“Noted,” I grin, placing the babies in the crib. Their dad bought it for them to stay whenever they’re here.
“Watch them face,” Nicki smiles. I drop their bag on the sofa, kiss their lips.
“Be good and have fun with Grandma.”
“They will,” she replies.
When it’s time to leave, she walks me to the gate, but stops there. I notice that she doesn’t come to the car.
She probably think seh a me alone come enuh… how she nuh call to Nickoi?
“Nickoi inside the car enuh,” I tell her.
“Eeeh,” she says. Her face shifts..
A wah happen?
How Nickoi nuh come out come say something to him mother like usual?
I ignore it.
“Yes, mi a go work now, mi cya late. Later mi see you,” I wave.
She waves back.
I get in the car. Nickoi’s staring out, deep in thought.
“Still a think bout the wallet?” I ask, buckling up.
“No sah,” he smiles and pulls off. Doesn’t even honk the horn.
“You never greet your mom,” I point out.
“You link har,” he says. I shake my head.
“So wah that mean? A yuh mother enuh, the same woman you love with your whole heart.”
He nods. “Yes. And mi still love har with mi whole heart. Mi just never inna the mood.”
Fair enough.
At school, we kiss longer than we should. Now my lipgloss is gone. Edges slightly off. Good thing the car’s tinted. He vapes while I reapply gloss and fix myself.
I finally turn from the mirror, smiling. “Later.”
He bites his lip, watching me. A silver BMW pulls up beside us. My heart rate jumps. Nickoi winds the window.Is not a killa, Zara.
I exhale. It’s just Gutta.
“Yow, mi killa,” he greets Nickoi, then looks at me. “Morning, Zara.”
“Morning, Gutta,” I reply.
He stretches the wallet to Nickoi, who takes it.
“Respect enuh.”
Anything him seh him a go do, him do, as long as a fi him way.
