infinitely easier on somebody else’s hair.
     
    “You busy now?” she asked. “I was just gonna watch a movie with Cream.”
     
    “Lemme just wash my hands,” I said.
     
    I entered their shared room with a knock, laughing at their panties and bras hanging from the ceiling.
     
    “What’s gotten into you two?” I asked, looking at the bright array of cloth.
     
    “We think they look pretty,” Cream said in that slow, smooth way of hers. Her face was covered with a layer of lotion, which was how she maintained her marble-like complexion.
     
    “It’s a shame to keep them hidden away in drawers, ain’t it?” Shimmy added. She plopped down on the floor in front of a chair, wriggling around to get comfortable before pointing a remote at their little TV.
     
    “What’re we watching?” I asked, sitting in the chair and drawing Shimmy back between my knees.
     
    “Independence Day,” she said. “God, Will Smith is hot.”
     
    “If only he’d come into the nightclub,” Cream said dreamily. “The things I would do to him.”
     
    “Free of charge,” Shimmy put in.
     
    “Free of charge,” her roommate agreed.
     
    Both girls shrieked when the object of their affections popped onto the screen.
     
    “Step off, Vivica!” Shimmy hollered at the television. “That boy is mine!”
     
    I couldn’t help but giggle at them as I ran my fingers through Shimmy’s hair. The strands were softer than mine, making my task even easier. I was even able to watch some of the movie as I braided. It’d been forever since I’d seen it.
     
    I finished the hairdo with a flourish of spray.
     
    “All done,” I announced.
     
    Shimmy popped off the floor and checked herself out in the mirror, striking several different poses.
     
    “They’re going to be lining up for you,” Cream observed.
     
    “Anything for the money,” Shimmy declared. “Thanks, Cocoa. If I get the booty I’m expecting tonight, I’ll tip you out for this.”
     
    “Don’t you dare,” I said. “The hairdo is a gift. Enjoy it.”
     
    I left to get ready. It was nearly 5 and I wanted to be sure I was prepared for the meeting.
     
    My uniform was clean and pressed, waiting for me in the closet. I’d helped Mama develop the uniforms years ago. Black was flattering on anyone — and hid any stains that might be accrued throughout the night. The jeweled buttons added just enough pizzazz for us to stand out while still remaining in the background. Even though we girls were the main event at the nightclub, we didn’t want to seem like it.
     
    I swept on my makeup with a practiced ease. The last thing to go on was always red lipstick. For me, that was required. There had been a time when I’d considered asking Mama to make it an official part of the uniform — that’s the effect it had on customers. They