Free Abide with Me by E. Lynn Harris Page A

carpet pieces and a black leather mat covered portions of the steel-gray concrete floor. There were a few tables that were made for sitting, but customers used them for packages and briefcases while they chowed down on the sweets, because the shop was always so crowded during the morning and evening rushes. There was an old-fashioned cash register that constantly displayed in the same black and white characters the total of $5.00, the cost of a large slice of cobbler and cup of coffee. A whole cobbler was nine dollars. The register didn’t always work, so Peaches had a small calculator right under the shelf. Whenever there was a rush, which there usually was, she would survey a customer’s purchase and say, “Just give me twenty dollars and we even.”
    The “Cuts” part belonged to Enoch Kitchens, master barber, and owner of the two-chair barbershop that was in the rear of the store.Enoch had been in the haircutting business in the same location for more than twenty-five years. His shop was one of the few in Harlem that refused to go unisex. Enoch wouldn’t even hire female barbers.
    Enoch, a widower for almost ten years, was from Church Point, Louisiana, but considered Harlem home for over thirty years. Enoch had moved there after leaving the army with his new bride. He wasn’t looking for a storemate when Peaches walked in some four years ago, but with a lot of men now getting their hair styled instead of cut, business was slacking off. Besides, he was instantly smitten by the fasttalking, take-no-mess Peaches Gant. While he was still thinking,
I don’t know about this
, Peaches slipped some peach cobbler in his mouth, and the deal was done. “Listen, ole man, you got all this space and it’s just wastin’. Who knows, I might bring you some new customers,” Peaches told Enoch.
    “Neither one of you ladies don’t happen to have a Sunday
Post
, do ya?” Peaches asked as she looked around to see if anybody had left one.
    “I don’t,” Yancey said. “You want me to run and get you one?”
    “Naw, that’s all right. I can find out if I’m a millionairess later on,” Peaches said.
    “Peaches, I feel so bad. I could have sworn you said you were serving dinner,” Nicole said as she looked at her watch.
    “We were really looking forward to helping,” Yancey interjected.
    “I might have said dinner. You know this ole girl is getting old. But not to worry. The group will be back next week, just like today,” Peaches said as she took a seat at one of the card tables that were set up for the brunch.
    “Can we wash dishes or do something?” Nicole asked.
    “Not in them pretty dresses. Washing dishes is Enoch’s job,” Peaches said. “I tell him all the time everybody got to do their part.”
    “Is that the man who answered the phone when I called? Where is he? He sounded so nice on the phone,” Nicole said.
    “He’s upstairs, probably watchin’ baseball or sumthin’ like that. Let him stay up there for now. Why don’t you ladies just sit down? I’ll get some punch or sumthin’ and we’ll just have girl talk,” Peaches said.
    “That would be nice,” Nicole said. There were only two chairs at the table, but Yancey noticed others leaning against the wall. She quickly grabbed one, unfolded it, and took a seat. Peaches noticed this and said, “I like this girl. She got some git-up-and-go. Don’t have to tell her nuthin’. Where you from, darling?”
    “I’m from Tennessee,” Yancey replied.
    “Oh, you a Southern gal, just like our Miss Nicole. Nicole, where is that fine husband of yours?”
    “He’s at the office.”
    “On a Sunday?”
    “Yes. As soon as church services were over he headed for the subway and his office. But he told me to give you a big hug and a kiss and tell you he promises to be here next Sunday.”
    “Aw, ain’t that sweet. Tell him I’ll wait and git that hug and kiss from him. Just make sure he does it in front of Enoch. Let ’em know he got some comp,”