“I don’t really love kidney, enuh, but this taste really good,” I say after the first bite.
She beams. “That’s normal when you pregnant, yuh start liking things you never used to.”
“Yeah, I know,” I reply, still chewing. She starts to walk away, but I stop her.
“You can eat with me, enuh, Lizzie,” I call out. She turns, looking a bit surprised.
“No, that’s alright,” she says with a small smile and continues walking out.
“We made it, so let’s eat together,” I try again, reassuring her. “Nothing nuh wrong.”
She chuckles softly, then turns back and makes her way to the counter. After sharing her portion, she takes a seat beside me.
Nice.
“I’ve worked with a lot of rich people,” she says, glancing down at her food, “And none of them never offer fi mi sit and eat with them.”
I sigh quietly. “Rich?” I repeat.
Mi nuh rich at all. Nickoi is, though… so in a way, yeah… mi kinda is.
“Mi nuh necessarily rich,” I tell her honestly, “but mi always treat people the way mi would want to be treated.”
She smiles, but I can tell she’s still unsure. “So… him nah go have a problem?”
I shake my head. “No sah,” I say casually, taking another bite. “You good.”
“Okay,” she says, finally settling into her seat as she eats. There’s something lighter about her now, like she’s letting herself breathe.
“You’re really a nice girl, enuh,” she says softly. “And mi hope you have a safe delivery when it time.”
I nod. Mi been a pray for that. “Thank you,” I tell her, my tone dropping a little. “Mi scared, enuh… ‘cause mi always watch videos of women giving birth, and it nuh look easy at all.”
“No man, nuh worry yourself… just trust God, mi girl,” Lizzie says, her voice light but full of reassurance.
I nod. “Always,” I smile softly.
As I continue eating, an idea sparks. “Mi a go exercise after this… you wanna join me?”
She chuckles. “No problem. But what you gonna do… run?”
“We could,” I grin. “Get fi know the neighborhood better too.”
She nods, amused. Nickoi never really let me go out and explore the neighbourhood.
Maybe him have a reason. It’s a gated community, so what exactly him shielding me from? Most of the people who live here act stuck up anyway and mi pretty sure dem nuh business wid me.
So yuh think.
After we clean up the kitchen, we head outside. The air feels fresh, light. My body already likes this idea. “Mi cyaa even tell when last mi run,” I laugh.
As we make our way toward the gate, the security walks up toward us. “Hey, Mr. Joe,” I greet him with a smile, thinking how much he reminds me of Joe from You.
“Hey, Miss Williams… boss didn’t tell me you were leaving,” he says, looking slightly concerned.What? Him affi know that?
“Um… I just want to exercise,” I tell him.
His forehead creases. “I don’t want you to leave and he isn’t aware,” he says, already reaching for his phone. “I’m going to call him.” He walks off toward his post, and I sigh.
