Mama tilts her head. “Why Zara a fret so?” Her tone drips with sarcasm.
Here we go again…
Nickoi looks at me. “Mi know Zara fraid fi mek unuh know this, so mi a mek unuh know—”
He’s about to continue, but Mommy interrupts, her voice a notch sharper. “A sup’m bad?” Her skin flushes, beads of sweat forming. She’s nervous, every muscle tense. Mama scoffs and hisses under her breath. I close my eyes, wishing I could shrink.
Nickoi steps forward. “Just listen nuh, Mommy.” His voice is firm. I sense his irritation at Mama’s hostility. I don’t look at that side of the room.
Mommy softens. “Alright, talk,” she says to Nickoi, gesturing for Mama to calm down.
He exhales and states it simply: “Mi get Zara pregnant and mi want unuh fi know bout it.” My mother gasps.
Mama chuckles coldly, and I look away in embarrassment. “Hmmm,” Mama murmurs, disapproval clear.
“Nickoi what!?” Mommy’s eyes pop wide. Mama shakes her head slowly, eyes drifting from me to nothing at all.
Mommy presses on. “Mi and you talk and you promise you wouldn’t get her pregnant, yuh know she’s not ready. She’s still in college, no job, no place. I don’t want her struggling with a baby.”
Nickoi nods to me. “Ms. Michelle, mi understand. Mi love Zara, so mi nah make her struggle. And mi want har fi have har own things yes but mi nuh have a problem fi support har until she get har own or until she get a job yuh zi mi. She nuh in school again enuh she basically done har exams and have graduation lef and she can get a job anytime. So dem thing deh gov.”
Tears prick my eyes watching him. Mommy reaches for her tissue, wiping tears away. Then, unexpectedly, she steps toward him and hugs him, her chubby arms snaking around his tall, sculpted frame.
“You know why mi hug yuh?” she whispers. “Because you’re not the kind of man weh allow baby fi hold yuh back, but here you are breaking the stereotypes for my daughter. Mi see you truly want what’s best for her, and I respect that.”
Her sobs shake her voice. My own tears leak as she continues: “She’s very emotional… she couldn’t manage a babyfather drama. So I’m happy you’re stepping up to your responsibility. Thank you Nickoi.”
“A true,” Gavin chimes in. The corner of my lips curling into a smile. “At first mi judge him, mi did feel say him would hurt her, but now mi see that him love har bad bad.”
A dat him did seh yes.
Her eyes glisten as they meet mine, and I feel my own tears start to fall.See who yuh get the Bally Bally trait from.
“Right,” Mommy nods. “A baby is a blessing, so mi naggo complain. Mi just.. mi just worried. Mi nervous but mi happy—for both of you. I love you.”
We embrace—broken sobs released, then she cups my face. “I always see you as a mother, Zara. I didn’t expect it so soon, but I’m happy.” She kisses my forehead. “I just wanted you stable first, with your degree, your job, but everything happens for a reason. Mi naggo question anything.”
I whisper, “Thanks, Mommy for understanding and I love you more.”
Nickoi stares at me, his face unreadable. I look away, clinging to my mom instead. Mama finally turns around, her glare cutting straight through Nickoi like a blade.
“Mi did know yuh get har pregnant from she walk in here,” Mama says, her voice tight with anger. “Mi just did a wait fi see how long unuh woulda tek fi come tell me!”Bwoy mi a tell yuh.
Gavin quietly gets up and heads to the front. Mi nuh wrong him. The tension in the living room is heavy enough to choke on.
Mama’s glare doesn’t leave Nickoi. Her eyes drill into him, her voice shaking with anger. “Wah di devil sen’ yuh fi do? Mash up mi granddaughter life!?”
Nickoi only chuckles, shaking his head. He doesn’t say a word, and somehow that pisses her off more.
Mommy intervenes— “Mom, it’s enough.”
Mama counters. “Mi cya believe you enuh Michelle… yuh only concern is Zara being financially stable fi deal with her baby but yuh nah think about the danger weh this bwoy a go put har inna?!” mama argues.
“Mommy, mi understand say yuh nuh wah see Zara with a thug, but a him she love and him love her too, and a dat matter. Him willing fi help her, and a nuh like seh mi can’t, ’cause mi know seh mi have a grandpickney now and mi always spoil mine. But if it is that Nickoi a real Drankro and him neva plan fi help him child, mi woulda step in. So yuh need fi respect this young man, even if him a nuh a one church man,” my mother spats, then sighs.
Mi honestly just wah dem fi stop but mi nuh know wah fi say. Nickoi clears his throat. “Mi aguh cut now, and mi a bring Zara.” Mommy nods, tears filled with relief.
“Alright, I’ll come look for you, baby.” I nod. As we prepare to leave, I feel the tension, particularly with Mama, her eyes on the TV. I hug Gavin, then Mommy, and step forward for Mama’s embrace even though she’s mad at me.
