Chapter 59 Converge
Converge
Two days after in Jamaica…
I glance at Nickoi sitting at the kitchen island, head down, digging into shrimp
fried rice while scrolling on his phone. No clue what he’s up to. I go back to scrolling until something on my feed catches my eye.
My smile grows.
“Babeeee,” I sing out, and he looks up.
He looks extra handsome today. Maybe it’s the way his loose hair is caught back, paired with his fade. It softens him while still looking bold and I like it.
“Mami,” he grins, probably picking up on my excitement. I practically skip over, wrapping my arms around him from behind. He keeps eating, and I sneak a peek at his screen, he’s using the business app.
I lean in, taking in the sweet, masculine scent at his neck. “Babe mi see something weh mi like,” I start.
“Wah that?” he asks curiously. This man was dead serious when he said he’d give me the world.
“I want this particular thing and I think you should say yes,” I say, meeting his eyes.
He chuckles, rocking slightly as he repeats, “You think I should say yes? Of course mi a go say yes baby.” Whew.
“And after all, this is my first time asking you for something without you suggesting,” I add, watching his smile grow even wider.
He slides the food aside and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me between his legs. We’re close, too close. My heart stumbles, and I drop my gaze.
That’s when I notice his white Crocs with Prezi and green charms.
That’s new.
My eyes trail back up to his, and I melt under the weight of his stare. His fingertips graze my thighs, lucky for him, I’m wearing pajama shorts.
“Babe what?” I murmur, unsure why I even ask. He smirks. I press one hand to the counter, trying to stay composed, but the way he’s looking at me makes my breath catch.
If only he knew the effect he has on me…
Scratch that he knows.
That’s why he’s doing this.
“You nice enuh,” he says, cupping my face. “And mi love you.”
“I love you too,” I whisper, kissing the corner of his lips. He responds by wrapping his hand around my throat.
“Remember your mom is here,” I caution, but he looks unbothered. Completely. He continues his gentle torment with that maddeningly straight face. I pull back.
He studies me, then says, “Come yer.” His tone is low, serious and it intimidates me. I cover it with a smile.
Why him nuh hear?
“Come yer,” he repeats. When I don’t move, he gets up.
My heart races with each step he takes. He pulls me into him; my chest bumps against his.
He guides me to the island and lifts me onto the stool, stepping between my legs. The way he takes up space so effortlessly dominant makes me dizzy. His arms wrap around me. He stares deep into my eyes until I blink.
Then his lips find my neck, kissing, sucking, pulling me closer. My earlier self-consciousness fades.
Well… for now.
Mi a pray Nicki stay upstairs though… Mi hope she nuh come down.
I almost forget why I came over here. I switch gears to something I can handle.
“You nuh wah hear the something weh mi like?” I ask.
He smiles.
“Just guess what it is.”
“A car?” he guesses. I shake my head and laugh as he hisses impatiently.
“It’s not as expensive as a car babe,” I say. He looks off, thinking, then turns back to me with a sigh.
“Just tell me wah it be nuh Mami and mek mi get it fi yuh.” His voice. Whew.
“It’s kinda weird, you a go say yes still?” I ask, watching him narrow his eyes.
“Why you wah something weird?”
I shrug. “It nuh really weird just that you might say no like how we have one already.”
He walks off, pours cherry juice in our cups, then hands me one. I bite the brim playfully, eyes on him.
“Thanks babe..” I say, taking a sip.
He does the same, then adds, “Mi say mi a go get anything you want still so just tell just say the word.”
“Okay..” I smile sheepishly, turning my phone to him. “I saw this Pomeranian on Instagram for $3000 USD and I really really like him?”
He narrows his eyes. “You a tell me bout mommy upstairs and yaw look pan man suh,” he says, making me laugh. “If you continue look pan man so mi a go cock yuh up inna the closest room and make yuh forget say mommy even deh yah.”
All when mi direct it from sex, him bring it back deh.
With this attitude, you a go breed again.
“Shut up,” I giggle at both him and my subconscious.
He chuckles. “The dawg a’ easy maths. Just send the Instagram page to me. I’ll get the dog later or tomorrow but doh mek Pepper see him else him dead.”
I squeal, throwing my arms around him. I could’ve bought the dog myself, but I needed the green light this isn’t really my house… and um, I kinda like it when he spends his money. Wife a wife!
Right.
