Free Don’t Ever Wonder by Darren Coleman

town.”
    Daphne was now pointing her finger in his face and the patrons grew scared that she could erupt into a rage at any minute. “Call who you like. I didn’t come here for you to judge me. I came because…”
    Nate’s words were interrupted with Daphne’s open-handed slap. Like a professional he turned his face with the blow, minimizing the effect but not the sound. “I don’t care what you came here for. You are responsible for what happened.” She began to cry and in the next instant she swung her hand again. This time Nate grabbed her wrist before it could make contact. He held it for a second and looked into Daphne’s eyes.
    “Daphne, I’m sorry for what happened. I’m sorry that my actions played a part in her death. I’m sorry that you lost your friend. I lost a friend in her as well.” Then he let her hand go. “I came here only to apologize to you. I would like your forgiveness, but if you can’t see clear to do that, then perhaps you could pray for me and I will do the same for you.”
    “What?” A look of confusion was on Daphne’s face.
    “Pray that my walk is completed and I will pray that your heart is softened. I came back to D.C. to make amends for my behavior. I treated Kim badly. Although no one should take their own life, I recognize that she loved me more than she should have, but that is between she and the Creator. Still, I must atone for my part in the whole thing.” Daphne’s expression showed the look of someone in unfamiliar territory.
    “You come up here talking about praying and it’s supposed to be all good,” she yelled. Her client stood up and held her before she made another attempt at fighting him. “You ain’t right and you are gonna pay for what you did.”
    Nate turned and began to walk away. When he reached the front door he turned back and asked, “How do you know that I haven’t already paid?”
    Her mouth dropped open but no words escaped. “I’m going to see her mother later today. If anyone is looking for me you can tell them that’s where I’ll be. But know this, my life belongs to God now and I am promised that no weapon formed against me shall prosper.”
    “Motherfucka, you crazy,” Daphne screamed. “Get your fake holy ass out of this shop and never come back.”
    Nate gave her nothing but a slight smile as he headed out the door.
     
    Forty minutes later he walked into the barbershop. “Awwww shit. Kaboom look who stepped in the room,” Mike yelled out when he saw Nate.
    A smile slid across Dee’s face. “My Dawg is back.” He stopped cutting to give Nate a handshake and a hug. “When you get back?”
    “Last night, real late.”
    “You talk to Brendan yet?”
    “No, not yet. I had a couple of runs to make this morning and then I had to help out at the church this morning, feeding the homeless.”
    “Church?” Dee asked. “You had to help feed the homeless?”
    Nate nodded his head. “That’s right.”
    “Getdafuck outta here.” Dee laughed. When he saw the expression on Nate’s face he asked. “You serious?”
    “Yeah.”
    “That’s decent, young man,” Mr. Hackley, the eldest barber, chimed in. “We need more young brothers trying to do something positive.”
    Nate smiled. “Thank you, sir.”
    “There must be some freaks down at the church if Nate’s ass is hanging down there,” Mike said before he started laughing.
    “There are some nice sistahs down there, but that’s not what it’s about for me right now,” Nate replied.
    “So what church is this?” Dee asked with his arms folded.
    “The Greater D.C. Word Congregation. You ought to come visit.”
    “No, thanks, I can’t afford to go to church, it cost too damn much. The last time I went to church they passed that plate seven times, I bullshit you not. The girl I was with was talking about, could you put a twenty in for me cause I left my wallet, I was like shiiiieeet girl, I don’t have that kind of money.”
    Everyone in the shop erupted in