She elbowed him in the stomach as she sat down.
Killyama ate her sandwich, listening to Train and Stud talk about motorcycles and ignoring Sex Piston’s discerning gaze.
After lunch, Star kept fidgeting in her seat, waiting for Killyama to finish eating. When she did, Star jumped out of her chair.
“Can we go now?” Star grabbed her hand when she stood up.
“Why are you in such a hurry?” Stud’s eyes tried to slow his daughter as she tried to drag Killyama out of the dining room.
“Killyama promised to help me wash my Barbie’s hair. Mama says I make a mess when I do it by myself.”
“Don’t let her talk you into washing the one that has the hair that grows. It’s been washed so much that the hair is falling out.”
“I won’t.” She let Star lead her to her bedroom.
The little girl’s excited chatter had her straining to hear the men leave. It took ten minutes before she could detect the sounds of Stud and Train heading toward the massive garage he had built behind his house.
Killyama was leaning over the bathtub with ten Barbies lined up to take their turns when Sex Piston came into the bathroom. Putting down the lid of the toilet, she micromanaged the Barbies getting their baths.
“Star, what have I told you about going to my bathroom to get my things?”
A soapy hand left a trail of suds on Star’s cheek when she pushed her hair back to eye her mother guiltily. “Your shampoo smells so pretty.”
Killyama wiped her cheek with the edge of a towel. “I’ll buy you another bottle.”
Sex Piston sighed. “It’s the third time she’s taken my shampoo. They’re thirty bucks a pop. You going to buy those, too?”
“Yes.” Killyama squirted even more shampoo on the lifeless doll she was currently holding.
“I don’t care if she uses it. I just want her to ask first before she takes something out of my room.”
“She will next time, won’t you, Star?”
“I promise, Mom. I won’t do it again.”
Sex Piston reached into the cabinet next to her, pulling out a tray of pretend hair tools mixed with real ones she no longer used that she had brought home from the shop, setting them on the counter for them to use later after the Barbies’ hair dried.
“Star, will you go get the white towels on the bottom shelf in the hall closet for me?”
“Yes, Mama.” Star handed Killyama the doll she was washing. “Don’t let Angie drown. She doesn’t swim as good as Kassandra.”
“I won’t.” She turned on the water to remove the shampoo as Sex Piston sunk down next to her, choosing one of the dolls. She gently dunked the doll then shampooed it as if she were doing one of the rich bitches who frequently visited her shop.
“Don’t do it.” The bitch lifted her troubled eyes to hers.
Killyama couldn’t be closer to the woman if they had shared the same blood. Probably closer. She and Sex Piston didn’t fight often, whereas Sex Piston and Diamond fought constantly.
“I won’t.” She knew they weren’t talking about the shampoo.
“I can’t watch you get hurt like that again.”
Setting the doll down on the edge of the tub, she reached for another one. “I’ve gotten him out of my system.”
“Men like Train aren’t easy to get over. I tried to stay away from Stud. So I’m asking you to do something I couldn’t do.”
“Train isn’t Stud and never will be. I’m moving to Knoxville when Hammer finds me an apartment.” She had given in to the idea of Lexington. However, business had become so steady they hadn’t had any time to go look at the apartments Hammer had selected before they had been taken off the market.
Sex Piston bowed her head, meticulously washing the doll. “This is all my fault,” she said, biting down on her trembling lip.
“Stop. I don’t want to hear you say that again. It’s not your fault I like the dude. I swore I wouldn’t be like my mother, and I fell for a man just like my father, if not worse. I should have left town the day I came back from taking that ride from him, but I knew I would miss you all. I’ll get over him. I’ll find someone I will care about more, and then move back home.”
“What if you don’t? What if you never come back?”
Killyama nudged her with her shoulder. “I’ll be back.”
“You swear?”
“I swear. Have I ever lied to you?”
“Yes, when you swore to me you wouldn’t get involved when you heard Stud and me arguing about talking to Knox about Sasha.” Her eyes dropped to the bandana at her throat. The bitch was smarter than others gave her credit for.
“Well, other than that time?”
“No, you never have.”
“You’ll see. I’ll be back before you know it. It’s not going to be hard to find someone. Hell, my only requirement is a big dick.”