Monique, Morgana and Bev had just finished breakfast and were talking around the breakfast table.
“What are you going to tell him now that his divorce is final?” Bev asked.
“I love the single life and I’m not sure I want to get tied down again. I mean Val and I are comfortable as we are.”
“I think she’s worried about us. Mummy, we’ll be okay and you needn’t worry about Darren. Far as I’m concerned, he’s growing up all right,” Morgana said.
“When you girls are my age, you’ll know about valuing your freedom. I don’t know if Val wants to move in with me, but I certainly don’t want to leave here.”
“But suppose he really wants to get married again and you turn him down and he goes and gets married to some other woman?” Bev asked.
“That’s a risk I have to take but Val has grown children like you. I don’t see him marrying again to start a new family. Anyway, most men in Val’s age group are looking for younger women. Oh, I don’t know, maybe if he asks me, I’ll have to give it some serious thought.”
“You look young to me,” Morgana remarked.
“She does, I think she is just scared that maybe it doesn’t work out.”
“Okay, okay, don’t say I’m hurrying either of you, but I’m not going to commit myself to anybody until I send away one of you and throw rice after her,” Monique said and Bev burst out laughing.
“Mummy is using delaying tactics. She knows that Glen and I have just started talking and you and Stewart have all but broken up, Morgan.”
Monique started to take off the breakfast dishes from the table just as Darren came down the stairs. He was a tall boy almost six feet with an athletic body. His hair was cut low and he had his father’s rough looks.
“Here comes Mr. Sleepy,” Bev said. “What time did you come in last night, Darren?”
“It was before my curfew time. Isn’t that true, mummy?” Darren asked and before Monique could answer Morgana put in.
“What I want to ask him is who is his new girlfriend now?”
“It’s still Bianca, isn’t that true, Darren?” Monique asked.
“Yes, mummy.”
“I don’t like the sound of that reply,” