Chapter 3

“I don’t need…” Nina argued with herself as she scrubbed the Jacuzzi tub. “I, she’s just a drunk. I don’t have time for…”

At four o’clock that afternoon, Nina drove slowly around the Elgee shelter, looking for Christine. She then drove to the Burns & Burns Grocers grocery store and looked around the parking lot. Nina drove again to the Elgee shelter, slowly circling the block.

Sunday, at random times, Nina drove around the shelter, around the grocery store, crisscrossed the streets around the Elgee shelter and slowly drove through the park near the shelter. Nina saw other people, many of whom looked homeless, but didn’t see Christine.

“Hey,” Nina said quietly when she spotted Christine outside of the Burns & Burns Grocers grocery store on Friday.

“Hey,” Christine let a cautious smile crease her face.

“Need a pint?” Nina softly asked, nodding toward the store.

“Yeah,” Christine agreed, digging in her new purse for a dollar bill.

“I got it. Want an apple?” Nina asked.

“I can get a banana?” Christine asked.

“Yeah,” Nina smiled and hit the fob for her car door. “Come on; get out of this heat, huh?”

Nina rolled the windows down, leaned over and gave Christine a soft kiss, then went into the grocery store.

“Here,” Nina said, handing Christine one of the bags.

Christine saw a bunch of greenish-yellow bananas, two Fuji apples and two pints of Albertson’s Gin. Nina put the other bags at Christine’s feet and started the car.

“Thanks, lady,” Christine said, stuffing nearly all of the banana into her mouth.

“Welcome,” Nina said, voice flat.

Inside of the condominium, Christine drank all of one pint of gin while Nina prepared dinner. With their dinner, Nina made drinks of Nulough’s Chocolate flavored Vodka with cola.

In the morning, Nina woke up and saw that she was in bed alone. Staggering downstairs, cursing her hangover, Nina saw that Christine had helped herself to all of the Nulough’s Vodka, all of the Beefeater London Dry Gin, and had stolen the cash from Nina’s wallet.

The credit cards and debit card were still in the purse, so Nina did not call the police. There had been roughly forty dollars in the wallet; emergency cash, so Nina shrugged off the cash.

Again Nina cleaned her home. She felt an odd hollowness inside as she methodically went from one task to the next. Her last act was to strip the bedding and shove it into the washing machine.

The Atchafalaya Basin’s bitter wind blew an arctic blast that buffeted the 2017 Charger. Nina shivered, despite the car’s powerful heater. She slowly pulled into the parking lot of the Burns & Burns Grocers grocery store and parked.

“Hey Lady, oh shit!” Christine asked, then squealed when she recognized Nina.

Nina easily caught up to the blonde; Christine’s oversized boots making running very difficult. Nina grabbed the blonde in a bear hug and gave the girl a soft kiss to her lips.

“I have been so God damned worried about you,” Nina said, tears springing to her eyes.

“I’m sorry I stole from you,” Christine sobbed out.

“Why, why’d you do it? I would have given you, never mind, you need a pint?” Nina asked, hugging the girl.

“I yeah,” Christine agreed.

“Want an apple? They even have bananas? Those are out of season, aren’t they? Come on, Jesus, it’s cold out here,” Nina said, pulling Christine toward the car.

There were some bananas and some apples available. Nina also bought two pints of gin, along with her other purchases. At the register, she asked the clerk to break a twenty; asking for four fives.

“Still at the shelter?” Nina asked, giving Christine the bananas and apples and pints of gin.

“I uh, no,” Christine mumbled. “Was They uh, they kicked me out for…”

Nina didn’t press the issue. She could see the ravages on the blonde’s face. When Christine opened her mouth, Nina could see damage to Christine’s teeth; signs of smoking meth.

“See you still got the purse,” Nina smiled softly.

“Yeah,” Christine whispered.

When she pulled up to the entrance of Trahan Park, Nina handed Christine a five dollar bill. She did not look at Christine as Christine hurriedly drank down one of the pints of gin.

“Thanks La…thanks Nina,” Christine mumbled as she got out of the car.

“Uh huh,” Nina mumbled and drove away.

Nina drove home to Unit 202. Pulling into the garage, Nina allowed the sobs to escape. For several minutes, she leaned her head on the steering wheel and sobbed bitter tears.

“Hey,” Stephanie Cimo said when she entered the condominium an hour later.

“I saw her today,” Nina said, draining her glass of Iron Barrel Chocolate and cherry whiskey with a tablespoon of Burns & Burns sweetened condensed milk stirred in.

