Chapter 8 Links
Links
I wipe my eyes, smiling through the tears.
I’m still in awe, Nickoi Jacobs is literally engaged to me.
Me. This has to be the happiest I’ve felt in…
forever, honestly. I feel high. And I’m not even smoking.
It’s that kind of joy that takes over your whole body makes your chest feel light, your cheeks ache from smiling, your brain float like it’s drifting above everything.
Ecstatic. That’s the word.
“I love you so much,” I whisper, still brushing at my tears. “And it’s not even about the fancy stuff you’ve been giving me. It’s just… the feeling. All of it.”
He smiles, that perfect, slow Nickoi smile. He reaches for my hand. And then, just like that, he slides the ring onto my finger.
Applause breaks out around the restaurant, clapping and cheering and phones recording, but I’m stuck right here. In this one second. With him. With this ring. With everything. I laugh softly, still in shock.
Wake me up deh, ‘cause this nuh real.
I stare at the ring on my finger in awe as my eyes get teary. The diamond catches the light like it’s showing off, a heart-shaped stone, big enough to silence a room, sitting in a rich 24 karat gold band that hugs my finger like it was made just for me.
“So you did expect this?” he asks, leaning back in the chair, watching me.
I stare at him like he’s lost his mind. “Nooo,” I say, dragging it out. He bursts into laughter.
“Good,” he chuckles, lifting his glass. It’s C?roc, of course. “Never wah yuh expect it.”
I smile, cheeks still warm. “Today at Nature, I thought you would, enuh.”
I start laughing again. Look how mi gwan with miself in the car.
“I was disappointed when I saw that it was just a watch, and then mi a seh, ‘Nickoi would never marry me,’ and now…”
My voice cracks as I look down at the ring. “You proposed.” The tears come again, soft and grateful.
He smiles gently. “Mi know you would be disappointed. One thing mi always do a plan tings. Mi did a seh mi wah she lose hope.”
I laugh, wiping a tear. “I did lose it,” I say, rolling my eyes playfully. I can’t even explain this feeling.
I’m so happy. Like, deeply happy.
Everyone’s gone back to their meals now, but I still catch people glancing over with warm smiles. This whole thing feels like a movie I’m somehow starring in.
Mi know say Nick and Zara a keep.
He chuckles, but then his smile fades a little, just enough for me to know he’s about to get serious.
“Mi know say you probably think this too early, but mi just feel seh a the right time. Mi feel like yuh deserve more than just being my girlfriend. Mi wah yuh know say we nah rush nothing we just know say we have something real. We waiting on the right time fi get the wedding thing started… preferably when wi yute born,” he says.
I nod. “Yes, that make sense.” I glance down at the ring again, still stunned that it’s even mine.
“And money’s never an issue,” he adds, licking his lips, distracting me completely. Jesus.
Wah mi did go seh again? I smile, looking around, trying to remember.
“And likewise though?” he asks, watching me closely.
I nod, snapping back into the moment. “Mi forget wah mi did go say,” I frown.
Wah mi did a seh?
“That natural man,” he says with a little smirk.
You wah ask if him did a plan fi get a baby wid yuh, my subconscious says, finally doing her job.
“Mi memba now, it’s a question,” I say, laughing nervously.
He leans in a little, waiting. Curious. “Hope this nuh come off wrong,” I start slowly, “but even though my pregnancy was, y’know…
kinda an accident, not something we planned, by the way, I love my baby.
And I don’t think he or she is a mistake, at all.
But yeah… yuh get wah mi mean. Were you ever planning to start a family with me before this happen? ”
Whew. Even I’m anxious to hear his answer.
He goes quiet, eyes searching the space around him like he’s digging for the right words.
“From mi realize say mi have strong feelings fi yuh, mi did already start prepare miself fi certain things, even though a youth never once inna mi meds, yuh zimi. And mi nah go lie mi nuh usually love the idea of having kids. But mi excited fi know say mi a get mi own youth. Especially with you.” Chro man.
“Awww. I understand,” I say, and I really do. “And I’m super excited too.”
I smile, heart full. Ring still shining.
He starts smiling, eyes crinkling with that smug charm.
“Yow… the way yuh did hate mi at first, and now look, baby mother and all.” He laughs, shaking his head.
“Who knew it woulda come to this? Right now mi would tell any youth out deh weh a pursue a sophisticated woman fi just stay consistent, learn how fi tek shame, and never give up.”
