Thursday: 8:30 A. M.
------------------------
The sound of glass shattering wakes me with a jolt.
Springing to a sitting position, my eyes frantically scan the room until they settle on Lucas.
Mumbling profanities under his breath, he stoops and starts scooping the broken pieces onto the plastic scoop shovel.
The tantalizing fragrance of cologne fills the air and tickles my nose. I sneeze, and the sound catches his attention.
His eyes meet mine, but his facial expression remains hard-set, and the scowl on his lips deepens.
"Don't step off the bed, there are splinters all over the floor," he warns in his deep, authoritarian voice, before his attention is drawn back to the task at hand.
It is at his words that I realize that it was his cologne bottle that fell off the dresser and shattered to pieces.
Damn.
No wonder he looks so pissed.
I nod, although he's not looking at me.
"Morning," I say, with a small smile playing on my lips.
My throat feels scratchy and dry, and I can already tell I'm going to be hoarse. My voice is already an indication of that.
After all that screaming and crying last night, it's really no surprise.
"Morning."
That's all?
Just dry so?
I sense the attitude in his tone.
My smile dies immediately.
OK then!
Pulling the sheets closer to my naked body, I sit up further in bed, resting my back against the cool board behind me. "Are you OK?"
I'd be pissed if my perfume broke too, but is that why you're giving me the cold shoulder?
I don't appreciate that, sir.
"Yeah. I have to go to the office today." His tone is clipped when he says so.
Hmm...yuh seriously a give mi attitude fi nothing, Lucas?
A me mek yuh spray bruck?
I gawk at him, only now realizing how he's dressed. The sleeves of his white button-down shirt are rolled up to his elbows, revealing his strong tatted hands. He isn't wearing a blazer today, but the way in which the deep green pants he's wearing sits snuggly against his body looks nothing less than perfect.
A blazer would be overkill.
Lucas turns and dusts his palms together before facing the mirror once more.
Deciding to ignore the way he answered me, as annoying as it is, I ask, "Where are you working today?"
He has about three offices that I know about so far. One at the club, one at his auto parts place, and one at his logistics company.
Speaking of logistics...thoughts of Ashley come to mind immediately. And, I hope he won't be working with her today.
Please say the club.
Still observing himself in the mirror, he adjusts his tie and says, "Shipping."
O...K
So you will be seeing Ashley today then.
The words linger at the tip of my tongue for me to ask.
"Oh. OK," I say instead.
"Yuh good here by yourself, right?"
There goes that tone again.
Somehow I think this is stemming from more than the broken cologne.
His attitude seems to be more directed at me.
Is this about last night?
I thought he'd be over that by now. After all, he did fuck the shit out of me; as he usually does whenever I do something to get under his skin. But, I guess that wasn't release enough?
He's angry still.
I can tell.
He hasn't said or done anything off, but I just know. The vibe between us feels different.
I sigh.
Despite myself, my mind drifts back to Ashley, and the fact that they'll be working together more so now than ever. The thought makes me roll my eyes.
While I can't stop that from happening, regrettably, I do hope to God she knows her place and stays there.
Because if she ever——
Manda, breathe...
I don't know why this is affecting me so much.
The constant urge I feel to ensure I'm not being used and played for a fool is starting to get to me, though.
It's draining on my body, and very taxing on my mental health.
And we can't afford to have 'Mad ova cocky' pon my good gyal resume.
As funny as it is, I try not to laugh as the thought comes to me.
On a serious note, it's true.
What makes it even worse is that I'm not used to this.
I'm not usually this jealous either. I certainly wasn't with Odaine.
Yes, I had my moments —— I'm naturally a possessive person—— but it had always been surface-level. Plus, I'd never even considered other women looking him. I don't know why. Maybe it was because deep down I knew he wouldn't cheat on me.
But, somehow, I can't help feeling threatened with Lucas. It's like I'm always on the lookout for some shit to pop off.
Especially now that he started working with this Ashley bitch.
God, I despise her.
"Yes, I'll be fine. I might not be here the whole day, anyways."
This gets his attention. He turns to face me, tucking his wallet and handkerchief in his back pocket. "Where are you going?"
I let go of the sheet and it falls below my breasts. "I want to go do my nails for Friday."
Hear yuh like ano tomorrow a Friday.
Yuh fuck if him say him nawh bother carry yuh go nowhere.
His eyes fall to my chest, and he doesn't remove them from my breasts when he says, "Oh. Where?"
"Halfway Tree. My usual nail tech in Clock Tower."
