“Mhmm, and wah yuh did a call mi fa?” she asks dryly, still upset.
“Mi did member seh yuh did wah something but mi neva’ member exactly wah, so that’s why mi did a call,” I lie smoothly.
“Nickoi, how yuh fi figet the soup?” she presses. I push the bedroom door open. She’s sitting on the sofa next to my bed. Her eyes lock onto the soup cup in my hand and she starts screaming.
I laugh.
“Yuh see you!” she squeals, grabbing it. “Thank you, Nickoi!” I smile as she takes a sip and moans.
“That’s why mi love yuh enuh. Why mi even believe you though? Yuh never let me down yet.” She hugs me with one arm and dives back into the soup.
“A the right one mi buy?” I ask, watching her chew on the pork.
“You cyaa go wrong when yuh buy pork,” she says, looking up at me, her face softening.
“Wah, Mommy?” I ask, reading the shift in her mood.
“You just look like Owayne a while ago,” she says, voice low. I sigh. I hate when she brings him up. I miss him too, just like she does. Mi woulda have more guidance inna the streets if him did still deh yah, but mi a tough it out with the knowledge him lef wid mi.
“Mi miss him too,” I say, and she stops drinking. I slide closer and put my arm around her.
“Daddy a watch ova wi enuh. Him always deh near,” I say and she nods. I lean in and kiss her cheek.
“Heart a love enuh, Mommy.” She smiles.
“Love you more, mi son,” she replies, then sips the soup again. We talked a while, mostly about business. I didn’t even realize I’d dozed off until I felt her shaking me gently, food in her hand.
“How long mi did a sleep?” I ask, eyes heavy.
“Bout two hours. Look like yuh barely a get sleep,” she says, concerned. I take the food and sit up.
“Thanks.”
Mi nah tell har say mi sleep schedule non existent. That would just start another lecture I don’t need. After eating, I pour some Hennessy and scroll through Instagram.
“No book deh yah weh mi can write this down fast?” she asks suddenly.
“No,” I mutter, going back to scrolling.
As she talks on the phone, I hear a name that instantly pisses me off. My whole mood shifts.Wah mommy deh pan?
I glare at her.
“Lorie, yuh can stay wid me inna the meantime while yuh look a place, as long as yuh behave yuhself.”
“Mommy, weh yuh a do?” I snap, not even trying to hide my reaction. She fans me off.
“Mommy, Lorie nah stay inna yuh house enuh!” I warn. Wah do har? She a work a Poor Relief now and a provide shelter fi the homeless?
She ignores me, still deep in her conversation.
I sip more Hennessy, furious.
Mi wah know why she always pity Lorie. Always soft towards her.
As soon as she ends the call, she starts up with me. “Yuh hate the gyal, but wah mi fi do when she ask fi help? Mek she stay pon the road?”
“Make she stay wherever she did deh from she get discharged. Whichever house she did find,” It sounds harsh, but mi nuh care. Lorie nah come round mi. Nah come near mi mother neither. Mi mother might blind, but mi see straight through her f’ry.
