In The Company of My Sistahs Read online

  The restaurant was relatively empty at ten-thirty, which meant most people had already eaten and were off starting their day. I helped myself to what was left of the food. There was cacaloo, which looked like collard greens, Ackee and saltfish, and dumplings and green bananas. I put a little of each on my plate along with the traditional eggs and bacon. I then moved back to join the others. Like a fool, I glanced over toward the registration desk and spotted Everton waving and blowing kisses at me like a damn fool. I pretended I didn’t notice and moved to sit beside my sister.

  Nadine looked up from her plate. “Girl, Everton has been looking for you.”

  “Whatever,” I mumbled as I gnawed on a slice of bacon. She was trying to spoil my appetite.

  Lisa arched a brow. “Why’re you mad at him?”

  I stared down at my plate. “I’m not mad, just not interested.”

  “You were interested yesterday.”

  “Yeah, and since then I discovered he is not my type. He reminds me too much of Bobby.”

  Lisa smirked. “You used to be in love with Bobby.”

  “Yeah, for a hot minute, until I discovered he had a little dick and then I cut his ass off.”

  Kayla chuckled. “Is that what happened with Everton? You discovered he wasn’t working with much?”

  Shit. I set myself up for that one. The last thing I wanted them to know was that I had slept with him and was pissed off because the brotha wasn’t working with much. “No, I didn’t sleep with his ass. He turned me off long before he pulled his dick out. He just isn’t my type.”

  Kayla took a sip of orange juice. “Well, he thinks you’re his type, ’cause he’s been from behind that desk twice asking us about you.”

  From across the table, I glared at her. “And I guess you just happened to tell him I was in the room.”

  They started cracking up laughing while I rolled my eyes and continued eating. They thought his infatuation was funny. I didn’t.

  “So you’re saying you didn’t give him some?”

  I stopped chewing and said, “Nope.”

  Lisa knew I was lying. I could see it in the look she gave me. But I wasn’t in the mood to talk about my most recent mistake, so I changed the subject.

  I glanced down at the bulletin on the table. “Are we going on the shopping trip today?”

  Kayla nodded. “Yeah, I’m game.”

  Nadine glanced down at her watch. “The shuttle leaves at one.”

  Lisa reached for the bulletin and browsed through it. “If we want to have dinner at the restaurant upstairs tonight then we need to make reservations.”

  “That’s cool,” Kayla said.

  I speared a piece of saltfish with my fork. I must admit it was quite tasty. “I want to check out that club tonight. I think they called it The Pier.”

  “I’m game,” Nadine chimed in. “The lady at the excursion desk said tonight is Hump Night. We’ll have to schedule a shuttle to transport us there and back.”

  Lisa nudged me in the side and tilted her head in the direction of the lobby. “Don’t look, but here comes Everton.”

  Aw, hell! Sure enough, here he comes. Yesterday his uniform looked sexy. Today he looked a hot mess. All I could think about was that little thing he had between his legs and him taking a shit right after sex. I dropped my head to my plate and concentrated on my breakfast, wishing I could nod my head like in I Dream of Jeannie and blink the fuck out of here.

  “Hey, Everton,” Lisa greeted.

  “Hello again, ladies.” He stood before me. “Renee, good morning.”

  “Hey, whassup,” I mumbled, barely making eye contact.

  “I tried calling you this morning.”

  I ain’t no coward. I glanced up at him. “I was asleep.”

  A smile crinkled his eyes. “Can I see you this evening?”

  I stabbed my eggs with my fork. “I got plans.”

  His nosy ass had the nerve to ask, “What kind of plans?”

  “We’re going to The Pier,” Kayla offered.

  Big mouth.

  “Oh, no! That is not a place for respectable women to hang out. I rather you not go there.”

  Excuse me! I must have been hearing things. Because I sure hoped Everton didn’t think just because we had slept together he now had some control over my whereabouts, because if he did, he was definitely in for a rude awakening.