He bites his lip, and I burst out laughing. “It’s the ‘know how fi tek shame’ for me,” I laugh, and he lifts his glass of C?roc, sipping while hiding his smile.
“I loved you early, enuh,” I admit with a shy laugh, covering my face with my palm. Why am I even saying this?
He looks at me with his eyebrows raised, grinning. “Eeeh?”
“Call me crazy,” I say, lowering my hand, “but mi did just come out of a messy relationship. One weh mi try and try fi fix and mi still couldn’t feel happy. And then boom, this mysterious man come from outta nowhere, always popping up everywhere mi go, and him just… make mi feel happy again.”
I blush. Hard. “At first you did irk mi spirit enuh but then mi start admire you.”
He grins wider. “At the school?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“You did love me that time?” he asks, clearly surprised.
“No,” I say, laughing. “During the time when you started ask mi fi deh wid you. That’s when it start creep up.” I pause, grinning like a proper idiot. Nickoi really have me smiling like fool, eeeh.
“So how you did know it was love and not just… something else?” he asks, tilting his head, genuinely curious.
“I mean, yeah, mi did have a crush but then the feelings just get intense. Like mi couldn’t stop thinking ‘bout you. You were all up inna mi mind. That’s how mi know it was different. It wasn’t surface-level,” I say honestly and somehow, it don’t even feel awkward telling him this.
“When was the first time yuh realize say yuh like mi?” he asks, his smile still tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Umm… I think the first time mi really start liking you was the day mi give yuh Jordane’s report,” I say, sipping my juice.
Nickoi chuckles. “Facts. Mi did notice say yuh did shake up.”
I burst out laughing. “Whatever,” I grin, rolling my eyes. Then I glance at him. “When did you know you liked me?”
He leans back slightly, thinking. “Well… the first time mi see you, mi like yuh. But mi figure out say mi love yuh from the moment mi cut off Talia. Mi did know it deep, but mi never wah admit it.” His voice is calm, honest, and the second I hear Talia followed by cut off, I’m blushing. Whole swarm of butterflies in my chest.
“Awwww,” I say, smiling so hard it hurts. Nickoi lifts his glass and downs the rest of his C?roc, eyes still on me.
We’d finished eating now—just sitting there, talking and laughing. The conversation drifted to Creepin’ Closet, that popular baby boutique in California. We thought about stopping there but—
“We can always go back another time,” I tell him.
“I think it’s still kinda early—and plus, mommy going back abroad, and mi know she a go buy out the whole baby section.
” Nickoi nods, then reaches over and gently holds my hand, helping me up from the chair.
My legs had started cramping from sitting too long.
“Mi a go fly out soon,” he says casually.
I glance at him quickly, catching something in his tone. “Eh?” He notices my curiosity right away.
“Mi a go deal with some business… link up with a few family members too,” he explains. I keep my eyes on him for a second longer than usual, but I nod.
He chuckles. “Yuh know mi nah stay more than two days.”
I nod, smiling. “Okay… I can stay at Mama’s.”
“Mi nuh sure when mi a go yet, but yuh will know,” he says. I nod again, quietly soaking in the moment.
He turns to speak with the team for a bit. They wave us off with wide smiles. “Take care and come again!” one of them calls out.
We step outside into the night, the air warm and soft around us as we walk through the parking lot.
When we reach the Jaguar, I pause and glance up at Nickoi.
He looks down at me with a soft smile, and I step in closer, reaching my arms around him on tiptoe.
He bends slightly so I can reach his lips.
See wah happen when yuh short?
I kiss him—slow, deep, with my eyes closed. He moves with me, gently pressing my back against the Jaguar. I let the kiss linger, then finally pull away, breath shaky, heart doing somersaults.
“I love you,” I whisper, smiling up at him before I slip into the car.
He gets in a second later, glancing at me.
But before he can say anything, I snap my seatbelt in place and grin.
“Done.” He laughs and starts the engine, pulling out of the parking lot as we head home.
As he drives, I pull out my phone and hold my hand up to the light, admiring the ring all over again.
I take a few snaps and send them off—to Mama, Mommy, and Gavin.
Gavin opens it first. Seconds later, his voice note comes in, already full of chaos.
“No lady, yuh cyaah trick mi! Afta yuh nah show yourself,” he says in that loud, dramatic tone that sends me into a fit of laughter.
I quickly record another video—this time showing my face, then slowly panning down to the ring, then the little Tiffany box sitting in my lap.