A look passes over his face, but it comes as quickly as it goes. "You alone?"
Why so many questions, this morning?
But, as long as he's talking I guess. "Dee and I."
"What time?"
My shoulders rise and fall in an effortless shrug. "About midday or so."
"Cool."
"Yeah. Will you be working on the project with Ashley today?"
The question has been playing on my mind for minutes now, so it's best I ask before it drives me nuts.
He sighs. "Yes."
I fail to shield the disappointment from my voice when I say, "Oh."
I don't know why I'm disappointed. It's not like I didn't figure that was it the moment he mentioned work. That still doesn't help the feeling though.
I can't help but sigh. I guess it's just one of those things.
"You know this is just business right?" He looks at me and holds my gaze with an expectant stare.
I nod, for fear of breaking down if I speak what's really on my mind.
"Good." Lucas looks at his watch. "I gotta go. I'm late. Let me know when you reach where you're going, OK?"
I can't focus on him like I want to. Something else plays on my mind.
When I don't say anything, I hear Lucas sigh before turning to leave the room.
Pushing the sunken feeling behind me, I get up and rush to him, before he goes through the door, and wrap my arms around his waist.
His body tenses in my grasp then he relaxes.
"I'm sorry," I mumble against his back, his shirt muffling the sound slightly.
Sorry for overreacting last night.
Sorry for being so emotional.
Sorry for doubting you...
I close my eyes when I feel him pull my arms tighter against his body.
I hate when he's mad at me.
It's nerve-wracking. Partly because it makes me second-guess myself, but mostly because he's so impulsive it's hard to predict what his response will be.
Take last night for example.
Again, I know I overreacted about the text and shit, and I'm truly sorry.
But, damn. The way he fucked me was brutal. While my body surely enjoyed it, in the moment, my mind couldn't possibly keep up.
To say the feel of pure, unadulterated frustration being poured into sex is something easy to bear would be a lie. It was overwhelming to be honest. It always is, but last night was different. I lost it. I don't know how to act when he gets to me that way. It's scary as shit...that's for sure.
I didn't even know I liked rough sex until I met Lucas.
With him it's raw, and passionate, and...it fucks with my head.
Demon hood the bwoy a walk 'round wid eno.
Can you imagine him being with anyone else in that way, though? I sure as hell don't even want to imagine the possibility.
Especially if that possibility involves that snake: Ashley Hyatt.
And believe me when I tell you she's trying hard.
When Lucas finally speaks, its to say, "You trust me, right?"
So we're both along the same line of thinking then.
It's like he's reading my mind.
I release the breath I'd been holding. "Of course."
I trust you. It's those bitches that I don't trust.
He turns around to face me. "Good. Then please stop overthinking."
Is he seriously reading my mind, right now?
I inwardly squirm under his gaze.
"I'm sorry," I find myself saying again.
I feel like I've apologized so many times that I've lost count.
Yet, it still doesn't feel like I've done it enough.
"Stop apologizing," he says, then kisses my forehead.
I blush.
"Go put some clothes on. And get something to eat."
His words make me hyperaware of my nakedness. I was so overwhelmed last night, I didn't even get the chance to pee and shower before I'd fallen asleep.
So, I definitely need to take a shower first. Preferably, a long, hot one. That's the only thing that can help me rid myself of the sticky and sore feeling that has taken over my body, at this point.
Speaking of sore, memories of last night flash before my eyes, and I feel the butterflies in my belly again.
"I will," I say, staring up at him through blurred eyes.
He gently places his pointer finger under my chin and tilts my head to the side. "Why are you crying?"
Huh?
I run the back of my palm along my cheek and notice that it's wet with tears. I smile. "I don't know."
Lucas chuckles, before craning his neck lower and kissing my cheek where the tear stain rests.
My stomach flips. But, I sigh and settle into his arms.
God, I could stay here forever.
"Please stop crying. It's stressing me out," he admits, making me laugh.
"Sorr——" I start to apologize, before Lucas cuts me off.
With his finger on my lips, he says, "Nahaha! Wah mi say?"
His tone makes me giggle, but my cheeks heat up.
Smiling now, I get on my tippy toes and peck his lips. "OK."
Usually he'd make some sassy remark about kissing him better, but he doesn't.
I try not to focus on it too much for fear of ruining the mood.
"What time are you supposed to reach the office?"
Lucas looks on his watch, then back at me with a smirk. "Thirty minutes ago."
"So yuh nawh leave? Ms. Hyatt supposed to a fume yah now!" As much as I hate bringing her up, I find myself joking about it.
