one

I nuzzle my nose into the soft of his neck where his shoulder and collarbone connect. The smell of our love, combined with his sweat mixed with his cologne was damn near intoxicating. I tell him as much.

"Oh word? Intoxicating? No one has ever used that word to describe me before. Definitely not about how I smell either." He rises from the bed, his silhouette a mere shadow in the darkness, the moonlight shining on his muscles makes him glisten.

From where I'm lying in bed, I can see outside across the street the competing bodega that Austin's dad mentions whenever he's drunk (read: every night), laundromat, 99 cent store, and a beauty supply warehouse. Even though it's half past two in the morning and the establishments are closed, there are still a few stragglers outside. All the lights are off, save the streetlights, and the front doors are barred. The smell of Hennessy, blunts, and cigarettes waft in the air.

The light flickers on in the bathroom. I hear some shuffling and then the water turns on. Damn, he didn't even offer me a towel. Wiping myself off with his discarded t-shirt, I roll out of bed and dig through his shirt drawer for a new one. Satisfied with a green tee, I walk into the bathroom and sit on the toilet while he showers.

"I saw this couple today on my way over here. They reminded me so much of us. Except they had a baby and I'm pretty sure I saw a ring on her finger." He says nothing, so I keep going.

"After we get married and we've been on our honeymoon and all that shit, I'm considering going to Australia to finish my Masters. Maybe I'll see some kangaroos and koalas and when I come back, we can have some of our own?"

I mean to say it like I meant it, but ended it like I was asking for his permission. He clears his throat and says, "We're getting married?"

I pause. The shower water amplifies the silence between us. "Well, yeah... We're coming up on two years-"

"Have you ever been to Australia before?"

"Austin, You know I haven't."

"Then what makes you think you can study there? It's totally different from what you're used to over here. Not to mention, you're going to be alone because I can't go with you. I have to work at the bodega, you know that's my legacy."

"What makes me think? You've got some nerve." He chuckles, turns the water off. He slides the shower curtain to the side.

"Can you hand me a towel?"

I suck my teeth, grab the closest one to me and hand it to him. He wraps it around his waist after towel drying his hair. He steps out of the shower and while standing in front of me, he cups my face in his hands.

"You're right. I didn't mean it like that. Listen, I'm just worried about my baby girl going to a whole other country without me. You don't want to become the next Amanda Knox do you?" He kisses me on the lips. He strides back to the bed.

"I like that shirt on you."

I stood by the bathroom door, arms crossed. "What about what I want? Happy wife, happy life right?"

He shakes his head at me with an exasperated smile. "Let's go easy on that wife word. Try to see it from my perspective: How can I protect you when you're so far away? I don't want my girl in another country without me by her side. End of conversation. Now, bring that sexy ass over here." He beckons me with one finger, puckering his thick lips making kissy faces at me.

I roll my eyes, sigh, and saunter over to the bed.

"You're not cute at all when you're being annoying." I kiss him on the nose and lay next to him.

My alarm gently rouses me from sleep. Austin's back is to me but I can tell he's still sleeping. I take a deep breath and relive last night/this morning in my memories. Maybe he is right, maybe I should stay here and finish school in the states. What if he were to meet someone while I'm gone? Shaking my head free of doubt, I quietly leave the bedroom and head into the bathroom to get ready for work.

Auntie Jackie's shop has been a second home to me since I was able to start taking the trains and buses by myself. As soon as I wanted to live on my own, Aunt Jackie was insistent she take me to look for an apartment in the city. We both agreed my parents would be too overbearing. Her only caveat was I had to work as her receptionist in her beauty salon. I, of course, jumped at the opportunity. Nepotism and a relatively short commute go hand in hand! Aunt Jackie has always been hella mischievous. She's the first person who let me have wine, even though she had to sneak it to me. And she bought me my first thong! Being the oldest of three, she naturally took on the mom role once she hit 13 and Grandma had to work two jobs. Dad always said she was stern but cool. As cool as she is, I was a little apprehensive to tell her about the talk Austin and I had. Everyone has been supportive of me going to school since I told them and even more so once I decided to leave the country to further my education. Aunt Jackie has always been the one besides my mom to drill into me that I should never rely on a man for anything, I should be able to do bad by myself. But there's something about Austin that's making me reconsider.

Walking into Aunt Jackie's hair salon For The Curlture initially, there are purses, church hats, and scarves lining the walls. Once I walk past the front desk, the store opens up and I can hear the blow dryers, women competing with said blow dryers, smell the perm mixture, and hair being heated up. It sounds like home. Aunt Jackie is perched over someone's head massaging their temples. Occasionally she'll take in an early customer to get ahead of the day. Today it's Mrs. Thompson. Chairs with dryers lined one wall and chairs with sinks were on the wall adjacent.

"Good Morning, Aunt Jackie, Mrs. Thompson."

Aunt Jackie looks over her shoulder and grins at me.

"Hey, sugar."

I plop down at the desk next to the dryers. Mrs. Thompson's hand raises in a wave at me.

"Nikea, how have you been?" Mrs. Thompson has been a client of Aunt Jackie's for years and friends for even longer. She's one of the few people who still call me by my first name. Immature children and pre-pubescent boys who weren't sure how to deal with their feelings would call me Nike. So once junior high came I started going by Nikki.

"Momma T, I'm doing okay."

Aunt Jackie squints at me. "Just okay?" She rinses Mrs. Thompson's hair, towels her up, and guides her to the dryer. Clicking the button on the back of the dryer she says, "You'll be done in an hour tops!"

She sidles over and leans on the receptionist counter.

"How's your little friend that you've been seeing? Aaron?" I cut my eyes at her.

"Aunt Jackie. You know his name is Austin."

"Okay, well anyway, how are you two?"

"We're actually really great. I've been doing some thinking recently and I think since we're getting so serious, I may wait to go to Australia."

Aunt Jackie scrunches her face as if just she jammed a slice of lemon in her mouth. Eyebrows raised, 'What?"

I shrug, "It's pretty far away... There are so many schools I can go here, even in Boston, New Jersey! Austin and I have been getting pretty serious lately." She narrowed her eyes at me.

"But you've already been accepted, Nikki! It sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me. Listen to me: don't ever let anyone talk you out of getting an education on your terms. Especially someone who claims to love you. Women have worked harder than hell to even have the ability to study. Distance makes the heart grow fonder." She taps her temple and walks away to clean up the sink.

Aunt Jackie and Uncle Dillon have been together since middle school. They've basically spent their whole lives together. I'm not discrediting her opinion, but she's never left New York State! Aunt Jackie always used to talk about having her own hair salon in Georgia. But Uncle Dillon wanted to stay home, so they did. Aunt Jackie's crippling fear of the unknown kept her from leaving. That and Uncle Dillon. I always wondered if she had ever gone to Georgia like she dreamed, what would have come of it. History has a strange way of repeating itself.