Hello

Solomon's Error Margin

The sun blared gladly down at them, yet he felt no warmth from it. Solomon looked at the paper in his hand as they stood outside the department store.

He was the father. By ninety-eight point fifty-eight percent that was. 

Andrew stood beside Sonia wearing a buttoned-up shirt and black dress pants. He was four and walked weird in those boots, but he looked pretty smooth.

But Sonia, oh, she was dressed in a white, no-sleeve shirt layered over a yellow crop top, but around her legs fashioned knee-length leggings with a semi-transparent yellow skirt ending at her ankle with a flourish over it. 

She wore her hair straight, with a yellow band wrapped in the center. Sonia pulled back the end into a ponytail and let it drop behind her. With her makeup and yellow earrings she looked delightful and truly beautiful beyond compare.

To think he used to be with this woman, used to.

She had both of her men by hand. One of those men was begging for some intervention from God though.

“Hey.” Sonia took the paper and patted him on the shoulder. “Let’s go.” she dragged him along the packed streets.

They came from the doctor's office this morning, now midday came fierce for them.

In the hot scorching depths of downtown Kingston, they were like ants in the overwhelming swarm that rushed into the hive-like wholesales seeking the hottest fashions.

When Sonia told him she wanted him to help pick out clothes for Andrew, Solomon was not in the mood. His sleep schedule was messed up right now, but he obliged. He thought it should not take long right?

He was going to teach this to his son one day, never go on a shopping trip with a woman. It had been four hours. How could buying clothes take so long? 

As they moved into another store, one main reason was Sonia liked to compare prices, almost all of them. Well, at least she was trying to get those savings, but Solomon's legs needed more saving than her purse pocket. 

"Hmmm, you said you were leaving him with me. My place nuh really the best place for that," Solomon asked.

Sonia sighed. “Neither is mine, I told you already my man does not want my son in his house. I want you to be with your son, you have four years of catch up.”

“You nuh get it. Me got work to do and all those things.” 

Solomon decided to get a new job through Demarco, so he was now working at a moving company next Monday. He had a son, so stepping up was a given.

“Just leave him with your girlfriend,” Sonia retorted.

“I don't have one.”

Sonia laughed at that, which caused Solomon's face to crinkle. She said, “Okay then leave him at your mother's when you going to work.” 

“Why is it, you can't keep him huh? What am I the trash heap fi you?”

“I told you. I live with James, but him don't want to take care of another man's child. Because when him find out about Andrew last year, he stop buy food in the house. He would buy box food for himself and him alone nyam that.”

Solomon whipped his head back and groaned. “What kind of relationship that, burn him. Him can't do that to you. You is still him fiancé.”

“Was.”

Solomon's eyes narrowed. “So…”

Sonia sighed and shifted uncomfortably. “It’s a long story, but we are still together.”