Stay boy 3

Chapter 22

The largest prison people live in is the fear of what other people might think. I have been living in this prison for as long as I can remember. I feared what my father might think of my life choices and the penalty I had and still have to face for doing that was to live a dull life of mere existence and not really living much. One of the most uncomfortable truths about mankind is that they don't provide a safe space for others to fail or be vulnerable.

"Let them know you love him and want to be with him Ash" Tiana boomed. I was wrong about Tiana, she was way more stronger than I was. She was more of a go-getter, I was just a privileged girl.

"If they love you they will understand!" Tiana grumbled.

No matter how much we admit that we are imperfect, we still desire someone that's perfect. Women tend to want a flawed free man, a robot, in my opinion, a robot that comes fully equipped with all the qualities they desire. Men want the beauty queens with a doll image that only wants him, does everything right to please him.

"They aren't perfect!" Tiana maintained

"Uncle cheats a lot and auntie just sits and takes it"

"Trying to convince people that she stayed because of you"

Tiana scoffed and sucked her teeth.

"When we all know she just loves uncle and doesn't have the guts to leave"

We create a script with a role for a person to play without the actual person being aware of the nature of this role. Heck, they fail even before they even try. And that's just the way life is and we are expected to accept it because that's how life has always been whether we choose to admit it or not. We all dream of a fairy tale and we get up every day yearning for perfection when we ourselves are not even perfect.

"I know T" I finally summed up the courage to say.

Tiana darted at me and I look away.

"Nobody nuh perfect cous"

"Me wudda kill fi a man like Star boy" she divulged.

"Uncle a big shot and before him make moves to better you and give you independence him rather shelter you like yah 12"

"This yah man yah turn you inna top gyal"

"Look at that car" she pointed at my Mark X that was parked in the yard front.

"Girl wake up!"

"Who nuh like it tell them guh suck an egg"

I snickered, "even your uncle gyal?"

She folds her hands

"All him to!"

"If a dirt a dirt!"

We both laughed.

I was glad I allowed Tiana to stay here after her parents turned her out. She had become that sister I never had and always hoped for. Her advice and comfort are what really kept me grounded this past few months. I want to help her on her feet, I feel guilty having her taking care of Nyla. She deserves so much more out of life and I am going to do what it takes to ensure that she gets it. 

"T, what do you see for yourself in the near future?" I questioned and ran my finger threw her hair.

"Well, cous.." She paused.

"No boo tell me!" I requested

"I really want to help"

"Well, cous..." She shuffled and shrugged. I watched her closely.

"Who is Tiana Dawson really?" I insisted.

"Who do you want to be T?"

"Ok Ok" She threw her hands up in surrender.

"I want to run my own makeup line"

"I could get the products from China, label, and brand myself and sell here in Jamaica"

I looked at her in amazement.

I was inscribed by the idea and I was rather happy to see the way her eyes lit up when she spoke about it. It told me she was very passionate about what she wanted.

"What if I fund your business?" I asked her. I haven't been spending a dime from my business. The money that Star boy gives me monthly for Nyla is enough to take care of all three of us so I have been saving all my profit from my business. The only cash I retracted from the business was the start-up money that I returned to Star boy which he placed inside my fixed deposit account.

Tiana looked perplexed by the question I asked her.

"No cous, it wouldn't make much of a profit to be a partnership business"

I snickered

"No T"

"I mean give you the cash just like that"

"So you can do what you want on your own"

"Not loan, just a gift"

Tiana's eyes lit up and her mouth flew open

"Really Ashleigh?"

"I would give you the world if I could T"

"You are such a good person to me and Nyla" I admitted.

Tears build up in her eyes and she quickly blinked them away.

"Thanks, Ashleigh!"

"I love you!"

She sighed and leap into my arms."I love you too boo" I peeked her on the cheek. "Just tell me how much and I'll work on it for you"