Chapter 4: 3

°Deanne's POV°

6:50 P.M.

"Tha one ya nice!" I say to Ricky, pointing at the shoe on the display shelf.

We're in V.I.P shoes, beside EZ Fashion...where I've been for the past ten or so minutes, looking for shoes to wear to the funeral tomorrow.

Reaching out, I touch the strap, loving the quality of the material.

Yea, mi like tha one ya...

With a loud hiss, Ricky sits on the ottoman, crossing her arms and sulking. "This a make the fourth sum'n yuh say that 'bout now eno, Apple."

Clicking her tongue, she adds, "Then when yuh try it on yuh change yuh mind."

I can hear the frustration in her tone, which causes me to giggle. "A true this time. This is the one. Big woman thing."

Mi know she tired now man. A from evening mi and her a walk up and dung. Oh gosh...!

She hums.

And I remove the shoes, asking the sales rep if I can try both feet.

As I'm putting them on, my phone goes off.

Noting the name on the caller ID, I quickly answer. "Hello?"

"Apple, yuh mind if mi boil some porridge later?" the soft voice greets me as I place it at my ear.

Porridge?

"Wah kinda porridge?" I ask my mother, nestling the phone between the crook of my neck and shoulder.

After fastening the strap on the last foot of the heels I'm trying on, I stand.

"Sum'n easy. Like cornmeal or plantain."

I make a face. I love porridge, but mi cyaa bother wid that tonight.

Mi want sum'n weh mek sense: sum'n solid weh can full mi belly.

And porridge mek mi hungry...

"No sah, Mommy."

She sighs. "Mi tired man. A sum'n easy mi did a look fi look 'bout, 'cause mi cyaa manage the hassle fi go inna kitchen tonight."

Hear this woman like smaddy a pressure her fi go cook, tho God.

After all, it's only the three of us: me, her, and my cousin Alicia.

And most times Alicia sleeps out.

Especially more so nowadays.

So that leaves only Mommy and me at the house.

So I don't know why she a kill up herself. But she just nuh know how fi rest.

"Alright, mi can cook sum'n fi miself then," I assure her. Then add, on second thought, "Or, better yet, mi can buy sum'n when mi a come."

Maybe Sakura.

Hopefully dem nuh lock already.

'Cause mi cyaa manage KFC line right now. Yuh crazy?

I hear shuffling in the background for a while, before I hear Mommy's voice a little louder saying, "Weh yuh deh?"

"Still deh a Treez. About fi go bus stop now."

I deliberately omit the part about me being in a store, buying shoes, because, according to her, I have enough shoes already.

Which is relatively true. But, it's whatever.

A who and her deh deh? I think, hearing the faint murmur of voices in the background.

"Yuh get the sum'n?"

She's asking about the hair.

"Yeah. Not the one I wanted though, but it nice."

'How it look?' I mouth to Ricky, doing a slow, little twirl, so she can see the shoes from all angles, and smile when she gives it a thumbs up.

Staring at my feet, I inwardly gush over how good they look in heels. Plus, I think the shoes was a good choice too. It's a pair of cute little navy blue and white wedges-- a perfect complement to the dress I'll be wearing. Apparently, it's required that all family members be dressed in navy blue; Uncle Tony's favourite colour.

"Where yaggo do yuh hair?" Mommy asks, breaking my reverie. "Ova Claudette?"

Miss Claudette is the big woman hairdresser on the lane, and my mother's long-time friend.

When yuh say bad pon processing or relaxing hair, a she that...!

I always use her as she's reliable and reasonably priced. Plus, her hands 'gree with my hair.

Sitting on the ottoman, beside Ricky, I unbuckle the shoes and remove them from my feet while saying, "No, Mommy, mi text TJari and she say Miss Claudette sick. So mi just ago stop a Kimone shop and mek she do it."

Hope the crowd run off by time mi reach up deh.

Kimone is the other hairdresser in the square. She's younger, more trendy and flexible, so it's no wonder she's always full.

That's why I'm glad when I texted her and she said she could squeeze me in last minute, this evening.

Just hope Mommy nuh start bawl 'bout the price.

She dare fi true...

Although Kimone's way pricier than Miss Claudette though, her work speaks for itself and is definitely worth the price.

And if mi affi pay mi money but mi sure say mi ago dolly dung afterwards, why not?

"Oh, alright den, mi baby."

"Yeah. Mi soon come."

"Aii...mek mi know when yuh get taxi."

"Alright. Later, Mumzel."

"Aii."

