A knocking at my window stops me mid prayer. Looking up, I see the guy with the voice standing outside holding two bags.
Mercy on my soul.
I knew that he was probably checking on me but I was scared to talk to him. He knocked again and I decided to crack the window a bit before he breaks it.
Opening the window slightly, I looked up at him. I know he could see inside the car because he was really tall, at his full height. He leaned on the door, peaking his eyes inside the car and I grew nervous.
"For somebody so small, yuh fast man. You do tracks?" He asked jokingly.
I didn't laugh at his joke though, his voice was throwing me off. Instead, I stared at him until he cleared his throat, awkwardly.
"Um, suh mi never get fi too apologize inside before you left. Mi never did a pay attention like that and I'm sorry bout yuh food." He said and I nodded. Is like me turn mute to how I'm hear not saying anything. I was being rude.
I noted how well he spoke though, not a common thing in what I assume is his line of work.
"It's fine, I was rushing as well." I finally spoke up and he relaxed a bit.
He smiled at me and I folded my lips while my eyes soaked him in.
"So yeah, mi buy yuh back yuh patty dem still."He said, holding up one of the bags.
He couldn't hand it to me due to the tiny space in the window. I had to open it up some more.
"Thank you. You didn't have to do this," I say as I opened the window fully now. He hands me the bag and I looked inside seeing two patties and a coco bread.
"How yuh mean pretty girl? Of course mi affi do that." He says with a smile. Is he flirting with me?
Lord be a fence.
My phone started to vibrate in my pocket and pull it out seeing my mom calling me. I looked up at the guy who was still leaned up on my mom's car.
"Excuse me I have to take this." I tell him as I click the answer button on my phone.
"Yes mommy?" I answered the phone.
"Patty shop move?" She asked me and I chuckled.
"No mommy, I'm about to drive out now." I tell her.
"Hurry up, your father is on his way home and I don't need an argument tonight about your safety." She says with a sigh.
Taking a deep breath I told her I would be home soon and hung up.
Mr man was still here and I looked at him briefly before starting up the car. He quickly leaned off the car and stood up.
"So, I have to get going now. Thanks again for the patties though." I tell him.
He was looking at me strangely and I was thrown off by it.
"Are you okay?" I asked him. I don't even know why I did that when I should be heading home.
"How old are you? You underage?" He ask me suddenly and I drew my head back, skinning up my face.
A what could a cause this now?
"No. I'm not." I tell him and he doesn't seem convinced.
"Suh how yuh mother a call yuh a bad yuh up suh? You sure you're over 18?" He says. I could tell he heard my mom over the phone, she tends to be tone deaf sometimes.
I laughed slightly and shook my head.
"I have her car and I wasn't supposed to be gone so long. She just got worried." I explain. Why am I explaining myself to this stranger?
He nods his head in contemplation.
"Alright, seeing that you're in a rush, I'm not going to hold you up." He tells me. I nod in appreciation. "I do want to see and talk to you again though. How can I make that possible?" He continued and my heart drop.
I know his type. They see a pretty face and they're intrigued for a moment. The lust eventually wares off and then they move on.
I smiled a sad smile at him.
"Your face just dropped, did I say something wrong?" He asked me.
I shook my head. "I just don't think that's a good idea. I'm not sure of your intentions and I'm not too keen on dealing with any drama right now. I have enough to last a lifetime." I explain to him.
He nods for a bit.
"Yuh think mi a one player? Why yuh a judge mi?" He asked me. I was stumped by his response because I wasn't expecting that.
Am I judging him?
"I'm not judging you, I don't even know your name." I say, with a bit of half truth. I try not to judge people because only God can judge us but sometimes human nature takes over and you have to make conclusions based on what people present.
This guy presented himself like a scammer. They don't have a good reputation not just with me but with the wider sect of society. They ruin lives, prey on unassuming females for sexual pleasure and kill each other over their dirty money. That is not my cup of tea.
"I'm Isaiah. Now you know my name, maybe you can tell me yours and we can exchange numbers." He said and I froze.
This man with the voice cannot name Isaiah. Is this some sort of sick joke? Lord God wah this now?
He was looking at me expectantly and I was just there blown away.
"Not even your name yuh nah gimme mumma? No man yuh cold." He says with chuckle. "Alright then, mi nah pressure yuh thing. Have a great rest of the day." He says walking away.
I watched him as he walked over to the red infinity and got in. That's his car? Typically the scammers would be in a Mark X or a Crown, this is different.
However, as he started up the car that feeling washed over me once more and I quickly flung the car door open running over the now reversing car.
Coming up behind the car I froze just as Isaiah slammed on the breaks. He hops out of the car looking at me as if I was crazy. Maybe I am.
As we stood in front of each other, me craning my head up to him I sighed.
"My name is Grace. And my number is 333-4723." I spun around not giving him time to process and hoped back in the car driving off.
Pulling into meadows, I breathe a sigh of relief. I feel so much safer here than anywhere else in the parish.
Criminals are so rampant and have no regard for anyone's life. I pray daily for the nation but it's like as they capture one, ten more spring up. The devil is working overtime.
Getting home, my heart dropped. My dad's car was in the driveway. He was home.
I slowly remove my purse and food from the passenger side and locked the door. I was dreading what he was going to say about me leaving the house.
Walking inside I don't see any of my parents. I quickly placed the car keys on the key holder and went straight to my room.
I was now too queasy to eat my patties as I say their fretting about my dad.
It's not like he's a dictator or anything. He just wants the best for me. For a long time I've trusted his words without question but things have grown a bit uncomfortable for me in the past year.
After the news, he started to double down on the restrictions surrounding my existence. It's been a bit suffocating and I find myself mostly miserable. I try to tell myself that I need to be grateful. Some people go through life with no one to care for or about them. I have my mom and dad who are both active in my life and well-being. I just wished that they would ease up a bit.
Shutting my room door slowly I breathed a sigh of relief. I had made into my room safely, without running into either of my parents. Turning around I screamed in fright, dropping the second batch of patty in a day.
My dad was sitting on the sofa in my room casually turning the pages of my bible. He hadn't lifted his head from the holy book, even though I know my scream was loud.
I was planted by the door, afraid to speak. How long has he been sitting in here?
"You had a good time in town?" He spoke in that deep baritone voice.
My mother really couldn't hold water when it comes to this man I see. I knew I had to give him an answer quickly, or else he would find the situation disrespectful.
"I went to buy two patties, father." I say. I am honestly scared of this man. He is so intimidating at all times, sometimes I wonder how he even convinced mommy to marry him.
He finally looked up at me and then down on he patties that were on the floor.
"A wasted trip I see. You know you can't eat those right?" He asked with a raised brow. I nod my head yes, sadly. I really wanted the patty dem y'know.
He sighed, placing the Bible back on my desk. Standing up, he towered over me a bit and I backed up in the door.
Shaking his head he spoke, "go take a shower Grace and come eat your dinner. It's almost time for you to take your medication."
I moved out of his way as he silently exits my room. Looking down at the fallen patties I got upset. I really wanted those!
Picking them up off the floor, I put them on my desk. Following my dad's instructions I headed to the bathroom to take my third shower of the day.
This life, I tell you.