The games kick off and Ms. Cherry steps up to lead. The first one is the blindfold diaper challenge. Guests gather around, laughing as they try to change diapers without seeing a thing. Then they put childhood pictures of me on the screen and everybody guesses my age. That one? Had everybody dying. The next game isWho Knows Mom Best?The winners get little gift tokens.
“You can present your gifts now,” Ms. Cherry announces, and guests start bringing their presents forward. Soon, there’s a giant pile of baby stuff on the table.
Wow…my babies about to be real spoiled.
NICKOI
While they’re sharing cake, I slip away with my friends and head toward the car. Gutta and the rest a the man dem are by the side, drinking and kicking back. I lean against the white Range Rover and build a spliff. When I light it and take that first pull, I exhale slow. Cyaa even remember the last time mi bun a spliff the right way. “Mi wah show yuh a pree mi dawg,” Gutta says, already walking off. I nod and follow him.
“Wah gwaan?” I ask.
“Mi a mek yuh know seh Juaqína uncle fawud to mi… say she missing.” He chuckles a little, like it’s some inside joke.
“Dem still nuh find har body?” I ask, watching his expression.
He shakes his head. “Know how far mi carry har?”
I nod. “Mek mi see back the picture.” He hands me the phone, showing me the same picture from before, her lifeless body, cold and still. I stare at it, blank. No emotion.
“Inna har head mi shot har,” he says low.
“Nick!” Rick calls from a distance.
I dap Gutta.
“Respect enuh, mi bredda,” then we walk back over to the others. Rick strolls up while little Aden sips his Chubby like it’s Hennessy. Man ever have a Chubby.
“Wah yuh deh pan mi G?” I ask, turning to Aden.
“Mi good,” he says with a lil’ nod. I squat and scoop him up, resting him around my neck while holding onto his tiny hands.
“Yuh wah cake?” I ask. He shakes his head.
“A Zara a serve it enuh,” I tease.
“Pretty Zara?” he asks, face lighting up.Man love off yuh woman, Nickoi.
“Yow bwoy, mi nuh wah yuh have yuh eyes pan mi girl enuh,” I joke and he bursts into laughter. “Yah laugh?” I grin, heading toward the food table.
“What you want, Mari?” Ms. Cherry asks.
“Cake fi this likkle man yah,” I reply and he stretches out his hands toward Zara.
“Hey Aden baby,” she says excitedly, taking him from me. He hugs her tight and she lights up. I step back, watching them with a smirk.
“My wife yuh wah?” I ask, laughing under my breath. He looks at me and nods.
“A fi we har.” Aden smirks and Zara laughs. I raise a brow, tilting my head.
“Wah yuh just seh, bwoy?” I tease, and he bursts out laughing.
“A joke, a joke!” he giggles. Zara chuckles, then takes the plate and feeds him a small piece of cake.
“Ahhh,” she says, opening her mouth and he mimics her, laughing as she places the cake in his mouth. I smile, watching them. “Good boy,” she says as he starts chewing like a champ. I smirk. A so she a go act when the babies come. Nurturing and soft? Yah mon, she ready.
I step away from the crowd, lighting another spliff and sipping my drink, my eyes never leaving her. She’s still with Aden, laughing at whatever he just said. Then she gives him another piece of cake, her voice sweet and soft. “Nice boy,” she coos. “Mi a go get you something fi that.” After she finishes feeding him, she passes him back to Rick, then walks over to me. Her phone’s up and she snaps a picture of me. I glance up from my phone. “Whew, that look,” she smirks. “Mmhmm,” She nods slow, eyeing me. “Babe,” she says, shifting her tone, “Mi been wah ask yuh, dem nuh have a law weh pregnant woman cya travel after a while?”
“Maybe dat a fi Jamaica or the airline. Not mine,” I smirk and she laughs. I go on, a little serious now. “Mi have a private jet enuh. Yeah, commercial flights sometimes restrict travel, but once yuh have a signed clearance from yuh OB-GYN, yuh good. Anyway, dat rule nuh apply to me… nobody cya tell mi wah fi do.”
