Chapter 30 Peace #2
We’re seated in the front row at church, listening as the pastor preach.
Mama has her legs crossed, fanning herself like the true veteran churchgoer she is, while my mother wraps her arm around me with a soft smile.
I lean into her, feeling safe, comforted, and just…
at peace. I glance to the side and see Gavin with his head bowed.
For a moment, mi feel proud, until mi spot him recording voice notes.
All inna God house? Disgusting.
I bite my lip to stifle the laugh. Time and place, Zara. Amen. Not me turn holy all of a sudden. Mama spots him and without hesitation, uses her fan to give him a good slap. He jerks up, looking shocked, and I have to cover my mouth to stop the giggle that’s bubbling up. Yes, man! Discipline him!
“Pay attention. Yuh inna church,” she whispers sharply, cutting him one deadly church-woman look. He nods and turns back ‘round, chuckling under his breath.
When the ceremony wraps up and the crowd begins greeting us and sending baby blessings, the pastor walks over, smiling warmly.
“Greetings, gentle people. How unuh do?” he chuckles.
“Bwoy, pastor, the service was lovely,” Mama beams, straightening up. Gavin? Still glued to his phone. Why him a act like Nickoi so today? Stop compare them, miss ma’am. But still… him nuh normal today.
“It was good, Pastor,” mommy adds, and I smile politely when his eyes land on me.
“I see a lovely bump here, sister,” he says, beaming. “Congratulations. I pray the Lord covers you in that hospital room and grants you a smooth, safe delivery.”
“Thank you, Pastor,” I say sincerely. I’ve been low-key worrying about labor, so his words calm me a bit.
He nods. “And when the baby comes, I want to welcome you right here for the Christening. Since your grandma is the choir leader and senior member, it’s only fitting. Think about it.”
“Okay, Pastor,” I smile, but mi already thinking: Mi nuh know if Nickoi a go wah dweet. Mi affi wait ‘til him in a good mood fi ask. Yes… and cook sup’m him love first. Coconut shrimp… rice… something…
As the pastor moves along, I walk over and nudge Gavin, side-eyeing his phone. “Hello, why you so deep inna the phone?” He doesn’t look up. That’s not like the usual goofy Gavin mi know.
“Wah happen?” I ask, suddenly concerned. He sighs, jaw clenched.
“Sash call me and a bawl. Now mi cya get har back.” I gasp. Laad Gad.
Mi and Sash nuh chat like one time but mi still care. That girl don’t cry for nothing. “Yuh see if deh bwoy deh put him hand pan mi sister,” Gavin mutters, voice tense. My chest get tight. Mi nervous now. He keeps trying to call, but she still not picking up.
“Zara, Gavin, unuh come on!” Mommy calls from the rental, already halfway inside. Mama’s buckled up in the front. I tug Gavin’s shirt.
“Come. We affi go.” He follows me reluctantly, still trying the call.
“Everybody in?” Mommy asks.
“Yes, Mommy,” I say, glancing back at Gavin who’s now staring out the window, jaw locked.
I focus on Gavin the entire drive back to the house.
Mommy and Mama walk inside, already locked into their usual mother-daughter gossip session.
I hop into the passenger seat with Gavin, and he pulls off almost immediately.
He told Mommy he was just going to buy something, and she lent him the car.
“Wah yuh seh do har?” I ask, anxiety bubbling in my chest.
“Mi nuh know wah deh happen to the gyal,” Gavin mutters, gripping the wheel tight.
“Look how much killing a gwaan, especially inna Spanish Town and she gone get harself inna man problem?” I fidget with my fingers.
Mi not even know what fi say. Mi hope Sash alright.
Me too! my subconscious adds. Ten minutes later, we pull up to the house.Gavin jumps out the car and runs inside.
I follow close behind. CRASH! I stop in my tracks.
Furniture? Splinters? Sash screams from the room, and my blood runs cold.
She’s running. Yuh betta stop, Zara! Yuh have eight months’ worth a belly.
Nuh badda guh play nuh Referee! my subconscious warns. Still, my ears stretch for details.
“Let me go!” Sash cries. “Please Marko! Yah go kill mi?!” Mi hate how she sound.
Mi don’t know if mi should go inside or call someone.
If Nickoi ever hear seh yuh go inside deh so wid belly, yuh dead!
my brain screams. Another crash. More grunting.
Mi can’t take it. I grab my phone and dial Nickoi. He answers on the first ring.
“Mami?”
