Read Online Flip Side of the Game by Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker - Free Book Online

Carol yelled, “It cost two dollars to get up in here!”
    â€œMs. Carol, I just came to see my Aunt Cookie.”
    â€œThat’s what they all say, and the next thing I know, they got a hand goin’. Cough it up, honey chile!”
    â€œI got the two dollars!” Aunt Cookie yelled from behind the door.
    Aunt Cookie, Ms. Carol, and two other women all had men counterparts sitting around the small card table. None of them seemed to mind that I was there and knew for a fact that each of them, including Ms. Carol, had their own live-in boyfriends.
    So they sat with their sister-girl, young-looking forty-nine- and fifty-year-old faces, with hot red and mellow pink lipstick on, big wigs, and hoop earrings, all the while chewing gum and taking turns slamming down cards and yelling, “Six, no uptown!”
    Aunt Cookie had on a tight catsuit with her stomach poked out just a little. Her makeup was flawless, and her blue eyeshadow hadn’t missed a beat. She had one of the biggest asses in Brooklyn, which always got attention, and she was workin’ it as she walked around the room introducing me as Babygirl.
    â€œWhatcha workin’ wit’, Babygirl?” Aunt Cookie asked, sounding slightly drunk and making googly eyes at Earl Gatling.
    â€œI’m workin’ with a drunk-ass old man crying on my phone, talking about how he taking a midnight train to Georgia!”
    â€œWho? Boy?”
    â€œWho else?”
    â€œHell, Boy ain’t from Georgia, his ass from Uptown.”
    â€œWhatever,” I said, “but word on the street is that you over here,” I said, pointing to Earl Gatling, “screwing around with what’s-his-name.”
    â€œOh, wait a minute, Babygirl. Step off now. This is grown folk bidness.”
    â€œAunt Cookie, you need to get home!”
    â€œI will. Earl just stopped by to see me. He be gone in the morning, because his wife be back in town.”
    â€œHis wife?”
    â€œYeah, baby. You know how I do it. Aunt Cookie ain’t stupid now. Ain’t nobody like Boy, and if I’ma creep, then the next nigga got to have as much to lose. Now, you go ’head to the shop, and I’ll meet you there. Let Aunt Cookie take care of Uncle Boy, ’cause what I can do, you can’t handle.” She winked her eye, threw her hips to the side, and strutted her stuff.
    Marvin Gaye was banging the hell outta the high note of “Let’s Get It On” as I was leaving.
    Â 
    â€œWhat the hell?” DeAndre was saying as I walked in the shop, frowning his nose up. “You smell like Black Love incense. You been hittin’ a joint?”
    â€œPlease, DeAndre.”
    â€œThen what’s your problem?” Shannon asked, untangling her double strand twist.
    â€œAunt Cookie cheating on Uncle Boy.”
    â€œThat’s why you smell like blue lights and wooden beads?”
    â€œWhatever. But can you believe that Aunt Cookie is cheating on Uncle Boy, and she think the shit is all good?”
    â€œWhat’s the problem?”
    â€œShe lives with Uncle Boy, and she’s cheating with a married man. She, of all people, has no business cheating!”
    â€œOh, no you didn’t, diva!” DeAndre said. “What about yo’ sugar daddy?”
    Sugar daddy? Oh, hell. I practically forgot about Roger, but I wouldn’t let them know that. “But still, my Aunt Cookie and my Uncle Boy?”
    â€œGettin’ they groove on!” DeAndre said.
    â€œHey-hey now!” Aunt Cookie said, coming in, throwing her hips around and having the nerve to be glowing! “Show me whatcha workin’ wit’!” she said to everybody in the shop. “How y’all?”
    All the women in the shop were making plans to go to dinner, a church function, or to see a man, and they seemed to be having a good time getting themselves hooked up. All the overhead dryers were filled, and the three weave operators