“Yeah… it’s like she’s here anyways,” I mumble.
“Mi excited bad yuh go meet Kace,” she chuckles. I honk and pull in. But then I spot a black Jaguar by the fence. Nickoi don’t own that. A who him have inside?
“You reach home?” Mommy asks, sensing my silence.
“Yea.” I lock eyes on the car, slide off speaker, and head in. She still laughing about spa plans. “Lavish,” I tell her before we hang up. Inside, Nickoi’s leaned against the wall with Junior, laughing like nothing else exist but whatever they talking ‘bout.
I sit. “Good evening.”
They both greet me, but keep chatting. “Mi tell yuh, if yuh see the bride before the day, it bring bad luck,” Junior says.
Nickoi laughs. “A so dem say, but mi nuh follow nobody tradition. Mi wah see har.”
I smile to myself. Unruly. He’s the one designing the dress anyway.
Junior is serious. “Me and Suzanne done plan it… Zara aguh your place, and you stay here.”
“Yuh cya stay away from the woman not even fi one night?” Junior asks, fed up.
Nickoi laughs but eventually gives in. “Mi a do it cause mi wah be surprised.”
“Finally,” Junior exhales, cutting me a look. “How yuh manage him?”
I just smile.
He heads upstairs. “Suzanne!”
I stand. “Suzanne deh yah?” But before I can move, Nickoi grips my wrist, pulls me into his lap.
“Nickoi!” I shriek, landing on him. My arms slip around his shoulders naturally.
“Clova do your hair nice,” he murmurs, eyes burning. It’s done in burmese curls, deep side part, side clipped back with silver and white wedding Barrettes.
“As long as you love it,” I purr, kissing him.
“Cya believe mi a get married,” he says like it’s unreal. I hold his face, then he bites my lip.
“Nickoi!” I pout, checking if it’s bleeding. He just laughs harder. I suck his bottom lip, then freeze when footsteps echo. We’re already caught. Junior and Suzanne smiling like fools. “Lef some fi honeymoon, man,” Junior jokes.
I slip off, blushing. “Hey mommy babies,” I greet the twins. Zanne looks pretty in her swoop pony.
“Mi love your bridal style,” she says. “Mi see why Nickoi a rush honeymoon activities.”
Zahir giggles. I laugh and cover his ears. “Don’t listen, yuh hear?”We get them in the Jaguar. Nickoi is struggling to clip the car seat, and I correct him.
“Wah more yuh want mi do?” he snaps, annoyed.
I ignore him, fixing it myself. “Wah unuh woulda do without mommy?” I say to the babies.
“Zara, just shut up,” Nickoi hisses, pulling me close again. “Watch mi and you tomorrow.”
My face heats up. “Let me go, man.”
“Watch the lovers,” Suzanne teases.
“Only people in love cuss cuss so,” Junior jokes. We all laugh then me and Zanne get in and drive off into the night. When we get there, the front door is already open when we step out of the car.
“Somebody inside?” I ask curiously.
