Chapter 37 Search
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We’re watching Riverside. Riverside, Nick? Yuh sure a that the thing name? I
don’t know. I’m not even trying. I’m watching her, not the TV.
Crazy how she asked for a movie night, and end up being the movie.
I’m barely paying attention to the screen.
It’s her laugh I’m locked in with. My shirt hanging loosely around her, her head resting on my chest. Her arms around me feel better than anything this show could offer.
“This funny!” she bursts out laughing, and I smile without even realizing.
“People wicked enuh, you see that babe?” she asks, pointing. I glance up. Some old man hugging his wife. Nothing wild. She rewinds it, then I catch the scene—some nigga drowned and the blonde said some foul shit. That’s it?
She catches my unimpressed face and cuts her eyes at me. “Babe, stop,” she whines through her laughter. I grin a little.
“Mi love you enuh,” I say, cutting through her teasing. She pauses. Smiles soft. I meant it. Maybe I said it to shut her up, but still… I meant it. Been thinking it for the last hour. This girl changed me. Still Nickoi, but she shifted something no other woman ever could.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks, half smiling.
“Yuh done know mi love yuh enuh, Zara… but mi a realize say mi really, really love you.” She laughs, like maybe she don’t believe I’m serious.
“How so?”
I stare at her. “Like… mi cyaa’ lose yuh,” I say, voice low. Her eyes go watery. She looks up at me while my hand rests on her ass, and I wipe her tears with my thumb.
“Awww, I really love you too,” she says.
“Mi know man,” I chuckle. Eventually, I try watching the show for real, just to see what’s so great about it. It’s okay. Not something I’d watch again.
“Mi love Archie, babe,” she says out loud. That catches me. Celebrity crush is pretty normal but I’m a petty nigga.
“Vanessa look good too,” I shoot back. Not even sure if that’s the name. She’s quiet.
“Who name Vanessa, babe?” she asks, side-eye sharp. Just then, the girl shows up on screen and I point.
“See mi woman deh.”
“Doh seh that.” She pinches my arm. “And her name is Veronica, not Vanessa,” she corrects. She’s playful, and I like her like this.
“How yuh wah seh Archie a yuh man?” I tease. Zara sits up, laughing.
“Nickoi, I did not say that!”
“Well yuh never seh it so… but a dat yuh mean,” I grin.
“So yuh jealous?” she asks, poking my cheek with her nails.
“That hot,” I joke.
“That nuh hot,” she laughs and sinks the nail deeper.
“B…” I groan, and she keeps at it.
“Doh seh no other woman look good. Celebrity or not, yuh yer that?” she warns, dead serious. Wait… a who dis? I try to hold back my laugh.
“Bad yah bad mi up?” I ask, voice calm.
“Mi nah say it again,” she means every word. I settle into the moment. Back to watching the show… but mostly just watching her.
ZARA
The Next Day
I wake up at 6 AM to find Riverdale still playing.
Season three already. We started it last night.
Well, I did. Nickoi was just there, mostly watching me or his phone.
Him couldn’t even pretend to care? After a few eye-rolls and no effort from him, I stopped begging and just watched it alone.
Still, I enjoyed it. That’s what matters.
Now, I’m in the kitchen feeding the twins while mama laughs at Zahir’s dramatic lip-smacking.
“You guys love mama’s apple barley porridge, huh?” I coo.
“Watch Zahir face,” mama chuckles. Once they’re done, I hand her $5000. She blinks, surprised.
“This too much, Zara.”
“No mama, treat yourself… order food or suh’m,” I say, zipping my purse just as Clova’s name flashes across my screen. “Morning Clova, what’s up?”
“Zara mi wah order some bundles fi mek a wig. Mi know yuh probably a go work now, but mi just did wah mek yuh know.”
“I’m about to leave but I’ll call you later, alright?”
“Alright hun.” I sigh. Add that to the drop-offs I have to handle today. Nickoi hates when I do them myself. Says it’s not my job. He has been searching for someone over the past few days.
“Zara.” Speaking of Mr. Jacobs. He’s in the doorway with Zahir in his arms, wearing a white tee, Amiri shorts, and slides. He doesn’t even try. I could eat this man for breakfast.
“Mi wah link Jet mom, so mi a drop yuh off a work,” he says.
“Been a while since you drop me off,” I smile. He hands Zahir to mama.
“Mama, mi a leave now enuh. Tek care.”
“Okay mi bwoy,” she chuckles. “Him a go cry.”
“Nah mek him see mi leave.” Nickoi waits until she disappears into the kitchen before stepping out, taking the fob key from me. I follow as he scans his fingerprint and opens the garage.
“Soon mek Genius add your print to it,” he murmurs.
“Okay.” I can’t stop smiling. He opens the Benz door for me and I slide in, moving my shoes and bags to the back. He shakes his head.
“Why women always have dem car like this?”
“Lowe we,” I laugh. His attention shifts back to the finger print.
“Mi nah get the time fi mek him come dweet man… but yuh can drive any one of the cars enuh. Just seh the word,” he starts the engine. I feel my cheeks flush as I lean into the seat. He bites his lip and pulls out of the driveway.
***
I’m in the middle of my class when the intercom interrupts me.
I slowly cap the marker, turning toward the speaker.
“Good afternoon, colleagues and students. Sorry for the interruption,” the principal begins.
“Teachers, please ensure all students return to their form classes, accompanied by their form teachers.” A sigh slips out.
Class just did a get nice enuh man. Chro. The students grow restless.
“Guys, please settle down. Gather your things and head to your form class,” I say, trying to mask my own curiosity. What’s happening? As I step into the hallway, my heart lurches. Soldiers. Police. In the school yard. Huh? I don’t stop walking. Can’t show fear. I enter my form class.
“Afternoon, Miss Williams,” they chorus.
“Good afternoon, students,” I smile, trying to stay calm as Adrian stands.
I gently motion for him to sit. “That’s fine, hun. I’ll handle it today.”
He’s a sweet kid. No need to always have him wiping my space.
Twenty silent minutes pass. Nerves hum. Whispers swirl.
Then gasps. A tall man steps inside the room, soldiers and officers at his back.
The principal trails behind, at a distance.
The students freeze. So do I. But I keep my face straight.
“Greetings,” the man says, he has voice deep and firm, his British accent rich. They murmur a shaky response.
I rise. “Good afternoon, sir,” I manage. He nods and walks slowly to the front.
“You’re probably wondering what’s happening,” he begins.Yes, mi wah know! The girl in my head practically screams.
“You’re probably wondering who I am… and why I have nine police officers and twelve soldiers behind me, in a room full of sixteen-year-olds.
” He pauses. Chills crawl up my arms. “A student from this school was involved in a shooting last night,” he says.
“We believe he’s here.” The class gasps.
Wah? He scans the room with steel in his eyes.
“A sixteen or seventeen-year-old criminal is sitting among you.”
The silence is deafening.“I came here when you least expected. We’ve searched every class. This is the last one.” I swallow. Hard. “You might think you can hide,” he says.
“But I’m Detective Mario, and if I don’t find what I’m looking for today… I will find something.”
Then, to the soldiers: “Search.”