°Deanne's POV°
8:33 P.M.

🎶'Bout to catch another flight ——yeah!
The apple bottom make 'em wanna bite ——yeah!
I just wanna have a good night...
I just wanna have a good night ——hold up.
If you don't know, now you know.
If he broke then you gotta let him go.
You could have anybody, eeny, miny, moe!
'Cause when you a boss, you could do what you want!

Yeah...
'Cause girls is players too, uh...
Yeah, yeah.
'Cause girls is players too ——keep it player, baby.
'Cause girls is players too.
Bitches gettin' money all around the world.
'Cause girls is players too...'🎶

Tapping my feet lightly against the metal bar on the stool, I sing along with the lyrics to Coi Leray's 'Players', in my head, while sticking another French fry in my mouth.

I'm sitting in Kimone's hairdresser parlour, eating, while I wait for her to add the finishing touches to her current client's hair.

Aye, that's why mi nuh run dung braids eno. Cyaa siddung one place so long.

Mi deh ya fi 'bout forty-five minutes and all now muma hair cyaa done to rahtid. And mi can bet how long she deh yah too, 'cause mi come see her here.

I like it though. It's really neat. And fits the girl's round face, perfectly. And the colour lightens her already light skin tone.

Yeah, man, mi like it. It really looks good...

Plus, mi see everybody a do it, so a it a wear.

Weh yuh call them braids deh again though, weh some plait and some pull out and curly?

Gypsy braids. Yeah that...

I think I might do that style for the summer too. Maybe...

But if mi ago do it, mi definitely naggo do it inna black. Mi waa likkle colour inna mi life.

Taking small glances at the browning, across from me, I see that she and Kimone are in deep conversation, but I can't hear what they're saying because of the loud music which fills my eardrums.

My eyes travel over the girl's body, noting her appearance. She's really pretty. And I love the snake tattoo that's on her arm.

Speaking of...

Mi feel like mi woulda get a tattoo too eno. But mi nuh know of what...yet.

Maybe something written in Chinese.

Or a butterfly.

Or one big ole dragon inna mi back like the Nikita girl pon IG...

I giggle at the thought. Mussi mad! Waa Mommy snap mi neck?

Opening my phone, I click on Pinterest and type in 'cute tattoo ideas', watching as the many options pop up on the feed.

Completely zoning out Kimone, who's currently doing the girl's edges, I scroll through the pics, making a face as I pass the ones I think are of poor taste.

Hurry up and done tha hair deh now, man, Kimone, mi tired and waaa go home.

And mi feel like mi siddung yasso too long.

Cho!

Seeing her snap her fingers at me, through the side of my eye, I look to her, realising that both her and the girl in her chair are looking at me, expectantly.

A wah? She say sum'n to mi?

Pulling out my earphone, from one ear, I quirk a brow. "Huh?"

Giggling at my expression, she says, "Wait, yuh mind did deh far, man?"

Nuh really...

Smiling, I put my earbuds back in but turn the volume all the way down. "A thru mi did a listen to music that's why."

She nods. "Oh. Just did a say: a your last year a sixth form, right?"

"Yeah. Thank God."

My statement causes both Kimone and the girl to laugh, simultaneously, despite me being dead serious.

Wiping across her brows with the back of her palm, she sighs. "A wah? Yuh nuh like school? Or yuh nuh like Queen's?"

Nope!

"No, mi n'ave nuh problem wid mi school. After all, I went there for all seven years. Mi just tired a school now."

Yuh know wah mi mean?

"Mi know dem way deh, man. Mi used to hate affi go school, sometimes. Worse when a exam time! Most a my school days, from mi touch fifth form, mi lock up inna Mr Ennis office every freetime mi get."

Chuckling, I play with my phone case, swivelling on the stool, from side to side. Hmm...

"A Miss Piggy a still the principal?"

Hearing her address Ms Williams by her renowned nickname brings a smile to my lips. Nodding, I tell her, "Yeah."

"Eeeh? She survive long, man. She still wicked?"

"Mi nuh know." I shrug. I couldn't care less wah dem people deh waa do eno. As long as it nuh affect me. "Nuh really. She has her days, I guess."

