Chapter 70 Gift #2
“Day was going bad until I saw you,” he thinks I believe that? I force a smile this time. His red hair is interesting. Mi know seh Zara body good and all but she married, mi nuh know if eh big karat nah blind yuh. What a good thing him cya hear har.
“Hear yah,” I smile.
“Yuh smile pretty eeh,” he says, staring in my soul. Zara yaw entertain this man? Weh yuh nuh know from Adams?
“Thanks,” I say starting my car. I have to go. When I look up at him he looks away from the back of the car then I immediately realize that something is weird about him. He gives me a smile. He has a charm.
“I have to go now, it was nice,” I tell him and he moves away.
“Doritos!” The girl calls.
“Alright ma take care.” I don’t answer him, instead I drive away. On my way back I talk to my mother on the phone. She’s telling me about Mamaand how good she’s doing. She’s acting so young, getting her hair done andhas a crazy obsession with the spa. Hear yah.
I chuckle. “Mama is something else.”
“Me well wah she straight so the all a we can come down,” she says. “Milong fi the all a we in a one house.” Nuh true?
“Same,” I smile. “I miss you and grandma a lot.”
“And mi wah go a chukka, it seem like a nice place fi family,” she says and I laugh.
“A wah?” She asks because I’m laughing. I’m just imagining mama on thebikes and horses. She’d definitely get on them because sometimes sheforgets her age. “Mi just an imagine mama at Chukka,” I tell her. “Pan horse and all.” She’s laughing too.
“Hey gyal yaw doubt me?” She asks from the background making me laugh so hard as I drive.
“No mama!” I laugh.
“Oh yuh betta!” She says, joining us.
“Mommy strong enuh and act so young so you gwaan think seh she fraid,”’my mother laughs. Mi know she nuh fraid.
“Zara me might old enuh but mi a nuh old foot,” she says in a goofy tone.
I am still laughing.
“You know how much place me go and people think mi younger.” She adds.
True, she doesn’t look her age. I wipe my tears, that’s how hard I’m laughing.
It’s been a while since I’ve laughed like this, really.
And it’s agood feeling. The last time a with Gavin.
When I’m off the phone, I start focusing on getting home because I want to tell Nick the news in person.
I slow down when someone flashes their light, indicating that there’s police.
When the police steps out and stops me I’m surprised, pulling over on the soft shoulder. Mi always lucky fi nuh get stop by police enuh, a wah now?
I don’t know.
Pulling over, I start fretting because I don’t know what Nickoi has in his Benz. I quickly look in the pocket and I only see a few documents,condoms and vapes.
Why him have..
I breathe, trying my best to keep my cool. I need to focus on what’s happening now and not that.
“Ni—” the female officer starts and quickly says. “Hi,” instead. I force a smile. She’s pretty and sexy, and I feel uncomfortable that she already expected him to be driving. And him keep condoms in his car. Wah mi fi think?
Me and him never have sex in the car. Well once, that a long time. But he doesn’t need to have them in his car. I don’t know ‘bout anyone else but it doesn’t sit right with me.
“Hi,” I say.
“How are you today?” She sounds like a bitch.
“Not bad,” I answer.
“You were driving a little fast and I was gonna write up a ticket,” she says. Oh?
“So you’re changing your mind?” I ask.
“Yes since I’m all about girl power and you’re a female,” bull shit.
It’s him. He’s the reason. If it was ‘Ni ' she would give him a ticket. I’m sure.
Sounds personal. That piece of shit.
Stop cause you nuh know nothing.
You’re sounding like him. God.
NICKOI
When I get off the phone with the client I notice that Gutta is threatening his client. I chuckle lowly watching him for a while. It’s getting funny to how he’s handling her. “Dawg a get cross enuh,” Rick whispers to me and I nod.
“Mi know man,” I say quietly.
I pour Hennessy in my cup, sipping it while waiting for him to get off the phone.
Keno is inside cooking while Junior is inside with the babies.
I’m sitting in the passenger seat of my car while Rick is sitting on the car.
After a while Gutta gets off the call and he seems like it turns out good for him. He seems happy as he walks over to us.
“Bredda mi affi race up that, stubborn enuh dawg,” Gutta says and I chuckle.
“Mi notice,” I say and he sits, gulping down his pure Hennessy.
“Yow mek we play some game nuh, wah unuh say?” Junior ask from the door.
“Now?” I ask.
“Come on dawg,” Rick says, walking away. Gutta gets up immediately so I guess everyone wants to play the game.
“Set it up, mi soon fawud,” I say, getting ready to call Zara.
I call Zara’s number and she doesn’t pick up.
Wah gwan wid Zara? She promise she would a tell me enuh and mi sure she lef the office.
Mi wahknow a wah the result be and mi wah know how she nuh fawud in yet.
I get up, walking inside and realize that the gate is pulling.
