Fatal Attraction (Jamaican Novel)

•Chapter 33•

4 months later||Richmond Estate||Saturday||5:56 P.M

Tanoi Cunningham

Chey laughed at me on our facetime video call, she found my struggle amusing. For someone who's been sick all week, she never failed to find my lack of mobility amusing.

Imani was out doing his job, I felt for cookies but he hid them in the cupboard, I couldn't get to them.

All because I refused to eat anything healthy.

It's not my fault, his kids won't let me eat anything other than junk food.

I'm six months pregnant and I look like all I eat is fats and oils.

I wake up with a swollen face everyday and by the afternoon it goes down, that's when my ankles start to get swollen and those rarely go down.

"It's not funny" I tell her, my voice is back. I had to go through a month's treatment to finally get my breathing right and then two weeks to get my speech back.

I kind of miss not talking all the time.

"Of course it is, you look cute" my best friend coos, "have you guys decided to have a baby shower yet?".

"No, if we're having one it'll be in Trelawny though, where my family members are, he'd have to get someone to take his grandma and aunt"

"Tanoi, a climb yaah climb go up desso?", Chey laughed again at my dilemma.

I was kneeling down on top of the counter, finally getting the cookies out of the cupboard.

Chips Ahoy cookies and rice crispies were on display in there.

Why buy them if I can't eat them?.

"Talissa", I stopped what I was doing, keeping my head inside the cupboard.

Mi never hear him come in.

Think him wuda deh a work longer.

Right.

"Mi know yuh hear me call yuh name, weh yaah do up desso?"

"Looking for apples"

Chey bursts out laughing, I could hear her mother laughing as well in the background.

Mani's hands rest on my waist as he picked me up and put me on my feet to stand.

He moved the stool and put it back at the island, "apples, inna the cupboard".

"Yes?"

He opens the fridge, showing me the dozen untouched apples and other fruits he bought that I haven't touched.

"English a call me, soon call yuh back" Chey says hanging up.

No, she ago leave me fi deal with him alone.

"Suppose me never come home in time and yuh fall from up there?" Mani sternly asks.

He took out some blueberries and milk from the fridge.

Yaay, blueberry smoothie.

Yuh dis a nyam dung e place.

"Mi wouldn't fall" I confidently tell him, "cats always land on their feet".

He gave me a dumbfounded look, "yuh just spew whatever come to yuh mind don't".

"Why yuh come back so early anyway?"

"Ano my house?"

"Mi nuh know, for all I know a goodly somebody yuh tek it from"

"Yuh know me cuda handle you being snarky before but now it a get outta hand, yuh want me do yuh like last time?"