Placing her free hand on her hip, Kimone clicks her tongue. "Mi say mi cyaa figot the day when a Peace for Champs and the woman mek the whole school stand up inna the General Assembly area inna hot sun!"

"Eeeh? Why?" the other girl finally comments.

"Nuh the unruly gyal dem, man! Skin catch a fire when the C-Bar and KC bwoy dem come up fi do them speech and a gwaan bad! All dem a try control the likkle frighten-Friday pickney dem...who? So the woman just punish the whole school to baxide! Affi stand up inna sun wid we finger pon we lip, like clown! Yuh know vex?" She hisses her teeth.

Eeeh! Ova man? Seriously? Mi glad mi never start go deh dem time deh, because...

"Talking 'bout that brings back memories of my school days. Although mi did hate get up fi go school, when mi actually reach school, school did nice! Maybe a because mi friend dem did lit or sum'n, but we used to vibe. Worse when we link up a Treez a evening time! Trouble!

"Who nawh meet up wid them likkle spoogie, a follow them go. From that to walking up and dung a window shop and a trouble madman pon road. Or a watch gyal a fight ova man inna bus park...a bare foolishness we used to gwaan wid. Them pickney nowadays nuh know 'bout that. All them think 'bout a man. Nawh say yuh cyaa have a likkle boyfriend eno, but good God, man! Speaking of...

"Aye, yuh did have this likkle coolie sixth form bwoy yussi. A coulda stalk the bwoy! Waiiii!"

Her expression and the randomness and the statement make us all laugh.

"The bwoy did just propa! Talk 'bout tall, slim-thick and sexy...a him that," she adds, not being put-off by our laughter.

"Mi did like off the bwoy eno, Jeezam!" she practically swoons. "Mi cyaa figet him: Lucas Senior. Wheew!"

That's a nice name.

"Them bwoy deh and him friend dem used to run off bus park; them time deh bus park was bus park! The place to be after school, in the evenings.

"Mi used to go Treez every evening, just fi see the bwoy, all when Mommy kill mi wid some rass lick fi come home some hours —— 'cause my mother did have this thing weh yuh supposed to reach home one hour, the latest, after school." She hisses her teeth, staring off into nothingness as if reminiscent.

"Sounds like my mother," I add, smiling.

A now she ease up. Mussi thru mi reach sixth form she nuh so pushy and strick like one time.

Thank God!

"So the guy knew you liked him?" the other girl, Candi ——that's what I heard Kimone calling her —— asks.

Kimone chuckles, moving around Candi's seated frame, spraying hairspray and whatever else in her hair.

"Then, ketch joke, mi send mi friend go to him one time, but the gyal nuh back out 'bout she fraid! Mi say a vex! A thru mi did worsa fraid eno," she says and laughs. "Worse him used to par wid this Mona girl —— mi nuh know if a did him girlfriend or wah, but them did deh everyweh together —— so mi never waa nuh gyal beat mi fi her man. One day mi see him a eyes mi and mi wave and him wave back, that's it. Mi nuh think mi did stand nuh chance still. Mi did just likkle and fool fool and swear think mi in love. Yuh know dem way deh?"

I smile, nodding.

Reminds me of how I used to act around my neighbour's son, Chance. That's until I gave him my virginity and hated it, so I ended up hating him too.

But it's whatever.

Kimone sighs. "Mi see him post sum'n pon IG weh day too. Him married now: to a nice, pretty, brown, rasta girl. Mi happy fi him. Nah lie...!"

Aw...

That's nice.

I love love.

"Yuh that, Mama," Kimone tells Candi, placing the cap back onto the can of hairspray in her hand.

At her words, Candi gets up from the seat and walks over to the huge mirror that's in the back of the room to inspect her new hairstyle.

Kimone turns to me, patting the chair. "Come, Apple. Sit dung yasso."

Finally!

I do as I'm told, hitting pause on the music player and stuffing my phone into my skirt pocket.

Since I took off my uniform blouse, earlier, I'm only wearing my grey uniform skirt and my white marina——the bright pink bra printing through the thin material.

