Page 159 of Not My Type
Uh—ohhh.
Instantly a sheepish smile finds my lips as I feel the heat crawling across my cheeks. “Sooo you–” I start. He chuckles.
“Yes mi know seh yuh kiss me.” I smile before I look down at his hand.
“Can I go for my soup please?”
“No,” he jokes. “Please who?” he licks his lip before trapping it between his teeth.
“Daddy,” I giggle.
“Zara!” Mama calls again and he loosens his grip.
I slide off the bed and walk out just in time to see Henry coming. Ugh! “Here,” Mama gives me the soup and I thank her. “Nickoi wah soup?” She asks and I shake my head no.
She looks at Henry. “Share yuh soup Henry,” Mama says and he walks over to the stove, helping himself. I sit around the table and start sipping the soup. Jesus, Just drink it man.
Henry sits around the dining table. “So Michelle, yuh go fi the barrel... wah in deh fi mi?” He asks. Him a try start an argument. I know this man like the back of my hand and it seems like he’ll never change his ways.
The man is so provoking and problematic. Wah him could a expect after all a wah him do mommy?
“Henry mi go a foreign go work like a slave fi mi mother and mi pitney and see she a turn woman now so anything in a the barrel a fi dem,” Mommy tells him as she drinks her soup.
“Same way she disrespect me enuh,” he says, drinking his soup.
“Yuh nuh act like a father,” mommy snaps. He hisses, his focus on his plate.
The delivery man comes and I take out my money before I meet him. “Hey goodnight,” he smiles as he gives me my orders. I pay him and he leaves.
As soon as I reach back inside, I hear my mother and my father arguing a little more. I ignore it and push the door open. “Nickoi?” I call and he looks at me. “Mi buy this for you.”
He gets up and takes it from me. “Thanks,” he says. He sits on the seat and I look at him for a while.
“What you want to drink?” I ask.
“Water,” he tells me and I walk out. I gasp when I spot my father in my mother’s face and of course she isn’t backing down from him. What the hell? And Nickoi deh yah, what an embarrassment. I didn’t expect them to be taking this argument so far. Mi not even know weh dem a argue bout.
“Drankro if mi have a man that nuh suppose to affect yuh!” My mother argues. Lawd God.
This whole thing is bringing back bad memories that I thought we left behind. “A mi make you have wah yuh have!” He shoves her chest, Mommy shoves him back. Mama steps closer. Lawd Jesus! And say what now? keke’s voice
“Henry you need to stop,” Mama holds him.
“Wah yuh do fi mi Henry? But put mi through hell. You make me and that likkle girl go through some things weh wi should a never go through. Member when wi nuh have nothing fi eat and you gone a bar gone drink rum and drunk yourself and when yuh come yer wah yuh do? Yuh cuss wi out. A me tek my money weh mi make up a the store and go a foreign pon the program and make a life. Mi married to Kace and mi go through hell up deh too and you dutty drankro a come disrespect me and expect me fi give you mi money and buy things fi you with mi hard working money? A wonder if yuh realize say next Friday she a 22 and almost out of college? Dutty Drankro a me and mommy do that!” My mother cries.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen her cry. He starts shouting. “You too ungrateful!”
“Ungrateful bout what? See Zara deh ask har!” Mommy yells as she looks at me.
“Zara only go pick up fi you!” he retorts.
“Stop the shouting nuh,” Sash says to him.
“That mi a seh, wah him a cuss Michelle fi har money fa?” Mama asks. Mommy walks off and he grabs her and she pushes him. Mi nuh wah nothing get physical enuh.
“Mi a call Nickoi,” Sash says to me and I shake my head no. Mi nuh wah Nickoi get in a this. And go get in a trouble or even get hurt.
“Henry leggo Michelle!” Mama yells.