  Nadine leaned across the table and gave Everton a smile that I knew meant her ass was up to something. “Do you dance, Everton?”

  He shook his head. “No, I’m afraid I have never been very good at dancing. That’s why I didn’t attend the party last night. However, if I had known Renee was planning to be there I would have set my alarm so I could have joined her.”

  Lucky me.

  Nadine shrank back in her chair. “You know, Renee’s an excellent dancer. She can teach you.”

  I rolled my eyes at her and had to bite back laughter because they were getting a kick out of this shit, and suddenly it was kind of funny.

  “I would love to have some private lessons.”

  My brow rose. No, he didn’t go there. I rolled my eyes and reached for a slice of bacon.

  Lisa joined in on the fun. “I’m sure my sister would love to give you some private lessons,” she cooed.

  “Look, I need to get back to work. Can we talk later?”

  I wasn’t promising shit. “We’ll see.”

  As soon as he was gone, I rolled my eyes in Lisa’s direction and spat, “Bitch, I’m gonna fuck you up.”

  The three fell out their chairs with laughter.

  Chapter 26

  RENEE

  I don’t know why we decided on shopping down at Sam Sharpe Square. As soon as the shuttle driver let us off those local vultures came down on us hard. You would have thought it was a mob. They dragged us into one store after another. There was so much begging and pleading I wanted to scream.

  “Oh, come on, pretty lady, I need to feed my family.”

  “I’ll give you special deal, very special deal.”

  Just to get them to shut up we ended up buying a bunch of shit we wouldn’t have even dreamed of buying if we’d had the time to consider our purchases. They were good, I’ll give it to them, damn good at what they do. When we finally escaped, they waved, smirking and shit at my dumb ass for blowing one hundred dollars on a bunch of shit that was going to end up on the top shelf of my closet.

  After they had taken all our money, we took the walkway toward the center of the town where stood the Cage, a former jail for runaway slaves. We were fascinated by this discovery because I had no idea there had been slavery going on in Jamaica, especially since everybody in the country appeared to be black.

  Afterwards we headed up Harbour Street toward the Crafts Market, snapping a roll of film along the way. Shaded storefronts displayed their treasures—coffee, souvenirs, crafts, and unique Jamaican art and jewelry, things we could have better spent our money on. We passed a kid on the curb, wearing a t-shirt with Bob Marley on it, and holding a can in his hand. We each gave him a dollar.

  When we got back to the hotel we were tired and exhausted from the heat. We decided to have a drink before heading to our rooms to shower and take a quick nap.

  “Renee.”

  I tried to ignore his voice and started walking faster across the lobby.

  “Renee, Everton’s calling you!” Nadine yelled from behind me.

  I turned around and gave her the evil eye, then glanced over toward the desk. Everton blew me a kiss, threw me a wave. He signaled for me to come here. I groaned, then shuffled my feet toward the desk.

  “Hey, I tried calling you before you left.”

  “I was trying to get ready so we could catch the shuttle.” He was definitely a stalker.

  “How was shopping?”

  I rested my bag on the counter. “Horrible. Them merchants were grabbing us and shit.”

  “Shopping downtown is terrible. They beg and raise the prices. They’
re so aggressive people buy stuff just to get away.”

  I finally looked directly at him and smiled. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

  “Did the one lady show you a picture of her crippled daughter?”

  I nodded and started laughing.

  Everton chuckled. “That’s some picture she clipped out of a magazine. She’s been pulling that stunt for years.”

  “It worked.”

  We laughed some more, and I had to say that Everton’s dimples were quite attractive. Too bad his dick was so damn little. I smiled across the counter at him, thinking that maybe we could at least be friends, and then Everton started looking at me all hungry and shit. Damn! It was time to go.

  “Look, I need to go get out of these sweaty clothes.”

  His expression suddenly grew serious. “Can I see you later? I could get a room again.”