"Ashley Hyatt bumbo."
Murda!
Now this...this is my Lucas.
I cackle like a deranged hyena.
Why not? People done have yuh as a mad gyal already.
My reaction gets a small laugh out of Lucas too. When he sobers up, he asks, in a more serious tone, "How yuh feel now?"
Like a trailer crash inna mi front.
"Sore."
He quirks a brow, but there's a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Eeeh? Wah yuh did a do sore yuh up, Miss?"
The sound of me slapping his chest echoes slightly. I roll my eyes. "A yuh big hood mash mi up!"
Who tell mi fi say so?
The smile which stretches on Lucas's face is bigger than the Pacific Ocean to hell.
He sits on the edge of the bed and grips my waist, pulling me closer to him until my opened legs straddle his.
A boyish grin highlights his features. "Weh yuh say, the Don packing?"
I decide to condone his cocky behaviour this time around. The tie feels smooth and soft against my skin as I twirl it around my fingers repeatedly.
"The whole suitcase."
Right thru!
"Bomboclaat!" Lucas shouts, catching me off guard. He releases the grip he has on my waist and folds his fingers imitating a gun pose. Clicking his tongue to produce the sound of bullets selecting, he wheels his arm back then points his fingers in the air and rounds off with a loud, "Bap! Bap! Bap! Dem dead!"
I couldn't stop myself from laughing even if I tried. Not that I wanted to. "But wait, watch gunman ova yasso!"
I say it as a joke, but somehow I feel it's true.
"Aye, yuh feel a bloodclaat joke! Look deh, look pon some bwoy body a grung!"
Like a fool, I turn to look, before catching up with myself and laughing hard.
Aye! Man fool eno. Especially when yuh say things fi feed them ego. Then them gwaan like size and them thing deh nuh bother them.
With a teasing frown on my lips, I shove his shoulders gently. "Stop gwaan like yuh never know say yuh hood big already!"
"Never know eno."
His statement summons a loud hiss of the teeth from me.
"Big woman ting," he answers to my reaction.
"So nobody never tell yuh say yuh can fuck yet?"
He smiles, and I swear I see him blush. "Yeah."
"See. But yawh chat!"
"Can fuck, yes. Say mi hood big, no," he clarifies. "Yuh hood nuh affi big fi can fuck. Once yuh know how fi use yuh tool to get the job done. It nuh matter...a your own eno."
Hearing him speak this way intrigues me. "So yuh never ask a girl yet?"
He shakes his head. "No eno. Never too concerned."
Yeah you! Mr. Confident say him can fuck!
"Hype!"
"Confident."
I roll my eyes. "Same difference."
Bringing his hand behind me, he palms my left ass cheek and squeezes it. Hard. "Just as long as mi know mi nawh tickle nuh girl crotches mi good."
"Waiiii!" I scream louder than intended.
The baby cried.
I laugh harder at the inside joke.
Why do I feel like this man is throwing words?
"True or false?"
My face is beet red, I can tell by how warm my skin feels. I'm too sore to focus on the wetness which pools between my legs.
"Mr. Senior come go a work!"
He frowns. "Yawh run mi clean eeh?"
"No eno. But you're late."
He sighs quite dramatically before kissing my breast and pushing me back so he can stand. "Fine. Mi shame."
No bother get up inna yuh feelings now.
"Yuh know mi love yuh, boo," I tell him in a sing-song voice, rubbing down his biceps. "Bad bad."
More than I'd like to admit, actually.
But I won't tell you that.
Not now, at least.
Lucas shrugs out of my grip. "Mi have yuh up. So avoid mi."
Yuh serious?
He turns and walks towards the door, and I follow behind him.
"Yuh know a joke mi a make. Stop gwaan so, man."
"Amanda, breeze mi."
No sah!
"No sah!" I voice my thoughts. "You a breed, Sir?"
This stops him in his tracks, and he turns to face me swiftly. "Wah?"
Trying hard to maintain my composure and not laugh at his expression right now, I continue to say, "Mi affi ask!"
Lucas stares at me blankly for a few seconds without blinking, then snaps back with a mocking, "A you breed mi!"
Murda!
"Eeh? Alright, come mi baby mother!" I tease, with outstretched hands, beckoning for him to let me hug him.
Although he hisses his teeth, I can tell he's enjoying the attention. "Amanda, gwaan go bloodclaat bathe and nuh make mi diss yuh!"
"Yuh smell mi, mami?" I say, frowning.
