Naiya Parker-Wyatt
I opened my eyes the next morning to an empty spot beside me. Then I began to smile as I continued to lay there on my stomach remembering our conversation the previous night over a lobster dinner. In so many words, Keon apologized and told me that he didn't want us to have a shitty time on vacation. He said that today he wanted to start fresh and that we would leave the past in the past. I went to sleep happy that when I woke up, he and I would be back to our silly antics again.
I hoped that was the last argument we had.
It was unusually dark in here. I figured Keon would open the shades before he left the room or something but the shades were still closed. In fact, it was super quiet. Like I didn't even hear anyone speaking outside of the bedroom. The only noise I heard was the quiet hum of the air conditioner starting back up from its automatic on and off setting. Yawning, I pushed back the sheets over me and sat up from the plush bed. I swear, I could sleep in this thing all day, every day.
I stretched and yawned, again, before getting out of bed. Something that felt like a string lightly hit me in the face. I quickly moved it only to get hit with another. And then another.
"What the hell?" I turned on the lamp beside my side of the bed and screamed in surprise to what I saw. In the room, balloons of different colors were hanging on ribbon. Written on each balloon was a random word...
Weird, AWKWARD, Funny, Respectful, Intelligent, Shy, Faithful, Brown, Quiet, SPECIAL, Gentle, Indecisive, Compassionate, BEAUTIFUL, Amazing, BRAVE, Bright, Patient...
18 words for 18 balloons and then a huge 1-8 ballon hanging out by the window in gold. And at the bottom of each balloon were Kodak pictures of me from when Keon, Shanelle, Torrence, Brendan and I hung out the entire weekend. 18 different pictures of me smiling, laughing, eating, frowning, staring off into space and pouting. I remember Brendan taking pictures but I definitely didn't know that he took some of me.
My hands were clasped together covering my mouth as I scanned the entire room. Tears welled up in my eyes but I quickly wiped them away. I think I cried enough for this trip. I faintly heard some music starting up. I rushed to the door and opened it to see more balloons but other party favors as well. Still, I saw no signs of Keon or Zaire for that matter. The chef, however, appeared when he closed the fridge door.
He smiled at me widely, "Happy Birthday Miss Naiya."
I swear my jaw was to the floor. He laughed at me and brought the glass pitcher of orange juice to the table. And that's when I noticed my favorite breakfast laid out. A plate of an omelette that I hoped was meat lovers, honey dew, pineapples, and home fries sat on the table in front of my chair that was decorated with balloons tied to it and streamers wrapped around the back and arms of the chair. There was another chair next to mine with a plate of french toast, bacon and watermelon on the table in front of it.
A presence appeared behind me but before I could ask who it was, I smelled him. He covered my eyes. "It's about time you woke up."
Keon.
I smiled and placed my hands on top of his. "Why didn't you wake me?"
"It was more fun this way." He kissed my cheek directly on my dimple. "Happy Birthday."
I pulled his hands from over my eyes, turned around and threw my arms around his neck. "Thank you, the balloons were amazing."
I now realize that the words written on them must have described me. Keon thought all those things about me...
He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. "Did you pop the balloons?"
Still holding him around his neck in my embrace, I frowned looking at nothing in particular. "No of course not."
He snickered and shrugged his shoulders, "Suit yourself."
"Why would I pop-"
"Get down and eat your food. We got a long day."
I bounced to my chair and plopped down in it. Random songs played, all of which I liked. So naturally, I danced in my seat as I ate. The entire time, Keon looked at me shaking his head as he ate his food.
"I ain't never seen you so...excited."
"I've never been surprised before on my birthday! I mean, every year since I met Shanelle she would bring me balloons and cupcakes which I loved. That's the only thing I would look forward to on my birthdays. But I've never been surprised like this before. I've been use to birthdays at the home where...I'd rather think about it as just another day."
Keon reached over and thumbed underneath my eye. I didn't even know that I was tearing up. "Is your period coming? You been emotional as hell for the past few days."
