“Bwoy yuh come in like Gavin eeh? Unuh nuh have no chill,” she says, pulling open the Benz’s back door. Who come in like Gavin?
“Uh uh,” I stop her.
She pauses, confused. “Fix up that,” I say.
She laughs. “Mi mean, you and him nuh let go things, especially when unuh feel like yuh affi talk bout it.”
“Mi know, but nuh seh that… the bwoy Gavin different,” I say, sliding into the car. When I glance at her in the backseat, she watching me with a weird expression. She offended?
“Waam?” I ask, locking eyes with her through the mirror.
“Nothing,” she sighs, turning her head to the window. She feel a way enuh. I strap in and ease the car out the driveway, slow.
“Mami?” I try again, soft. She waves at Joe outside instead of answering. Mi know mi come off mean earlier, but she bout fi get mi real mad if she deal wid mi so.
“Mami?” I call again, this time, serious.
“Nickoi?” she exhales, eyes cutting to me in the rearview.
“Mi respect yuh family, yuh hear? In other words, mi respect yuh cousin, but certain energy mi nuh wah associate wid.” Mi nah walk and diss the man, but mi nuh like the comparison.
“Mi nuh wah yuh talk bout him so,” she bites out. “Yes, him act girly or whatever, but him have a girlfriend and him nah chat bout you so.”Wah this?
“Yow, a who yuh a argue wid? Mi a talk, not argue,” I say, holding back. She rolls her eyes and lets out a loud hiss. Wah? My grip tightens on the steering wheel. She really a deal wid mi so? Kiss teeth and all? Then she mumbles the one thing mi hate.
“Nuh seh nothing to me.”I blink. Mi a disappoint miself lately… Mi really a mek a woman deal wid mi so? I stare out the windshield, jaw tense. If she ever know how mi hate disrespect. Especially over something we could’ve talk out. True mi love har, she a get weh. My eyes flick back to the mirror. She’s mumbling again, then hiss. My face harden. But because of love, mi fi mek she pass har place?Up to you, mi killa.
“If yuh kiss yuh teeth one more time, mi lick yuh inna yuh mouth,” I threaten without flinching.Mi know yuh just a seh that… but would yuh really do it?my subconscious asks.
“Nickoi, come dweet,” she fires back, pure attitude. I pull over instantly, parking on the side of the road.She think yuh fraid? But then again, a Zara… ‘as if yuh go dweet’,my subconscious jeer.
I spin around in the seat. “Seh that again.”
“Come dweet,” she repeats, bold. I reach forward and grip her cheeks, squeezing firm.
“Ow!” she flinches, trying to push me off. I squeeze harder, glaring into her face. She stares back, eyes blazing.
“Nah go lick yuh enuh,” I say low and slow, “But dat nuh mean other things nuh deh out deh fi mi do to yuh.”
“Stop,” she snaps, pushing at my hand. I grab her wrist with my free hand, cheeks still locked tight in my grip.Doh ramp wid the Don.
“A foolishness dis. Something we coulda talk out calm. But yuh attitude mek it reach yah so,” I tell her, still staring her down.Mi know yuh wouldn’t hit her… but deep down, it’s in you,my subconscious says again.
“Know mi stay like mi father… but one thing mi nah do is beat woman like him do mi madda, mi nah follow dat.” I let go of her slowly. “So nuh be like Juaqína and figet who man be cause yuh feel man nah go put mi hand pan yuh. If yuh push mi, mi a go find a way fi punish yuh. So watch yuh self, and watch yuh mouth.” I lean back in my seat. Silence choke up the car again. I drive off in silemce. When we reach, I park and blow the horn. A few seconds pass and I see them, Mama and Michelle waving as they walk out. I wind down the window.
“Hey Nickoi!” they say in unison, bright smiles.
“Morning. Unuh good?” I ask.
“Yes, mi just deh wonder how unuh take so long,” Mama says.
“Yeah,” Michelle adds.
“A traffic wul wi up,” I say calmly, finger trailing over the Benz sign, waiting.
But the door nah budge. Why she nah come out? I turn, looking at her, and she’s just staring. Eyes fixed on me. She opens her mouth, about to talk, but I beat her to it.
“Everything gov,” I say, cutting her off. She tilts her head slightly, jaw tightening. Then she speaks, different this time.
