Page 24 of Not My Type (Not My Type #1)

Zara

As I sit around the island, watching as she searches for a lighter, I’m stunned that this is his mother. She looks so young — she could’ve passed for his sister. I can’t stop staring at her. She’s sexy too.

“Chro,” she mumbles as her eyes scan the counters and she doesn’t find what she’s looking for.

“Weh the lighter dem deh mon?” she mutters to herself and hiss loudly. “Mi nuh like look fi things enuh.” I look around.

“I could go and get it from him,” I offer.

“Yeah... ” she’s distracted, her eyes are on the stove. “Mi nah think enuh,” she laughs and moves toward it.

I watch her, curiously. She clicks on the electric stove and what she does next surprises me.

Mi cya’ believe mi eyes. I thought the lady wanted to heat something without using the microwave but she’s lighting her spliff.

Her eyes turn to me right after with a smile, after achieving a satisfying puff from it.

“Me affi improvise yaw fren,” she beams and I can’t help smiling too. She sits around the island right after. “Yuh nuh have asthma?” she questions. Funny how her son asked me this same question too.

“No,” I shake my head.

“Yuh nuh have a problem with this?” she asks, pushing up her hand with the weed between her index and her middle finger.

“At times, but it’s fine,” I tell her.

“Oh, mi name Nickeisha, but everybody call me Nicki,” she stretches her hand for a handshake. I smile and shake it.

“I’m Zara,” I feel so shy. She looks intimidating. “Nice meeting you.” Again.

“Yeah girl same,” she relaxes and puff it again.

“So you and Nickoi,” she smiles coyly, hinting what I’m thinking. My smile grows. “Wah deh gwaaaan?” her face lights up as she laughs. I look away, blushing so hard.

“You a cute girl, yuh look intelligent, yuh carry yourself good and yuh in yer so mi know unuh a nuh fren,” she’s so bubbly.

I smile sheepishly and lean my head to the side. “So that’s his type?” I’m liking the opportunity I’m getting to know more about him through his mother.

“Well, mi nah go lie to yuh, a nuh all a the ooman dem him deal wid me like. Some a dem nuh all dat smart but dem always pretty.” She’s blunt too.

“Okay,” I nod and look outside at him talking to his friend in the distance.

“So the bwoy deh never bother you again?” her voice much deeper now. Malik.

“ No, mi not even hear back from him,” I retort.

“Well yuh inna good hands now,” she grins. “Cause one thing wid Nickoi, him ago take care a him ooman dem.”

I smirk and sip the lemon beer.

“You teach?” she narrows her eyes.

“Yeah,” I nod

She bursts out laughing — the market type, that triggers you to laugh too. “Ohhhh kayyy! Cause me know yuh fit Ms. Williams description. Woiii! The bwoy dem a go kill mi!” she laughs. I’m assuming her son, if not both.

“Uhmm... Dem talk bout m— ”

“Mommy?” Nickoi’s deep voice interrupts us. Just in time huh?

NICKOI I follow Gutta outside leaving my mother and Zara inside. The look on his face is alarming. Him have bad news. “Wah gwaan now?” I’m curious, but I manage to hold onto my composure.

“Genius show me a vibe weh gwaan ova Zara this morning,” he says surprising me. Zara? Mi feel say money missing or smaddy drop out enuh. I didn’t expect it to be about Zara.

“Wah kinda vibe?” I ask him, my eyebrows pull together involuntarily.

“Genius a tell mi seh har father did a loud up him voice pon har and all box har enuh me killer.” Box who?

My anger flares. “Wah yuh seh?” I ask even though I hear him clearly.

How Zara nuh tell me bout this?

I’m in my thoughts wondering what my next move should be. Mi know seh a him daughter but who dare him fi put him hand in har face? Him mussy sick. Mi nuh like when man put them hand pon woman enuh. Mi nuh care wah dem do— even if a yuh daughter. A wasteman style dat.

“Mi a guh deal with it, which part him deh?” my voice deadly. “Mi a guh page him.”

“A Marie bar him deh all the time enuh mi killa,” Gutta tells me. Eeeh? Alright mi go show him sup’m. Badness? my subconscious asks. Just a guh have a talk with him. Yuh mean warn him?

