Page 33 of Not My Type
“Nice” she coos before she greets me.
I respond and shift my gaze to Talia, who’s attending to my sandwich. She’s grappling with it even though it’s already prepared. My father warned me about this.
Jah know. Man must a turn inna him grave yah now.
She isn’t a cook, reheating fast food and Spanish tapas is all that she does since she’s ultra rich— the only child in the Pérez family. Mi nuh make dat trouble me, cause me live alone. You see if mi did live with har now... Yeah, it would a trouble me. The voice in my head laughs at that reference. Jah Jah. Then again, mi a nuh the type fi make my girlfriend stop me from finding my wife.
Zara.
She yuh have you eyes pon enuh. Inwardly, I smile.
Link har nuh. “Talia. What time you have the appointment? Nuh now?” I question. Cause why she still in yer?
“Yeah, I’m gonna leave now. Can I have the Porsche fob?” As long as you leaving.
“Hold on,” I tell her and get it from my room. She takes it, tip toe and peck my lips. As she stares in my eyes she asks, “So where are you gonna be at? Cause I know you ass ain’t staying here.”
“Ago link Skwash” and deh nice b deh a Homestead.
I smack her ass, wishing it was Zara’s. Hers feels even softer. Jah know, she affi be me ooman and mi nah stop til’ mi have har.
“Later Nathalia,” I simply say and watch as she walks out. Ass fat too.
But Zara’s? Better.
ZARA
“When mi grab him and dash him out a mi house mi see him mother a run come with knife mi just slam mi door in a har dutty face, bright she bright with har old self,” Clova says dramatically causing everyone in the shop to laugh.
Why Clova have me a laugh like this? Nosa.
“Wah she do when yuh lock the door?” the other hairdresser asks, laughing hysterically. She’s processing a lady’s hair.
“Wah she fi do? Mek noise like she a bull buck and duppy conqueror,” Clova says.
Then the client chimes in. “A so dem in-law yah stay enuh,” clearly speaking from experience.
Come to think of it, I’ve never met any of my mother in laws. Pfft. My relationships were not relationship-ing at all. Besides, I’ve never had a real relationship. When I was dating Timoy, the relationship wasn’t going anywhere because he was too lazy. He didn’t want to go out and if we did, he wanted me to pay and buy everything. Malik was a bit different; he would hang out and act so much like a gentleman and I really felt like I was on the verge to love him; then boom. He starts changing. Three months in our relationship he started showing his true colors, ones that I’ve never seen in my life. He would do things to hurt me and act like he didn’t realize what he was doing. Then, he would buy me a gift and apologize and continue his stupid cycle. Sometimes I wouldn’t hear from him for days and then he would randomly pop up. He’d say that he had class or that he was busy all weekend. So, I had to end both relationships because both men were jerks. And no man nah play with me.
Now Nick... The handsome, gangster. I just don’t know. Sigh. He’s so ruthless, yet so charismatic. While Malik was gradually killing my confidence, Nick came, right in time to make me feel like my sexiest self.
Which woman wouldn’t like that?
I mean, I feel strong emotions for Nick already, which is absolutely crazy but it’s the reality. He makes me appreciate my appearance more. He’s my complete opposite, a Don. Yet, he manages to attract me– a teacher, though he’s not my usual type. I guess it’s one of those things that we just have to see where it goes or maybe, I can talk to someone about it. But who?
I think about my cousins and sigh. There’s no way I can tell them and I don’t have friends. After a while of pondering, my mind runs on Clova ... We have a pretty good relationship. Maybe when she’s done working, we can have something to eat and talk. I’ll ask her.
“ Mi have a client fi 3 o’ clock,” Clova says with a smile. “Dem girl deh have money enuh,” she says to the others.
I check my Instagram. “Eeeh, pure long lace?” her coworker ask.
“Yeah, she a Latina too,” Clova brags.
I start scrolling through instagram to bide my time as I wait. Gavin posted a picture of him and a friend. I don’t know her. I double tap the picture and scroll down then I see a picture of Suzanne on the poolside. Her hair is braided backwards and I smile. She have in braid too. I double tap the picture then, the door to the hair salon opens and a man stumbles in. I look at him startled, but I notice that Clova and the other ladies are laughing. Maybe he’s harmless.
“A mi wife mi come fa, mi buy a ring down a Missa Chin,” he slurs. Him drunk as a bat. I stare at the middle aged man that reminds me of my dad so much.
You see, a things like this mi father do and embarrass me over the years. Drink and talk shit and mek people laugh at how stupid he is. So, because of my dad nothing that this man does is funny to me... it actually irritates me. I look back at my phone. Maybe I need to follow Nick. I search for Nick and realize that I don’t know his actual name. Yet, I have butterflies to kill in my stomach for him. Poor me.
