Hello

Solomon's Mirror

Solomon couldn't believe he was here. The long line of fruit-bearing trees crossed the length of the field. A crisp wind rolled around him and upset the long strands of grass that swooned in flushing shame at the wind's hot breath.

This was even as the evening sun was running from the approaching darkness.

Whether it was Sonia stepping with power and grace toward him or his nagging trying to implore him to run, he couldn't be sure.

A mineral bath on top of a hill surrounded by soursop and ackee trees. This was the last place he expected to be, but this was the spot she suggested as their meeting place.

Many people were jumping in and out of the water. Others slowly waded on its luster-glinted surface. 

Sonia wore a two-piece suit, with a thin cotton cloth tied at one end of the hip and curved at the other. 

She stopped in front of him beautiful as always, but her twiddling fingers as she rolled her phone in between her hands told him she wasn't the only one that was nervous.

He waited. 

Her eyes drifted as her lips curled into a swiveled-up leaf. "Yo."

She took her sweet time, didn't she? The arrogance of Sonia to slip back into his life, on her time, whenever she decided she wanted to, tickled at his frustration.

In a way, he had to respect it. It was always her decision, never anybody else's. That didn't mean he liked it though.

Solomon opened his mouth, but his tongue fell flat.

A bout of laughter drew their attention to the bumbling figure around their legs. It was the one and only. Andrew stomped in only his swim trunks and drips of water flicked off his glistened skin. He stopped, looked up, and made a moan as if he saw a miraculous sight.

Solomon's hand instinctively went down, but he stopped himself. Even as Andrew reached up his hands toward Solomon, Solomon hesitated.

"He misses you." Her voice sounded so soft when it hurt him so much.

Solomon's eyes went up and watched her inhaling deeply. His fingers wrapped inward, and closed his fist. "Why me da yah?"

Her face tightened as her lips pouted. "I want to talk."

She could have done that ten times over a long time ago. Something changed, otherwise he wouldn't be here. "About?"

A warmth traversed up his leg and it reminded him of something deeper than life itself, for it was Andrew who grabbed onto Solomon's leg.

She huffed out a frustrated sigh. "Would you stop looking at me like that?"

Solomon's smile couldn't be hidden anymore at the candor of Sonia. It was like she was unshielded and without the fluff that used to exist. 

"What? Not used to apologizing?"

Her lips twisted into a frown and she crossed her arms over her chest. Sonia walked wide of him and tread the path around the mineral bath.

"I don't have a problem apologizing, it's… I didn't want to see your face and go through the whole of that. I knew you would hate me."

That killed him.

Solomon inhaled as he chased behind her. "Look—" He stumbled and looked down at Andrew who halted his progress. Solomon grasped Andrew and swung him up into a hug. 

He sped up his pace to keep up pace with her. "Look, the fact that you think me would even do that is my problem with you. That hurts the most, especially after admitting that to me."