Olivia was just finishing off Mr. Ryan, when her oldest brother, David walked in.
“What brings you around here?” she asked.
“I need a reason to come see my little sister?”
“What’s wrong? Toya okay?”
“Everything’s fine. I was in the neighborhood, and decided to drop in to see how you were doing.”
“Other than working twelve hours a day and having appointments booked as far ahead as next year, I’m doing just great.”
“That’s wonderful.”
“Why don’t you go wait in my office. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Sure.”
Olivia walked in fifteen minutes later. “Okay, what’s the real deal?”
“Sis, everything is fine. I’m just dropping by.”
Olivia folded her arms and stared at him for a minute, before walking to her chair and sitting down. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m just not used to you coming down, just to see how I’m doing.”
“Well, get used to it. Me, Jon-Jon, Shawn and Mike had a meeting after we all had our meeting the other day.”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah, we kinda agreed that we’ve been just a little overprotective with you.”
“You think?”
“You got to understand—”
Olivia held her hand up. “I understand. The business, dudes trying to get with me just to get a piece of Butta Cutz.”
“It’s more than that.” David sat on the edge of the chair. “You were young when mom died, but you remember how close we all were.
Olivia nodded.
“She was beautiful, inside and out.”
Olivia put her head down.
“The night she died was like any other night in our household. We would eat dinner, take our showers, brush our teeth, and go to bed. No one seen it coming. Just like that, she dies in her sleep.” David’s eyes were brimming with tears. “You and mom could pass for twins.”
Olivia dabbed at her tears as they ran down her cheeks.
David continued. “She just slipped through our hands. She was the glue that held us together. Then you became the glue that holds us together. If anything was to happen to you, me, Jon-Jon, Shawn and Mike we would lose our minds. So, we hover over you, not because we don’t want you to have a personal life. We just know how it feels to have the woman of our lives snatched from us, and we’re not trying to lose anymore women in our family.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. Just know that we love you and we see you as the mother hen. And we’re not going to let anything happen to you.”
“I appreciate everything that you guys do for me. You know I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for y’all. I still say y’all should be with me when I go on Oprah.”
“No, that’s your time to shine. And you are going to shine.”
Olivia stood up and hugged her brother.
“So, how are you and the accountant doing?”
“We broke up.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“Nope. I think he has some unresolved issues in his life that he has to find closure on.”
“That’s what he told you?”
“No, that’s what Dr. Phil would’ve said.”
“Oh, God. You and Dr. Phil.”
“The man is a psychological genius.”
“Well, I’m not a psychological genius, but I know you, and I know you were feeling some kind a way about that guy. Maybe you should use your ‘Dr. Phil’ skills and help him resolve his issues.”
“I got bigger things to worry about, right now. Byron secured a store front in Queens, on Merrick Boulevard.”
David nodded. “Okay, we doing big things. A Butta Cutz in Queens, I’m feeling that.”
“And I talked to his man in Philly. He’s ready to convert his barbershop into a Butta Cutz.”
“Umm.”
“And… Grace is getting married.”
“Get out of here.”
“Glenn proposed to her last night.”
David just looked at her smiling.
“What?”
“It’s good to see you happy.”
“I am. And I’m going to treat myself.”
“Not another pair of shoes.”
“No, butt head. I’m going to go home, curl up on my
“What brings you around here?” she asked.
“I need a reason to come see my little sister?”
“What’s wrong? Toya okay?”
“Everything’s fine. I was in the neighborhood, and decided to drop in to see how you were doing.”
“Other than working twelve hours a day and having appointments booked as far ahead as next year, I’m doing just great.”
“That’s wonderful.”
“Why don’t you go wait in my office. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Sure.”
Olivia walked in fifteen minutes later. “Okay, what’s the real deal?”
“Sis, everything is fine. I’m just dropping by.”
Olivia folded her arms and stared at him for a minute, before walking to her chair and sitting down. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m just not used to you coming down, just to see how I’m doing.”
“Well, get used to it. Me, Jon-Jon, Shawn and Mike had a meeting after we all had our meeting the other day.”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah, we kinda agreed that we’ve been just a little overprotective with you.”
“You think?”
“You got to understand—”
Olivia held her hand up. “I understand. The business, dudes trying to get with me just to get a piece of Butta Cutz.”
“It’s more than that.” David sat on the edge of the chair. “You were young when mom died, but you remember how close we all were.
Olivia nodded.
“She was beautiful, inside and out.”
Olivia put her head down.
“The night she died was like any other night in our household. We would eat dinner, take our showers, brush our teeth, and go to bed. No one seen it coming. Just like that, she dies in her sleep.” David’s eyes were brimming with tears. “You and mom could pass for twins.”
Olivia dabbed at her tears as they ran down her cheeks.
David continued. “She just slipped through our hands. She was the glue that held us together. Then you became the glue that holds us together. If anything was to happen to you, me, Jon-Jon, Shawn and Mike we would lose our minds. So, we hover over you, not because we don’t want you to have a personal life. We just know how it feels to have the woman of our lives snatched from us, and we’re not trying to lose anymore women in our family.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. Just know that we love you and we see you as the mother hen. And we’re not going to let anything happen to you.”
“I appreciate everything that you guys do for me. You know I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for y’all. I still say y’all should be with me when I go on Oprah.”
“No, that’s your time to shine. And you are going to shine.”
Olivia stood up and hugged her brother.
“So, how are you and the accountant doing?”
“We broke up.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“Nope. I think he has some unresolved issues in his life that he has to find closure on.”
“That’s what he told you?”
“No, that’s what Dr. Phil would’ve said.”
“Oh, God. You and Dr. Phil.”
“The man is a psychological genius.”
“Well, I’m not a psychological genius, but I know you, and I know you were feeling some kind a way about that guy. Maybe you should use your ‘Dr. Phil’ skills and help him resolve his issues.”
“I got bigger things to worry about, right now. Byron secured a store front in Queens, on Merrick Boulevard.”
David nodded. “Okay, we doing big things. A Butta Cutz in Queens, I’m feeling that.”
“And I talked to his man in Philly. He’s ready to convert his barbershop into a Butta Cutz.”
“Umm.”
“And… Grace is getting married.”
“Get out of here.”
“Glenn proposed to her last night.”
David just looked at her smiling.
“What?”
“It’s good to see you happy.”
“I am. And I’m going to treat myself.”
“Not another pair of shoes.”
“No, butt head. I’m going to go home, curl up on my
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