Page 118 of Pervade Montego Bay
James was wearing my ring.
Xavier
Iaimed the basketball high and it fell through the hoop. I caught it, bouncing it along, enjoying the steady cycle that helped me get lost in the rhythm.
An hour ago, I’d walked into James’ bedroom to deliver him breakfast and a hangover cure. That short visit had me discovering that he was wearing the ring I’d given him. Hope surged through me. Maybe, just maybe, he’d realized what we had was worth fighting for.
Raising my hand to shield my eyes from the glare of the late morning sun, I watched James stroll barefoot out of the back of the house toward me, wearing only his PJ bottoms.
He had on Ray-Bans and his uncombed hair and unshaven face made him no less charismatic. Hung over, he looked like a sexier version of himself.
I smiled…but then I saw he wasn’t wearing the ring anymore.
“Hey,” he said.
I bounced the ball, trying to hide the fact I had a lump in my throat that wouldn’t budge.
James nudged his sunglasses higher up his nose. “How are you?”
I cleared my throat. “Fine. Did you manage to eat something?”
He gave me a sheepish grin. “Some toast. Thank you.”
I wanted to see his eyes. Instead I was looking into those dark shades. “How’s your head?”
“As you’d imagine. Don’t remember much.”
There it was…Ballad shutting down in his usual fashion.
“Xavier…,” he began.
I dropped the ball and let it bounce away. “Sorry about last night.”
He released a long breath. “I don’t like surprises.”
“Except at Christmas, maybe.”
I guessed he was rolling his eyes.
“I just figured that, way out there, no one would hear us talk,” I admitted. “You and I could be ourselves.”
“Dunn’s River Falls holds precious memories for me.”
I shrugged. “You hadn’t gone back there in years.”
“You forced me to talk about the worst time in my life.”
“You’ve been avoiding it.”
“It’s true…I blamed myself for being on the sub when Victoria needed me.”
“It’s time to let that go, James.”
He shook his head in frustration.
“What are you thinking?”
“The world has gone to hell, Xavier. We’re constantly reminded of its cruelty. Sometimes, it’s hard to come to terms with what goes on. We can’t always reach the people that need us and make things right for them. Every single day that is what you and I have done. We’ve tried. We’ve striven to make a dent in social injustices. We sacrifice our own happiness to put others first.”