"Wah yuh say yuh want now?" Kimone asks as I sit down on the plush, swivel chair, pulling the hair-tie loose from my hair.

"Mi waa yuh wash it and put it inna one nice, sleek ponytail."

"Wid your hair? Or yuh have extension?"

"Yeah, mi have hair."

"Aii."

"No, Kimone, yuh angle this!" Candi expresses from where she is in the back, and I hear Kimone chuckle saying, "Mi glad yuh like it."

My eyes roll back as she runs her hands through my mane, her fingers massaging my scalp.

It feels so damn good...

My eyes involuntarily close until the sound of Candi's voice makes me reopen them.

"Yuh know say as yawh talk 'bout school crush, Kim, mi mind go back to my school era." Candi comes back into view, taking my former seat. "Listen, when mi a go a school, mi couldn't deh wid school bwoy!"

No wonder why, yuh seem high-maintenance.

No joke.

Pulling out her iPhone, she starts to Snap while she continues saying, "School bwoy did too immature...and mi never see wah dem coulda do to mi or gimme. Never have time fi waste!"

Ooh, she's one of those girls...?

Kimone laughs. "Weh yuh say? School bwoy money done twelve o'clock, Goodie?"

"Precisely!" Candi emphasises her statement with an eye roll.

Watchya!

"How old are you?" I say. "If you don't mind me asking."

"I'm 21."

Likkle pickney and a gwaan like big woman.

Chuuuups.

Nodding, I give her a small, sarcastic smile. "Oh."

"Yeah. My man affi have money! Weh bruk man a go?" she continues and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. "My man must spoil me. Take me out. Fly me out. Sum'n. My front isn't cheap!"

So a sell yuh sell front?

Hmm...interesting.

All me woulda waa see your man.

Poor thing.

"Purrrrr!" Kimone eggs her on, smiling widely as she washes my hair. "Yaffi go help mi find one a dem man deh, Candi, 'cause it look like yuh have the plug. A bare tough-foot, bruk pocket man mi attract, like mi navel string cut a Hellshire to pussyclaat!"

"Oop!" She laughs. "Hush, Apple, but mi gone over my work hours so mi professionalism cut-off fi the day. Pardon my language!"

Blushing, I remain silent.

If only she knew...

"She nuh big girl?" Candi butts in. "She must hear bad words at some point. A Jamaica she live eno, Kim!"

Who asked you, Young Prostitute?

Shut up, man!

Kimone hums. "As I was saying, the man dem weh come my way are the type to request sloppy toppy on the first date. And ask to split the bill if dem do carry yuh go someweh half-decent. A tired! A girl wants to be flewed out!"

Alright, City Girl...

Candi nods. A serious expression on her face. "No, Kim, mi hate that fi yuh! Yawh mi bad hairdresser and yuh look damn good! Yuh deserve better. Affi go set the link fi yuh fi true!"

"Amen!" Kimone says, laughing.

"Yeah, girl. Look at me, I have two guys who spoil me right now. My main man, who gives me anything I ask for, and another guy I just fuck because him hood big and him come in handy when mi man get pon mi nerves. Mi man have anger issues and sometime-ish so when he acts up and acts out, I go to my sideman until he cools off. People fi have options. Cyaa put all your eggs in one basket!"

"Two man? One wid anger issues? Then yuh nuh fraid, muma?"

Tucking her hair behind her ear, Candi starts Snapping again. "If he found out, yes. But he won't," she answers confidently.

Kimone snorts. "Aye, uno uptown girls nuh easy eno, C!"

Yuh fret. The upper Sain'Andrew ones! Who bad like them?

Candi laughs. "It's all in the game. Look at this——" she says, handing Kimone her phone. Then adds, "That's me in Cancun couple months ago. I went there because I threw a tantrum and my man flew me out to make up to me."

Hear deh!

That's rich!

"That's rich!" Kimone echoes my thoughts. "Mi want a sugar daddy too yawh man..."

Handing her back the phone, Candi takes it from her hand, saying, "My man isn't old, girl! He's twenty-four!"

"A lie!" Kimone shrieks. "And can do them things here? What does he do?"

She sounds impressed.