Stepping closer to him, I lift my arms for him to smell my armpits.
Yuh provoking eno, gyal! Jah Jah!
Lucas backs away and chuckles lowly. "Aye! Mi ago style yuh, yuh fuck!"
"That's why mi nawh go mind mi yute when yuh have him. Watch!"
Look like you have a single mother fetish.
He hisses his teeth again and starts to go down the stairs.
I start cackling again.
"Love you!" I call after him as he descends the first flight of stairs.
"Fuck off!" he shouts in return.
"Love you!" I scream louder.
"Love you more!" he finally returns, but it sounds faint since he's so far away.
Aw!
Doing my excited dance, I run and dive into the bed, giggling into the pillow like a school girl.
Finding my phone, I send him a quick text.
ME: Safe journey to work boo. Have a productive day. I love you. 🥰
As soon as I put down the phone a notification chimes.
With a smile on my face, I pick it up and look at it. Realizing that it isn't Lucas, my smile falters.
What a way mi insta buzzy nowadays...
I ignore the alerts, deciding to check it out later, and click out of Lucas's chat.
Upon doing so, an unread text from D'vante catches my attention.
I click on it and read what it says.
'The keys will be ready on Monday. You can reach out to me when you see this.'
Focusing solely on the first few sentences, I get all excited again.
I can finally tell Lucas about the apartment and get it off of my chest.
I do my happy dance as best as I can while laying down.
I hit reply to D'vante's message.
ME: Hi, morning. That's great news. Thank you!
The text goes through with a single tick so I guess he'll see it when he sees it.
My phone chimes for the second time in 5 minutes, and I look at it again. This time, it's a notification I'd been looking forward to.
Lucas ❤️: Thanks, babe. Love you too. Still mad at you tho 👿
ME: Yeah yeah. Whatever. 😇
With the smile still lingering on my face, I roll out of bed, connect my phone to the charger beside the bed, and walk into the bathroom to take a shower.
. . .
Trying to balance the towel on my head while trying to stop the one around my body from going undone, in that same breath, I, quite haphazardly, rush towards the bedroom where my phone has been ringing off the hook.
When I finally reach to it, I'm breathless and panting.
I really need to start exercising.
This is getting out of hand.
Without looking at the caller ID, I pull the device off of the USB and place it at my ear with a breathless, "Hello?"
Silence from the other end greets my eardrum.
Before I hear the familiar voice belonging to my niece come through the speakers. "Aunty Manda!"
My cheeks feel numb to how hard I'm smiling. "Hey, baby girl! What's up?"
There's shuffling in the background before she answers saying, "Grandma is making me watch CoCoMelon on brother's tablet!"
"Aw! Awesome. Is she watching it with you?"
She giggles. "No, she says it's annoying!"
Never tell a lie!
I gasp. "How dare she?"
"Grandma's rude!"
Nodding, I sit on the bed. "Yes, she is!"
She might claat yuh inna yuh rass...
"Yes."
I hear my mother mumbling in the background and can just imagine her reaction to Maddy's comment.
"Mads, where's brother?"
"Grandma put him on timeout!" she tells me then laughs.
Lord Jesus!
"And mommy and daddy?"
"I don't know."
Tia she scarce like.
"OK. Can I talk to grandma?"
"OK," she says, in the cutest little voice ever. "Grandma, here!"
While Kaiden is any mother's nightmare, Maddison is the sweetheart which balances out the equation. I can just imagine how many hearts she'll break when she gets older. Then again, her brother might do more damage.
Definitely.
"Yes, mi pickney?" Mummy's voice greets me now.
"Yuh alright?"
"Mi deh yah."
"OK. A you tell Maddy fi call mi?"
"Nuh she 'bout she miss yuh and want talk to yuh. So mi call yuh fi her."
I can't wait until next week to see them.
"Oh. OK. Tia dem nuh deh deh?"
"She a sleep and Grayson gone pon the road with Fenton."
"Aw! Father to in-law bonding. That's nice."
I can't wait for Lucas to meet my dad.
That's one face off I'd pay to see.
"Yes sah. A when you a come home? Mi say it feel like yuh fly out to how mi can't even see mi owna pickney."
I laugh. "Mummy, man. It nuh that bad..."
"Mhm. Stay deh. Yuh better nuh come back yah wid nuh pumpkin front a yuh."
Kacka fart!
"Lady! Stop call dung pregnancy pon mi yawh. Everybody up yah already think mi gone through the gate already."
