Chapter 3

Tiony's pov

Everyone got up late that morning. It was Chantelle's morning to make breakfast, but she had gone home with her man after the dance. None of my cousins made any effort to do it, so Aunt Palsy started to quarrel. "Mummy, yuh miserable still ino. Yuh know sey wi go a dance last night and everybody tired, wha mek yuh affi get up and a cuss?" Mattic says and asks her.

"Did I send anybody anywhere? Di whole a uno nuh big people? Nuh badda mek mi start in yah dis mawnin' eh yer!" Aunty Palsy was loud and grating to my ears.

I went to the kitchen and groaned at the four large bundles of freshly trimmed callaloo. With a deep sigh, I got to work stripping and cutting them up finely. I seasoned the chicken liver and wondered why she hadn't seasoned it up and allowed it to marinate from the night before. When I finished cooking, I served Aunty Palsy and Uncle Earl, and then I shared a large portion for myself and went out back to eat. The breeze was refreshing, and I climbed into the hammock once I had done eating.

When I woke up in the late afternoon, I saw Chantelle busy in the kitchen. I wonder why she doesn't live with her man when she's the main woman in his life. Their relationship was strange, and she must either trust him a hundred percent or didn't let whatever he does with other women bother her. Inside the room I share with Steffon and Shinel, both of them were sorting through clothes for their evening wear and discussing highlights of the dance. I really want to ask them when they are planning on washing their dirty clothes, which were frownzying up the room. They both lack tidyness, and it made me uncomfortable.

"Girl, I don't care who him dey wid, a ride off him cocky mek him groan like a bitch. Mi nuh want him, when I leave here I'm done with him." Steffon tells Shinel, who then makes a horrible gawking sound and suck in both her cheeks.

Steffon splurted out a laugh and smacked her lightly on her rump, saying, "Likkle germs, mi nuh suck him, yuh bright eeh."

I guess I will never understand how they just have sex with any man they meet so casually. It wasn't that I was any saint, but I don't think I'll ever be so bold. I took out my comb and proceeded to comb my hair in an up do, I wasn't going past the gate, so a simple black calf length tights and a half the shoulder multicolored top would suffice for the evening. I placed my black flat slippers near the doorway and went out to eat dinner with the family in the spacious dining room. Chantae, the youngest who's an adopted daughter of Uncle Earl and Aunty Palsy from a dear friend who had past, walked in front of us, wineing her little bum.

"Kakafart! Dis yah one yah ready fi tek man." Shinel says lowly.

Nastily Steffon states. "Shi tecking man a'ready, di brown taxi driver wey mi tell yuh sey mi woulda fuck a him a grind har."

I wanted to tell them to mind she hears them, but it was too late as Chantae paused in her steps and turned around. She glared at us, then rolled her eyes before walking off into the dining room with a huff. Her face had an angry scowl etched on it throughout dinner, and I felt bad that she had been angered by other relatives who were presently staying in her house. She's fifteen, and I'm sure Chantelle must be aware of what her younger sister is up to. After all, nothing goes unnoticed by her man unless no one had chosen to tell her. I wasn't going to get into their business, Chantae is a sensible young miss and knows that she isn't of age to be indulging in sexual activities.

"Natty, a come fi carry mi guh buy ice-cream later, who a come?" Chantelle says and asks as we wash the dishes and tidy the kitchen.

Steffon, Shinel, and Chantae all answered. "Me!" Promptly and then all eyes were staring at me.

"I'll come along." I say reluctantly while sighing inwardly.

A little over an hour later, we all went out to the gate where Natty and a barrage of men were standing about. They thronged the two sides of the road where several cars were parked and were chatting, smoking, and standing about. Seeing that they weren't ready to go, I went back inside the yard and stood inside the gate. I was used to having a lot of male attention, and I've learned how to lessen it by avoiding it as much as I can. While Chantelle stood elegantly by the gate near to me, Shinel and Steffon stood by a group of men on the opposite side of the road, and Chantae walked two yards down to where a shop is located.

I stepped aside, giving Mattic space to go through the gate. Seriously, he tells Chantelle quietly. "Si Dinah and di next two batter ears one dem a come dey, try and ease off dem company cause Natty already a murmur bout dem."

"Tsk, mi nuh know why dem a nuff up dem self pon mi from waday." She hissed and says in response before he walks off and goes to a group of men standing close by four men playing dominoes.