When the line disconnects, I sigh, slide the phone inside my skirt pocket, pick up the shoes and walk over to the cashier.

"Yuh want them?" the lady behind the counter asks as I place the shoes in front of her.

Retrieving my purse from my backpack, I nod. "Yeah. Paying with a debit card."

Looking back at my best friend, she mouths, 'Yuh ready now?' and I nod, before turning back to the cashier as she processes my payment.

Bwoi, mi tired.

.           .             .

"Which number yuh want?"

"Yuh give mi money, miss?" Ricky sasses as we move up in line.

And I look at her and roll my eyes. "Miss, if mi ask, nuh must mi a buy?"

Don't know wah'pn to her. Mi coulda have mi bestie a walk up and dung inna sun from evening and now mi a buy food and nuh treat her?

We're currently in Burger King, waiting for our chance to reach the cashier. Thank God the line isn't so bad.

I know I initially said I wanted Sakura, but I decided to get Burger King instead. It's getting kinda dark and mi cyaa tek the long walking fi go way up desso, right now. Mi tired!

Perking up, Rickel grins, clapping her hands. "A lie! Raaaay!"

Folding my lips, to quell the urge to smile, I say, "So?"

Her brows furrow. "So wah?"

"Wah yawh order, lady?"

"Yuh can just buy a number one. Go large."

"Yuh hear 'Go large'?" I tease and she laughs.

Moving up as the cashier is finished with another customer, I turn and peer through the glass door.

My heart skips a beat when I see the grey bus that's parked along the curb at the bus stop by the transport centre.

A the same bus that from today?

Wah it name again...

Shottaz?

A wonder if ——

"A wah yawh look pon," Ricky asks, startling me.

Peeling my eyes away, I blush. Thank God mi dark-skinned. Jesus! "Nothing. Just a look how it still light out, outside, and a 'bout after seven now."

She twists her wrist to look at the time that's on her watch. "Ten minutes past seven. Eeeeh! A lie! A mussi long day then."

"Yeah," I say, taking one last discreet look at the bus stop before turning and moving up in line.

Why mi feel so inna mi stomach at the thought of the bus man though?

Lawd, a wah that...butterflies?

But Jesus!

°

°

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°Tyrone's POV°

7:15 P.M.

"Ducta, watch di work!" I shout, getting Perry's attention.

The man stand up a chat to wasteman Coco when the whole a the people dem a pass a go inna a next man bus.

But a wah the pussyclaat this?

A wonder if him see say a night a come and a our time fi load now...know how long mi park up yasso?

"Yuh nuh see Choppy a run off the work?" he asks, referring to the loada man who's standing on the other side of the bus shouting: 'Constant Spring--one and ready, two and drive!'

"How yuh miserable so morewhile, daddy?" he adds.

Feeling annoyed, I hiss my teeth.

Turning to face ahead, I place my hand at my jaw, and sigh, watching the group of people who're crossing the road from Burger King's side. Mi tired eno. Mi tired yuh fuck! And a just 7 o'clock...

Jah Jah.

"Who yawh fret pon?" Perry says, the sudden sound of his voice making my heart skip a beat. "The likkle slim thing from today?"

My brows quirk. "Who?"

"The same 'B' deh from Queenz, man."

My eyes dart to him, noting the smug smirk curling his lips. My frown deepens. "Yuh nuh see a schoolaz that, dawg?"

Mi nuh chat to school pickney too tough, yuzeet. 'Cause most times them nuh know themself. And man a big man.

I like my women working class.

Though, admittedly, there was something about her that seemed different. Nuh know wah but...From the moment she sat beside me, I couldn't resist saying something to get her attention --despite how fucking corny it was.

She was funny and cheeky too. Cute.

Plus, she have likkle looks yuzeet. And, fi a slimmaz, her bumpa cock up, nawh lie.

But, mi nawh three medz that still. Ano like mi ago see her again...

Matter-of-fact, ano like if mi did see her again sum'n woulda gwaan, anyways.

"N'ave nuh time fi child's play, dawg."

He hums.

As I'm about to say something else, I spot someone moving in my peripheral vision, before I even feel the presence near me.

Turning just in time as the person reaches my window, my lips stretch to form a grin when I see my chargie, Kimani. His expression mimics mine as he pulls my hand to him, dapping me up.

"Dawg! A wah the man dem a dealid?"

"Mi deh yah, man! A weh yawh come from, dawg? The man look well bush out!"

Mi like tha multicoloured Air Force 1 deh, mi woulda beat it...

"Yuh waa know say issa one catty mi go link a Portmore and just a forward back inna the place."