“Mi a guh cut, bring home Momz,” I instruct and walk away.

“You a go alone?” Gutta is dubious.

“Just do wah mi seh mon,” I breathe and he shakes his head.

“Dawg mi nuh 3 want yuh guh desso alone enuh,” he’s concerned.

My enemies are a jillion. It’s always good to be on alert and that’s why I’m always rolling with my inner gang but that doesn’t mean I can’t handle them on my own. “It Gov mon,” I assure him.

He doesn’t agree. I can tell by the way he’s looking at me. He sighs. “Nick, me can make Micheal carry home yuh mother. The Golf bwoy dem will try an’ violate.” He’s right.

“And yuh know that too,” he finishes.

“Ah,” I sigh then he walks behind me inside.

Just as I expected, my mother is saying something she shouldn’t.

Har mout buss

“Oh kayyy! Cause me know yuh fit Ms. Williams description. Woiii! The bwoy dem a go kill mi!” she laughs.

Zara’s eyebrows are up. It’s an expression I can’t read. It’s a mixture of astonishment with a little disappointment but I still can’t place what exactly it is. She’s thinking the wrong thing.

“Dem talk bout m— ”

“Mommy?” I interrupt them but mommy continues.

“The famous Ms. Williams, Jordane ever a talk bout,” she giggles.

Mommy a informa enuh.

“Yea?” Zara smiles.

See? I can’t tell if it’s a facade. I don’t think she likes the fact that we spoke about her. She’s probably thinking that it was of a negative nature.

“We a leave now,” I tell Mommy but her mouth is on spring.

“Yes mi dear, him muss vex now that a him bredda a talk to you,” she continues while puffing her spliff. Mommy nuh hear me? She deaf?

“Mamz wi a cut now,” my voice cold. They both look at me.

“Bwoy weh yuh deh go leff yuh nice nice woman?” she asks me. I’m in no mood to smile even though I really want to. Cas mi feel blessed fi have har.

“Mi a go deal with a cr— sup’m,” I sigh, repeating myself in a tone that speaks for itself.

It’s time to stop because I’m getting annoyed. Everyone knows it. Zara looks at me suspiciously. “Where are you going?”

“Mi soon come back,” I say, trying to avoid her question. I look at her face, searching for any sort of swelling.

I look back at my mom. “Micheal a guh bring yuh home so get ready,” she hisses her teeth.

“Bwoy mi tell yuh seh mi ready?” she asks pointedly.

Why is she trying to challenge me right now? “Mommy nuh bother with it,” I glare at her. She puffs her spliff ignoring me.

“Take me number nice girl so wi can chat more,” she grabs a paper and start scribbling. When she’s done, she walks out.

“Weh him deh Nickoi?” she calls from the front.

“Him a fawud,” I say to her.

Zara is looking at her phone and I can tell she’s upset. She vex wid yuh enuh. Mi know mon.

“Hey, mi soon come back,” I say as I observe her face.

Mi still a look fi swelling. Beside her left eye looks little dark. It has a slight swelling but it isn’t obvious. Watch mi and him.

“Mi nah take long... okay?” I smile, trying to cheer her up and distract myself from the swelling that her wasteman father cause. You ever hate yuh father-in-law dem.

“Zara?” I call, hoping she’ll look up at me but she doesn’t.

“Mi hear yuh,” she says with an attitude, still scrolling through Instagram. I find it cute. See how har attitude stink?

“Never see this side enuh,” a smirk curls on my lips.

Mi know mi probably a annoy har. In fact, I am annoying her. Her pout tells it all. She continues to scroll through her phone, ignoring me. It’s now 9 PM.

“By 9:30 yaw guh see me,” I promise. She mumbles something inaudible.

“The time you a chat you would a reach wherever,” she rolls her eyes. I chuckle softly then Gutta walks in.

“Micheal just fawud and gone with yuh big woman.”

“Ah.” I hug Zara from behind. She’s a little tense, that’s how I know she’s still in her little mood.

“Call me if you need anything,” I peck her cheek. She’s still scrolling. I chuckle to myself as I walk out with Gutta .