Office Hours

23 | the m i s t a k e

| Z O Y A |

     ONE THING JAMAICANS took more serious than political elections, was a domino game.

"Wul this! Six under yu bloodclaat!" exclaimed Redman, standing and dramatically slapping a domino onto the wooden table with a powerful force.

Gio loudly hissed his teeth at his father's antics before looking down at his hand. He sighed and the small group of men chuckled.

"Anyways," Zoya said, looking back to her favorite cousin who was three years her senior. "Awa do yu neck?" Zoya asked, concerned.

"Huh?" Renae asked, eyes widening as she covered the mark. "It's nothing."

Zoya narrowed her eyes. "Make sure Jemari naa put him hand pon yu ino."

"He's not," Renae quickly defended her boyfriend. "He's not, I promise."

Is she blushing?, Zoya wondered, about to say something when her uncle's chilling voice made her rigid.

"Malique, yaa eedyat or wa?" Herman Brown loudly hissed. "Yu eva see a real man play domino so?"

Zoya and Renae exchanged glances as Malique stiffened before getting up and leaving. They sighed and followed after him. Malique sat in the hammock and they sat opposite sides of him.

"Everything I do he has a problem with. I don't know if he'll ever love me," Malique sadly confessed.

Zoya's heart broke. Malique was the strongest person she knew, he always held his own until it came to his father.

"I'm sorry, Malique," Renae said, laying a hand on his shoulder.

Zoya sighed. "Uncle loves you. He just has his own way of showing it."

"His own way?" Malique bitterly asked while angrily wiping at a tear that almost slipped. "He hates me because every time he sees me, he sees her. She knew she had an autoimmune disease but. . . but it's my fault. It's my fault-"

Renae urged Malique to lay on her shoulder. After slight hesitation, he did and his tears flowed free.

"It's not your fault, Malique," said Renae. "I don't remember Marva well because I was too young when she died. She never got to hold you but she looked forward to it everyday and always said if it came down to it, save you. You were the light of her life."

"Yes," added Zoya. "And Daddy always says Marva said you're a kicker. You play football now so I know she's proud of who you are."

"But my dad isn't," he sobbed. "I stay out of trouble and I do good in school. But nothing I do ever pleases him. The man nuh stop shame me in front people. How am I suppose to believe he loves me? I'm a mistake, he says it all the time. I should have died instead. . . maybe then he would love me."

"Malique!" Zoya exclaimed, shocked. "Don't talk like that-"

Malique sighed and tore his head off Renae's shoulder. He wiped at his tears and straightened his shoulders. "Mi good," he coldly stated then walked away.

"Do you think they'll ever have a good relationship?" Zoya asked.

Renae heavily sighed. "Only time will tell."

***

     HOURS LATER, Zoya was in bed talking to Caden. She felt like a silly little teenage girl, insides warm and fuzzy from a crush. Then she realized that was exactly who she was.

I have a crush on Caden.

Does he feel the same though? Probably not, she dejectedly thought before tuning back into their conversation.