Monday: 6 am
_____________
"Manda! Wake up man...a work mawning!"
I stir and groan as the intruder pokes and prods my sides.
"Five more minutes..." I manage to say through a groan.
I had stayed up until quarter past twelve last night watching movies with my mother and chatting like idiots. And even after I went to bed, I had a hard time falling asleep. I didn't even realize when I had dozed off. Now, I had to wake up early for work. I hardly got any sleep.
It was her fault.
"Five more minutes yuh foot! Look pon di time. Wake up, man!" the voice that has an uncanny resemblance to my mother's says.
I stir again and pull a pillow over my head.
A slap follows suit and I spring to a sitting position.
My eyes burn from the sleep which still settles in them.
I rub them and look across the room to where my mother now stands in the doorway, and grimace at the devilish smirk gracing her face.
"Wake up!" she shouts, clapping her hands together and it is then that I realize I was dozing off again.
I switch on the lights to get some energy and pull the sheet from my body.
Feeling satisfied that I was at least out of bed, I guess, my mother turns on her heels and heads down the stairs humming a tune as she goes.
I recover my phone which was entangled between the top sheet and fitted sheet. I quickly punch in my code and pull down the notification bar, but my heart sinks when there was still no response from Odaine to any of my messages.
I clear the rest of the notifications, including the one saying I had missed all four alerts from my alarm.
I sigh.
I don't know what to think. Why isn't he answering my texts? Why hasn't he called in almost three weeks?
Was he that busy? I doubt he works through the nights, every night...
I punch his number in and bring the phone to my ears.
"Press zero to make this your tune..." the automated operator says just before a familiar rhythm starts to play.
I groan and roll my eyes.
Unuh just know how fi waste people time and credit, dutty Digicel.
The phone rings straight through to voicemail the first three times, then goes straight to voicemail on the fourth attempt.
Is he okay?
I wonder if he's still sleeping...
Or at work. But so early?
"Wait likkle bit. Manda, it nuh look like yuh plan fi guh a work todeh! Look deh..." my mother says and pulls her phone from her jeans skirt's pocket. "A almost six-thirty now and yuh still siddung in a bed a look pon phone!"
If she didn't say anything, she wouldn't be named what she was named.
I spring to my feet and pick up the soap and my underwear from the hamper by my bed. "Mummy, nuh bathe mi ago bathe now, man. Yuh juss miserable suh!"
"Miserable nuh, mek mi know who ago wake yuh when mi nuh deh yah. Yaah act like sleep scarce!"
I chuckle and run past her and into the upstairs bathroom and shut the door behind me.
My house is one of the biggest in the community. We aren't rich in any way shape nor form, but we aren't suffering. My father traveled on the farm work programme every year until last year and worked hard to ensure his family was secure.
Out of habit, I drag open the shower curtains and check to see that there is no one behind it.
I've heard too many duppy stories in my twenty-five years on earth.
A relieved sigh escapes my lips and I sit on the toilet to pee.
I shake my head to rid my mind of all the thoughts running rampant.
I am worried and so my mood isn't the best.
After brushing my teeth, while dancing naked in the mirror, I pull the shower curtains, step in, and turn on the shower.
I wince as the freezing cold water hits my body and races down to my feet. I hated having to hit the showers so early in the mornings, but I couldn't be bothered to warm any water on the stove this morning.
It takes time to do, and I was already running late.
Monday mornings are the worse.
After rinsing the toothpaste from my mouth, loving the aftertaste of the mint from the Colgate Triple Action, I lather my bath rag and apply it to my skin. It feels like forever as I stand underneath the showerhead basking in the feel of the no longer-so-cold water beating against my naked flesh.
Thoughts of my relationship and how it stands currently, my job, and my dormant social life floods my mind once more.
It was almost as if I was locked in a trance. Until a knock on the door startled me.
I turn off the shower and draw the curtains. "Mummy?"
No answer. Then I hear footsteps as if pacing back and forth.
I peek out through the shower stall. My mother and I are the only ones home, so my heart skips a beat when she doesn't answer.
I pull the bath towel from the rack and wrap it around my body. "Mummy, a you dat?"
"No, a duppy!" her answer comes. "Nuh muss mi; a who an' yuh deh yah?"
Whew!
"Oh," I say, instantly feeling calm.
"Come man, Manda, yah tek too long now. Hurry up and come out man. Yuh know how long mi waan shit!"
All them sum'n here now...
"Mummy! How yuh stay suh? Yuh caan use downstairs?"
"No! A shit yuh waan mi shit up miself...by time mi fi reach dung deh suh, mi dear, dis yah shit yah muss reach a grung..."
"Lawd, mummy! Yuh jus--" I start to say, but before I can finish, the bathroom door swings open and she bolts in.
"A dat wid you now eno, yuh always choose when mi in a the bathroom fi waan doo-do..." I try to scold her.
"Yuh lucky, yuh think mi ago keep up mi waste and kill mi self? Yuh think mi fool fool like da woman deh weh keep up har poop and kill harself front a di Queen? U mussi mad. A wah mi buy toilet fah?"
How dramatic. I roll my eyes. "No, but yuh could a at least wait until mi done bathe fi use the toilet."
"Look how long mi a wait. But it neva look like yuh plan fi come out...a mussi di whole sahara desert yuh a wash offa yuh skin!"
I gasp, my face heating up. "Mummy, mek yuh tan suh? Jeez!"
She grins. "A mi ma birth mi!"
And her shit so stink too!
"Later..." I tell her as I step out of the shower and exit the room.
"That will teach yuh fi nuh spread bed in a di bathroom a morning time," she says through a smile. "All you nah reach a work fi todeh."
I stick my tongue out and make a "monkey face" at her causing her laugh to echo through the space.
