I tiptoed back towards the front of the house to try and get a better look at Delonte. He was crushing some weed in his hand and humming to himself.
“Yuh haffi quiet if you’re creeping my yute”, he teased.
His words startled me, I didn’t think he knew I was there. I stay frozen beside the house unsure what to do next.
He laughed and shook his head, then raised his hand and said “fawad”. I innocently came out from behind the plants with my head down. For some reason I always looked up to Delonte, maybe because I only had an older sister. He was my dad’s best and favourite soldier. The only one that was allowed to come inside the house. He was my favourite too, he showed me how to shoot a gun and allowed me to try his spliff one time. He wasn’t too much older than Shelly-Anne, so I guess it made sense, them having a fling. I knew my father wouldn’t like it though.
“Wat mi tell yuh bout spying?”, he questioned me, as he pushed up my chin with his finger. “And wah mi say bout hangin ya ‘ead?”
“Neva spy pon family… and keep mi head high, look yuh inna yuh eye.”
“Mmhmm”, he groaned as he built his spliff.
“Fadda don’t wan yuh and Shelly-Anne together…’, I blurted out childishly.
“Mi kno, that’s why yuh nuh tell him.”
We exchanged a look, that said to add it to the list of things we were already hiding from him.
He got up, stretched then rubbed my head and set off on a walk. I wanted to follow him, but my sister called me into the house.
I awoke to Paris hovering over me, “what the fuck? How’d you get in?”, I asked.
“These bitches don’t know how to pick a lock but I do, what the fucks going on? Are you aight?”, she asked, cleaning up the washroom.
“Yeah, yeaah I just… ahh…”
“You called out for her”, she said gently. “Are the dreams coming back?”
“Nah.. she was just in my dream..But I’m good, I just drank too much with Biz and Mali.” I said lifting myself from the bathroom floor.
“So why did you come here? Why didn’t you go home?”, she quizzed with a suspicious look on her face.
“Does it matter, I own both of them?”, I said defensively, pushing past her to go to the kitchen.
She scoffed and shook her head, she could always see right through my bullshit.
“Well, I thought you were dying. I didn’t know what to do”, said China as she got up from the couch.
I went to the fridge to get some water, “you think i’ma come here if I’m dying??”, I joked.
I chugged down the water hoping it would bring me back to life but it didn’t.
‘I’ll make you some breakfast, I was just about to cook anyways’, said Miami. She opened up the cabinets and took out some pans.
“Ouu I want bacon and eggs”, volunteered China. Miami squished up her face and threw her a confused look.
“Please?”, she begged.
Paris walked towards her room, ignoring us all.
“So what, you got planned for the morning hot stuff? You’re not going to have breakfast with your family?” I asked, taking a seat on the couch.
“Miami sucks at cooking and I got spin class at 10am.”
“What the fuck, no I don’t bitch; she’s such a hater.”
“Wait what time is it?”, I asked, frantically looking for my phone.
“9:30”, said China walking towards the other couch. She plopped herself down and turned on the tv.
“Shit, where’s my phone?”
“Over here”, said Miami.
I had 10 missed calls from Royaal, and one text from Biz. I opened his message, it said he rescheduled today’s yoga class for sat and to get my shit together by then.
I sighed with relief, that was a good sign. Biz was pissed but were still brothers. I decided to take his advice.
I put my phone down, kicked up my feet and watched whatever ratchet shit China put on.
I knew I had to still deal with Royaal but I just needed to make a plan first. Miami made us the basic breakfast, eggs, sausage, bacon, home fries and toast. It was exactly what I needed to soak up the alcohol in my stomach.
“Thank you ma, that was good”, I said, wiping my mouth.
“No problem”, she was smiling ear to ear, clearly proud of herself.
Paris walked out of her room, wearing a skintight two piece set, probably from TNA. Her hair was up in a bun and her face was covered by her big gucci sunglasses. She was a fine little lightskin ting, she was tall and slim but had nice big titties and a small round ass. She’s lucky she got her moms black full lips too, cause she didn’t look like she gave her anything else.
“Aight i’m out y’all, i’ll see you later before work.”
“Damn, how long is that spin class?” I asked jokingly but not really.
“Two hours but I’m going to meet up with Moe after, if that’s okay with you daddy?” She said it in a sarcastic annoyed voice, she was always the feistiest out of the girls.
“Just make sure you’re not late for work”, I said as sternly as I could. She knew I wasn’t into all the attitude shit.
“I gotchu.”
She grabbed her jacket, put on her uggs and headed out the door.
“So what are we up to for the morning guys?”, asked China. She was walking back into the living room holding her weed tray.
“Well I’m going to sleep for a bit, I’m not sure what you two are going to do”, I said, repositioning myself to lay down.
China was rolling herself a spliff, “booo, I thought it was family time.”
Miami threw a pillow at me, “yeah I thought it was family time.”
I kissed my teeth, “look I need to sleep off this hangover so I can get back to business. I’m here aren’t I, so it’s family time.” I said taking the pillow and using it to cover my face.