She’s here. I watch as she parks and gets out, heading over to me.
“Psssssst,” I hiss loudly and she smiles.
“Hey babe,” she simply says and walk in and I walk in behind her.
Keno and Junior made fried fish, fry chicken and rice so everyone is digging in, taking what they want while talking. Zara is talking too and I watch her from the sofa. She’s sitting next to Junior at the far end. Acting weird.
“Yow when mi and Anna a fight a nuh like normal boyfriend and girlfriend fight enuh a like a two man a fight, eh gyal can fight yuh frig,” Gutta laughs. He’s an entertainer. Rick is laughing so hard. Him too.
“What?” Zara gasp. “Anna can fight that good?”
“Yah, mi affi ready up miself cause Anna nuh ramp,” he tells her.
Zara laughs out. “And mi nuh see that pan Anna enuh.”
Nobody cya see say you a freak.
Easy nuh Nick.
“Eeeeh yuh nuh wah see how we toxic,” he chuckles. “A me G that though.”
She smiles.
“Me and my woman dem just always a cuss,” Rick tells them.
“Yah,” Junior agrees. “Mi and Suzanne never get physical.”
“Same,” Rick shares.
The conversation shifts from relationship fights to Gutta explaining how he got his name. Zara asks of course.
I’m scrolling through my phone aimlessly.
I feel like something is wrong. She seems happy but I feel like something is wrong.
These days she’s changing. It’s like she’s learning to mask her emotions and I hate it.
Mi cya pin point wah do har like one time.
She could be mad at you and still laugh like a hyena. Like right now.
She mad at me or mad about something.
Wah though?
“So one time a boy diss me sister and she come tell me and me go fi him sed speed. Yuh see when me grab him a lone flagging him a get. When me look the boy a run and mi run after him and we roll over in a Gutta and me beat him some more in deh and from that the name stick,” he explains while everyone laughs and shares their thoughts.
I was there, but because of Zara weird attitude mi nuh wah say nothing.
“Zara,” I call when I can’t take it anymore and they all look at me. I smile awkwardly.Man dem fass.
“Unuh gwan talk man a she mi wah talk to,” I say and they look away, talking again.
“Yes babe?” She smiles. See wah mi a talk bout.
“You nuh send the message, you did forget?” I ask her.
“No mi plan fi tell yuh in the room later,” she retorts.
“Ohh, so you okay with the results?” I ask.
“Mi nah spoil it fi yuh,” she answers as she sits in my lap.
I smile. “Alright Mami,” I say staring at her cleavage.
“Ready enuh,” Rick says to them as they start playing the video game. Because their eyes are on the screen, I use the time to slide my hand under her skirt. She’s setting side way so only I can see her exposed thighs.
“Boss,” Joe calls and I hiss, looking away from Zara. I look through the window.
“Something important if not later,” I say.
“It’s just a drop off, not sure if it’s important,” he says and I move my hand and she stands up.
“Chro,” she hiss.
“Soon come back,” I whisper and she stares at me intently with a lustful look.
“Okay,” she says and Iwalk out tomeet Joe.
“Tara justdeliver this,”he lifts up abox and Ismile. Must uncle Orionsend this, himalways love the surprise or gift thing. I move over tothe porch andopen the boxand when I dothere’s a metalpart inside with a note onthe side.
“Wah this?” Zara asks. behind me.
“Mi nuh know yet,” I answer. I decide toopen it and when I see what’s inside Ipush Zaraback but I guess shealready saw itbecause she’s screaming.Shit!
It’s a head, a head ofsomeone very close to me.
Wah happen, Zara!?” Guttaand the others rush out,voices sharp, but their noisefades the longer I stare.Everythingaround me blurs, my chesttightens, andmy eyes water. This really hurt you..
How could-
“Nature?!” Rick shouts,coming close to me. Howcould they dothis to him? How couldthey do this toyou? He wasthe only father figure left foryou and hewas yourmentor. Besides,Orion.
“Oh My… God!” Zaracries out until Iblock outeverythingcompletely, staring at hishead. It’sNature. Mysecond father. They reallykilled him. Someonekilled him and sent his head to me? Jah know. Mi cyaabelieve this.
“Zara let him go and easy nuh!” Gutta says as Zara’sarms wraps tighter.
“Him need meright now!” She’s crying loudly with her faceresting on my back.
“Why would someone dothis to him?”She cries.
“People a godead enuh,” Gutta saysangrily.
“Jah know,”Junior says. I don’t evenknow how to feel. I can’t even feel.
I’m numb.
“Babe,” Zaracalls and I ignore her. All I can hear ishis voice inmy head, allhis jokes, hisadvices, his voice at my wedding and memories replaying inmy mind. I clench my fist,staring at it. I take up the note andimmediately recognize the handwriting:
“You’re next.”