I sucked my teeth and playfully pushed him. "Give me a pass Keon. These were emotional days for me."
He smirked, "I'm just joking."
"No you're not."
"Okay I'm not. I'd just rather see you cry because you're happy and not because you're upset."
I nodded and held up my pinky, "Pinky promise." Rolling his eyes, Keon reluctantly held up his and we shook on it.
I took the last bite of my food and relaxed into my seat. "Hmm that was delicious." I mean my eyes were closed and everything. I was honestly ready to get back in the bed.
"Glad you liked it."
I popped one eye open, "Did you make it?" He shrugged. My other eye opened and I jumped out of my seat. He pushed his chair back just in time to catch me falling into his arms. "Awww Keon thank you!"
"Go shower you stink."
I got up gasping. "Not nice."
He held his nose. "Is that your breath smelling like broiled Bologna?" We both busted out laughing. He officially had me hooked up on Martin Lawrence. Keon stopped laughing and put on a serious face. "I'm serious."
"Ruuude!"
"Nah for real shower and put on a bathing suit."
I began bouncing up and down, "Okay."
"And pack a bag for two nights."
My eyes widened, "Where are we going?"
"Nowhere if you don't go shower."
I sprinted to the bedroom like an Olympic gold medalist. Twenty minutes later I was dressed in a African dashiki designed bikini and a long black maxi dress with gold sandals on my feet. I styled my hair into my natural curls set for a wash and go. I contemplated blow drying it but instead decided to let it air dry. I pushed through the balloons to pack clothes for two days. Underwear, two pairs of shorts, a nice dress, a casual day dress, sandals, two bathing suits, bathing essentials, my two disposable Kodak cameras and my charger for my cell phone. I started to not bring it but I decided to anyway just in case of an emergency. Just as I closed the small duffle bag, Keon came into the room. He went into the closet and came out with a duffle bag about the same size as mine.
"Ready?"
I nodded, "Aye captain."
He smirked, "Funny you say that." He helped me up off of the floor and grabbed my bag for me throwing it over his shoulder. We started for the door then he abruptly stopped. "Oh yeah. Pop your balloons."
I pouted, "Why?"
He held up a needle, "Because you'll want to trust me. Besides by the time we come back they'll be deflated."
"Wait I need to take a picture of them."
"I already took one of them and you this morning while you were sleep."
"Okay okay." I took the pin and grabbed one. Holding it away from my face, I closed one eye, for some reason, and slowly brought the pin towards it.
"Hurry up Naiya!"
He scared me causing me to pop it when I jumped. While he laughed at me, I watched as a dollar bill came out with Benjamin Franklin on it. My eyes widened and I slowly brought my gaze to Keon's that matched my own. Laughing at his silliness, I held up the one-hundred-dollar bill.
"Did you put this in all of them?"
He shrugged, "Pop them and see."
I placed the bill on the bed and grabbed another to pop. Washington came out. Keon chuckled. I grabbed another balloon,
Lincoln.
And another, Jackson.
And another, Hamilton.
And another, Grant.
And another, A $50 gift card to Chipotle.
"It's Christmas."
Keon laughed again.
And another, A $100 gift card to Shake Shack.
And another, A receipt for a gym membership. I scowled at him. He threw his hands up, "Aye that's because of those two gift cards. I ain't sayin' you fat or nothing...but I mean I could use a partner."
"Hmm...nice save."
He faked that he was wiping sweat from his forehead, "Thanks that was close."
When I was done popping all eighteen balloons, I had about three more gift cards to places I loved to shop for clothes, two gift cards for food places, and four more Benjamin's. I didn't care to count the money because I could always do that later.
"Thanks Keon."
"Stuff it in your wallet or your bathing suit and let's hit it."
"Aye aye captain."