"So wah yawh do yasso? Weh yuh do, tek bus?"

"Bus!" he expresses, feigning offence. "A weh the rass the man a ask mi say? Mi can go link a catty and a tek bus, mi fada?"

Laughing at his expression, I recline in the seat. "So weh the car deh?"

Pointing over his shoulder, with his free hand, towards Burger King's parking lot, he says, "Ova desso. A spot mi spot the bus and a say mi ago come give Perry a link. Never know a you a drive."

"Yea, man. Mi a run it off from yesterday. The yute weh did a drive it call out sick, yuzeet."

Kimani nods. "Know dem way deh."

He then adds, "A same so Knockiss a call mi from wah day a say if mi waa run off fi him own, but mi say no yawh man. Cyaa tek the heap a fuckry wid bus work more while, yuzimi."

I nod my understanding. "A facts yawh chat, man."

The two likkle days weh mi deh pon di road mek mi feel fed up already. Feel like all mi pressure gone up to pussyclaat.

Jah know.

Releasing my hand from his, he leans against my door. "So weh yuh up to? Perry nuh tell mi say uno have charter fi funeral tomorrow or sum'n?"

"Mhm. Yawh forward pon the country run wid we?"

"A you a drive?"

"Yeah. Did a link Kujo but him say him ago busy, yuzeet."

Kimani hisses his teeth loudly and Perry, who's sitting on the second seat across from me, chuckles. "Dem man deh eva busy. A wah so?"

Shrugging, I say, "Good question, wrong person."

Afta mi nawh watch nuh man. Mi nuh fuck batty.

Kimani hums.

"Anyways," I say, sensing the shift in the mood, "yuh waa drive it?"

"Mi? Not a rass. Right now issa early evening mi a call this. A go right home go beat two dragon and wul a medz."

I laugh.

At the same time that my phone buzzes, vibrating against the dashboard.

Stretching over to retrieve it, I look at the notification which pops up; my eyes widening slightly when I see the name of the person who texted.

A wah yuh nawh say...

Clicking on the drop-down menu, without opening WhatsApp, I read what it says.

Chantel: Hey.

Biting my lip, I click reply.

ME: Sup. U good?

Chantel: Yes. Just lying in bed thinking.

Eeee sah...

ME: What about? 👀

Chantel: You. 🫣

Selah.

ME: You don't say. Care to tell what's on your mind? 😏

Chantel: When am I gonna see you again? 😉

Jah know.

Yo, mi fuck tha gyal ya one time ——same day mi meet her ——and she hooked already?

Jah Jah.

I don't even start typing out a response properly before my phone is dragged from my hands.

My head snaps to face the culprit, seeing Perry, leaning over me, with my phone in his hand, staring at the screen with a perplexed look on his face, creasing its features.

"Dawg, yuh serious? Dah gyal yah again?"

"Pass mi phone, badman."

"Yuh serious, dawg?" he says, ignoring my request. "Yuh still a mess wid she, yo?"

"So wah'pn to that?" My tone is clipped.

Weh the fuck tha bredda yah up to?

I know he doesn't approve of the girl, but he has no right to invade my personal space. Him wrong fi that.

Still staring at the phone, he tsks. "Mi lose offa yuh, Dada dawg."

But a wah the fuck this...?

"Mi a mi own big man eno, yute," I tell him, making sure my voice is firm. "No need nuh babysitter."

Mi nuh care 'bout a man's feeling towards a female, just don't interfere when yuh see mi a do mi thing.

Worse when I don't see why you hate the girl.

Inna my opinion, him just a push bad vibes fi no reason.

And yuh know the funny thing, a him make mi know the gyal.

Then all of a sudden he has a problem.

Him claim say the gyal a dog shit, but through mi never too watch no dog a shit, mi nuh notice, yuzimi.

Furthermore, nuh man cyaa programme mi. Can't tell mi wah fi do or how fi do it.

"A wah gwaan?" I hear Kimani ask, looking back and forth between us, apparently sensing the tension.

Hissing my teeth, I adjust the seat belt, bringing it over my head, as a group of people enter the bus.

"Mi a tell the man say some gyal a crosses, dawg, and it better him stay far. But the man a act like say a sum'n bad mi a say. Them gyal deh hole curse, mad dawg! One a mi dawg dem fuck it and from that a bare fuckry a follow the man, yo!"

Kimani laughs. "Yo, a which gyal that?"