"Eeh? Yuh better go back through. I don't want another dry head pickney fi come stress mi!"
How about a bad breed coolie offspring?
"So yuh say now. Bet when she born a you same one that. Remember when Tia did pregnant with Kaiden how yuh did gwaan?"
"Yes! And see how him a mad mi off now?"
I laugh. That a true. "Point taken. But Robyn will be different."
Mummy hisses her teeth. "You and yuh Robyn gwaan yawh, woman!"
Her comment makes me laugh harder.
"Yuh alright though?"
"Yes man. Mi good."
"Yuh eat?"
"Yes. Not too long ago," she assures me, making me feel better. "You?"
My belly rumbles like someone invited her opinion. "No, actually. Gonna get something to eat now."
I haven't eaten in hours and I'm starting to feel the effects now.
"OK. Call me tomorrow when yuh reach where yah go."
Speaking of tomorrow, I need to go get ready for my nail appointment before impatient Dee snaps my neck off clean.
"Yes, Mumzel. Later. Love you."
"Later, mi daughter. Love you too," she says, before the line disconnects.
After getting dressed, I make my way down the stairs.
As I enter through the kitchen's archway, I'm met with Ms. Lorna's back.
She turns to face me, as if sensing my presence.
"But watchya!" she exclaims, through a friendly smile. "A who this?"
I return a warm smile of my own. "Good morning. I didn't know you were here!"
I haven't seen her since about last week Thursday. Lucas didn't have her come in on Friday since we were leaving for Montego Bay.
"Yes, man! Mi come as Mr. Senior did a go through the door."
Nodding, I take a seat around the kitchen island.
"Yuh good tho?" she asks, peeling potatoes.
"Yes, I am. Thanks. How are you? How's the daughter?"
Wiping her hand in the red dish cloth that's in its usual spot on her shoulder, the older lady smiles and says, "I'm good. She's good too. Busy with work as usual."
I know the feeling.
It hurts me to my soul that I have to return to it, come next week.
Suddenly, three weeks don't seem long enough.
I sigh. "I know what that's like."
"Yuh hungry?" Ms. Lorna asks me, looking at me in that way mothers do.
Her soulfulness radiates from within. I can see it in the way she speaks and looks at people.
"I was planning on making cereal."
"Cereal? No sah! When mi look 'bout yuh proper breakfast?"
She shoves a plate filled with sausages and toasts over to me, and I look at it with a smile on my lips. "Thank you!"
She fans me off. "By the way, how are you feeling now? Did the tea help?"
She's referring to the day I fell sick.
To this day I don't know what caused that. But, I wouldn't wish to feel that way again.
I kinda feel like I picked up a bug or something.
But, Lucas suggested it may have been food poisoning after all, based on the symptoms.
Forking a few pieces of the sausage into my mouth, I say, after swallowing, "Yes, it did. Thanks."
She nods her agreement and resumes her task of peeling potatoes.
Within the next few minutes, the kettle whistles, and I realize she's making tea.
As she adds the ingredients to the cup, she says to me, "I know you aren't much of a tea drinker, but I'm making you some, today."
OK.
"Thank you," I say, taking the cup from her when she's through.
I'd usually object to tea, but I really feel for it today. My stomach feels upset.
Gas.
My phone rings, and I see Deidre's name pop up on the caller ID.
Sliding the button across the screen, I say, "Yes, Ms. Miserable?"
She clicks her tongue. "Morning. What time yuh a leave out?"
Pulling the phone away from my ear, I look at the time. It's 11:12 A. M. "Around 11:45," I tell her.
"Alright. Mi ago finish sleep. Call mi when yuh a leave out. And don't bother go sex and late eno!"
This gyal!
Clicking my tongue, I say, "Mi and you ano the same, Miss!"
Mostly because Such Man isn't here. Otherwise, yuh know a true she a talk.
"Good."
"Alright, later."
"Okie."
When I remove the phone from my ears, Ms. Lorna says, "Oh. Yuh going somewhere?"
I nod. "Yeah. My friend and I are going to get our nails done for the trip tomorrow."
"Watchya nuh, issa good thing yuh talk because mi certainly forget say Mr. Senior did mention something 'bout a trip to mi!"
Go see yawh come yah in vain.
I smile. "Yeah."
"So yuh ago pretty up? And yuh done pretty so already."
At least she nuh deh pon the 'You're glowing' bandwagon too.
Without meaning to, I find myself blushing. "I guess so."
Stay deh gwaan shy shy. Poor Ms. Lorna think seh yuh decent deh now.