I am too, not gonna lie.

Candi's grin is obnoxious. "His family is rich. But he owns a business and has three coaster buses on the road. So..."

My mind drifts to such man from today and I blush. Hear mi...ano like him rich so. Mek mi get ahold of myself yawh...

"How yawh blush so, Apple?" Kimone's voice carries me out of my reverie. Her stare is mischievous, her lips quirking at the corners. "Wah yawh think 'bout?"

"Mi?" I shriek. "Not a thing."

"Mi nuh believe yuh!" she insists. "Yuh have boyfriend too?"

Shaking my head, I keep my face impassive when I say, "No, girl, mi nuh have time fi dem sum'n deh. Mi fraid a man!"

The salon erupts in laughter, and I eventually join them.

Turning her attention back to Candi, they continue to talk and I'm thankful that the spotlight is no longer on me.

Silently listening to their conversation, my mind won't stop conjuring the image of the bus driver for some strange reason.

I remember the feeling which surged through me as our eyes met this evening as I passed his bus while in the taxi.

It was electric. As if there was a force pulling us together.

I still don't understand it. But it felt good. Made me feel good.

For the first time in over a year, my clit jumped for a member of the opposite sex.

And I liked it.

I really, really did.

Then hear mi weh say mi nuh waa nuh bus man?

A wah this?

Thinking about it makes me feel warm, and I look at the window, staring out into the night sky, in an effort to calm myself down. My eyes linger on the dull blue colour of the building across the road, and at the spacious parking lot as a crisp dark grey Range Rover pulls into the complex.

Turning off the pipe, Kimone tells me to sit up and I do as she places a small, white towel over my head.

"That look like babes reach!" Candi expresses, gathering her stuff from the coffee table, in the center of the room, placed there to display the magazines.

At the same time, her phone rings.

Picking it up from her lap, she swipes across and places the device at her ear. "Babe?"

Wonder a which one this?

"Alright, I'm coming now."

She listens to something only she can hear before she removes the phone from her ear and stands. "Alright, mi a leave now, Kim. Later."

Kimone nods, running the towel
through my hair. "Yeah, drive safely."

"Thanks. Bye, Apple. Nice meeting you."

"You, too," I say with a polite smile.

Candi gives us one last wave before she heads through the door.

The place goes silent and I can finally breathe.

Bwoi, mi wish a did me that a go home!

Mi affi go call Blacks fi come pick mi up, 'cause mi nawh leff yasso 'til bout midnight.

Jah Jah!

▪️▫️▫️

Saturday: 3:45 P.M.
—————————

I hate funerals.

Always have. Always will.

There's just something about it——death—— being so final that makes the hairs on my skin rise.

Boy, am I glad the day is finally coming to an end.

I'm tired...and after sitting in a service for over three hours, all I want right now is my bed.

Worse the sun so hot!

I've always heard them say that the sun is hotter in Kingston than in the country areas, but boy, it seems like the sun plug een inna St Mary today.
Mi nuh love this!

Nodadall.

Sighing, I pat my face, not even caring if the makeup smudges, at this point.

Mi done wear it out already, anyways.

Don't even know why I wore it in the first place. It's not like this was a dress-up occasion.

But I guess it was, and I may sound some typa way for saying this, because when I heard the name of the bus which was taking us, I secretly hoped to see the driver from yesterday.

Only, I was left disappointed when it was another man who was behind the steering wheel when the bus arrived.

Mi nawh lie, mi did feel bummed, worse mi never even waa come a the funeral from morning.

Initially, I had my doubts about coming, because, as I said, I hate these things. But now I'm glad I came.

The proceedings earlier weren't so bad; the service ended in good timing too, except for a few minor hiccups here and there.

Like mi overly dramatic aunty weh nearly fling herself inna the casket when it was time fi view the body.

Could they get the woman fi go siddung!

A act like the man was only HER brother. Or like she loved him more than anybody else.

The thought annoys me all over again.

Or like Alicia she who bawl out half of the time she got to read the eulogy, pushing the actual reading time overboard.

A never she alone, so mi cyaa even blame her.