His phone rings and I mentally groan. Why someone affi call him now? He answers, and I rest my cheek on my palm. Sounds like it’s his hairdresser he’s heading out. I don’t want him to go.
He hangs up and picks up on my shift in mood. He reads me like a book, then hugs me.
“Mi nah stay long, mi just a go get mi hair plait,” he assures.
I roll my eyes. “Okay… and I could do that too.”
He grins. “The lady already a expect me so just watch Riverdale, talk with mommy or just do wah yuh wah do, mi soon fawud come give yuh wah yuh want.”
My pout fades as laughter takes its place.
“A true thou?” he asks. I don’t answer, just smile. Yes, I want him but I’m denying it.
Like you wah get prego again enuh, miss.
Why she nuh stop bring pregnancy to me?
“No, yuh wrong so come gwan a yuh hairdresser,” I say, picking up my phone.
A minute passes he’s still watching me.
I glance up. He’s not upset, just… thoughtful.
“What?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Nothing,” then smirks and kisses my lips before walking out. Even in a simple tee and jeans, he’s sexy as hell. No wonder so many girls hate me. Online and in real life.
Poor dem.
Say that again fi the ones in the back!
Before shutting the door, he turns back.
“Zara just make sure yuh ready when mi drop a yuh foot,” he winks, leaving me with a stupid smile on my face.
Ready fi what though, Zara? Another cocofelon?
Yuh mad? I’m never getting pregnant… again.
NICKOI
I shift in the chair and glance at the hairdresser, tired of sitting still for so long. “It soon done?” I stare up at her.
“Mi have four more rows lef, baby,” she replies. I curse under my breath with a straight face, making everyone around laugh.
“Nosah, mi tiyad,” she says, laughing so hard, she holds her side.
As the laughter fades, Rick steps out of the shop. His girlfriend, Lee, is on the other side of the Salon doing someone’s makeup. I scroll through Instagram, trying to pass the time. Rick returns with a few bags and starts handing them out.
“Thanks love, a cheese sandwich?” Lee asks, pecking his lips as he gives her and her client a bag. He hands another bag to the hairdresser, who lights up in surprise.
“Watch yah, yuh buy fi me too?”
“How yuh mean man? Everybody fi a eat,” he says with a laugh. “And mi nuh know wah yuh eat, so mi take wah mi know everybody eat.” He passes her a chicken sandwich, then glances over at me with a grin. “Except my bro.”
She chuckles. “Thanks… bwoy yuh kind.”
“Bro, this a yours enuh.” He places a swim around burger and a bottle of water in front of me.
“Respect bro,” I say, nodding. I didn’t even have to ask and I didn’t have to tell him what I liked either. I’m not hungry right now, but when I am? Mi definitely a mash this up.
“Weh you get fi yoself?” I question.
“Mi buy a chicken sandwich fi miself.” He shows me his bag.
“Ah.”
Everyone pauses to eat for a bit, then the work resumes, soon as they’re done eating. I exhale loudly.
The hairdresser smiles and shifts to the front of my head.
“Only two lef, me G.”
I rest my head back in the chair, closing my eyes, until my phone starts ringing.
Probably Zara.
But it’s not her.
It’s my grandmother.
That’s odd, she’s never just called me out of the blue.
“Nickoi, how you doing?” she asks. There’s background chatter on her end, a bunch of voices.
“Mi good enuh, Grams. Mi just deh yah a get mi hair done. A wah gwaan?” I ask, curiosity piqued.
“Mi good, mi bwoy… A few of your family from foreign a guh come fi a family dinner the ones weh did have yuh sister and dem say dem never really meet you and yuh brothers, so dem want unuh come. Please no say no, and bring your family.”
I go silent.
A meet and greet?
Mi nuh inna this enuh…
But come through fi yuh granny. She wah yuh go bredda.
The pause stretches, and then she speaks again.
“Please? It wouldn’t look good if yuh nuh deh deh,” she tries to convince me.
“Ah… When is this?” I ask, resigned.
“It sudden, but you have clothes so yuh nuh affi worry yuhself. So dress up nice like yuh always do and come later around 5pm. And doh worry a just family and a nuh nothing big.”
Jah Jah.
“Mommy know bout this?” I really have to ask.
“No sah but a next to me she live, so she nuh muss affi come too,” she says. I sigh deeply.
The hairdresser touches my shoulder. “Yuh hair done now mi boss.”
I nod. “Alright, Grams. Yah go see me.”