We spend the rest of the morning chatting and laughing about random things, before minutes to 12 o'clock when I leave for the salon.
***
Friday: 9:15 A. M.
------------------------
"Listen to mi, woman! Mi a give yuh 15 more minutes."
I can tell he's frustrated now.
I quickly put my hair in a bun. "Wait nuh bae! Mi soon done."
Him miserable! Cho!
"The people dem say 10 o'clock. Wah time now?"
I look at the time on my phone. 9:15. "They won't even leave at exactly 10. Bet!"
"Amanda."
"Fine. Mi ago wash off fass fass and come," I shout, stepping into the shower and closing the glass enclosure behind me.
The water is piping hot, but it feels so good against my body and my still aching limbs.
When I exit the bathroom, I spot Lucas sitting on the bed with his right foot draped casually over the edge. He's already dressed in a plain white V-neck and jeans. His head, which is covered by a red bucket hat, is down and his eyes zeroed in on the phone in his hand.
He's been so caught up in whatever is on that phone, nowadays.
Ignoring him, I sashay past him and go around the other side of the bed, where my stuff is, and pull out my bra and a clean pair of matching underwear from the side of my handbag.
I hate wearing bras, but I don't want my breasts showing through the thin fabric of the blouse I plan on wearing.
So, bra it is.
After much struggling, I finally clip it behind me, only to find out that it's too tight.
Ugh!
Hissing my teeth beneath my breath, I step in front of Lucas. Through the mirror, I see him look at me, particularly at my ass, with an endearing little grin.
"Babe, can you unclip this for me and pin it on the second hook?"
He grunts and pulls me closer to him. Shortly afterwards, I feel his coarse palms brush against my skin. His fingers linger in the same spot for a while as if unable to unclip the hook.
Bet seh a mi ass him a look pon 'round deh.
"Jeez, how it feel like yuh a fight fi pull the likkle brazierre suh?" I ask Lucas.
If I could manage to do it with my nails, I would've done so by now. But, I always find it difficult clipping and unclipping things whenever my nails are freshly done.
It usually takes me a few days of getting used to them being on my fingers, before I can operate normally.
"A cause mi nah get nothing, that's why."
My eyes find his in the mirror and I smirk. "So you can only pull it when you're getting something?"
His smirk matches mine. "Yes."
With just a flick of the wrist I bet.
As soon as he says so though, I feel the bra loosens. Then snaps back together.
Finally.
"Thanks," I tell him, stepping forward.
"Ah."
My eyes catch the time that's on the clock on the wall.
Still have 5 minutes left. That should be good.
***
"Can you believe it's back to work on Monday for me, already?" I ask aloud as Lucas cruises down Constant Spring Road.
I sigh.
These past few weeks have been the best days of my life, and I'm not ready to go back to the misery that's called work yet.
"How yuh sound like yuh nuh glad fi go back a work so?"
I look across at the man beside me, as if he'd suddenly grown three heads. "Glad? Fi work? Me?"
Right now mi wish mi could a get 3 more weeks.
He keeps his eyes on the road, but I can tell he's smiling just by looking at his side profile.
"Do enjoy your work?" he asks after a few seconds of silence.
I smirk at his tone. "Wait, how it look like yuh plan fi gimme a work so?"
Lucas chuckles, but doesn't say anything to confirm or deny it.
"But, yes. Honestly speaking, I do. But it's not my dream job," I say, deciding to answer his initial question anyway.
Lucas nods as he pulls up to the stop light at Dunrobin. "So what's your dream job?"
I think about it, cancelling a few options off the list. "Actually, I'd love to own my own business, someday."
"That's good. What kind of business?"
I feel like I'm in an interview, but the fact that he seems to be genuinely interested puts me at ease.
"Maybe like an IG store," I say. "I'd plan on buying items, like feminine clothing and swimwear and certain accessories from like Shein and reselling them. Sum'n like that."
I have the basics down, but I need to do some more planning. Logistics and so on, for example. Now that I'll have my own apartment, it should be a better start though; until I need to expand, if the business does well.
"That's doable."
I smile, hearing him say that. "Yeah."
We spend the remainder of the short drive into Halfway Tree in comfortable silence.
Every now and then, my eyes fleet over to look at Lucas who seems to be deep in his thoughts.
Deciding to leave him to his thoughts, I instead focus my attention on the buildings we pass; counting each one we go by.
