Anna-Lise and Garth agreed that she'd sit in the back of Garth's Prado with me.
I wanted to hug them both for thinking about Kofi and how cramped he'd be in the back with inadequate leg room.
The ride to the Midlands Golf Course took twenty minutes and shortly after we got there, Garth got a set of rental clubs for Kofi, as well as a pair of shoes. When we were about to leave the pro shop, Bryan walked in. He was another of Garth's friends and also the manager of the club. He'd grown into a handsome man with mellow honey-brown skin. When I hit my thirteenth birthday, I developed a crush on him and my adoration lasted a couple of years. Bryan humored me and hadn't laughed at my hero worship.
Garth was another matter.
"Gina, it's good to see you." Bryan surrounded me in a bear hug and tapped me under the chin. "How's my baby sis?"
"I'm good. How are Kathy and the baby?"
"Doing well. Make sure you come and see us before you run off again."
"I can't leave without seeing Brianna."
"She's growing like a weed."
That's when I took Kofi's hand and introduced them. Bryan and Garth promised to take Kofi for a guy's night out before we left the island.
"Where's Vance?" I asked when I realized he was missing.
"He and Ayisha should be along shortly," Garth said. "They'll catch up with us by the time we get down to the tee. Are you playing, by the way?"
I shook my head. "I'm still nowhere as good as you guys. I'll get a cart and drive Kofi."
"That's the life," Anna-Lise said.
We chuckled at her comment but as they all knew, I'd never been as mad about golf as they were. Chasing a ball for four or five hours around a golf course had never been my idea of fun, no matter how great the scenery. Kofi enjoyed it, so I was prepared to tag along for the ride.
At the first tee, I watched them take their shots. The sun was brilliant, but a slight breeze rustled the trees and it was not only comforting, but relaxing to be home. This would probably be the most enjoyment I'd get out of being here for the next few weeks. I felt as though I was stealing time before something disastrous happened.
Kofi returned to the cart and dropped the club in the bag on the back of it. When he sat next to me, he frowned. "You seem to be out of things. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
I pressed the pedal and got the cart moving. It made no sense to spoil Kofi's mood by sharing something he couldn't fix. So, I made up my mind to enjoy the round with him. It was possible that I was worried for no reason, but my mind said otherwise. I pushed the negative thoughts away. Maybe nothing would happen, but I also knew my mother and what to expect from her.
Tomorrow, and reality, would hit us soon enough. Today was about Kofi and me and I was going to make every minute count.
