Page 245 of Not My Type
“Respect, man.” His smile is sad, heavy. I hate that he has to go through this. I glance over and spot Nickoi, smoking, eyes glued to his phone, lost in his thoughts.
“Mi soon come back,” I tell Rick before I walk over to Nickoi. He’s got his eyes glued to the screen, scrolling through an app showing delivery times and routes. A the drugs business. So a this him always a do pan him phone?
“Nickoi?” I say and he looks at me. Him not even have on the screen protector again. It’s a different phone Zara.
“Mi know yuh seet,” he speaks nonchalantly.
“Babe mi already know,” I playfully shrug.
“Know what?” he smiles, trying to play smart.
“The business,” I whisper and he taps his lap. I sit on him.
I watch him for a minute and it clicks. He’s got everything under control through that phone. He’s deciding the routes, timing the deliveries, calling the shots without lifting a finger.
“Babe where is the business?” I’m curious.
“In due time I’ll tell you,” is his answer. Ooop. I don’t earn that yet. A sigh slips out. I look away and spot Rick again.
“He’s really hurting enuh babe,” I share.
“Mi know,” Nickoi’s gaze on his best friend.
“Why you nuh talk to him?” I narrow my eyes.
“Rick is better when he’s alone... talking to him only make him hurt more,” Nickoi explains.
“When I was talking with him he didn’t seem like he was hurting,” I point out.
“Cause a that him wah yuh think,” he states dryly. “When him isolate himself him a wul meds him soon come around back.”
“How long unuh been best friends?” I really have to ask.
“From mi know miself,” he answers. “At first he was just a close friend, had another best friend at that time.” Eeeh. I don’t say anything. Instead, I look around at everyone.
Some people are talking about random stuff while you see a few seated, wiping their tears as they listen to the sad songs. The younger people are outside playing their own music. Mi nuh wrong them. Music blasting, girls whining on their man, some just sipping liquor, lost in the vibe. I keep watching, taking it all in, until the darkness pulls me under.
“Mami?” Nickoi’s voice pulls me from my slumber. I blink my eyes open and spot Gina’s mom standing in front of me.
“Yuh nuh see wifey sleepy, Nickoi?” she teases, smiling as she hands me a cup of soup. I take it, even though I really don’t want it.
“Thanks,” I return her smile.
Nickoi chuckles. “Mi probably affi cut soon with har mon.”
“She can sleep inna the room enuh,” she tells Nickoi. His face says it all—he’s not feeling that idea one bit.
“Yah… good,” he simply says. When she walks away I sip the soup and cringe. I hear Nickoi laughing to himself. I nudge him with my elbow.
“Stop laugh after me.”
After a while, everyone gathers outside, sharing funny stories about Gina. While they’re all out there, I stay on the veranda with Aden, watching them. I don’t have the energy these days… I just wish I could stay home and sleep all day. I watch as Nickoi stands beside Rick, telling him something that makes him laugh. The others catch on, and soon, everyone’s laughing. He looks up, and our eyes meet. Watch the staring match. We stare at each other until he looks away.
Aden has his iPad in his hand, watching YouTube and laughing. “Wah sweet yuh?” I ask, resting my chin on his head as I look at the screen. Mummy pig finally pregnant again? I giggle.
Nickoi comes over after a while, handing me some food while taking Aden from my lap. As soon as Aden is lifted, he starts crying, his little hands reaching for me. “Hey bwoy… stop eh’ noise.” lawddd him ruff.
“Baby don’t ruff him up so,” I softly say. Nickoi chuckles.
