Page 197 of Not My Type
Jesus if spoiled was a person, my subconscious says.
It’s 3:30 and everyone in the house is running up and down, trying to get ready. “A 3 o’ clock mi plan fi lef enuh and look pon the time now!” I argue.
“Stop the noise, Ms. Birthday Girl,” my mother says, rolling her eyes with a smile.
She’s in a peach cold-shoulder top, fitted denim jeans, and gold slides. But it’s the 30-inch jet-black wig flowing down her back that really steals the show. My mother? A whole problem. “Jesus mommy,” I smile, looking at her and she laughs.
“Hello miss it’s all about you today so nuh worry bout wah mi inna,” she tells me. Tell har again!
“So mi still cya go in the room?” I ask, standing there in my black tights and bra, fed up.
All now, them still nuh wah mi see the dress. By the time everybody finally step out, dressed and moving like dem going pon red carpet, it’s 4:30. “Unuh just know how fi late,” I kiss my teeth.
“Stop work up yourself, Miss Pretty,” Gavin teases, and I smile.
He’s wearing a green plaid shirt, denim jeans, and crisp white Air Forces. Sash steps out in a green silk dress hugging her mid-thigh, brown Bridget slides, and her sleeked-back frontal smooth like glass. Her makeup’s flawless, white purse in hand. Nah lie! Everybody look good.
“Unuh look nice eeeeh?!” I gush, grinning. Mama walks out next, twinning with my mother in the same peach top, but she pairs hers with a knee-length denim skirt and black sandals.
“Mama a you that?” I push my head back, lips parted.
“A me yes,” she smiles then my mother calls me at the door.
“It’s your time now fi get dressed,” she says surprising me and I get up walking to the room.
Gavin and Sash walk in behind me. When my eyes spot the dress, my
smile grows. It’s a black corset mini dress, with pearl straps and a sweetheart cut! “Stop playingggg... this cute eeeh?!” They laugh at my reaction.
“Yes!” Mommy claps. “Grown look we going for mi baby. Put on the black stockings first,” she lifts it, making me excited. I sit on the bed and pull it over my legs. She hands me the dress.
“You a talk bout everybody look nice, but a you a guh be the talk a the town,” Gavin grins, and as Mommy holds it, I step into the bottom, pulling it up on my body.
My mother comes behind me, gently pulling up the zipper. Sash bends down to slip my feet into the pearl bow stilettos, my white pedi’ is the cherry on top. Gavin places my jewelry on me, adding the final touches.
“Nahhh lie! Mi loveeeee how Candy give har the pink waterline fi pop with the black look! This nyammmm!” Gavin shines the selfie light as Sash snaps a picture.
Mama and mommy stand at the side, admiring me. My smile grows when I see the pictures. This cya be me. Damn. I look so cute, I just wanna see my man!
“When this post pon Instagram, dem dead!” Gavin does a little dancey-dance making us laugh. I pick up the bow shaped purse.
“A when Nickoi see har at the restaurant him nah go believe cas the way how him act wid yuh this morning gyal, is exactly how me always dream a man look pan mi daughta,” her eyes glossy.
“Yuh look sweet mi baby,” Mommy’s eyes never leave me. Every second she looks at me, it’s like she forgets everything else. She doesn’t even care how she looks anymore. She leans in and pecks my cheek, a soft kiss that makes me blush. I spritz on Gucci Flora, then Yara—Yara for Zara. It’s a little ritual.
We leave shortly after. Gavin is driving uncle’s car with Sash and my mother is driving her rental with me and Mama. Mommy stops at the stop sign and turns in the opposite direction. “Mommy a Kingston we a go enuh,” I remind her.
“Yeah mi know... I’m gonna pick up something from a friend,” I narrow my eyes. Mi nuh know of mommy having no friend over Portmore but I guess she has a friend that I don’t know about.
She turns in Caribbean Estates and I remember the first time I came here with Nickoi. I bite my lip at the thought, then mommy stops at a big house and gets out. “Mi just a go pick up sup’m... come on,” her eyes on me.
“Mommy the time a get late and we nuh reach Kingston yet,” I complain. Jesus a wah time wi go reach? She aguh make the people dem cancel the reservations? Mama sighs in the back. “We will make it there princess.”
Mommy’s eyes on me. “Zara come, she wah meet yuh too,” I sigh and get out. Mama gets out too and we walk over to the house. It’s already getting dark. As soon as mommy opens the door a crowd shouts.
“SURPRISEEEEEEE!”
When did… she do this?