Bawling filled the entire duration of the service. From Mommy to Aunty Nadine, to the rest of sisters and close relatives. Especially Mommy, Ali, and Aunty Nadine. Bwoi...

I, on the other hand, didn't cry. Not once

But now, as I stand on the mount of dirt, by the graveside, rubbing soothing circles along my mother's slumped shoulders, in a vain effort to console her, as we listen to the pastor say his closing remarks before the body is committed, I feel my eyes prickling with tears.

I guess it's finally sinking in.

This is it. The final leg. After this, there'll be no more Uncle Tony.

No more late night laughs whenever Mommy, Alicia, and I would visit Crossroads and Ali and I would sneak and eavesdrop on the 'Adult' conversations.

No more bags of apples, jackfruit and so many other foodstuff—— that's more accessible in these country areas, that we're used to receiving——will be sent to Mommy and me, from her favourite big brother.

No more ludi board 'til hours in the morning whenever we came here or he visited us.

And crab bush.

I sigh. Bwoi, mi ago miss him.

While we didn't have the closest relationship, because him a obviously big man fimmi, he cared deeply for my mother and I and made it a point of duty to ensure we're safe and have food on our table.

Uncle Tony was Mommy's confidante from they were kids 'til now. Of nine kids, she followed behind him by two years, so they were closer. But because of a little family mixup, a few months ago——instigated by my other Aunt, Sheryl——she and him fell out, just before he died. Without them making amends.

He had type 2 Diabetes and didn't know. Neither did anyone else, until he got a stroke in the shower, fell and hit his head. The autopsy showed he also suffered from extensive kidney damage.

I know Mommy feels guilty about everything that went down.

No wonder she's taking his death so hard.

Uncle Tony did just as bad too. Once that man malices you, you can consider yourself maliced.

Regardless, he was a non-problematic and kind man, who impacted a lot of lives in the community.

And it shows by the turn-out he had today.

"Ashes to Ashes. Dust to dust," are the pastor's last words as he scatters the sand on the casket, just before the men begin to lower it into the sepulchre.

Rest in peace, Uncle. We love you...

Blinking back the tears which blur my eyes, I try to think happy thoughts to bury the sunken feeling which overtakes me.

That's until a sudden commotion up by the backyard gate draws my attention over to it.

"Yes, dutty bungle! A that uno did want! A that uno kill mi bredda fa! So uno can take over!" a voice, sounding like Aunty Sheryl's shout.

My other aunts, Janice and Sophia, are there, blocking the way, as they try to ward her off.

"You and yuh sour crotches pickney, Nadine, weh nuh stop fuck big man!" Aunty Sheryl continues on top of her voice, coming into view.

"Yuh deep pussy couldn't satisfy mi bredda, so yuh kill him! Feed him pon dry food and yuh know him have suga! Think mi nuh know?" she practically screams.

Jesus Christ!

Mommy starts crying harder and I don't blame her.

Pulling her closer to me, I hiss my teeth.

Seriously?

Aunty couldn't wait 'til the crowd gone? How embarrassing!

Now everybody affi know say we family bad-breed.

And yuh know the worse thing, if Uncle Tony did deh here and see her a galang so, especially to him woman, him woulda put her inna her place. Longtime. No questions asked.

Everybody know say Uncle was a family man and nuh ramp 'bout him wife and pickney!

A thru the man dead, she a tek step wid the woman now.

She bright!

The poor man supposed to a roll inna the grave weh him not even reach inna yet!

A from we deh a the church she a pick pick 'round fi start drama eno. But, mi cyaa believe she really carry it come dung yasso!

If haunted was a person.

A just thru Aunty Nadine nuh stay like Mommy...'cause mi sure she woulda pickup a big stone already.

Mommy nuh ramp. And once she get out a it that. So that's why mi a try calm her down. Worse when she start bawl, mi know waa come next.

Giving us a small wave, as he passes, the pastor leaves, with my cousin Ronica ——Aunty Janice's daughter ——leading the way.

My eyes find Aunty Nadine who's sitting across from us, on the grave, picking at straws with a spaced-out look on her tear-stained face.

I can tell she's embarrassed.

Who wouldn't be?