  Hell, naw! “No, I’m going to hang with my girls tonight, but I’ll drop by and talk to you later.” I reached for my bag and stepped away.

  “I would really like to take you to my home tomorrow so you can meet my mother.”

  I frowned. “Your mother?”

  “I told her all about my new American lady.”

  What the hell could he have possibly told his mother other than the color of my naked ass? “I don’t know about all that, but we can discuss it later.” I turned on my heels and jogged across the lobby toward the exit.

  Everton was obviously one of those Jamaicans anxious to meet and marry an American. Well, you got the wrong one, baby.

  Chapter 27

  KAYLA

  While Renee was in the lobby with Everton, Kayla made her way back to their room. She quickly moved over to the phone, hoping to see a blinking red light, and was disappointed to discover there wasn’t one.

  Leroy still hadn’t called.

  She couldn’t believe this. Yesterday he had made a promise to call her. Yet he still had not called. She sank down onto her bed and dropped her bags onto the floor. It wasn’t like she was surprised. She had expected as much.

  Outside the sun was shining and a beach party was going on around the pool, yet here she was sitting in her room, feeling sorry for herself.

  They had spent the afternoon browsing stores and strolling through the market and she hadn’t wanted to be there. No matter how much she tried not to, she dragged her depression with her. It was weighing her down and ruining her vacation. Instead of being on the exotic island, she wished she was back home in their dead-ass little town, where Leroy was only a phone call away. It was Thursday. Tonight the church had Bible study. She always sat in the front pew, where she was able to hear everything he said and see his fine tail while he did it.

  Out of sight. Out of mind. She had almost canceled coming because she was afraid that if she was gone for a week he might find someone else. Then she reminded herself that he loved her. Now she was millions of miles away and had discovered that he had moved on long before she had stepped foot on that plane. He had moved on with his wife and family.

  Once again tears clouded her eyes. She wiped them away, not caring that she had smeared her makeup.

  She might as well face it. He wasn’t going to call. In front of her friends, she looked like a damn fool. She had been played again. In her experience, with her past relationships, she already knew getting over him wasn’t going to be easy.

  Kayla took a deep breath, and as quickly as she blinked her eyes, she gave up her denial. Tears started running down her face and she sat there staring out at the ocean, feeling sorry for herself. The others were at the bar, drinking. Something cold sounded wonderful but right now she needed some time alone so she could cry in private. Lisa had been right. Leroy had only been using her.

  Now she had to find a way to pick up the pieces and start over again. How many times am I going to keep starting over?

  She was so stupid. By now you would think she would have recognized game, especially with her track record. But with Leroy, she had been used in the worst way. Because for once in her life she had truly believed she had finally gotten it right. She had invested more time in their relationship than she had with anyone else. Only Leroy was no better than the rest. He had used her as his little sex toy, getting her to do things his own wife would never have agreed to. Things that Kayla wouldn’t have agreed to if she had known it had all just been one big game.

  As Kayla stared out the sliding glass door, she remembered one evening she had met him at their spot. She had barely stepped into the room when he pulled her in his arms and kissed her until her toes curled. She loved his thick, succulent lips on hers. When he pulled back she could tell something was on his mind.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.

  He hesitated. “I need to ask you a question.”

  She wrapped her arms tightly around him. “Sure, Leroy. Go ahead and ask me.”

  “Well, I ...” He paused.

  “Leroy, you’re starting to scare me. What is going on?”

  “I need a favor.”

  Her shoulders relaxed. “No problem. You know there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.”

  “Do you really mean that?”

  She nodded. “Of course. I love you.”

  “I know, but I’ve never asked a woman this before.” He looked her directly in her eyes. “Not even Darlene.”

  Kayla gave him a reassuring smile. “Then I am honored that I am the first. Now ask away.”

  He took a deep breath. “I want to have anal sex.”

  “What?” she blinked twice. She couldn’t have possibly heard him right.

