TANSANEÉ POV
Monday,Dec. 27
9:30 p.m.
My face flushes with embarrassment feeling Xavier's unwavering stare on me.
I know he heard that.
"Mommy mi-"
"No a miself mi a talk to?? Ya big woman now?! Find you bloodclaat yard!" She sneers, I sigh
"Okay mommy" my voice defeated hanging up the phone.
"A wahm?" He asks me, I look at him feeling waves of embarassment and frustration hitting me like a heavy tide.
How me ago explain this to him?
"I have to leave, I'll text you when I get home" I tell him fighting the urge to cry.
Why mommy caah just chill?
I told daddy that I was leaving and that I would be out for a while and he was fine with it, so why she affi always have an issue?
"Somebody a come for you?" His eyebrows furrow looking down at me, I hesistate before shaking my head no.
"So how you ago reach home?" He asks,
"Call wah Uber or In-Dri-"
"My girl you take me fi waste man?" He cuts me off, he sounds offended.
"I just don't want to inconvenience-"
I stop talking immediately feeling even more embarrassed and frustrated when he hisses loudly.
"If you ready we can leave but no tell me no fuckry bout lef and take Uber cause you nuh wah inconvenience me" his voice gentle yet still managing to be stern.
I nod remaining silent.
"Come on" he takes my hand leading me behind him through the crowd with a firm grip just as Jada Kingdom starts performing.
I huff to myself becoming even more annoyed since her performance was the one I was looking forward to the most.
She's performing her song, 'Tek it' bringing back memories that make me smile a little despite my sour mood.
That night.
We approach the parking lot and he opens the car allowing me to sit in while he does something on his phone.
He joins me shortly after, the car filled with silence with exception of the muffled sounds from the concert.
"Mi know seh you nuh wah lef so why you a go home b?" He asks, I break my gaze that is plastered on the cars surrounding us.
I sigh, "Xavier, mommy a be mommy so mi affi leave. I'm sorry for making you leave" I apologize.
He shakes his head, "You nuh affi apologize to me bout nothing, me take you out fi spend time wid you and me glad mi get fi do that"
I offer a small smile at his words.
The rest of the drive is silent as I anxiously anticipate what awaits me when I arrive home.
Tajanae can be very harsh and from her tone earlier I already know she's fuming.
It takes us 30 minutes to get back to my house, Xavier stops at my gate.
From where I'm sitting, when I look into the driveway I see the lights on downstairs as well as the front door open with my mother and her friend standing there.
I sigh nervously reaching for the handle before realizing that Xavier is doing the same.
Weh him a go?
A caah....shit!
"Xavier" I call out to him before he can exit the car.
"Saneé?" He retorts looking back at me
"You want har fi kill mi fi real?" I ask him,
She's gonna cut my head off regardless but if she sees him it will be worse.
"Kill you fi wah? Tansaneé you a 18, mi just a make har know seh a me you did deh wid so you safe."
I stare at him hesitantly.
"Xavier it woulda better you tell daddy that because mommy head very hot and mi nuh want.."
Lawd Jesus man!
"Just leave it alone" I plead with him,
He stares at me then shakes his head in defeat.
"Arite, but me nah lef til you go in" he tells me.
I nod and get out after kissing his cheek.
When I do I put the hood of his hoodie over my head as it's a little chilly. My eyes make four with hers, we hold a stare as I approach them.
"Good night" I greet her and her friend.
Her friend responds as mommy just continues to glare at me.
"Tansaneé, who fah car dat?" She asks me.
"And tell me no lie" she continues,"Cause me done tell you father seh you feel ya big woman now enuh, you feel seh cause you turn 18 ya woman? Eeh?"
I don't respond and this only seems to fuel her angrier.
"WHO INNAH IH CAR?!!" She shouts in my face.
"A friend" I lie, lowly.
"Which friend?"
"One of Tariek friends" I tell her lowly,
I mean technically it's not a lie...they share a friend group.
"Wah ya do wid Tariek friend?!"
"I-"
She grabs at me by the front of the hoodie and the only thing that flashes my mind is the fact that he is seeing all of this.
