Peeling Back the Top Layer 🇯🇲

8| Reflection

'Affairs of the Heart' by Damian Marley plays from an old playlist when the car roars to life. The song gauges my mood on the drive home and as my thoughts absorb the lyrics, I come to the following conclusions:

Firstly, this was Ricardo's first time being unfaithful. It's completely out of character for him and I could tell by his tone and reaction that he regrets his decision.

Two, Gillian and Ricardo have a solid relationship built on love and respect. Had it not been, then he would have had sex with that woman today and Marsha would have been able to find out about it before. 

Cheaters usually get careless and sloppy when they no longer value the relationship with their partner. If he doesn't even bother to hide then he clearly doesn't care about the repercussions of his actions.

Three, they're both going to work things out. He might have broken her trust but knowing Gillian he'll win her back. No relationship is perfect after all — they all have ups and downs. It takes constant effort on both parts to keep things together. Besides, Gillian is the most forgiving person I know and there's no debating that they love each other.

Four, as tough as Marsha acts, she's quite a softie deep down. She seems so hurt by Ricardo's actions today and not to mention the nervousness at the disclosure of her secret lover, wanting to be sure about him before introducing him to us.

And five, Steven is familiar so this decision is easy. And, it's not like there's a host of eligible bachelors lined up at my door begging for my hand in marriage.

With that final thought, I call and invite him over to my house. He told me earlier that he doesn't have plans tonight. My only request is that he brings dinner because I didn't get a chance to cook.

He arrives around 7:30 pm with Chinese food for two and a bottle of wine in hand just after I freshen up. "What are we celebrating?" I ask in reference to the wine.

"New beginnings... friendship... I suppose," he replies, apparently unsure about his reason though his eyes make a silent appeal that things will work out favorably.

"Well, every day we're healthy and alive is good enough reason to celebrate," I smile.

We have history and though we might have to relearn things about each other I think we have a shot at getting things right this time around. He's willing to try so I'm going to give him a chance, even if it's just to fucks up again.

One of the things I admire about him is his dedication to his mother and by extension, to church. Although he doesn't go around preaching the gospel, he attends Sunday service more often than not. It's a habit he cultivated as a boy growing up with a single mother.

Earlier when we spoke, he told me that she often asks about me and encourages him to make things right between us. My grandmother always said you can tell a man's character by the way he treats his mother. When this man looks at his mom or talks about her I get a sense of pure love and admiration.

He pretty much lives a life that's grounded in the principles she taught him as a child. Well, he disregards the thought that sex should wait till after marriage, saying intercourse is a natural part of life that all humans should enjoy.

Barring the instances of disrespect in the latter part of our relationship, he has always been caring towards me. He has other flaws too. I've witnessed him lose his temper on more than one occasion and even use profanity but outside of that, he maintains a polished character.

"Wah happen today? Weh yuh disappear to?" he asks in reference to the abrupt end to our telephone conversation earlier.

"Marsha needed my help wid some personal stuff. It was kinda urgent," I shrug. Mi nuh know why but di spirit nuh bid mi fi tell him bout Ricardo.