"One gyal from Fletchers. She used to go Berlin when mi deh deh yuzeet. And mi buck her up back wah day and we link up and thing. She see the dawg one time and like him off. But mi a tell the man say nuh thread desso nonetall...but it come like a fuckry mi a chat, daddy!"

I hiss my teeth again. "Yuh nawh pass mi phone, yute?"

When he doesn't acknowledge me, I frown, pulling on the chain above my head to blow the horn, to catch the attention of a group of girls walking towards the bus.

"Alright, keep it!" I hiss. "Make sure yuh chat to Candi when she call."

Since yuh waa sum'n fi do.

My eyes follow the same group of girls, as Choppy leads them to the bus; my gaze staying on them, through the mirror, until they take a seat at the back.

"Mi know them way deh. Some gyal a crosses fi real, mi fada." Kimani chuckles dryly. "A same so wah day mi and a gyal ketch up. When yuh work bus them try fi tek step a yuh. Ago come tell man 'bout she nawh beg ride, thru mi hear she a diss up mi ducta and tell her fi easy herself or come offa mi bus, yuzeet?

"Ago come tell mi 'bout her man drive car and her man this...and her man that. Like mi give a fuck. Then a go come tell mi how mi look hungry. Dawg! Weh? Look pon mi good! Mi look short a food? Yuh waa see the gyal too! Fava any bomboclaat heng-pon-nail!

"Pon top a that a go come tell mi how mi look like a bare pussy mi feed pon. Yo, mi affi mek she know say if she ever tell mi fi come suck fi her own, mi cut out fi her rassclaat belly! Fucking bright!"

Perry laughs raucously. "Yo, them gyal yah n'ave nuh style, mi G! So if her man drive wah she a do pon bus?"

"That mi woulda like know!" Kimani agrees. "A right outta Ministry of Health gate mi leff her. Make she call har man fi come fi her, or go seek help ova MOH 'cause she look scrawny and sick yuh fuck!"

Bloodclaat...

I can't help but laugh. "Hey bwoy Kimani yawh germs eno, yute! The fuck that yuh do?"

Them man ya nuh pardon nobody a road eno...!

Jah Jah.

At my statement, he laughs as well. "A she wrong. Yuh know mi nuh run certain joke, mi nuh matter yawh who——"

A shrill sound suddenly surrounds us, cutting him off.

"See yuh woman ya a call yuh..."

Quirking my brows, at the sound of Perry's voice, I look at the phone in his outstretched hand. "So why yuh nuh answer it?"

"A my phone?"

Getting up from the seat he'd been sitting in, as a woman asks him for permission to sit there, he sits on the cushion beside me.

Shrugging, I say, "Coulda swear it was to how yawh hands it up."

Making Perry hiss his teeth.

Taking it from him, regardless, I swipe the screen across, placing the device at my ear.

"Yea, B..." I answer, tuning out Kimani and Perry who're still engaging in their own little convo.

"Babe, yuh leave Halfway Tree already?"

"No. A wah?"

"Just a check."

I hum. "A wah do yuh now?"

"Mi hungry."

So a that yuh call mi fa? Jah know? Resisting the urge to hiss my fucking teeth in her ear, I clear my throat. "Weh yuh deh?"

"Mi still ova Kimone."

So long?

A wah she a do so?

Mek the hair then put it een?

"Yuh soon done?"

"'Bout the next fifteen or twenty minutes."

"Oh."

"Yawh come fimi when mi done?"

I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Ah. Mi bus still a load so mi nuh leff Treez yet, still. So when mi reach Manor Park and empty off."

"Oh. OK."

"Yea..." my voice trails off as I spot a familiar face exit through the doors over by Burger King, before turning and walking up the street with her friend.

She never gone home yet?

Why?

Craning my neck, I stare at her, through the rear view mirror, watching her hug her friends who then goes across the road, before she walks over to a PriceRite taxi and gets in.

The taxi then pulls out of the gas station and speeds down the avenue, passing the bus.

Since she's sitting next to the window, I see her. Her head turning just in time to meet my gaze.

It's as if time slows as we stare at each other. When in actuality, it's merely a few seconds glance.

It is only when the taxi goes through the green light and disappears around the bend, do I release the breath I didn't even realize I was holding.

"Babe?" the sound of Candi's voice draws me out of the trance I'm in and I shake my head, regaining consciousness.

Clearing my throat, in an effort to also clear my head, I say, "Yea, man, mi still deh ya."

"OK. I was saying..."

Tuning her out, my mind replays what just happened, trying to decipher the feeling I felt.

If mi never know better, mi woulda say a chemistry.

Yo!

A wah just gwaan, dawg?

Jah Jah!