I could envision the girls rolling their eyes, but they left it alone. All of a sudden, I smelled the sweet aroma of China’s grabba spliff. The scent took me back and before I knew it I was back in my mother’s kitchen.
“How mi two pretty gyal dem?”, my father’s voice wrapped around the wall and made an appearance before he did. He stepped into the kitchen and the air changed. My father had a regal aura to him, his energy exacerbated intimidation and importance. He was the top shotta in Kingston and he walked like it. Gold adornment dripped from every finger, hand and his neck. I always envisioned wearing one of his rings or chains someday.
“And where mi bwoy pickney deh?”
I ran up to him and gave him a hug, he laughed and squeezed me back. “You behaving for your mudda and your sister?”
“Yes sir”, I said, pulling away and trying not to make too much eye contact with him.
“Good”, he walked over and wrapped his arms around my mother from behind.
“Mi hav a likkle sitt’n for yuh”, he whispered into her ear.
She kissed her teeth, “I’m cooking eh” she said trying to pull the smile off her face.
He laughed and whispered something else into her neck, whilst giving her kisses. She giggled and pretended she didn’t like it as usual. He lifted a black long box out of his pocket and put it in front of her. My mother stopped what she was doing and spun around to face him, with the biggest smile on her face.
She grabbed the box, opened it and pulled out a beautiful sparkling tennis bracelet.
“Earl! You shouldn’t have!”, she said flustered.
“Eh eh, ya see yuh. Mi ah guh give yuh di world, this is just a likkle something till then.”
My dad always came home with gifts for my mom and each time she would act surprised like it was the first time.
They kissed and he put it on her wrist before admiring it. My eyes briefly locked with my sisters but I instantly broke the gaze.
Knock, Knock, Knock!
“Ah who dat?”, called out my father.
‘It’s D”, said Delonte.
“Come inside hunny, you’re just in time for dinner”, greeted my mom.
I heard him open up the screen door then the front door. I immediately looked at Shelly-Anne and saw her blushing pink face.
“Ey bwoy your belly timing good”, said my dad before dapping and hugging him.
“Mama, Ima go freshen up for dinner”, she said before trying to jet off.
“Yuh nuh see D?”, asked my father.
“She giggled, “sorry… hey D” she said, barely looking up at him.
“What’s up Shelly-Anne”, he said back courteously. He was grinning and enjoying her being flustered.
She put up her hand and pointed to the hallway before leaving the room.
“What’s up likkle man”, he said to me grabbing my shoulder.
“Nothin much”, I shrugged. I hated lying to my dad, I just didn’t want to disappoint him or make him mad.
“Brandon, go wash up for dinna.”
“Yes maam.”
I walked to the washroom, washed my hands and face and then headed to my sister’s room.
“I know you like him”, I whispered.
She was in front of her mirror fixing her hair.
“Like who?”, she played dumb.
“D..”
She spun around, looked at me and kissed her teeth, “bwoy stop your noise.”
“I saw you guys at the side of the house”, I said quietly. “Don’t worry mi neva tell on yuh Shelly-Anee.” I said, making an X over my heart. “But yuh kno say dad-”
“Shh”, she walked over to me. She held up her pinky, “our secret k?”
I sighed and locked my pinky to hers, “our secret.”
She kissed the top of my head and nudged me back towards the kitchen. Mama was prepping the table, while D and my dad sat bussing jokes at each other. I went to sit beside D so Shelly-Anne wouldn’t have too.
Shelly-Anne helped my mom prep the table with food before sitting down herself. Once everything was on the table, my father asked D to bless the food. Everyone’s eyes were closed but mine, I couldn’t help it. D nudged me under the table and I shut my eyes.
‘Thank yuh fadda, amen!”
“Amen”, everyone said in unison before grabbing at the pot lids.
“D, next time yuh haffi bring that pretty ting mi see yuh wit at the market”, my father said before stuffing his face. Out of all the things he could’ve said, he decided to say that.
My father was a lot smarter than we gave him credit for, maybe he knew. Shelly-Anne looked up in surprise but quickly caught herself and went back to normal.
“I would’ve sir, but mi done the ting long time.”
“Mom, this tastes really good, thank you”, I said, trying to break up the conversation.
Even though Shelly-Anne was much older than me, I had an instinctual urge to always protect her; whether it was physically or her feelings.
“Forrealll, yuh do somethin different?”, my dad asked.
“Nuh bodda wid it”, she joked before pushing a spoonful of rice and peas in her mouth.
I awoke out of my dream to find myself alone on the couch. I grabbed my phone and saw the time said 3pm, I figured the girls were probably getting ready for work. I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eye, feeling refreshed.
“Lemme call this girl”, I said out loud, getting up to head towards the door.
“I’m out”, I yelled as I pulled the door open and walked through the threshold.
The same intense urge I had to protect Shelly-Anne washed over me as guilt.
I kissed my teeth, “let me go talk to this girl.”
Traffick’d 