“She here?” Stephanie asked, looking around.

“No,” Nina said, getting to her feet. “Chicken Parmesan okay?”

Stephanie wrapped her arms around Nina and softly kissed the woman. Nina let some fresh sobs escape as her lover held her tightly.

“Why don’t you let me take care of that?” Stephanie softly asked, kissing Nina’s lips. “You just sit down; let me cook tonight.”

A month after Christine’s theft and disappearance, Tom Thibodaux had held a contest among the departments. Top producers for the month of September would win a two hundred and fifty dollar gift certificate to T. Dayton Hair Salon. At the monthly meeting for the first week of October, everyone applauded enthusiastically, along with calls of ‘fixed’ and ‘rigged’ when two collection agents won.

“And in truth? Nina Crowder, the manager of the Collection Department actually beat both Patrick and Jill; she was double their production combined,” Tom said. “So, Nina, here’s a gift card for T. Dayton as well.”

“Huh? Oh, no, I’m management; I’m not…” Nina had protested as the management and staff had applauded for her.

“Now that you all see what it takes to win? I look forward to seeing who wins in October, hmm?” Tom said, dismissing the meeting.

Nina tried to sell the gift card; she didn’t want the services of the exclusive salon. Even at the bargain price of one hundred and fifty dollars, no one was nibbling.

Then Nina overheard two women cattily whispering and giggling in the ladies’ restroom. When one of the women declared that Nina not only acted like a ball-busting butch, but looked like a bull dyke, Nina resolved to use the card.

Nina finished her business, washed her hands, then waited for the two employees to finish their catty gossip.

“Oh shit,” Jill Newsbaum squeaked when she stepped out of her stall.

“Fuck,” Jean Turlings moaned when she stepped out of her own stall.

“I’ll let HR know that this is your last day,” Nina said quietly. “And honestly? I’m pretty disappointed in you. You both attended the Diversity in the workplace seminar; you should know better.”

“Ms. Crowder, I’m sorry,” Jill hurriedly said.

“Me too,” Nina agreed.

“See?” Jean screamed as the door closed behind Nina. “That’s why everyone says you a fucking butch.”

After her trip to HR, Nina sat at her desk and looked up the number for T. Dayton Hair Salon. The young lady’s response of ‘Tee Day taw(n)’ made Nina smile. Somehow, the young woman made ‘Dayton’ sound French.

“First time? Hmm, let’s see, oh! Ms. Cimo has an availability of Thursday at three; shall I pencil you in, Ms. Crowder?” the young woman asked.

“Please,” Nina smiled.

“Again, Ms. Crowder, I really am sorry,” Jill sniffled as she walked past, her few effects in a small cardboard box.

“I am too; you were…” Nina said, but the door clicked shut behind Jill.

On Thursday, Nina sat on the comfortable couch, looking around at the ostentatious salon. The woman to Nina’s right positively reeked of money. The old woman had shiny rings adorning every exposed digit. Her wrists also held jewel encrusted bracelets.

The tall red head across from Nina also reeked of money; even though her clothing was casual, Nina could tell the jeans were tailored for the woman’s frame. The sweater she casually draped over her shoulders was real cashmere. The two young teenagers with the leggy red head wore the school uniforms of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic High School. The girls sat and flailed their hands at each other; it took a moment, but Nina realized they were communicating in American Sign Language.

An elegant looking blonde strolled toward the woman that sat next to Nina. To the elegant woman’s left was a somewhat unattractive girl that smiled happily.

“Mrs. Schaub? It is so nice to see you again,” Terry Dayton beamed at her long-time customer.

“Oh, you too, my dear,” the old woman smiled as she and the blonde exchanged air kisses. “And don’t you just look beautiful, Maggie!”

“Thanks Grammaw,” the pre-adolescent beamed.

“We got in some more of the blackberry soap; Mrs. Schaub,” Selena, the receptionist beamed as Margaret Schaub put her American Express card onto the counter. “I put aside five bars for you.”

“Okay, and who’s ready to get their heads shaved today?” Terry spoke and signed to Sophia Campion and TeddiAnn Baggett.

“You,” Sophia signed.

“She said ‘you!'” TeddiAnn laughed.

“Oh, you are a smart one,” Terry spoke and signed. “So, ready?”

“Ms. Crowder?” an attractive brunette with sparkling hazel eyes asked.

“Yes,” Nina said, tearing her eyes from the two young girls and the blonde beauty.

“Hello. Thank you so much for coming in. I’m Stephanie Cimo; I’ll be working with you today,” Stephanie beamed, assisting Nina to her feet.

