“Watch boss lady pan nice wall!” Gavin claps as he hops down, proud of his work.Perioddd.
I smile to myself and hug my cousins, if there’s one thing they’re good at, it’s coming through. Sash stares at it.
“This nyam up fi real eno.” she says, looking to the other girls who agree immediately.
“Thanks ladies,” I smile, feeling good. Sash and the girls go back to helping customers while Gavin steps outside to take a call, covering the security work today. I take one last look around, pleased with how everything’s running, then get in the car and grab my phone.
I call Nickoi.
The phone rings and he finally picks up. I can hear our babies all over him, and I chuckle softly. His smile widens when he sees me.
“Look pan yuh pretty mommy,” he says, gently turning Zahira’s face toward the camera. She giggles, and my heart melts.
“Hey, pumpkin,” I grin.
Zahir tries climbing up to Nickoi’s shoulder.
“Aww, he was trying to stand!” I laugh.
Nickoi’s dimples show as he smiles but he keeps his focus on Zahir. “Look pan mommy nuh,” he says, and Zahir leans closer to the screen, looking right at me. I rest my hand on my cheek, love swelling up inside me. Watching my babies grow is the best feeling ever.
Nickoi puts the twins down and props the phone on the table. From the background, I hear Gavin’s voice and laughter.
“Look like we affi go, go past 6pm. We can do that?” he asks, spraying sanitizer in a customer’s hand just as I’m about to press the ignition.
I glance at the time.
The shop is still full and sales are flowing, but I’m tired. Still, I nod. “Yeah, you can do that.”
“Mi cook food,” Nickoi says and I put my hair behind my ears and he bites his lips.
“Why you do that?” He smirks.
Him like it.
I shrug, acting innocent. “No reason.”
“Hmm,” he smiles and I start smiling too then Gavin coughs.
I look over at him. I thought that he was directing that to us but actually it’s Sash. She’s talking with a boy at the door and he’s handsome. I guess she’s just being awfully nice to a next guy.
I look back at my phone, focusing on Mr. Fine. Thinking of it I never really called him Mr. Fine, I always thought of it though.
“Come yer deh Zara,” Gavin calls me out of my car, and I follow knowing I’m getting tea. I walk in again, and Sash is smiling a lot with the guy. She’s wearing blonde braids, pink blouse with my logo on the left with her denim jeans and pink crocs. It’s basically the uniform. They wear any pants or shoe that they want.
“Been a while Ethan,” she blushes and I finally take him in. He’s not the type of guy you’d see Sash crushing on. He’s pretty decent. He dresses nicely but he’s not a scammer. I’m sureeee.
I’m astonished that this guy is able to make Sash blush because she’s always behaving like she’s blind to every man but scammers.
“Where you live now?” She tilts her head up at him.
Mi shock eno… mi shock.
“New Jersey mi live man mi just come link mi grandmother,” he says and her face falls. She nods slowly before she smiles.
Watch yah nuh.
“Okay, it’s good to see you,” Sash a speak English?
