"That's right, Sis. Don't take any crap from him," Garth said.
Vance shook his head and addressed Brianna. "You see the things I have to put up with, Queen B?"
The baby slapped his cheeks between both hands.
When Vance protested, I laughed and reached for a slice of toast. "Good girl."
The houseman walked into the room and asked what we wanted to eat. I scanned the table and ordered for myself and Kofi. We had tea while the others finished their meal. The houseman was back within five minutes with steaming plates of callaloo.
Around a mouthful of callaloo and fried dumplings, I made kissy faces with Brianna, who now sat in her mother's lap. She waved with both hands, then grabbed the table and stood as if she wanted to creep across it to get to where I sat.
"I think she's in love," Kofi said.
"Do you blame her?" I asked, giving him a saucy grin.
Vance shook his head. "I didn't know how much I missed you until you breezed back into the island."
"And I didn’t realize how much I didn't miss you until I saw you again."
Everybody fell out laughing, including Vance who shook a finger at me when he stopped. "I'll get you for that."
Being back in Jamaica reminded me of all the ways in which I had deprived myself by staying away from my family. While the people around me were Garth's best buddies, they had always treated me as if I belonged. I missed that. My gaze slid to Kofi, whose smile conveyed his affection. Was he giving thought to staying here and doing business? We hadn't talked about his intentions, but maybe now was the time to have that discussion.
Once breakfast was over, Kofi went back to our room to get his tablet, and I changed into a swimsuit. The rest of the gang lazed by the pool, claiming it was too much work to even think about swimming. They teased Kofi and me about being exercise nuts and we clapped back, letting them know that in our book, golf could not be considered exercise. That started a loud discussion about the benefits of walking the golf course, versus risking injury by lifting weights.
As I lay on a lounge chair listening to Kofi explain different kinds of injury to muscles and what it took to repair them, I wished this precious interval wouldn't end, but my life seemed to revolve around complications. I had no doubt the conflict with my mother wouldn't go away any time soon. The most I could do was prepare for what was coming.
Kofi was right.
I had to sort out that part of my life before I could face the future.
Chapter 18
Kofi
"KOFI, I CAN SEE YOUlove that girl."
