“Yeah. I love you,” she says, putting the phone down.
“Love you more,” I say, hanging up.
Everybody had split up, and I was now in Kingston. I stopped at Bridget and picked up two new pairs of sandals for Zara. I know she already has clothes, she’s always getting packages from the shipping company every other day. But mi notice she been eyeing the new Bridgets online and mi know her size, so mi just grab them, I couldn’t resist getting one for my daughter too. It’s super tiny. But mi want har fi match her mother. When I’m in treez, I grab a fresh pair of baby Clarks fi mi son. Twinnem affi match man too.
After that, I head out to Spanish Town to collect the babies from mamz. I hail a few of the men leaned up outside when I step out of the car.
“Up mi killa,” a couple of them say as I pull the gate open. The yard quiet. Janel probably at school. Jordane living with his girl now, so I don’t expect him here.
Weh Mommy deh though?
I call her a couple times.
“Mommy,” I say again, stepping inside. No answer. One thing I know, when mamz at home, the house loud. She don’t know how fi stay quiet. She can chat like she a Rick. I check the back room where the babies usually are.
Nobody.
I hiss, take out my phone, and call her. I hear the ringtone. It’s coming from her room. So she deh home then?
“Mommy,” I call again, heading to her door.
It’s locked.
.
She never lock this door. Never. I start getting suspicious.
Mi deeven hear har a snore.
…and she snore loud.
The front door open. Her phone deh yer. Door locked. And she nah answer?
Sup’m wrong. Then I hear a shuffle inside the room.
So she definitely in there.
But… why she nah answer?
Why the door lock?
Why she quiet?
Wah she a hide?
“Mommy!” I shout, louder this time.
No answer.
My hand move straight to my waist. I pull my gun. She inside and not answering? I’m not standing out here like a fool.
I need to know if somebody hurt her.
Mi deeven know if she a dead…
…or if she dead.
Mi nuh know wah fi think
