Chapter 3

            Lamais's pov

  Shanty came early the next morning even though I had told her not to, I had already read her from the day before and was in the outside kitchen when she arrives.

  "Take the money and the list from off the counter and go into town for those products, be back before nine thirty," I told her sternly.

"Yes ma'am," she said and leaves again.

I heard the hose drawing and her eldest son Kemar began sweeping the premises, after bottling everything I made some packets of remedies. Measuring them carefully and sealing them, then I went and recheck all the items in the shop and that I went to get ready for when the police officer came for his bath.

  Kemar finish sweeping and ask if I needed him to do anything else before he goes and I told him to gather some hyssop, sour sop leaves and fever grass.

"Have a great day at school," I told him when he return with them.

  "Thank you priestess and have a great day too," he said in return.

  He was good at his greetings now, he was a good boy, not so great in his academics but he was doing his best. I adorned my head with a light blue turban, then donned a matching colour robe over my long skirt and simple blouse. My light blue clarks was laced to my feet after I pulled on a white pair of socks, this read-er woman is stylish and likes to dress well.

  I've had many suitors but they were more afraid of me than they admit, they were mostly police officers and men in high ranks and positions. The youngmen openly feared me and because of this I just don't put my mind on relationship, I was ok and I love my own company.

  The officer's car drove up and I got up from where I was sitting and went and unplug the heating cord, disconnecting it and pouring some of my homemade bath concoction into the water. I lit the seven different colour candles, then went out to greet him.

  "Blessed morning priestess," he said as I came out into the waiting area.

"Morning, come this way," I instructed him.

"When you are ready say 'mercy'," I told him.

  I stood on the outside of the opposite side of the bath and waited, it was a simple ritual I came up with because people kept asking for baths and cleansing. I made a lot of money from it, after buying back candles and other items, I was left with majority of the loot.

"Mercy," the officer said.

  I began to hum lightly and then I said. "Began wetting yourelf from your head down using the container on your right."

  "Add the item in the blue cup and continue," I told him and that was how I instructed him until he was finished.

  "𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐠𝐠𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟, 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝. 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫."

  It makes me sad to read bad people all the time, but I let my grandmother's words wash over me. "𝑴𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒊𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒏𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆, 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕."

  "Jah-jah! Di youth just come out ina di bullet suh! Oh God!" The officer said sadly.

  He bowed his head to me when he was ready to leave and then walked out of the waiting area. He held his head up towards the sky and seem to be saying a prayer, in my heart I felt like he has regretted his actions and I hope he'll change for himself and the whole human race. He was guilty of killing the youth.

  Later that evening on the news he was sentenced to ten years in prison, I sat quietly out on the verandah after- with my thoughts. I missed my grandmother and I miss my mother whom I haven't seen in a long time, I sighed knowing the task I was born to fulfil was only for a person who can endure. Mummy did not even came to my graduation from university, my big sister Dewette was shock at my masters of science award and all the honours I had received.

  "Oh life," I whispered looking out at a few people passing by my gate to their homes further up the road.

  I didn't bother calling my brother Ramario or other sister Othelia who now resides in Canada, the last time they had thought I was calling to beg them money and I had felt so embarrassed. I told them goodbye and they had never called me back since, so I just leave them alone. It's a pity, I was much better off than them judging by what Dewette says two months ago when she had called.

  They have all acted indifferent towards me, it was a struggle growing up with them. I have had to walk home alone from school on many evenings, because they didn't want their friends to know that I am their sister. They had told me not to call to them if I saw them on the road and whenever we had to go anywhere they always ran away leaving me. I got used to it and didn't bother to even look at them when I pass them on the street, my only friend was a girl at school whom I've lost contact with.

  I was weary of people especially man, I just think it hard to trust anyone. Many people did not recognise me when I go on the road and those who do held a form of respect for me. I think it's the way in which I carry myself and the fact that they don't know me outside of my robes and head wraps.

"Pssh," I sighed upon a breath and got up.

  I drank some juice and went into my bed, I browse Instagram and Tik-tok until I was sleepy- I put my phone down and went to sleep.

     Cushane's pov

Two months later..

  I wasn't altogether sure why I took a job in Jamaica, a change was good; beautiful beaches, food and I've always been fascinated by this Caribbean island rich history. The sun was hot with the heat of it beating down on my head through the wide brimmed hat, the breeze blowing around me is cool and fresh- I stood up and wrote down the last measurements for the new satellite location, then walk for ten minutes back to the car.

  These landscapes are truly beautiful, I thought as I looked around- then I enter the car and and put the key into the ignition. While I drive back to the apartment, I think of every excuse I could use to pay the read-er woman a visit. I don't even know if she is already committed to someone, Ramario had said no man wanted her because she is a read-er woman- that was so stupid wasn't she still a human, an attractive one at that.

  Maybe we could be friends, real friends- I need someone apart from my mother to talk to and I don't wish to burden my sister with my sad stories. I sighed heavily as I park and took up my knapsack bag and laptop, I climbed the stairs to my apartment and opened the door. My hat was the first thing off and I place it on the arm of the couch, I place my laptop on the small table by the window where I had my meals then hung by bag on the back of the chair.

  Friday evenings are always great, there were a lot of places to hang out at. Jerk chicken and jerk pork could be bought from many vendors at nearby food stalls, various soups, roast corn and boil crabs. I showered and decide to go and get a early meal, before settling at Suki's bar & grill located in the square. The place was already filled with patrons when I got there, I ordered two cold red stripe beers at the bar counter then went to find a seat.

  Most of the tables held customers eating and having their drinks, a lone female sat at a table close to the wide windows. That was my absolute favourite spot since I discovered this place, she was devouring her food and I ask.

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

  "Uh-uh, not at all," she responds glancing up then back down at her food.

  I place my beers on the table along with the bag containing my three pounds of foil wrapped jerk pork and festivals, then sat down slowly. Her eyes I thought staring at her and then she suddenly look up at me. I was held transfixed as she stare into my eyes, realizing that I was staring I blinked and looked away. My gaze fell on her hands and to the top that she was wearing.

  Not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable, I force my gaze to my drinks in front of me- my hand shook slightly as I took up one of the beers and use the opener on my key ring to open it. I could feel her gaze upon me and place my beer on the table as my hand kept shaking. What was wrong with me I ask myself, I should really go and pay her a visit instead of mistaking other people for her.

  "𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐭'𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈'𝐦 𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐞?" She asked quietly in her authoritative voice and I nearly knock everything off the table at how I jumped in fright.

To be continued...