Anderson Grant
"That a nuh the point mi a mek." I say, dropping the standard English and getting real brawling on these people.
They all stared at me wide-eyed while Shan sat beside me sipping on her homemade smoothie.
From I instructed her to not let anything stress her out she has been doing just that. We had a doctor's appointment yesterday and it was good, they ultimately told her not to do anything strenuous while they monitor her because as she slip and stress too hard she is going to be on bed rest for the reminder of the pregnancy.
Doc had pulled me aside and told me to be very vigilant because we all know what is at stake here. By some miracle Shanique is carrying this baby and me swear to everything that is holy Mi not even a mek breeze blow pon her too hard.
Too much to loose if I fuck up.
"Based on the deal negotiated, she would have to be in some meetings." The Newspaper boy said and I just flag him off.
"Why?" I asked, staring at the screen intensely.
Him lucky him never even in a the room cause mi know me would a shot him a box. Him too fucking annoying man.
He didn't respond.
"How many meetings are we looking at?" I said, getting even more annoyed.
"Once per month." He said quickly.
I looked over at Shan, who was shaking up her cup trying to get the last of her drink before looking back at the screen.
"Can she do it via zoom?" I asked and they nod.
Alright, I guess I will have to compromise.
"Okay, you up for that?" I turned and ask my wife who simply nodded.
She looks tired.
"Alright. That can gwaan. Creg here will deal with the communication for now, and we will sign our copy of the contract and send it over to you later today." I say ready to get this meeting out of the way.
"Okay Mr Grant. We will also send over the documents that you requested later today, our team is still compiling everything." He says and I nod before Creg takes over the meeting.
I zoned out as they get into the legal shit and faced my wife.
"Yuh good?" I asked, while caressing her elbow.
"Yeah, but I'm hungry now. Unu soon done?" She asked with a poor thing look on her face.
I chuckled lightly at her dramatics. From a few days ago Shanique appetite just took a major turn and every two hour she want something to eat.
It would be bad and not so bad if she was just eating, but she expect me to eat with her too each time. Granted, I do be enjoying the different stuff that she is craving but if me follow Shanique the both of us ago look pregnant in a month or so.
Good likkle thing I got the all clear to go back to the gym now. We finally figured out the source of my illness, Peanut and him mother.
Never hear them sumn deh yet in a my life. Man a have morning sickness. Then a this mi did a run dung and a try breed off the people them gal pickney fi come experience?
Thank God this a the first and last one as bad as it sound.
Cya do this shit a next time.
I looked over at Creg, who seem to be wrapping up the call.
"It look suh. Yuh know what you want to eat?" I asked and she shook her head no.
"Alright gwaan think about it." I tell her and faced our lawyer as soon as he ended the call.
He sighed loudly.
"Grant, how many times I must tell you must stop intimidating people?" He said, rubbing his forehead in frustrated.
"Who did I intimidate?" I asked genuinely confused.
I guess they found me funny because everyone in the room started to laugh.
Mi nuh get the joke.
"Alright, you guys sign these and let's fax it over to Bowen and be done with this. We have other pressing things to discuss." Creg says and I nod.
I have nuff more people to settle scores with.
——————————
"Wah yuh think?" I asked Fabian as he comes to stand beside me.
He was quiet for awhile.
Before long he was chuckling and I had to side eye him. Is a serious thing we a deal right now and the man a laugh.
"Why yuh a ask my opinion when your mind already made up?" He said when he got himself together.
I didn't respond.
I chose instead to stare at the beautiful work of art before us. Nah lef yah today without it.
"Dawg, mi value yuh opinion that's why me ask." I say and he shrugged.
"Wah yuh waah know?"
"Which model?" I say with a smirk and he laughed aloud once more.
"GTS fah sho." He said just before circling the car.
"That's what I fucking thought." I followed him to the car and hopped inside so we could take it for a test drive.
"Hello?" I answered my phone just as I parked in front of Mom's gate.
"Son, where are you? I wanted to come over and have a chat." Pops says on the other line as I circled the Jeep, going to get Shan out of the car.
I pulled her door and helped her to come down gently before focusing back on my dad.
"Talk bout wah?" I asked going to the trunk to collect the groceries Shanique insisted on bringing.
She must think she can use food friend up my mother in law, she make a sad mistake.
"This lawsuit against your mother." He said and it sounded like he didn't even want to talk about it.
"Pops, member seh we just a come back to a level and we nuh secure yet. Don't make anybody force to do what you don't want to." I say, lifting the two bags out of the car.
Shanique better glad mi a try stay on her hood side. Wah the fuck she pack up in a dem yah bag so raas heavy?
"Where are you? Yuh sound busy?" Pops says and I chuckled.
