Chapter 60 Program
Program
It feels good bonding with Nicki, swapping dresses, fixing our makeup,
and getting the twins ready. They babble to themselves, wide eyes flicking between us. They’re always so curious. I glance at Zahira just in time to catch her lifting her dress to her mouth.
“Hey!” I say sharply. She drops it right away, then smiles like she’s innocent.
“You know you doing something wrong enuh. Don’t act like you don’t know.” I pick up the hem and move it out of her reach. She pouts, and I kiss her little lips.
Feisty.
That’s you…
“Watch har face nuh,” Nicki laughs, fixing one of the little puff in her hair. I finish lining my lips, eyes still on my babies.
Once we’re ready we walk outside, Nickoi is parked in front of the house, bobbing to some Masicka. The moment he sees me, he smirks, eyes fixed like he never expected anything less. One thing about me? I never embarrass my man in public.
I always slay.
“How yuh a gwaan so?” he grins, stepping out to help Nicki with the twins.
Once they’re buckled in, he helps Nicki into the car, then holds the door open for me like the gentleman he pretends he’s not. I slide in. He gets in the driver’s seat, starts the car, and we head off toward John’s Road. We get there within minutes.
Everyone is dressed nicely.
What a good thing yuh dress up, my subconscious shrieks.
I’m sitting in the living room with my babies in my lap as everyone mingles around. Then Nickoi approaches us, casually confident as always. He leans in and kisses both of their cheeks, soft and affectionate, and I can’t help but let my eyes roam over him.
He’s wearing a Louis Vuitton two-piece set, of course. When he isn’t rocking Polo, he has a serious thing for Louis V. I smile sweetly when he catches me staring.
“Wah you want fi drink?” he asks.
“Um… the dinner soon start, so I’ll just wait,” I reply, thinking the food must be almost ready.
“Yes, but the food nuh done cook, so you probably a go want something fi eat or drink until a time fi it start,” he insists, not taking no for an answer.
“I want grapes and water,” I finally decide, unable to resist how caring he’s being.
“Ah,” he says with a smirk before walking off. He returns about five minutes later with my grapes and water, but just as I’m about to thank him, his cousin calls him away. I sit quietly, still a little shy, not really comfortable walking around to greet everyone I don’t know.
“Hey, Zara,” Ms. Cherry greets with a warm smile, her almond-shaped eyes kind and inviting.
“Hi,” I reply with a small smile of my own.
“I’m happy to have you here,” she says sincerely, and I nod in response, touched by her kindness.
“Thank you,” I say softly. She then tells me that I can put the babies in her room if they get sleepy.
“Okay, and they kinda want to sleep,” I say, rising to my feet. She chuckles as she walks away, and just then Jordane approaches.
“Miss Willia—Mrs. Jacobs,” he says playfully, and my smile grows. He takes Zahira from me, and I walk with Zahir in my arms to the bedroom, Jordane close behind. He gently lays her down beside her brother, and I wrap my arms around him in a quick hug.
“How are you?” I ask when I pull away.
“Mi good enuh, sis. Wah ‘bout you?” he smiles.
“I’m good… and I’m excited to meet the family,” I admit honestly, my nerves slowly fading.
“Yeah, man,” he replies. His girlfriend is standing at the door, and I wave to her. She doesn’t even look pregnant, just glowing.
“Hey, Zara,” she smiles sweetly. I notice a fresh scar on her hand and can’t help but wonder if Jordane is responsible.
When they leave the room, I tuck the babies in properly and take a deep breath. I still feel shy, but I start mingling anyway. I glance outside and spot Nickoi by the roadside, talking with Gutta and another guy I’ve never seen before. That’s when I hear Junior simply saying:
“Some a dem family yah me nuh waah see.”
I don’t read too much into it.
Instead, I ask where the bathroom is and excuse myself.
Once I’m done fixing myself, I check on the babies again. Then I walk back out.
“Ring Althea fimme,” Ms. Cherry says to Nicki.
“Hold on deh,” Nicki replies, her hands are full as she plates the food.
I reach for her pocket.
“Mi nuh see the phone,” I say, glancing around.
“Look inna the back room if mi lef it pan the bed, please?” she asks, and I nod, heading toward the room. The back door is open, and I spot Orion outside, talking on the phone.
As I push the door open, I find Janel… and her man, who happens to be Nickoi’s friend. The same one I said I didn’t know. Isn’t she like eighteen? He seems way older. Not my business.
She looks startled to see me, but she smiles quickly. “Zara don’t tell Nickoi about this… please,” she says, her voice shaky. I slowly wave, keeping my tone neutral.
“Nosah… mi a look fi yuh mommy phone,” I say, closing the door behind me. I’m also minding my business.
“You affi go leave now, Alex,” I hear her whisper as I walk off.
Alex…
Mind yuh business!
I do just that.
***
Dinner is progressing smoothly, filled with the gentle clinking of glasses and light conversation. The atmosphere is pleasant, except for Junior, who is unusually quiet.
“Skye, you in Harvard now?” Ms. Cherry inquires, and Skye nods. She’s stunning; I like her freckles.
“Yes, I’m actually in my second year at Harvard,” she replies, her Scottish accent so thick that I need a moment to catch up.
“That’s lovely,” Ms. Cherry beams.
“A weh you come from though? Like which country?” Jordane asks with curiosity.
This bwoy.
“Scotland,” she answers, and I nod just as Orion chimes in.
“Her mom is Scottish,” he clarifies.
“Wow, nice,” I say, finally piecing everything together. Skye chuckles softly.