"Tell lie again see if mi no fuck up you face!" She threatens, a lump forms in my throat from sheer embarassment.
"Long time me a tell Rosh bout you enuh! But no!! A me wrong, cause you caah do no wrong. You too fucking free!" She uses her finger to push my forehead.
Tears well up in my eyes,"That's why you feel you can bring man come ya!"
As soon as she says that I know who told her,
See why mi caah tek people
"So tell me now a who innah ih car! A you man?" She asks, her tone seething.
"Eeh?!!" She barks at me,
"You a sex now? You feel ya big woman ya tek things up under you naffi answer? Cocky sweet yuh?!"
I cringe at her words, "Momm-" she slaps me across my face cutting me off.
"Fuck you self go take man and come wid no belly! Mi talk to you enuh gyal! But you nuh hear!'
I hold my cheek feeling the tears beading down my face. She continues to curse but I tune her out completely feeling a myriad of emotions.
It's until I hear my father's voice followed by Xavier's that I click back into reality.
I look up meeting my father's eyes, his face softens before looking at his wife.
"Why ya drape up mi pitney fah Janae?!" He exclaims pulling her off of me.
He then turns my face to his examining it, I assume for any bruising. Mommy hisses loudly still cursing.
I step back feeling his eyes on me, only causing me to sulk further in self pity.
"Of course ya go take up fi har! You know seh you daughter have man a come a mi house and goodly all a take man!!" She complains before glaring at Xavier.
"She a 18 now you a act like we a neva 18 one time, she a grow up and as much as mi nuh wah accept seh mi baby a do that I have to." He tells her, she stares at him angrily. If this where a cartoon her eyes would have fire in them.
"Dat wid you now you too fucking soft!" She shouts even though his voice was calm.
"Go innah ih house Tajanae, now" he speaks sternly, she stares at him defiantly before he gives her a look.
She turns around shaking her head and entering the house with her friend behind her.
Daddy then looks at me, I look away as he then looks at Xavier.
"Night" Xavier greets, my father nods in acknowledgment.
"Sorry bout all a dat" he apologizes,Xavier nods.
So much for first impressions..
"Its alright, just did wah make sure she reach in safe since a me take har out yuh zimi. Neva mean fi cause no problems" he explains.
"Thanks fi do that" Daddy thanks him.
"What's your name young man?" He asks.
"Xavier" he responds simply.
Daddy then looks at me, I remain silent as I know if I talk I'll probably cry more than I already am.
"Henny" he calls my attention, I hum a response looking up.
His eyes softens.
"Mi wah talk to you when you come in, okay?" His voice gentle, I nod as he walks into the house.
Leaving me and Xavier there, alone.
I try my best to avoid looking at him but he turns me to him and tilts my head up, turning my face to examine it himself. Using his thumb to wipe under my eyes, which goes in vain as the tears just keep falling.
"Saneé" he calls, I barely hum a response feeling my lips tremble as I try to stop crying.
Embarrassment eating me alive with each passing moment.
"Stop cry b, you ago alright come here" he pulls me to him embracing me in a big bear hug.
"You wah stay with me tonight?" He asks me, I shake my head no.
"I can't"
"Can't or don't want to?" He asks, I sigh.
"I can't"
"Mi nuh want nobody a abuse you so, nobody nuh fi deh put them hand innah you face b" he tells me,
I exhale with my head resting on his chest.
"Yuh hear? Call me if anything and no go sleep before you call me yer Saneé?"
I sniffle lowly, "Okay" feeling him peck the side of my forehead.
He stares at me, we pull away after he places a small kiss on my lips before walking away back to his car.
I enter my house shortly after feeling the tension as soon as I step into the living room and see my parents going at it.
With mommy up in daddy's face as he tries to keep a collected stance. I know this is because he doesn't want to raise his voice at her, something he hates doing.
"Listen all mi a say is nuh put back you hands them pan mi pitney, kinda style that Tajanae?!"