“So, you have beautiful skin; do you use sun block? You’re a natural red head, but I only see a little bit of freckling,” Stephanie said as she eased Nina into a comfortable stylist’s chair.

“I uh, I won this gift card, I guess I,” Nina stammered, uncomfortable in the elegant surroundings.

“Oh, lucky you,” Stephanie said happily.

“Lucky nothing; I busted my ass to get it,” Nina smiled.

Then Nina lost her smile. She leaned forward and Stephanie leaned toward Nina.

“Other day? Overheard these two women? You do something make me not look like a total dyke?” Nina asked quietly.

“Ms. Crowder? You don’t look, you’re a beautiful woman that has an aura of confidence,” Stephanie said softly. “But, I suppose, let’s see…”

An hour after Nina sat in the stylist’s chair, Stephanie stepped aside so Nina could see the results. Stephanie had given Nina’s orange hair some lighter shading, given the short tresses some body and had combed the hair from right to left, allowing a few strands to perch just to the left of Nina’s warm brown eye. Nina did not normally wear makeup, but Stephanie had applied a light foundation, some light blush, and some light lip gloss. On her eyelids, Stephani had brushed a light brown shadow, making Nina’s eyes warm and inviting.

“And you still have ninety dollars on your gift card,” Selena smiled as she rang up the service.

“I uh, let’s see, fifteen percent of one sixty is..” Nina said.

“Twenty four; but Ms. Crowder, that’s not necessary,” Stephanie said. “It was my pleasure to…”

“I get you next time I come in?” Nina asked.

“Of course,” both Stephanie and Selena answered.

Six weeks later, Nina again entered T. Dayton and waited for Stephanie to finish with her current client. The warm smile Stephanie gave to Nina seemed to be a genuine smile. As Stephanie worked, Nina let it slip that she was from Sweet Oak, Texas.

“You are not!” Stephanie gasped.

“Uh huh, worked at Two Alliance Square, Prescott Conglomerate,” Nina said.

“Ms. Crowder, I’m from Great Oak!” Stephanie gushed. “And, and, and, get this! I worked at Elegantre, right there, right across the street from Two Alliance Square!”

“Get out of here! You did not!” Nina laughed.

In hushed, excited giggles, the two women talked about Texas, talked about people and places they both knew.

“I moved when Thibodaux Investments wanted to start their collections,” Nina said. “You come here for T. Dayton’s?”

Stephanie lost her happy smile. Nina reached out and clutched the woman’s hand.

“I, I was, my borfriend; he, Glen was always this kind of real controlling,” Stephanie admitted. “You know, would steal my money, then run off and go get high. Couple days later, ‘Oh I’m so sorry, babe, it’ll never happen again, I’ve had it, I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired, baby.'”

Nina squeezed Stephanie’s hand; she’d had a few relationships with men that had used her, used Nina’s insecurities to manipulate her.

“But the last time? When I told him his bullshit wouldn’t work? Son of a bitch broke my jaw. Then when he got out on bail? Tried to choke me to death,” Stephanie whispered, blushing in embarrassment.

“Hope they put his ass under Stratton,” Nina said, naming the maximum security prison located in Lowridge, Texas.

“Hope his boyfriend treats him like he treated me,” Stephanie whispered and the two women giggled.

“And…” Stephanie said when she finished.

“Perfect, again,” Nina approved her reflection in the mirror.

“I uh, I’m not supposed, you ever eat at Cowboy’s? Barbecue?” Stephanie asked, adorable blush on her pretty face.

“Right there on um, on fifty two?” Nina asked.

“Get off at six; see you there at um, Six thirty?” Stephanie asked quietly as they walked to the cashier’s station.

“Okay,” Nina quietly agreed.

“And adding in the sixty six on your gift card…” Selena said, tapping rapidly on the keypad.

“And add another twenty four for Ms. Cimo’s tip,” Nina ordered.

Away from the opulent setting of the salon, Stephanie squealed, giggled and laughed like a girl. Nina joined in and their food was cold by the time the two finished eating.

Outside, Stephanie pointed out a nondescript Kia sedan. Nina proudly pointed out her dark blue Charger.

“That, that’s a Charger?” Stephanie gushed. “I, Glen was always wanting one; even tried to get me to co-sign for one for him. Thank God I didn’t; Glen’s never had a job longer than couple of weeks.”

Their first kiss, Nina trapping Stephanie against the open door of her Kia, was an electric jolt. It was a simple lip to lip kiss, but both Stephanie and Nina felt the kiss surge throughout their bodies.