Roses and Thorns – Episode 31 – 32

Roses and Thorns – Episode 31
Melody paced the living room slowly waiting for Joel, he had told her to get ready so that he would take her to the salon where she could get her hair done. She looked at herself wondering if she was over dressed or under dressed, she wore a black thick leggings with a big red polo with “LOVE” written in capital letters in a white colour, white Puma slippers and a white small round bag hanged across her shoulders, she lifted one side of the polo and tucked it slightly in her leggings. She wasn’t quick to notice Joel’s mother as she walked down the stairs.
“Melody, you are all dressed, where to?” she asked resting her elbows on the sofa.
“Joel said he is taking me to the salon so that my hair can be fixed” she replied but then added almost immediately, “I didn’t tell him to do it Ma, he just told me to get dressed, but i won’t go if you are not okay with it” nervousness hit her.
“Oh no my dear, whatsoever or whosever my son likes,? i like too, am very okay with my son going out with you my dear” she replied with a smile.
“And you don’t think i only want to eat his money?” she asked gazing at her feet.
“First of all, drop the “Ma” title and call me Mom, secondly, not all rich people have that mindset that poor people are gold diggers. If my son likes you? am fine with it but don’t even try to hurt him because if you do? you wouldn’t like who i will become” she glared at her.
“I won’t hurt him Ma, thank you” Melody replied with a smile.
“Come, come and give me a hug” the woman opened her hands while Melody rushed into them. “Take care of my son, he is all that i have got” the woman muttered.
“I will Ma, thank you” Melody replied with a smile.
“Mom” the woman corrected.
“Okay Mom” Melody chuckled.
“Okay then, i will leave you now” the woman said disengaging from the hug walking into the kitchen.
Melody smiled and clasped her hands together as though she was praying “Thank you Lord” she said with her eyes closed.
“Did i miss anything?” Joel asked tapping her back gently. Melody opened her eyes and hugged him tight.
“Okay can you tell me what i missed?” Joel asked again carressing her back.
“I talked with Mom few minutes ago and she is in support of our relationsh¡p” she whispered to Joel.
“Oh that? i told you not to worry, My parents don’t have a problem at all” Joel replied stepping back a bit to stare at her, his eyes w¡dened and he opened his mouth drooling “damn, Bambi, you are looking beautiful” he said with admiration.
“Do you think i am over dressed?” She asked him.
“No, you are perfectly okay, damnit, just look at that ass, i feel like grabbing something” he chuckled running away.
“You feel like grabbing what?” Melody hissed, removed one of her slippers chasing him with it.
“I love you madam single bone” Joel shouted running out of the house.
“And i hate you” Melody cooed walking out of the house too.
“You know you don’t mean that, princess” Joel winked at her walking towards the car.
“You wish, soldier boy” Melody scoffed.
Episode 32
“So what type of hair do you want me to make?” Melody asked as soon as they hit the road.
“Anyone Bambi, as long as it will make you look more beautiful” he replied with a shrug.
“Don’t you have a favorite hairstyle?” Melody rolled her eyes.
“I have, but i don’t know how to describe it to you” He replied slowing down a bit giving an old woman a chance to cross the road.
“Just describe it anyhow” she said as he sped up again.
“You know that type you girls do with your natural hair and then wear wig afterwards? it is like that but with attachment” he spared her a glance and returned his gaze back to the road.
“You mean Ghana weaving?” Melody asked laughing.
“Is that what you girls call it?” he chuckled.
“This one no dey Nigeria at all, you are the only guy that doesn’t know the hairstyle called Ghana weaving, every other guy knows because it is simple and beautiful” she shook her head and looked away.
“You don’t have to blame me sunshine, am a busy man and i don’t have time for that, my own is to give you money for your hair, if you like do Congo weaving with it, i won’t even complain” he let out a throaty laugh.
“And you will think you are rom-ntic abi? Awon serious gang” Melody hissed.
“Am a rom-ntic gentle man, don’t worry, you will enjoy me, i will just spoil you silly that your friends will even want to snatch me from you” he said winking at her briefly before taking his gaze back to the road.
“I don’t even have friends so perish that thought” she grinned.
“You will confirm when the time comes” he replied looking out through the window. “I think we should try that salon across the road” he nodded towards the direction with his head.
“Okay then let’s go there, that means you will reverse and then drive back there?” she asked still staring at the salon as they drove past.
“Yes, i will just reverse at the next intersection” Joel replied stepping on the accelerator. He reversed and drove towards the salon, few minutes after, his car came to a halt. Melody stared at the big notice board on top of the outer zinc of the shop.
“Phoenix hair dressing home” she read out loud before unstrapping the seat belt.
“Take, i don’t know how much she will charge though” Joel handed five thousand naira to her.
“Five thousand is too much sef, 3k is enough” she said giving him back the remaining two thousand after removing three thousand from it.
“Look at this one, it’s like you studied management in school? just go and make your hair, i will wait for you here” he replied unstrapping his seat belt too.
“Okay sir” Melody opened the door and stepped out of the car, she walked to the other side and stepped into the shop. people outside cooed as she walked in, Joel gave them the middle finger saying “Bleep off, she is my woman”.
Melody sat down on a chair in front of the big mirror after greeting people at the salon. She removed the hair band she packed her hair with and scattered her hair with her hands.
“What style do you want to make ma’am?” Madam Phoenix asked.
“Ghana weaving” she replied staring at her reflection in the mirror.
“What color of attachment would you love to use?” madam Phoenix asked picking scissors and comb.
“I will go with blue” she replied looking at the section where different colors of attachment were hung.
“Is that your husband or your boyfriend?” one of the ladies in the shop asked Melody making her shift her gaze from the attachments to the lady.
“my boyfriend” she replied raising a brow.
“You are really lucky you know? not all men can be that rom-ntic to take their girlfriends to the salon and even wait around for them, the only thing mine does is to give me money finish” the lady hissed.
“Oh, yeah” Melody chuckled, if only she knew why Joel had brought her to the salon himself.
“Oh my, is that Benz?” another lady squealed staring at Joel’s car parked outside the salon.
“You mean the car?” Melody asked, but when she followed her gaze, she smiled and said “Yes, that is a Benz” she chuckled afterwards looking at madam Phoenix, she was busy dragging the attachment she was going to use on her (Melody’s) hair.
“What does he do? he must really be rich for him to afford Benz” the lady said again still looking at the car with admiration.
“He is a soldier, a captain actually” Melody replied, pride evidently written on her face.
“And you? what do you do?” the first lady asked
“Me? am a nobody from the slums, i thank God for bringing him my way, he loves me even though am way too below his status” she smiled.
“Don’t be too sure girl, one thing am very sure of is that rich people don’t have any relationsh¡p with the poor, they detest them a lot, i still advise you thread carefully, don’t give him your love entirely” the second lady spoke staring at her already fixed nails.
“I concur with what she said, that was how a senator’s son deceived a friend of mine, slept with her countless times and ended up getting married to a fellow senator’s daughter, babe this is Nigeria, shine your eyes ooo, the rich and the poor have nothing in common” she dragged one of her ears.
“He is not like that, he loves me and i can feel it” Melody replied, her heart beating fast in fear, what if they were right?, she thought.
“face the mirror ma’am, am ready to make your hair” Madam Phoenix told her.
“Oh okay” she replied turning to look into the mirror.