Nickoi is still driving, quietly vibing as he sings under his breath: “Mi gun load, di real ones dem a dead straight. Mi feel mi demons dem a escape, look weh di weed a do mi chest plate…”
I smile, watching him in his zone before I send the video off to Gavin. He views it instantly. Within seconds, he floods my screen with ring emojis and hearts—then my phone starts ringing. FaceTime. Bay excitement now enuh.
I answer the video call and see Gavin’s face light up on the screen.
“Tell mi seh a dream mi a dream?” he grins, sitting up, eyes wide with excitement.
I laugh. “You’re not. It real.”
He rubs his face, still half in shock. “Mi did a go sleep, but this kinda news wake me up right outta my bed,” he chuckles.
“Mi cya bother,” I laugh, my smile refusing to leave.
“Congratulations to you and Nickoi!” he beams.
I flip the camera to show Nickoi, who’s in full vibe mode, head nodding to whatever’s playing on the aux. He glances over, then turns the music down a little. “Wah gwaan?” he asks casually.
“Mi a say congratulations!” Gavin repeats louder, grinning.
Just then, Gavin’s girlfriend pops into view, waving at the screen. “Hey, Zara! Congratulations to you and your fiancé!” she says sweetly.
“Thank you,” I smile, and Nickoi gives her a respectful nod.
“Respect,” he says, already easing back into his music zone.
Suddenly, my mother’s name flashes across the screen. I add her to the call, and she appears immediately, her smile wide and warm. “Why you wah mi bawl down di place, little girl?” she teases, her voice breaking into laughter.
“That mi a seh too enuh, Aunty!” Gavin adds, still holding the phone. “Mi frighten so till when mi see the finger wid the ring and hear Zara voice, mi nearly drop mi phone!” We all burst out laughing together.
“Congratulations again. The ring really beautiful, though,” Mama says, her voice softening.
“Thanks, Mama,” I say, grinning as I admire it one more time.
“A fi real, Mama,” Gavin says, making me smile.
“Thanks, Ms. Sandra,” Nickoi adds. Mama adjusts the camera and settles down with a plate in her hand.
“Wah yuh a eat, Mama?” I ask, squinting at the screen.
She grins and holds it up proudly. “Beef.” Mi miss har cooking enuh. Swear to God.
“Nickoi, a Tiffany & Co. yuh go?” Mommy teases from the other line, making him laugh. I love the way she and Nickoi gets—like real family.
Everybody on the call starts chatting over each other now, voices mixing, laughter bubbling. “When mi a buy things, mi just spend and get quality,” Nickoi says casually, slowing down as he approaches a stoplight.
“Right,” Mommy replies with a smile. “But mi happy fi unuh, man. The ring, everything—look well planned out.”
“Thanks, Mommy,” I beam.
“Zara guh see Henry a walk yuh down the aisle,” Gavin jokes, and everyone bursts out laughing. Again.
“Yuh know mi nuh like yuh doh?” I shoot back, laughing.
“Bwoy, lef’ Henry. Yuh nuh see him a clean up himself?” Mommy defends, always having a soft spot for him no matter what.
She’s always been like that… big heart, even fi people weh never deserve it. And honestly? That’s something I’ve learned from her. Let go bad energy. Forgive—even if yuh don’t forget.
When the call winds down, I finally hang up and lean over on Nickoi’s arm, feeling his warmth next to me. “Yuh good, Mami?” he asks softly.
I nod. “I’m okay… just a little sleepy.”
He doesn’t answer right away. A few seconds pass before he speaks again. “Yuh soon affi start drive inna the back yer.”
I groan lightly. “I know… but mi wah drive mi car,” I pout.
“You cyaah really do dat fi now, Mami,” he says gently.
“Mi belly bump nah show yet eno,” I reason, hoping he’ll budge.
He sighs. “Okay… but yuh have license?” he asks. I blink then shake my head no, slowly.
“Ah,” he says, clearly not surprised.
“We affi go deal with it?” I ask, straightening up a bit.
He nods. “Mi a go mek mi G sort it out tomorrow.”
I smile. “Babe, wah yuh nuh have links for?”
He shrugs, grinning. “Mi have links fi everything yes.”
Then his eyes squint a little, like something just clicked. “Wait… the only link mi nuh have a Cuban.”
A laughter slips out from me. “Nickoi, yuh a real joker enuh.”
He joins me in the laughter, shaking his head. “A joke man.”
He has a Cuban on, maybe he’s talking bout the girl. Still giggling, I rest my head back on his arm.