“Weh yuh deh?” I ask, my voice shaking.
“Wah’m, Zara?” I hear him inhale, he was smoking.
“I’m at Gavin’s house. Marko a beat Sash!” I blurt out just as another scream pierces through. His voice goes sharp, panicked, asking if I’m inside. “N-No… mi deh pan the veranda.”
“Go pan the outside. Now.” I walk to the gate. “Weh yuh seh yuh deh?”
“Yuh remember the white house yuh carry me and mama after Mystic Mountain? A the one next door.”
“Mi a fawud. Mi deh a Rick.” My heart beat fast. Mi know he’s coming.
Everything soon alright. The fight inside nuh stop.
Glass a mash, furniture a fling, mi even hear Gavin now.
Gavin a cuss out the bwoy baxide! Should I call police?
Zara! Nickoi a come. Yuh nuh know if him have anything illegal pan him!
Calm yuh self! Five minutes pass. Sash still a scream.
Me trying to peep but mi cya see clearly. Then—“Zara.”
I freeze, spin around… and see him. We both stare in shock. “Daddy?” I whisper. He looks stunned… but happy?
“You pregnant?” he asks with a smile. He’s not drunk. Thank God. “Can I?” he asks. I nod. He touches my belly gently. “Mi grandchild,” he says, smiling.
“Two, Daddy,” I correct him. His eyes widen.
“Twins? Wow. Congrats, mi daughta. We nuh have no twins inna fi wi family, though.”
“Nickoi family have twins inna him bloodline,” I explain.
He nods. “Ohhh… so a Nickoi.”
“Yes Daddy. A Nickoi.”
He chuckles. “Wah a gwaan in deh?” I glance toward the house.
“Sash and her boyfriend… can you check please?” He nods and steps off just as the black Benz pull up.
My heart skips. My knight in shining chrome rims. Him not even come out yet and mi feel safe.
Both front doors open. Gutta and Nickoi jump out.
I blink twice. Raatid. *Sips tea this about fi get spicy.
* Daddy stops when Nickoi approaches. “Uh… congrats, mi daughta… blessings,” he says, walking off.
But I call him back. Nickoi eyes me before glancing at Daddy.
Gutta rushes inside. My father looks nervous now.
“Mi neva a try cause no trouble enuh… a shop mi did a go, fi buy some chicken and mi see har and seh how deh woman deh look like mi daughta…”
Nickoi looks uncomfortable, but then… he holds out his hand. “Mi know we neva start off good, but mi affi respect you—cause a you a har old man. Mi just hope wah happen inna the past… wi can move past it.” I… okay…
Daddy takes it, smiling nervously. “You a good youth, man. Mi daughta wouldn’t stay so long if yuh wasn’t. Mi still member seh yuh love cheesecake and yuh did wah go Dubai and Hawaii.” My throat close up.
“Daddy… yuh member?” I don’t remember smiling this hard.
“How yuh mean?” He laughs gently. Nickoi smiles too. Then Gutta storms out, dragging Marko behind him. Gavin follows close, face stern. Marko bloody. Sash staggers behind them, hair disheveled, face bruised, knees scraped. My stomach twist.
“Zara!” she sobs, and I run into her arms.
“Sash, mi glad yuh alright… Marko a dutty boy. Forget him,” I whisper. She hugs me tighter, crying into my shoulder.
“Mi miss yuh enuh. Mi been praying fi yuh, cause mi know yuh fraid a the labor.” Tears sting my eyes.
“I am,” I whisper. “Thank you.” We pull back and she rubs my belly.
“Twin girls?”
“Gavin tell yuh mi pregnant wid twins?” I laugh, then she says he didn’t tell her the gender.
“Mixed gender,” I tell her.
She SCREAMS.
All now she nuh care who outside or how she look. Her joy is loud, unfiltered. I beam. “Hope yuh know seh dat boy a mi husband,” she grins.
“A yuh cousin!” I laugh.
“Tell har again, cuz gyal,” Gavin laughs. Gutta glances at him. Lawd Jesus.
Nickoi chuckles. “Mi nuh know if the baby shower tomorrow too sudden fi unuh?”
My eyes light up. He’s inviting them. Awww… he wants my family around. “How mi fi miss it? Zara and Prezi baby shower? Please!” Sash says, hands on her hips like a drama queen.
“Thanks fi invite me,” my father says quietly, and Nickoi nods. I can’t stop smiling.
Peace.
Sweet.
Solid… overdue peace.