  “I want to make love to you back there.” He put his hand on her butt and rubbed as to emphasize what he meant. On contact, she snatched his hand away.

  “Are you serious? You want to screw me in the butt like some slut?” She was stunned. In the past, no matter how many times she had been asked to do such a thing, she had always flat out refused. Never had she considered it, but now the man she loved, the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, wanted her to do an act she was raised to believe was reserved for a two-dollar ho.

  “Sweetheart, it’s not like that. Anal sex is a beautiful thing shared by two people who love each other.”

  “So does that mean you’re going to go down on me?”

  He had the nerve to look offended. “Of course not. That is something I will do only for my wife.”

  “So how in the world can you expect me to allow you to screw me in the ass if you aren’t even willing to perform oral sex on me?” His refusal hurt because she had sucked his penis countless times.

  Leroy dropped his shoulders and gave her a pitiful look like a young boy whose mother told him no sweets before dinner. “Because my wife said she would and even after we were married she refused. I need to know that you will not do the same.”

  Kayla stood her ground. “I can’t do it.”

  “Aw, come on.” He tried to hold her and she moved out of his reach.

  “No, so don’t ask again.”

  “Fine! I guess you don’t love me as much as you try to pretend you do.” He moved and made a show of putting on his coat. “I’m glad I found out now before I wasted my time this weekend shopping for a ring.”

  “That’s not fair. I’ve done everything for you.”

  He glared at her. “Not everything, because you’re not even willing to do the one thing that no other woman has ever done for me. I’m out of here.”

  Kayla suddenly realized her future was walking out the door. “Wait!” She rushed over and pulled him back into the room. “Please don’t go.” She sighed, giving in. “I’ll do it.”

  His eyes sparkled. “You mean it?”

  “Yes, just please don’t leave me,” she pleaded.

  Leroy leaned forward and kissed her. He then reached for his zipper and ordered her to remove her clothes.

  Chapter 28

  RENEE

  I rushed into the room. I could
n’t get away from Everton fast enough. I could have strangled Nadine and Lisa as they sat in the bar, cracking up laughing. Everton was definitely going to be a problem, and to think I was trying to be nice to his ass. I mean, after all, it wasn’t his fault his dick was small. Well, regardless of the problem, Everton needed to stay out of my space, which reminded me: I still needed to get in his ass for running his mouth to Sylvester, telling everyone we were an item. I was not about to let Everton sabotage my vacation.

  Tossing my bags on the table, I grumbled, “Everton is getting on my damn nerves.”

  I heard a strangled laugh and glancing over my shoulder. Kayla was sitting on the bed, shoulders sagged and head down. She looked like she could use a friend. I sighed. All I wanted to do was take a quick shower and sleep for the next couple of hours. But now was not the time to think of myself. Kayla needed a shoulder to cry on, and as much as I wanted to run and go get Lisa, it was my turn to give her one of mine.

  I moved and took a seat beside her on the bed. “Hey, girl, what’s wrong?”

  She turned and looked at me. Her nose was running and her eye makeup was smudged across her cheek. “Nothing.”

  “Nothing? Girl, you look like shit. I hope you’re not crying over Leroy’s ass.”

  She shook her head, then looked down at her hands. “No. Just feeling a little homesick.”

  “Homesick for what? Leroy’s lying ass?”

  She started crying again and I felt like shit because, like I said before, I am not the most sensitive person on the planet. Damn. Okay, I’ll try harder.

  I put a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, Kayla. Come on, now. You’re not the first woman to get played. Shit, look at me. I’ve been played lots of times.”

  She wiped her eyes and glanced over at me with her nose running. “When were you played?”

  Damn. She would have to ask that. You know a sistah like me tries to block that kinda stuff from her memory bank. “Let me see, uh ... oh! Shit! How in the world can you forget my second husband?”

  She started laughing. “Yeah, how could I forget him.”