“Junior, you good?” Orion asks, and Junior nods while munching.
“Mi nuh look like mi good?”
Damn Junior…
“I’m happy to see you guys after so long,” Ms. Cherry says, to kill the brewing tension.
“I’d like to say congrats to you, Nickoi and Zara, and I want to officially welcome you to the Jacobs family,” Wren says warmly. I thank her as the table breaks into polite applause.
I smile, resting my head on Nickoi’s shoulder. Jordane and Junior both smile and Suzanne shouts, “Ouuu!” before saying, “Watch nice parents.”
We all laugh.
“So cute,” Skye says, and Junior glances at her before returning his gaze to us with a smile. He’s acting off, though.
“Very nice couple,” Roy adds with a chuckle. He hasn’t said much, he eats more than he talks but when he does speak, it’s worth hearing.
“Thank you,” I say softly, entwining my fingers with Nickoi’s.
Nicki smiles at us sweetly.
“Who’s ready for dessert?” Ms. Cherry asks, standing.
“Mi born ready,” Carol replies quickly, making us all laugh.
JANIA
“Denise, yuh cyah deh lick har suh and she pregnant enuh,” Bigz says in concern.
“Nuh get inna this, Bigz,” Mommy snaps, still fuming. “She know betta! She mek the bwoy breed har, then she mek big woman a beat har pan road? When since Jania stay suh? WHEN?” Her voice cuts deep, and before I can blink, she grabs me by the arm.
“Look how long mi tell yuh fi breeze deh bwoy deh?! Mi neva tell yuh fi lef him?” she shouts, her broad hand crashing into my face over and over.
I try to duck, but she holds me firmly, dragging me back and slapping my back as I cry out.
“Mommy!” I scream, but she nah hear me. Her eyes blazing with rage.
“Yuh dutty fadda lef mi one fi tek care a four pickney, and you, as the biggest, weh fi help mi, gone do dis to mi!” her fists pounds me again, and I stumble. Mommy is stout, so every lick fling mi a ground.
I drop, dazed, barely able to move. Jordane got me pregnant. Then on top of that, his woman, who I didn’t even know existed jumped me.
I really thought I was the only one. You put your trust inna nigga stupid hoe’ how you figure? the voice in my head taunts me.
I’m pregnant, played, and heartbroken.
Niggas ain’t shit.
Mommy spins ‘round to her friend, eyes blazing. “Me a go kill Jordane enuh. Weh him deh?” she yells.
I wipe my tears. “Mommy, leave Jordane out.”
I’m afraid of his family…
His brother.
She laughs, an angry, almost bitter laugh. “How yuh mean leave Jordane outta this, Jania Tiara Lee? Eh? Like yuh nuh see seh a prison mi ready fi go now, enuh? How him fi have woman a beat yuh? Beat mi likkle sixteen-year-old?”
Her body trembles as she speaks, and I can tell she’s shaking with fury.
“Suppose dem did kill yuh? Wah him woulda say to me then?”
Bigz reaches to hold her hand, probably trying to calm her, but she yanks it away. “We need fi know if him willing fi help with him yute.” But Mommy’s not calming down, her eyes are wild.
“Mi a go kill him enuh, Bigz.”
Bigz lets out a helpless sigh. The tension thick in the room, I try to break it.
“Mommy, his brother is the Don inna Spanish Town and Kingston and all ’bout enuh. Mi nuh want you do him nothing and then dem go hurt we.” My voice is weak, choked up with tears, but I need her to understand the danger.
“Mi look like mi care?” she snaps, eyes wide and locked on me. “Jania, mi look like mi care?”
My heart drops.
Why she nuh listen?
Why she a’ act like we invincible?
“When mi see him and the gyal,” she says, stuffing a fresh piece of weed in her mouth with a clenched jaw, “just watch wah go gwaan!” Her tone is cold.
I start breathing heavily, tears sliding down my cheeks again. “Mommy, just lef it alone,” I beg, my voice small.
She sucks her teeth loud.
“Why yuh woulda wah do this, Mommy?” I cry harder now, feeling like the whole situation slipping through my fingers. “Why yuh a mek dis worse?” She’s gonna get one of us or all of us killed.
She don’t see that?
“Best if yuh stop talk to me enuh. Mi say mi wah see the bwoy and the gyal weh beat yuh. Cause dem dead already.” She puffs on the weed like she’s not afraid of nothing or nobody.
“And wah happen after when him bredda find out?” I ask, trying one last time to reach her with reason.
“All yuh a talk bout is this bredda, bredda, enuh. Mi nuh care! Yuh nuh hear? A August Town mi come from enuh, and mi nuh fraid a nobody!” Her words hit like gunshots.
Wah dis mi really get miself into, fi real?
My tears won’t stop.
They just keep flowing, because deep down I don’t think she understands what we’re dealing with.
Bigz places his hand on his head, clearly anxious now. “Fi real, Denise, just listen. Mi know him… and him grimy. Mi see him inna treez couple times with a stout nigga, and dem man deh nuh look like dem ramp fi kill.”
“Mi nuh play either, enuh, Bigz. Mek dem kill me!” she shouts, “but deh bwoy deh clearly go mek Jania go through the same things her stinking fadda put mi through!” Her voice cracks with pain. “And mi grimy too. Jordane might have bredda weh a badman, but mi can run a program pan him.”
The way she says it, cold, confident. It scares me.
ZARA
I toss my bag into the passenger seat of my Benz, glancing around the shop.
People are mostly window shopping, but plenty are walking out with bundles and our products. This was supposed to be a quick stop, but business looks good today.