“Aye, something smell good, huh?” Kalil enquired as the smell of flying fish and cou-cou assaulted his senses.
“Hell yea, it does. I think it’s coming from over there.” Onyx pointed out a table that looked like they were selling food. “Y’all trying to go over?”
Kalil, Quan and Kas all nodded, commenting on how they were all hungry. Layla didn’t see how that was possible because they’d all eaten before leaving the house. “Well, come find us when y’all are done stuffing your faces. We’ll be over there checking out some artwork.”
The group split with the guys venturing off for food. The ladies stopped and purchased fresh tropical fruit before making their way to the area where artwork and handmade jewelry was being sold. Layla quickly became captivated by a specific artist’s work and stopped to ask questions about a few pieces that caught her eye. Yanna wasn’t really into fine art and hired an interior decorator for all her home décor needs, so she wasn’t too pressed. In truth, she was regretting not going with the guys because she could’ve stood to eat again. Brunch had been filling, but she’d always had a big appetite.
“Ooh, this one is nice. This would look good in the foyer of our house, wouldn’t it?” Troi asked, pointing to a Sheena Rose painting.
“I guess.” Yanna shrugged. “It matches if that’s what you’re asking, you know I’m not really into art.”
“I forget all the art on your walls come fromWayfair.”
“And I’m okay with that. What I really need is a damn phone, there’s no T-Mobile store on this island?”
“I highly doubt it. Besides, I don’t think you lost your phone. It’s probably somewhere in that house. When’s the last time you had it?”
“I honestly don’t even remember. It was either right before we went to the Foreday Jam or sometime during. That’s why I’m thinking I dropped it or something.”
“I still say it’s in the house. I’ll help you look when we get back, and if not, we’ll just get you a new one when we get back to the States.”
“Yea, I’m not that pressed for real. I just know my mumma probably blowing me up though.”
“Auntie will be okay. If she really needs something, she’ll call her sister.” Troi spoke of her own mother. Yanna nodded but knew things were never that easy when it concerned her mother, Janis. “Excuse me, I’d like to purchase this painting right here,” Troi pointed.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I have that same one back home,” a voice called from behind Troi and Yanna. They turned to find a gorgeous woman with an equally gorgeous man holding a painting of her own.
“Oh, yes, it is. I was just telling my cousin how good it would look in our Foyer back home too.”
“We put ours in the family dining room. My husband is from here, so we have a whole collection of paintings from Bajan artists around the house.”
“Oh really? That’s so cool, this is my first time here, but I love it.”
“We come a lot, but yea the island is so beautiful. I’m sorry if this is weird, I didn’t notice it when we first started talking but… you’re Munroe, aren’t you?”
“She is!” Yanna beamed, always excited when her cousin was recognized. Troi still refused to accept that although she may not have been internationally known like Onyx, she was still a celebrity in her own right.
“I thought so, it’s so nice to meet you. Even though it was only the one song, I absolutely loved it and still keep it on my daily playlist. We live in VA also. This is my husband.”
Everyone exchanged pleasantries, making idle chat about Virginia, the island and Cropover while Troi completed her purchase. Layla, who’d been marveling over her painting at the other table, finally came over when Troi called for her attention.
“Oh, I’m sorry. This painting is so beautiful, it had me mesmerized... I” Layla’s words became lodged in her throat when she finally laid eyes on the couple. She found the man to be extremely attractive and could automatically tell he had ties to the island. He wasn’t what had her stuck, however. It was the cocoa skinned beauty tucked protectively at his side. Her smooth complexion, innocent doe eyes and enamoring smile were reminiscent of someone she once knew. Coincidences and the smallness of the world weren’t concepts lost on Layla, but this was too much. It couldn’t be her. However, the longer Layla studied the face of the woman, wondering how neither Troi nor Yanna noticed the familiarity of her features, she knew it was. The shock of it all rendered her immobile, causing the painting she’d been reveling over to slip from her grasp. The basket of fruit she’d been clutching under her arm tumbled along with it, causing the crop to splatter at her feet.
“Mumma Lay, are you okay?” Troi questioned, concerned.
After retrieving her painting from the ground, Layla stood and offered a quick smile, gaze lingering on the woman for a few moments. “Oh, um, y-yea, whew, I’m sorry. I’m just a little tired is all.”
“Here, let me get that fruit up for you,” the man offered.
“Oh no, it’s okay, really, I got it.”
“Nonsense.Igot it.”
Layla didn’t offer further rebuttal as she let the gentleman scoop up the fruit with his hands and toss them into a nearby trashcan.
“Oh wow, you picked a beautiful painting as well,” the beauty commented, noticing the painting in Layla’s hand. “You know what? It’s funny, but I think that painting is actually a part of a set.”
“Really? I didn’t uh, I didn’t s-see another one that could’ve matched.”