As early as it is, the smell of KFC greets my nose, making my mouth water. My belly rumbles in agreement. Because of the rush, I hadn't eaten much at his place, earlier. Now, the delectable aroma of fried chicken is sabotaging my peace of mind.
As we round the corner at Tastees, I spot the top of the bus immediately.
And my excitement grows.
I spot Deidre before anyone else, as we pull into the parking lot at Lime Light. She's busy rummaging through her duffle bag, while mumbling under her breath.
Next, I spot Petrad, who's sitting beside her on the concrete table, watching her with an intrigued smile decorating his lips.
The bus looks empty, which makes me wonder where everyone else is.
As Lucas pulls into a parking spot, I realize that Dwayne is actually already in the bus, sprawled out in the seat adjacent to the door, with his head resting in a female's lap whose face I can hardly see.
She must be his girlfriend.
Have to be.
There's no sight of Sanai, nor Lucas's other friend —— I guess he's no longer coming.
Too bad.
I was really looking forward to meeting him.
Dismissing the thought, I exit the vehicle and Jim squeechy over to where Dee is, with her back still turned and head buried in her phone.
Petrad spots me approaching, and I smile, gesturing for him to shhh.
"Boo!" I scream in her ear, poking her sides.
Deidre screams and jump.
"Little shit house!" she exclaims when she realizes it's me.
Her reaction makes me double over in laughter.
My laughter summons a chuckle from Petrad, who immediately sobers up when his girlfriend gives him a fiesty stare.
When I finally manage to stop laughing, I straighten my stance and look around. "Weh everybody deh?" I ask my bestfriend who'd started smiling now, too.
"Dwayne and Meemi inna the bus. The driver gone piss, and uno just come."
"So weh Sanai deh? She nawh bother come?"
"I don't know eno. San she a real sample. Mi tell her up to last night say she fi 'memba say a 10 o'clock we a leave out, and look deh..." She looks at the time on her phone. "it's almost 11 o'clock and when mi call her awhile ago she ago make mi know say she just a bathe."
She hisses her teeth, and I giggle at her reaction.
Sanai is surely going to give this woman high blood pressure before time.
And, look how Lucas a rush mi and people still a bathe at this hour!
Tell him say haste make waste.
"Alright then, since it nuh look like we a leave yasso fi now, follow mi go buy piece a chicken yawh."
She nods. "And mi hungry too eno."
Just as she opens her purse, Lucas reaches where we are and greets Deidre, before dabbing at Petrad's fist.
He then turns to me. "Weh yawh go?"
I smile up at him. "Gonna buy food. Yuh want nothing?"
"Wah kinda food?"
"KFC," I tell him, and he frowns. "Mi want know wah KFC do yuh eno, Sir!"
First Jamaican mi see hate KFC so.
"Too much fry-fry nuh good fi yuh," is his response.
Hear ma's John.
"Eat sum'n nuh, please?" I beg him, putting on my best, most pitiful face.
He sighs, and reaches into his back pocket to pull out his wallet and hands me a 5000 dollar note. "Fine. Get me whatever you're getting."
Excited now, I tip up to reach his face and peck his lips.
"Uno cute like!" I hear Deidre say behind me, making me giggle and blush.
"Oi! Weh uno a go?" Dwayne asks, sticking his head through the window as we put the money together.
"KFC," Deidre answers him. "Yuh want nothing?"
"Yeah, hold up."
I wait for her to write down all the orders, before we turn and head through the gate and over to the other side of the road where KFC is.
. . .
"Weh she say she deh now?" I ask Deidre as she ends the call with Sanai.
"Coming down Waterloo Road."
We're standing by the counter waiting for our numbers to be called.
"She soon reach, man."
Deidre hisses her teeth. "This likkle pickney ago make mi and her have things. Can't leave Bruno buddy fi reach weh she a go on time."
I laugh, knowing it's probably true.
'Cause yuh nuh better! Lucas cocky can't catch a chance fi grow grass.
"A so it go when cocky sweet and fulla use."
Deidre bursts out laughing, making a few customers look at us.
Jesus peez.
. . .
Deidre called Petrad to come and assist us with the bags once we're through.
Just as we enter through the gate at Lime Light, a burnt orange Rav4 pulls in behind us.
"Finally!" Deidre expresses her relief, and I smile, waving at San who honks her horn.
"No kill mi, do!" she pleads to her fuming cousin when she exits the vehicle and heads towards where we're standing.
I take her in.
