Returning to the table, Sol smoothly issued four menus and four cups of ice-cold water from behind the counter. Kai chuckled as Apollo checked his for spit, frowning at her and Zed from across the table. Theo dutifully glanced over the menu, making Kai proud. He’d been raised on the gospel of Denny’s, but the transition to Waffle House hadn’t been difficult. Hot plates had nothing on good food.

“You got a minute?” Theo asked Sol.

“Nah, it’s mad busy right now,” she said, stepping back and extending her arm toward the vacant restaurant like a showgirl introducing a showcase on The Price Is Right.

The table laughed, settling in. “For real, though, is everything square for tonight? This ain’t no regular fucking tag,” Sol said, bending over and dropping her voice to a hush. All eyes fell onto Theo.

“Yeah, it’s all good. We’re picking up the van tonight as planned, Six Flags is closed all day for emergency parking lot repairs, the movies are still playing so we can get tickets, and McPherson is still in transition. I checked everything. Nothing can go wrong,” Theo said.

“Right,” Sol replied. “I hope y’all have better clothes, though. Nylon shorts, skinny jeans, coochie cutters, and a skirt aren’t the right gear.”

A wave of foolishness washed over the table, making Sol laugh. Kai knew Theo had forgotten something. He’d have to go all the way back to Marietta to get a change of clothes. She looked down, contemplating his wardrobe. It was more uncredited Odd Future member than criminal, but he could work it. As long as you had black skin, being a criminal didn’t take too much work. Kai prayed he didn’t say something stupid.

“We know that,” Theo responded. “I’m just the driver, so I don’t need to be on my cat burglar tip. Everybody else is going to go home and change, though.”

“Sure,” Sol said, skeptical.

“Anything else, Sergeant Sol?” Zed asked, waving the laminated menu. “I’m trying to go in.”

“Yes,” Sol said, standing up and returning to her full height, 70 inches. “Kai, buy a damn wig. I know you think everyone and their mama is going natural, but it’s actually just you and a couple thousand Insta thots, so you natural hoes be standing out. Weave still reigns supreme. Trust me, I work night shift on Fridays.” She removed her hat and pointed at her wavy, imported hair. She practiced what she preached.

Kai laughed and nodded. Sol took their menus and returned to the kitchen, announcing, “Four waffles, three hash browns, and one cup of surprisingly good coffee, coming right up!” Her announcement went unheard by her two coworkers who were smoking out front, but Sol probably didn’t care. She was used to doing things herself.

Rows of stylish fiberglass heads peered down at Apollo as he followed his friends through the beauty supply store, one of the many cacti of Riverdale, Georgia’s strip mall desert. Zed led the way, evaluating wigs for Kai. “Too chic. Too fifties. Too boring. Too boy band,” she chanted in cadence with her steps. Apollo quietly trailed behind Kai, wondering what she was thinking. Her natural hair journey, as he had learned to call it, had entailed an utter dismissal of beauty supply stores. He’d seen her YouTube videos declaring beauty supply stores as black women’s final plantation. Returning to one after a three-year-long boycott must have been strange.