Peppa

17. But Bomboclaat, A Your Phone.

Peppa has been gone since morning. And this neva did fi take suh long. "In and out," he said. So when I texted him in the afternoon that I would be over his house, I expected a reply; one telling me he would be home soon. 

But to my dismay, that message is still unanswered. One tick.

The wind blew the curtains again. Not knowing what else to do, I got up off the chair arm and pulled the door. Taking the gun that was on the centre table with me. 

If the boy did wah go link one a him b them, him could a just say that. Have me over yah a think seh him dead.

I sighed as I sat on the steps outside. I felt a wave of nostalgia hit me. Bringing me back to the days me and Peppa would a up, waiting for our parents to come back from murdering God knows who. 

It's ironic, cause now I'm alone. Waiting for Peppa to come home. From doing god knows what. 

I heard my phone ping inside and I raced to get it. My eyes ran over the message and my shoulders slowly sagged. It was just the Bwoy Trigga.

He said he hadn't heard anything from Peppa yet. All he knew was that Cash was dead. 

Cash? I don't understand?

I gave a short reply to which he assured me not to worry and called him if I needed anything.

I need Peppa to come home. Alive.

I sighed in defeat. Tears welled my eyes. And my body started to shake. I bowed my head and did something I hadn't done in a while. I prayed. I prayed with everything in me. To a God I hadn't spoken to in so long, nevertheless, he never took his hands off me.

Tears still slowly falling I went inside. I curled up onto the couch and let sleep take over.

**

I heard to lock click and before I could slowly pull the gun out from under the cushion my head was on I heard a deep voice say, "Fergi."

Peppa.

I opened my eyes. Blinking, adjusting my eyes to the darkness.

"Makai," I spoke lowly. I could barely see him in the darkness. I stretched my head above my head trying to reach the light switch.

"No, nuh turn on-"

Too late. My fingers had already flipped the switch before he could finish his sentence.

I looked in front of me.

Bomboclaat.

"Turn off the light Promise." He sighed.
I did as he said.

We didn't say anything for a while. He just looked at me. I could barely see him but the few seconds the light was on, I saw it. The blood. The look in his eyes. Something had gone terribly wrong.

"Makai" I said again. This time, getting up and slowly walking towards him. I took his hand when me reach him and his body sagged.

Tired. Drained. 
My eyes wondered over his body, trying so hard to see if the blood stuck to his skin and shirt was his. 

"I'm fine." He said, pulling me close, so close. Like he was afraid I'd run away if he let go. 

I wrapped my hands around his torso. Not caring about the blood. Just him. 

I forgot how draining this life could get, what it could do to you, if you weren't ready for it, or if somehow you made the facade fall. 

I've seen my mom pull my dad out of this, many nights. Nights when he came home reeking of blood, of something I didn't know then. 

But now I do. Death.

"Come on," I said, pulling the end of his shirt. I led him upstairs and into the bathroom. Slowly he undressed and went in the shower. 

He looked at me with pleading eyes. 

Yuh gwan look pon me, yuh nah get nothing till me find out wah happen tonight. 
He seemed to understand the look on my face cause he said, "Promise please, I need you." 

I sighed. A flood of nostalgia drowned me, hit the breath out of me. And suddenly I was 6 years old again, standing outside the bathroom door, hearing my father whispering those same pleading words to my mom. 

There was a man who was terrorising the community, little children started going missing and showing up back with so much trauma it was unreal. And him and the man them finally found out a who. I knew it took so much out of him to deal with that. To have to fix that. 

I brushed off the memories. And took my clothes. I had already taken a shower before he came. Nevertheless, I stepped in the shower. He turned on the shower allowing it to wet up his hair. The dry blood slowly started to wash away. 
"A wah happen Kai?" I asked. He just shook his head and continued to rub my back with the rag. 

I turned to face him. His curly, wet hair stuck to his face and the eyes looked droopy. 

"Not now Amoura, I just need a moment. Just geh me a moment." He said. I nodded.

Me wash the soap off of both of us, and come out before him. Whatever happened, I know it must be alot, if he says he needs a moment I'll give him that.

I carry his keys and phone with me and place them on the nightstand. I throw on one of his off-white T-shirts and lay down in the bed.

I need to know what happened.

Beside me, him phone flash. I look down at it on the nightstand and then back up at the door.

Me really ago fass inna the boy phone? Suppose me buck up pon something weh make me wah shit up meself.

Nevertheless, me tek up the man phone, open it like a me buy it and read the recent message that came in from Trigga.

"Him nah a talk and it a get late, me fi just shoot him or what. Talk fast before me make the decision mi self, Kayla a call dun me fucking phone."

"But bomboclaat, a your phone?" I heard before I could go in the chat and read more.

Peppa was standing in the doorway with his towel wrapped tightly around his waist.

"Me just did wah make sure everything good..." I started but the way how him did a walk slowly towards me made me stop.

He wrapped his hand around my neck softly, there was an amused yet tired look on his face. Slowly he leaned on the bed and whispered in my ear, "Promise Amoura, you were always too inquisitive for my liking."

Then he kissed me.
He pulled away, let out a sigh and started to rub his finger against my lip.

"I told you fi just give me a minute Princess. I'm going to tell you what happened. You know I don't hide things from you." He said.

"You hid yourself from me," I replied, not wanting to admit I was wrong.

"Yuh know that ano the same."

I moved away from him and out of his grip.
"Go put on clothes Makai." Was all I said.