Page 116 of Not My Type
“How yuh look so young Sandra?” she asks, dropping her hand to her waist.
Mama laughs. “Lawd, a God’s rich blessings.” I turn to Nickoi and his eyes are glued to his phone.
“So yuh nah come out?” I lean against the door resting my arm on the window.
“Soon fawud. Go link yuh family mon.”
“Nah leave you,” my eyes sweeping over him. “Let me show you the place I once called home,” I joke and he laughs.
“Ah.” He pulls the door and steps out.
I hold his hand and use my other hand to point at the meat shop in front the house. “Me use to in deh so everyday because the old lady in there was my friend she died a couple years ago.”
“Wah happen to har?” he studies me, making my cheeks grow warm.
“Old age,” I say as I push the gate open. “Me use to live here with my parents and Miss Hanett. That house next door to it was Mama’s house so we all come like we live together,” I explain.
“Eeeh so yuh parents were neighbours?”
I laugh. “Yesss mommy did live with Mama over there so but move when she get pregnant with me, since Miss Hanett house bigger fi hold all a wi,” I look up at him, holding eye contact.
“So unuh did lef Mama by herself?”
“No, she did have her husband, Mr. John. Him come from Spanish Town and was linking Mama.”
He laughs. “So why did you leave here?” I get silent. Mi really hate talking about that chapter of my life.
“Ah yuh nuh affi tell me,” he says, reading my expression. I want to tell him but I just hate the emotions and memories it evokes.
I hold his hand. “It’s kinda touchy, but yuh tell me about your dad so mi a guh tell yuh bout mine,” I sigh.
“Zara!” One of my cousin calls out and I wave.
“Mi soon come,” I say and turn to Nickoi.
“My father been a drunkard and him cuss people almost everyday til one day him get in a some problem with some badman weh seh dem a guh kill him so him did affi lef,” I pause. Nickoi’s eyes are fixed on my short figure.
“Keep going... ”
“Um... yeah... John had a house in Spanish town but him did a stay with Mama so him decide fi mek daddy go there. So everybody just move to Spanish Town except Miss Hanett cause she a nurse down a the clinic, she nah lef har work,” I add.
Nickoi is already tired. “Ah mi see pree.”
I pout. “Mi a talk too much?”
“Nahh mi like listen to yuh voice. Soothing y’know?” his eyes dark, tongue swiping his lip.
“You like my voice?” I cross my legs.
“It turns you on?” he responds. We burst into laughter at the song reference.
Without words, he tilts his head back and I feel his eyes gliding my panties to my feet. I purse my lips, trying to focus.
“But yeah,” I point at Buff Bay primary. “Mi use to go a deh primary deh enuh.”
He smirks. “Oh right deh so... you could just walk.”
“Yeah,” I nod. “And the church wi pass, me, mommy and my grandmothers go there.”