Look how quick him change the subject.
"Just reach country. Mi come look for moms." I tell him. There was a bit of rustling in his background and then the call went mute.
I shook my head walking into the yard. Shan was standing at the step looking onto the verandah. Moms still deh a church it look like.
Resting the bags on the ground I dug around for my key and handed it to Shan.
"Here, open the grill." I tell her and she had a shocked expression on her face.
I don't know why because she know I was staying here for awhile. Big man nuh must have a key to the premises?
"Oh, I see that I've missed a lot." She mumbled to herself while she opened the lock.
Not even ago pay her any mind.
I trailed behind her with the bags as she shouted for Skeng. I rolled my eyes at her because everyone knows it's the dog why she was in such a heat to come here.
God help her though when she and moms buck up.
Waterworks for days.
Nah look pon her right now.
"Skeng!" Shan shouted and I rolled my eyes.
"Him nuh deh over here enuh miss, suh try have a seat and nuh run up your pressure." I tell her as I bring the bags to the kitchen.
When moms come home we can go through them together.
"Where is he?" Shanique practically attacked me when I came into the living room.
I sighed, falling into the seat beside her.
"Where is Skeng?"
I sighed.
"Over Charmaine." I responded knowing what's coming next.
"Gwaan for him. I want to see him and I don't want to have to open my mouth and style that old witch."
I looked over at Shan but she was already tapping away at her phone. Not even ago look cause a must Tanya or Shawntel she talk to. She knows not to do any work on the weekend.
"Shan..." I trailed off and she looked at me, stumping me in my tracks.
I got caught in that moment by my wife's beauty. It's mesmerizing and I totally forgot my argument.
"Yes?" She asked sweetly and I swallowed.
"Gimmi a kiss" I breathed huskily and she obliged.
Fucking love dah woman yah, yuh fuck.
In no time I was leaving out of the neighbor's yard with Skeng, the two puppies and CoCo, the puppies mother, heading back to Ms Jackie's.
I know I look like a real mad man walking right now to.
Shan started to squeal as me and the dogs approached the grill. Moms ago kill we raas when she come see suh much dog in a her place.
There is a reason why Skeng visits.
Miss Jackie nah run no dog house.
"Are these the puppies? Oh my God, they are not cute." Shan says with a giggle
"Your mom is going to kill us when she comes from church and see the house full a dog Shanique." I tried to reason but Shan was not paying me any mind.
I shook my head just as my phone vibrated. I quickly got up and stepped outside to take the call as soon as I saw the caller ID.
Checking one last time to see if Shan is still preoccupied, I answered the call.
"Talk to me." I breathed into the speaker.
"She agreed. She is going to meet you Tuesday, around 2 pm. Is that a good time?" The caller asked and I did the math in my head.
"Yeah, Tuesday good." I responded.
I nervously tapped my foot on the loose gravel in the yard.
"What about the other thing? Did they confirm for Saturday?" I probed, simultaneously checking to see if my wife is still preoccupied with the dogs.
There was a pause on the other line and my anxiety shot up.
"Yeah, they're good. They said based on the stuff you sent over they think their people can deal with it. It should be done by Friday so we can do a final walk through before your thing."
I liked that.
"Alright, Mi nah forget anything?" I asked, cause I wasn't sure at the moment.
"Umm, yes. Final payment due by Wednesday so keep a reminder of that." I didn't forget.
"Ah. If that's all..." I trailed off and they hummed before hanging up.
I let out the breath that I was holding and stuffed my phone back into my pocket.
Swallowing the lump in my throat , I stood facing the house while I processed everything.
Shanique coming back now has shifted my focus significantly.
Her being pregnant has literally dropped a bomb in all my other plans and I'm still processing. Still trying to figure out where the fuck I went wrong in the process.
On the outside I'm dealing with it, but God see and know seh mi a sweat bullets. However, for now mi a just try bring any little bit of happiness to her life as I possibly can.
"Then a wah mek yuh stand up out yah suh and a stare in a space suh fah massa?" I heard and spun around quickly.
Miss Jackie stood behind me in her yellow and white church dress and hat to match. She had an amused expression on her face.
"Moms, yuh come." I stated and she nod.
"Yes, mi glad fi see yuh though. You're looking fresh, how you feel up now?" She asked me and I smiled.
"I'm good now. We figured out the issue a little over a week ago."I tell her, as I took her bag from her.
"Mhmm, that's nice. Suh is you one come?" She asked looking up to me and I could see the unspoken question in her eyes.
She wants to know if Shan is here too.
"No. You have more company inside." I tell her with a slight chuckle.
She ago mad when she walk into the house and see the amount a dogs inside.