The woman's husband died! Leave her mek she mourn nuh! Yuh come wid yuh slackness...

Aunty Sheryl really pass her place eno. Fi a class the woman and her pickney so. Mi might nuh too rate Sabryna ——Aunty Nadine's daughter ——because she honestly whoring fi true, but still. A yuh niece yawh gwaan so wid?

The pickney underage too! She a 'bout fifteen, sixteen the last I checked.

It's general knowledge that Aunty Sheryl never liked Aunty Nadine for her brother, but she held back because she couldn't tell him what to do and who to be with.

So, now that he's gone, she's finally lashing out.

But time and place, man!

After a few minutes of Aunty Sheryl running off her mouth, hurling slurs and insults from left to right, Aunty Nadine gets up from off of the grave and comes to stand beside Mommy and me.

The sky is overcast, spreading a thick, gloomy shadow over us. It's about to rain soon.

"Don't pay her no mind, Nads," Ali comes up beside us, pulling her into a tight hug. "Sheryl a look somebody fi start sum'n wid. I cyaa stand how she behave fi big woman!"

"True," I mumble.

"Why Tony do this to mi?" Aunty Nadine sobs into Ali's shoulder. "Why him gone leff mi yasso fi him sister nyam mi? Him know a him alone love mi!"

Oh God...

"Him wicked! Him wicked!" she continues to chant, crying harder as Ali holds her.

My heart breaks.

This seems to urge Sheryl on. She moves off, but Aunty Janice holds her back. "Save yuh crocodile tears, Nadine! That nawh frighten nobody. Stop play victim! A you kill him! Yuh hate Tony so 'til yuh couldn't bare fi see him, so yuh kill him! Then a come a funeral a bawl like yuh did love him! Yuh hate him! A thru mi bredda never have no sense fi see, ugly gyal!"

At that, Mommy pulls away from me, shouting, "Sheryl, shut up yuh frigging mouth and stop the slackness!"

Finally smaddy address her, man. Damn. 

Aunty doesn't care though. She continues to argue saying, "Don't tell mi nothing, Cynthia! Lowe mi mek mi talk! The whole a uno act like uno nuh see wah gwaan! Obeah worker, Nadine! Big pussy, Nadine! A tie yuh tie mi bredda! Him did waa leff so yuh carry him name go uppa Sir P!"

Sir P a mussi the alleged obeah man she a talk 'bout.

Mi rahtid.

This really a get out of hand.

"Aunty don't listen to that. Uncle loved you. Aunty Sheryl just jealous——" I start to say before I'm cut off by Aunty Nadine's coarse voice.

"Despite what you think about me, Tony was my husband! He loved me, and I loved him! And him woulda still alive if him did listen to all the times mi BEG him fi go doctor and check up pon himself!" she says, practically in tears. "So nuh come to mi wid yuh foolishness, Sheryl. Yuh rude!"

"Don't bright! Mi never ever have no need fi tie Tony. Mi "stretch out pussy" as yuh call it, do that fimi! So don't pass yuh place. Mi tired of yuh! From week yuh deh pon mi case just because mi nuh choose the casket weh yuh like! Mi nuh see none a him other sister dem a behave like you! See Cynthia deh! See Sophia and Janice deh! But you affi a gwaan like a you Tony did married and not me! Yuh know how him nyam? Yuh know how him hood rise and when it go dung? A you go through labour pain fi give him a pickney? A you a wear the ring? No! A who? ME! Ugly, big pussy, obeah working Nadine Ludlow!

"Yuh a renk yuhself 'bout obeah. A whofa name head the list fi Sir P payroll? Yours! Yuh figot say a so yuh turn Eddie inna cripple? And yuh figot say a you a walk 'round wid the man name inna yuh shoes fi keep him from leff yuh fi Pauline? Yuh figot say a you put 'X' pon him, when him still leff yuh nastiness, mek him crash and cripple?"

Bloodclaat!

Then a true Valiant did a chat 'bout St Mary to rass...?

Aye, the place full a people and the whole bereavement plot quiet as a lamb to kackafart!

