The Gemini: Emancipation

37 - Come To Light

June 1, 2007
Los Cabos, Mexico

"I don't know why you laughing, these look better than yours."

"Of course they do."

"Sarcasm? Have you no faith in me?"

"You pushed me in the ocean....no."

"Why you bringing up old stuff?" Prince deflects. He then complains when Jody tries to turn her head to direct a glare at him. Her motion almost causes his fingers to lose their concentrated grip. "Hold still, bobblehead."

"For what? It's gonna be crooked anyw—"

Her last word yanks just as he does to her hair before getting back to task.

He sits on sofas edge, she's on the floor between his legs while he braids her hair. Cornrows. His request.

After his goddess emerged from the sea, she went straight to the shower to wash away the sand and salt. Jody coming back with her hair freshly blow-dried did Prince in; he couldn't resist the urge to play in the long voluminous mane. She mentioned braids as a joke and he ran with it.

"I'm almost done."

"You said that two rows ago."

"Ain't nobody tell you to have all this weave."

"The same nobody told you to push me in the water."

"You brought up Hawaii and it made my nerves bad. So, you see, I couldn't help it."

"And what if I would've drowned? You know I can't swim."

"Baby, if you drownin' in two teaspoons worth of water then maybe it was time for you to go." He cracks up when she hits his foot. "God forbid it rain, then what?"

"You're horrible."

"For speaking truth and posing questions that matter?" Locking his leg around her waist, he keeps her from turning around again.

"No, for being rude to a woman you claim to love so much."

"I do. So much that I'm putting basketball camp aside. Miles is gonna teach you how to swim this summer. That way we ain't gotta worry about the rain."

"I never really liked you."

"That's right, because you loved me from the get-go." Finishing off the last plait, Prince is pleased. "Now we're through." Watching Jody get up to leave, "You gonna let me see my work?"

Traveling to the bathroom mirror, "Nope," she declines. "I wanna see it first."

And she's amused when she does. The three braids she did as demonstration are neat and tidy, straight in their own lane. The remaining four done by Prince aren't. Each varying in size, they're lumpy and more crooked than straight. He tried his best and Jody's touched by it, but not enough to forgo jokes.

"I look I'm about to set it off."

And there goes his cackle again. "Lemme see."

"Wait, I gotta complete the look."

Barefooting across the tiles, Jody goes into the adjoining master suite, heading straight for the jewelry. Grabbing a handful of bracelets from her collection, she stacks them on then pillages through Prince's collection. After layering on a couple of his statement necklaces, she sparks with an idea for a final touch. Grabbing two sticks of gum from her purse, she uses the silver wrappers to make a grill.

"Lord," Prince humors, his head slow swaying as he watches Jody pimp back into the living room.

Picking a banana from the fruit bowl on the table, taking a stance, she cocks it. "Lemme see ya money, fool!"