Mom's commanding tone placed me back in the kitchen as I watched my father, Garth and Kofi walk into the room. Without giving it a thought, I sat where Kofi did and Garth and Anna-Lise did the same, so we faced each other across the table. My mother and father sat in their regular places at both ends.
Daddy said grace and we passed the dishes around until our plates were full.
Kofi opted for all the vegetable dishes with rice and a spicy fish filet, while the rest of us ate sweet and sour chicken, roasted pork and curried beef with spicy noodles.
"Don't you eat meat, Kofi?" Garth asked.
"Not much," Kofi said.
"How do you maintain all those muscles?"
"Protein shakes, nuts and exercise do a good job."
"No supplements?"
"Too much artificial ingredients. I do take vitamins."
Mom stole glances at Kofi while he spoke and although she said nothing, it was obvious she still didn't approve of him. I didn't like the way she looked at him, or didn't look at him, as if he wasn't worth her time.
I also caught Dad watching me. It was harder to decipher what he was feeling, but I knew he would support me in whatever made me happy. His words brought me back to the table. "So, Kofi, what brought you to Jamaica?"
"I'm working on a project."
"What kind of project?" Anna-Lise asked. "Gina has been selfish with anything to do with you."
"That's so not true," I said, laughing. "You had every opportunity to ask him on Friday evening."
"True that," she said, lifting a fork wrapped with noodles to her mouth. "Blame it on Vance."
As Kofi and Garth chuckled, my mother's face went tight.
"So you've been showing Kofi around, I see."
"It's his first time on the island," I said, wondering what her problem was, but I already knew. She was jealous, which didn't make sense.
"When are you leaving?" she asked, speaking directly to him for the first time since we sat over dinner.
"In another few weeks."
Nobody moved, but I could almost see the wheels turning in Mom's head.
"When he goes, I'm going," I said, in case there was any doubt in her mind.
Garth and Anna-Lise looked at each other, then at me. I raised my eyebrows. "What? I'm sure that would have been Mom's next question."
She sat up and met my gaze. "You don't know what's going on in my mind."
I snarled. "Right."
"Regina." My father's stern tone reminded me that Mom hadn't said anything offensive. Half of her insults were unspoken, but unmistakable.
I opened my mouth, but Kofi's hand on my wrist carried a strong message I couldn't ignore.
"While we are here," Kofi said, including Mom and Dad in his conversation, "Gina plans to spend some time with both of you."
I didn't contradict him, but from the expression on Garth's face I knew it was time to pull back a little. Letting my breath out slowly, I looked at my father. "I'm sorry."
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."