"Since yuh waa disrespect mi, Sheryl, mek mi talk now. Yuh figot say a me yuh come to and mi tell yuh say fi wear red draws when Danny from uppa Shadow Grove dead, 'cause yuh did tie him to yuhself and when him dead yuh never waa the duppy come fuck yuh inna yuh sleep? Eeeh?"

Wait——murdaaaaaaaaaa!

Aunty a rant eno!

Then Aunty Sheryl know say the woman have so much dirt pon her and still provoke the lady?

No sah!

Mommy sighs, holding her head. "Mi ago lie dung. Mi head a hurt mi!"
Mi nuh wrong yuh mi mother.

Mi woulda lie dung too, but mi waa hear this ya bangarang ya!

I'll make sure to take in everything so I can tell you later.

"Mi soon come stay wid yuh!" I tell her and she nods and moves off, walking briskly past her sisters, and towards the front yard, going through the gate.

Moving to sit on my grandmother's grave, I fold the hem of my dress between my legs as Aunty Nadine continues to roll out all the receipts she has on Aunty Sheryl.

I feel someone's eyes on me, but when I look across, my eyes connect with that of a tall, brown guy: the same guy who drove us here.

Clearing my throat, I look away.

Hey issa good thing a him and never such man drive. 'Cause the man woulda must think mi and mi family  dem a witches from all this obeah talk to rassclaat.

"Yuh jealous a your owna brother, Sheryl, just because yuh cyaa keep a man, and he had a family, and because yuh cyaa breed! Yuh wuk too much obeah, a God a punish yuh!"

This seems to be the last blow to Aunty Sheryl's bruised ego, as she makes a quick dash down the slope, heading towards where the graves are——where we are—— picking up an empty rum bottle off the ground near the banana tree.

Seeing what she's up to, Aunty Nadine stoops quickly, picking up a handful of stones, sailing one towards Aunty Sheryl, and before she can retaliate, another follows.

The crowd scatters, screaming, and my heart immediately goes into overdrive.

"Jesus Christ!" I hear Alicia scream, but I can't see where she turns because of all the people moving frantically.

Out of nowhere a man jumps on the grave I'm sitting on, almost trampling me, and I spring to my feet.

"Alicia!" I scream, feeling discombobulated.

My heart is drumming in my ears, my feet are wobbly and I can't tell which way to run as sounds of stones hitting zinc and glass bottles shattering echo around me.

"Mummy, see some more stone ya!" I hear someone say, and I recognize the voice to be Sabryna's.

This likkle gyal! Instead she part the woman dem!

It's two on one now, as Sabryna joins her mother in hurling stones. But Aunty Sheryl holds her own, sailing liquor bottles though the air like a mad woman.

It's as if something prompts me to move, after standing immobile for what seems like forever, and I make a dash for the chocolate walk.

My feet feel heavy, and carry me in slow motion, but I'm determined not to get a busshead today!

Just as I reach a tall blue drum, one the men were using to hold the water for mixing the mortar, earlier, a loud shout echoes around me and I feel someone grab me.

It's a man, judging based on the strength.

Strong arms pull me to him, both of us falling to the pebbled ground with a loud thud; his body cushioning the blow to mine.

I can feel a sharp sting on my knees though.

A deep grunt leaves his lips and I try to ease my weight off of him, just as a wind passes over my head before I hear the shattering of glass.

Frightened, my eyes snap towards the forest of trees, in the direction I was headed, seeing the broken pieces of glass littering the grassy ground.

Jeezam!

If mi never duck, a my head that woulda bruk ina eno!

Thank God tha man ya di deh ya fi——

My breath hitches in my throat as I see the man pull the kerchief from his head, and I come face to face with the man whose arms I'm lying so comfortably in.

"Driva?" I almost shout, my heart skipping a beat.

Him did deh ya?

How mi never see him?

He chuckles when his eyes meet my bulged ones. "Yuh know say yuh heavy fi yuh likkle size?"

As I open my mouth to speak, something dawns on me like an epiphany.

WAIT!

So, if he's here, that means he's been here from morning.

So. He. Heard. Everything?

My cheeks heat up and I bury my face in his shirt, inhaling the strong scent of his cologne.

Jesus!