My eyes were suddenly locked with a striking grey set of a casually yet emaculately dressed man. His eyes seemed to strip me naked, and I trembled slightly and dropped my gaze abruptly. "Ready?" Chantelle asked, and I looked up to see Natty walking over to her.

"Ms. Pretty, yuh not coming?" He asked, looking at me, and Chantelle chuckled as I stared blankly at him.

Steffon and Shinel came into view at that time, and I was glad for the distraction of their chatter. "Uno guh ina dah car dey." Mattic suddenly appears and says to Shinel and Steffon.

Natty held the door of a bently open for Chantelle, and she climbed in. He then held the rear door open, and Mattic propelled me over to it. "Chantae, walk up, nuh." He says, and I shift over on the seat so that she can enter.

A black Nissan with four of Natty's talibans drove off, followed by the grey camri Steffon and Shinel had gotten in. The other door opened, startling me, and I shifted over as I realized someone was coming in. A familiar cologne assaulted my nostrils, and I bit down on my bottom lip as realization dawned on me. I glanced up and froze, seeing Natty looking at me through the rearview mirror, then dropped my gaze immediately as I saw the piercing grey eyes of the man sitting next to me, also looking in the mirror.

I don't know why I felt so nervous and aware of him, sure enough I travel regularly in loaded taxis, but as the car took a left I held unto the passenger front seat and tried to keep to Chantae's side. I steal a glance at the man and saw that he looked calm and comfortable, so I decided to relax. At that moment, memories from the night before began plaguing my mind, and I curse myself inwardly for always overthinking and looking too deeply into things. He probably forgot all about the previous night, and as it had been so dark, he may not even have recognized me.

We got out at a plaza and went inside a place selling Devon house ice cream. The atmosphere was lively, and being with Shinel and Steffon helps to put me at ease. My mood was enlightened, and I felt more at ease. I mainly stood amongst my cousins in order to keep away unwanted attention. However, when we stood in line to order, I could feel the admirable stares on me. Two women were talking and laughing close by, and Chantae whispered.

"Baxide, all 'oman a admire yuh openly Chupsy."

When we went to collect our orders, the grey eyed man came and stood close beside us. That didn't stop the men and women from feasting their eyes on me, but it kept the butch away while her girlfriend sulked and acts possessively. We got our orders and went outside, one of Natty's taliban called Ignition direct us to a sitting area off the side where Natty and the others are. I sat down beside Chantae at the far side and began spooning small portions of the strawberry cheesecake ice cream into my mouth. Like Chantelle, I didn't eat my slice of cheesecake, I was going to take it home with me.

"A him name Gibbanks?" Shinel directed this question to Chantelle when the men all went over to a bar close by.

Chantae let out a loud. "Ahh, buoiii." To which Shinel responded with an ugly glare.

"How yuh sey him hard fi get and Dinah tell me sey she and him a hide and fuck?" Steffon questions Chantelle blatantly.

Chantelle gave Chantae a meaningful look before replying. "Mek shi talk suh mek him mad babymadda hear and shi wi know."

"But how she a fuck Thickarous and him?" Shinel asked.

"Cause she a di community quick release. She a tell yuh bout she and him a hide and fuck thru shi nuh want yuh look him, like nuh only wey day yah when him and him baby babymadda ina hot water di man tek a couple quick bruk outta har. Shi betta nuh come back a mi gate, me and har sista a fren not she." Chantelle all but spat out with attitude.

Chantae snickers then say. "A man wid class she waan nuff up har self wid? Shi betta stick to Thickarous."

"A just thru uno dey yah why yuh si she and di other gal dem a frequent round pon our road, a watch dem a watch di man dem fi si who dey wid who and who a look who. Mi nuh surprise fi si she and so much a dem a walk dis evening, because mi know a must hear dem hear sey Gibbanks round dey. Dem na've no shame, because dem only can stand up and look pon him." Chantelle states with scornful attitude.

"Him nice mi nah lie, from last year mi a hear bout him. A when we a drive wey from di gate, Weedeye ask Copper, 'Wha Gibbanks a wait pon fi guh ina di car?' And a suh mi realize sey a him name suh." Steffon says conversationionally.

Shinel spoke before Steffon could say more. "Mi hear when him say suh ino, but thru mi phone did a vibrate ina mi pocket, mi did a move it to mi next pocket suh mi neva a pay attention."

"Him work, and him nuh really come a road like di rest a man dem. Him -" Chantelle stopped from saying more about Gibbanks as he came striding towards us with Natty and the others.

To be continued...