The next time my gaze moved from the television where a football game was onscreen, Mom was hunched over talking to Dad. He met my eyes, but nodded in response to my mother's words.
The longer I sat, the more uncomfortable I became.
She was setting him up to be in the middle of our struggle and I didn't like it. If my mother wasn't sure of anything else, she knew I'd do whatever my father asked of me.
Chapter 16
Kofi
BEING WITH GINA ANDher brother's gang was a great way to spend the day. After being in their company for a few hours, I understood how and why they had been friends so long. They balanced each other well and acted like a family. I'd gotten over missing mine years ago, but watching this group of friends made me think about the distance I'd put between myself and my relatives. If I allowed my mind to continue along its current track, I'd soon be missing them.
My gaze shifted to Gina, where she sat with Garth under a thatch-roofed enclosure. Every so often, she flicked the ends of her hair which was still wet. Our first stop in Ocho Rios was at Dunn's River Falls, but according to Vance, the place was too thick with tourists so we left. Not far away, we'd come to the Konoko Falls property. The groups weren't as large, so they decided to stay.
Gina and I had walked through the gardens. Beautiful was the only way I could describe the place—green, red and yellow flowers and plants surrounded us on every side. What caught my attention was Gina's reaction. She loved the open spaces and having nature up close. The woman dragged me everywhere, taking pictures with her phone and then showing them to me as if I wasn't standing beside her and seeing the same scenes.
This was my first experience at climbing any kind of natural falls, but it was a great one. Gina thoroughly enjoyed splashing me with cold water and shrieked like a banshee when I sent waves of water crashing over her head. Full of fun and excitement, Gina was a different kind of woman whose company I enjoyed.
Even when at rest, she made me laugh. When we were together, it seemed everything fell into place and we clicked as a team. The fact was though, until she faced her problems and dealt with them, we couldn't move from the place we were currently in, even if it was a good one.
I paid attention to Garth and Gina when her voice went up a couple of notches.
She twisted the tips of her hair while staring at the ground. She was pouting, and I could guess the subject of their conversation.
Despite me telling her parents she'd be spending time with them during the week gone by, Gina made no attempt to visit them. Every time I brought up the subject, she found a way to channel my attention elsewhere. By the time Friday rolled around, I realized she had dodged me the entire week. This morning, I had playfully dubbed herThe Artful Dodger, like that classic novel by the same name. Here we were, one day away from Sunday and she still hadn't made a move to visit her parents.
I looked back at where the brother and sister sat, and this time Gina folded her arms under her breasts. She still pouted, but her expression had softened, which was a good sign. For someone who acted as if she was brash and unfeeling, Gina was exactly the opposite on the inside. She was like an affectionate, playful kitten, but like a cat, she had her moods where she grew standoffish and I couldn't reach her.
A burst of laughter sounded behind me and I realized the rest of the group had gathered under the shed. Anna-Lise and Ayisha were playing with Brianna, who squealed loudly. Her mother watched indulgently from a distance, standing with Bryan, who had taken the day off for the trip.
They had shown me nothing but a good time and again, I wondered why Gina chose to be out of reach of this kind of camaraderie and support.
While she had shared her ordeal with me, I didn't doubt there were other things that troubled her. Given the power her mother wielded over the family, I suppose I had a clue why Gina chose to assert her independence this way. She needed this time with her family, whether she realized it or not. I was glad she made the decision to come to the island with me.
As the women gathered their things, Gina stood next to me curving one hand across my back. "We're almost ready to go."
Sliding my arm around her waist, I lowered my head so I could speak softly. "Thanks for organizing this outing."