We were in a van and a blindfold was over my eyes. I had no idea where we were going but this ride seemed like it was taking forever. I was biting on my lip and my butt was sitting on the edge of the seat. "Go ahead and say it Naiya. Get it out of your system."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
I whined, "Keeeeon..."
He poked my dimple in my left cheek, "You sound like a kid."
"Sorry. I'm just eager."
"We're almost there."
"Can you see it?"
He snickered, "Yeah."
"Oh thank goodness."
When I felt the van turn and slow up, I got excited because it felt like we were coming to a stop. A door opened and Keon climbed over me, hitting me in my cheek with his butt purposely.
"My bad."
"You did that on purpose."
"Maybe. Give me your hand." I held out my hand and he gently grabbed it. "Be careful gettin' out. Please don't fall because I will laugh before I help you up."
I reached my other hand and grabbed onto his shoulder causing him to laugh anyway. Once I felt my feet on solid ground and moved my right foot around to make sure no cracks or curbs were near, I let go of his shoulder and he finally stopped laughing.
"You laughed yet I never fell."
"Because you scared as hell for nothing. I just didn't want you to step over that long ass dress you got on."
I whined, "Why didn't you tell me to change then?"
"Look it's fine. Just come on."
As we walked, all I could hear were the wild exotic birds singing and a bunch of people talking over music. The fact that the sun continued to burn my skin only told me that our destination was outside. Then I started to smell salt water. I wanted to ask where we were but I didn't want to spoil the surprise.
"Oh shit watch your step-"
I tripped. But with Keon tightening his grip on my hand and grabbing me around my torso, I didn't go down.
"My bad Boots." It sounded like he was biting back a laugh. I turned my head to the left in what I thought was his direction and frowned. "I'm not even over there I'm right here," He turned my chin forward.
"You're gonna make me bust my butt."
"No I'm not, here step up." I lifted my leg high and he cracked up, "It's a lil ass ledge girl you not climbing a mountain." I lifted my other leg and we continued to walk.
"Go ahead and laugh."
"Naw you gonna do somethin' else I'll save it."
"And how do you know that?"
"Because you silly."
It felt like we were walking on wood, like a boardwalk. "Can I take the blindfold off?"
"No Naiya. If you so much as take a peek before I say so I'm bitin' ya fingers keep playin' with me."
Not so much as a few seconds later, I ran into Keon's back. While he didn't budge, my foot slipped on a mat of rubber. "Ahh!"
That did it for Keon. He started cracking up. "Couldn't keep still for an entire minute girl. Take ya blindfold off."
Squealing just a bit, I pushed the blindfold up and jumped. My eyes widened at the site in front of me. A freaking yacht. Not like a fishing boat or a tug boat...a freaking yacht.
"Oh my God..."
I felt Keon push my jaw up to close my mouth. "Fuck around and get a flying cockroach in there. Come on girl." He helped me onto the yacht and I immediately saw Zaire. He approached us with two beer bottles in his hand and a drink in a glass with a skinny straw inside. The bright orange substance actually looked refreshing, whatever it was. It was hot as all hell out here.
"Happy Birthday Naiya."
I found myself throwing my arms around his neck and whispering a thanks that revealed a choked up response. No wonder Keon wrote EMOTIONAL in all caps on the balloons. Look at me! He rubbed my back issuing a loud obnoxious sigh from Keon.
"If I knew she would be crying like this I wouldn't have done it."
Still holding onto Zaire, I turned towards Keon with my bottom lip poked out. "Keon leave me alone."
He smirked and motioned for me to come to him. Zaire let me go and I went into Keon's arms. He kissed the side of my head and wiped the tears from my face. "You know I'm just fuckin' with you. Let's make a toast." Zaire handed me the orange drink and gave Keon one of the ice cold beer bottles. "To two days of many firsts and shit loads of fun. Naiya, I just may get you fucked up, I'm just saying."
We clinked drinks and I was the first to taste mine. The second I did, I felt a slight burning sensation.
Oh yeah, this was going to be fun.
*.exihO