I laugh too.
At least her infectious laughter could lighten my mood.
***
Monday: 9 am
___________
I pull into the parking lot of Express Shipping Services one hour later than the time I was expected to be there.
Surprisingly, the traffic wasn't as bad this morning as it usually was. There were transports and police on the road, at every stoplight and intersection, which helped the traffic along.
Plus, I didn't shy away from pressing gas.
The visitor's lot is relatively empty which means that not a lot of customers are here yet.
Good.
I put the car in park and shut off the engine. It's a good thing I decided to drive on second thought this morning. I pick up my Michael Kors handbag from the passenger seat and exit the vehicle.
"Good morning," the security guard at the front post greets me as I stop to straighten my uniform vest.
I look up and smile at him. "Good morning, secky." I say to him in return.
"Yuh late this morning, man. Traffic?"
What a way you one fast.
"Kind off," I lie.
He nods and says nothing further and I turn and enter the building, twirling the keys to my red Honda HRV around my pointer finger.
"Hola!" I say to the receptionist as I walk past her desk in the lobby.
"Morning," she responds in a clipped tone, without even raising her head from where she had it buried in her phone.
I roll my eyes. Too early for the angst.
I get to my desk in less than five minutes and start to work immediately. I just know today will be a long and tiring day.
. . .
Twelve o'clock rolled around like a snail.
The morning shift was hectic as we've recently started processing barrel shipments. And those barrel customers were like vultures.
In between processing customers, I remember my plans today with Camille.
She was at the Head Office further up the avenue and I was at the South Branch.
I pull out my phone and send her a quick text to confirm.
*Hey girl, what time today?*
*Is two o'clock good? * she quickly replied.
*Sure. I could just move my lunch time to two and use that time to go. Hopefully, it's not too packed up there...*
She read my message but didn't reply for another two minutes. *Yea, hopefully the rain makes them move quicker. 😜*
It's raining?
*Yea* I type out quickly and hit send as another customer pops up at my window.
***
Ping!
I look down at my phone to see a WhatsApp message pop up, as Camille pulls into the parking lot at Pricesmart and turn; weaving through the line of cars to go to the overhead parking lot.
My heart does a tiny backflip as I read the sender's name.
Yay!
"No girl, it nuh look suh full from yah suh don't..." Camille asks rhetorically, as she finds a parking space near the entrance to the escalator.
"Mm-hmm..." I answer still, as I open the text.
*Oh, babygirl, I'm sorry I missed your calls, my phone was off and I was operating the excavator all night. I miss you 😘*
I try like mad not to blush. My fingers dance over the keyboard like a ballerina. *Hey, babe. That's okay. I'm glad to know you're okay. I miss you more*
In less than two seconds my phone pings again.
*I am. The place is coming on nicely. I'm proud of the team and their hard work.*
*Awesome. I'm so proud of you. 😍*
*❤️*
*💋*
*😏 I miss that sexy mouth of yours*
I couldn't hide the smile.
"No, Manda, yuh know how long mi a signal the plane ova yah suh fi get yuh attention. A wah sweet yuh suh in a the phone mek yah smile suh?" I am dragged back to planet earth by Camille's teasing.
I laugh feeling a bit embarrassed. "It's nothing," I say, silently willing the flames in my already red face to die down.
She smirks. "Could've fooled me..." She pulls the door on her side and exit the car. "Anyways, Cinderella, mek wi guh pick up the two likkle tingz dem and come back before the crowd tumble dung pon wi yaah..."
I nod and exit the car from my side.
She clicks her keys and the doors lock behind us as we make our way into the passage and onto the escalator.
I hate riding this thing.
*Is that so? What do you miss more about it? * I type out as we both push our trolleys through the aisle.
*How succulent they are. I miss kissing them like crazy!*
That was quick. Guess he has time today.
"Can you please pick up two cases of those six-pack sorrel beers over there, beb?"
"Zeen," I say to Camille as I roll the trolley to the left shelf and do as she says.
*They miss kissing you too 😘* I send to Odaine as I wait on Camille to grab three two litre sodas from the stand.
"Do you think it's better to buy three or six of these?" she asks as she holds the drinks in her hands.
Three, I guess. It's not like we are inviting the entire office.
As far as I know, it would only be us four girls from Sales and Customer Services, plus a few other of Natalie's friends from Accounts and Freight.
"Three. If anything, we can substitute with cranwater..."
"Good idea! Just a remember seh not everyone drinks soda nuh." She puts the drinks in the trolley and head down the aisle.
I follow closely behind.
Another fifteen minutes and we were done. Camille just wants to pick up a few snacks for her daughter then we would cash and leave.
*Sorry for not replying baby, but I have to go. The men are back from lunch. Call you later? *
I am bummed he has to go already.
*Yea...* I start to type when my trolley suddenly jabs me in the abdomen due to the sudden impact from it slamming into another cart being pushed from the opposite direction.
What the hell!
My phone falls from between my fingers and into the cart. I gasp at the sight and quickly grab it and check to see whether the screen is cracked.
Thank God it isn't.
Camille, by this time, is at the other end of the snack aisle, completely oblivious to what is taking place.
I look ahead to see the finest looking man I've seen in a while, dressed in crisp white Hanes t-shirt and grey joggers and dark slides, shooting daggers at me with his eyes.
His hair is dark and curly and a thick beard lines his muscular jaws. His cologne wafts through the air and assaults my nose.
He smells so good!
I bet he knows he looks good too!
"Yuh nuh know how fi drive, my girl?" he hisses before pulling back his trolley and manoeuvring the small space around me.
This dutty man!
Did he just leave after he nearly fractured my ribs with his dirty, stinking trolley? Not even a sorry?
What a piece a jankro shit!