"Rosh you nah see my issue!" She complains,
"Janae whether we wah accept it or not, Tansaneé a 18 she soon done highschool and gone a college. Wah we ago do then? She a grow up" he speaks seemingly frustrated with her attitude.
She hisses, "Roshan nuh tell mi dat! A mi daughter mi nuh want har a do certain things, when she breed come here memba mi tell you !"
"How you so sure she a do nothing? You even ask you come a box up mi pitney" he curses at her,she stares at him.
Daddy looks over at me, I look away hearing him sigh.
"Mi ready fi talk to you, Janae mi soon come upstairs" He walks away as she continues to grumble to herself.
"Come" his voice stern, I follow behind him to the backyard. Exiting through the siding door I make my way to the gazebo where he turns on the fire pit.
I sit next to him, he starts speaking.
"Henny, you know seh mi trust you and mi nuh like wah mi a hear so me just want you be honest with me" he says gently.
I nod, "You make man come here?" He asks me, I hesitate.
"So yes, you a have sex Hennessey?" He asks me, his tone weird.
I've never felt uncomfortable telling him anything but this feels weird.
"No I'm not daddy" I tell the truth, he stares at me then exhales seemingly relieved.
"The youth wah come here wid you...a you boyfriend?" He asks,
I pause.
Is he?
"I guess" I respond, daddy's eyebrows furrow.
"You guess?"
I shrug, "We're dating"
"But you like him?" He continues his questions.
I nod.
"You a mi baby, mi only daughter so me want you fi be careful. If...well when you decide fi start do certain things make sure seh you comfortable and who ya do it with serious bout you. Mi nuh want nobody hurt you" he tells me,
"Tariek told me the same thing, I won't let anyone hurt me. I'll be careful" I assure him,
"Make sure" his tone stern and serious."Because you have sense and a future no make nothing distract you from that"
We stay outside speaking for a while more until i head back inside.
With everything that transpired on my mind.
ROSHAN POV
10:57 p.m.
With my blood boiling I try my best to calm myself down while ascending the stairs.
Cause jah know me nuh wah get mad pan Tajanae in here.
"Janae" I call entering our room, she looks up at me folding her arms up underneath her breasts.
I close the door behind me going over to place my car keys on the dresser.
"You do something wah mi nuh like and me talk to you bout it already" I speak to her calmly eventhough I'm truly upset with her.
She breathes deeply through her nose resting her back against the bedhead.
"Mi not even go say nothing cause you ago just pick up for her regardless" she hisses,"Mi nuh know how me a you wife and me a tell you seh me concerned seh we daughter a do something and you ago pick har side?"
"Infront of people too Rosh. You know how that embarrassing?Imagine me owna man can't even defend me." She scoffs.
I stare at her trying to find the words to say what I want to without being too aggressive.
"You neva feel like it embarrassing fi we daughter when ya drape and box har up innah you friend and har boyfriend? You neva think more woulda come from it if you did just sit down and talk to har?" I feel myself getting angrier.
She doesn't say anything.
I hiss my teeth, "Me coulda get the truth outta har by just talking and you as har mother! Couldn't simply talk to har?!"
"You a gwan like seh you neva stay suh! You a did how much when me breed you Ih first time, since you wah gwan like ya the Virgin mary?! " I ask her, my voice malevolent
An expression of pain flashes across her face at the mention of that. She bites the inside of her lip.
Shit
"Janae, I'm sorry" I apologize realizing the impact my words had, "Mi just want you be less harsh wid har, she a learn and grow" I tell her, my voice much calmer now.
She shakes her head, "Whatever Roshan, anything wah happen. If she get hurt or she get pregnant it's on you. Me talk and nobody no wah listen to me" she shrugs getting off the bed.
She attempts to pass me but I stop her.
"Come here" I grip her arm pulling her to me.
She looks at me, I hold her stare.
"We daughter ago good, she know how fi manage harself. She get har strength from har mada if nothing fi come up she can get over it" I tell her.
She shakes her head, "Mi nuh want nothing happen to her Rosh" her eyes fill with water.
I sigh,"Nothing nah do har" I hug around her shoulders.
She doesn't say anything.