Shaved head, track suit, white Nikes. She still dressed like it was 1993. Shay was grateful that some things didn't change. Her aunt was her rock, her constant. Shay knew life got in the way and it was hard for Gina to come visit. She knew it was hard for Gina to see her only niece in prison. She didn't blame her aunt.
Her father, however, was a different story. She couldn't help but feel a prick of disappointment in her chest that he wasn't there to greet her. Not that she'd expected him to be.
“You alright, baby?” Gina asked and Shay realized she was staring at her. There was a lot of space between them, a lot of years. She wasn't a rebellious teenager anymore, but she wasn't an autonomous woman, either. It was a strange thought. Her aunt was closer to her than anyone in the world, but she still felt almost like she was a stranger. Her aunt knew the old Shay, but neither woman knew who she was now or what she was going to be. Her future was a big blank page, ready and waiting to be filled. “Well come on, give me a hug,” Gina said, holding out her arms. Shay nodded and did so, throwing her arms around her aunt and hugging her tight. She sucked her tears up because it was a happy day, not a sad day. Besides, she wanted to put the prison in her rearview as soon as possible.
“Alright, alright,” she said, pulling out of her aunt's embrace. “Let's get the hell out of here.”
“You want to drive?” Gina joked with a laugh, swiping at her own wet cheeks. Shay had never had a driver's license in her life, but held out her hand for the keys anyway. Gina slapped it away, eyes glittering with tears and amusement.
“This is a big ass truck. Overcompensating for something?” Shay said, walking around to the passenger side, admiring the vehicle's shiny new paint.
“It's a rental. And yes,” Gina said, patting the hood. “But I can pretend it's mine for the day.”
“It's almost bigger than your apartment,” Shay said, opening the door and hiking herself up into the high cab. She was taller than her aunt, but it was still difficult. Gina had to practically rock climb up to the driver's side.
“ Our apartment,” Gina said, pressing a button on the steering column that started the car. The seat was pulled up so far to accommodate her short legs that her tits almost brushed the steering wheel. “I hope your prison girlfriend taught you how to pick up after yourself.”
“Still not a lesbian, Gina, no matter how hard you try to make me one,” Shay said, staring in wonder at the button. “You don't need a key to start the car?”
“Welcome to the future, Sugar,” Gina said, cranking her music up before peeling out of the gravel lot. Shay squealed as she scrambled to put on her seatbelt, the thumping bass of a rap song she'd never heard invading her ears.
“Who is this?” she called over the music.
“I don't know! One of the kids at the salon gave me this mix,” Gina yelled back. “They keep me young!”
“I bet they do,” Shay replied, a laugh bubbling out of her throat. The further they got from the prison, the lighter she felt. She didn't know the song, but that didn't stop her body from moving with the beat. Before she knew it, she was jamming in her seat, light as a feather. She didn't know the words to the song, but it didn't matter. The road stretched in front of them, and it lead back to New York City, where her heart and soul belonged.
All in all, it was turning out to be a pretty good day.
***
“You'll work with me at the salon until you get something else,” Gina announced as they drove through the Bronx on their way home. “I need someone to help sweep up, answer phones, all that shit.”
“All that shit nobody else wants to do,” Shay said with a smile.
“Exactly,” Gina nodded. “But you'll take your time. Ease back in.”
“Mm-hmm,” Shay murmured.
“You'll love it,” Gina said, her eyes on the road. “You'll get to meet Thalia.”
“Who's
Her father, however, was a different story. She couldn't help but feel a prick of disappointment in her chest that he wasn't there to greet her. Not that she'd expected him to be.
“You alright, baby?” Gina asked and Shay realized she was staring at her. There was a lot of space between them, a lot of years. She wasn't a rebellious teenager anymore, but she wasn't an autonomous woman, either. It was a strange thought. Her aunt was closer to her than anyone in the world, but she still felt almost like she was a stranger. Her aunt knew the old Shay, but neither woman knew who she was now or what she was going to be. Her future was a big blank page, ready and waiting to be filled. “Well come on, give me a hug,” Gina said, holding out her arms. Shay nodded and did so, throwing her arms around her aunt and hugging her tight. She sucked her tears up because it was a happy day, not a sad day. Besides, she wanted to put the prison in her rearview as soon as possible.
“Alright, alright,” she said, pulling out of her aunt's embrace. “Let's get the hell out of here.”
“You want to drive?” Gina joked with a laugh, swiping at her own wet cheeks. Shay had never had a driver's license in her life, but held out her hand for the keys anyway. Gina slapped it away, eyes glittering with tears and amusement.
“This is a big ass truck. Overcompensating for something?” Shay said, walking around to the passenger side, admiring the vehicle's shiny new paint.
“It's a rental. And yes,” Gina said, patting the hood. “But I can pretend it's mine for the day.”
“It's almost bigger than your apartment,” Shay said, opening the door and hiking herself up into the high cab. She was taller than her aunt, but it was still difficult. Gina had to practically rock climb up to the driver's side.
“ Our apartment,” Gina said, pressing a button on the steering column that started the car. The seat was pulled up so far to accommodate her short legs that her tits almost brushed the steering wheel. “I hope your prison girlfriend taught you how to pick up after yourself.”
“Still not a lesbian, Gina, no matter how hard you try to make me one,” Shay said, staring in wonder at the button. “You don't need a key to start the car?”
“Welcome to the future, Sugar,” Gina said, cranking her music up before peeling out of the gravel lot. Shay squealed as she scrambled to put on her seatbelt, the thumping bass of a rap song she'd never heard invading her ears.
“Who is this?” she called over the music.
“I don't know! One of the kids at the salon gave me this mix,” Gina yelled back. “They keep me young!”
“I bet they do,” Shay replied, a laugh bubbling out of her throat. The further they got from the prison, the lighter she felt. She didn't know the song, but that didn't stop her body from moving with the beat. Before she knew it, she was jamming in her seat, light as a feather. She didn't know the words to the song, but it didn't matter. The road stretched in front of them, and it lead back to New York City, where her heart and soul belonged.
All in all, it was turning out to be a pretty good day.
***
“You'll work with me at the salon until you get something else,” Gina announced as they drove through the Bronx on their way home. “I need someone to help sweep up, answer phones, all that shit.”
“All that shit nobody else wants to do,” Shay said with a smile.
“Exactly,” Gina nodded. “But you'll take your time. Ease back in.”
“Mm-hmm,” Shay murmured.
“You'll love it,” Gina said, her eyes on the road. “You'll get to meet Thalia.”
“Who's
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