She's dressed the skimpiest of us all, in a white, skin-tight, mini skirt and tank top, with her nipples printing through the thin fabric. Unlike me, in my tights and oversized t-shirt ——because, according to Lucas, mi pussy a print out too much ——, and Deidre who's wearing a nice yellow, mini sundress.
She looks nice. Her hair, on the other hand, is another story. It's half done: one section neatly braided, while the other is her natural hair which is currently sticking out in all directions.
"A which bird fly through your hair, misses?" I say, patting down the fly-aways.
"Nuh Ms. Miserable ova yasso make mi affi a rush and nuh get fi finish comb mi hair, man! Cho."
Her comment is received with an eye roll from her cousin, who pulls a bucket hat from the side of her bag. "Take this, man. Put it on 'til yuh reach, mi will help yuh comb it."
"That's why mi still love yuh eno, mi wife!" Sanai teases her, taking the burgundy hat and placing it on her head.
Now that she's here, we can finally leave.
Thank God.
At this rate, we won't reach where we're going until late afternoon.
Within the next 10 to 25 minutes, the bus is loaded and ready to go.
"Sit with me!" Deidre says, pulling me down the narrow aisle as the bus reverses and pulls through the exit.
I follow behind her, giving Lucas, who was waiting for me to sit beside him, my best sappy face.
Goodly jealous deh now.
The middle seats were removed and replaced with double row seats on both sides, to offer a more comfortable seating experience, I guess.
I like that.
The bus is fresh and smells new too. And the cushions on the seats are firm, with each rows of seat having enough legroom between them — just right for such a long drive.
Rich luxury.
"San look lonely all the way up deh so eeh?" I say, pulling out my phone as an alert goes off.
Everyone had already selected their seats——Dwayne and Meemi are sitting together, Dee and I are a few seats behind them on the left, and Petrad and Lucas are sitting in the seat beside us.
So, being the late bug she is, Sanai is stranded by herself at the front.
While the other seats are loaded with bags and pans.
She keeps looking back at us, every now and then, and I can tell she feels out of place. Poor Sanai.
Deidre briefly looks away from her phone, before returning her attention to it. "She lucky. Early birds catch the most worms. Next time she'll know say when smaddy say 10 a 10 dem mean."
Ah boi...
As I punch in my passcode, I giggle at how much Deidre sounds like my mother when she says that.
Turns out the notification was from Instagram, telling me that someone has followed me.
Speaking of follow...my mind momentarily shifts to ShanFirstLady and the fact that she still hasn't accepted my follow request yet.
She's probably skeptic because the page is private.
A thought comes to me, and I decide to follow through. Opening the settings, I make the page public. All that's on there are quotes and memes, anyway.
I spend a few more minutes scrolling aimlessly through the feed and liking a couple random pics and reels. That's until I'm forced to stop in my tracks when I spot a familiar image on the feed. It's a suggestion from IG telling me to follow Jessica.
The picture of Jessica is one where she's looking through the window at the rain with a gloomy expression on her face.
I click on the picture and it takes me to her profile.
The same picture from a while ago is the last one posted, about 5 months ago. I stare at it for a while, reading the caption which jumps out at me.
'@AmbrosiaFitness I could do good with my legs being stretched right now.'
I know what she means, but maybe it's my dirty mind doing its usual thing, because I swear I spot a double entendre in what she wrote.
Curiosity gets the best of me, and I click on the likes and type in Lucas's handle. I'm not too surprised when nothing pops up.
Mi mind just tell mi...knowing him. Mussi did all chaw iron if he did see it.
Oh well.
I click on the tagged account and it takes me to the wellness center's page.
The name jumps out at me immediately: Ambrosia Spa and Wellness Resort
Isn't that the ——
"Yow, Dwayne! Tell the driver fi stop and pick up DJ under the bridge!" Lucas shouts, interrupting my train of thought.
At the sound of his voice, I look up to see that we're already in 3 Miles.
Dwayne signals for the driver to stop, and the bus pulls over shortly after, at the bus stop near the NCB.
One more stop again?
We definitely nawh reach fi today.
While we wait, I decide to tuck my earbuds in and listen to music.
My eyes find Lucas, while doing so, and I notice that he's on the phone.
"Weh him deh, yo?" Dwayne shouts from the front, turning to look at Luke.
"See him deh!" Lucas supplies pointing through the window. "Let him in deh!"
The automatic door opens with a buzz and the sound of heavy footsteps catches my attention.
I look up just as the male figure barrels through the door.
My heart does a double backflip in my chest when I see who it is.
D'vante?
As if on instincts, I duck behind the seat in front of me.
Jesus Christ!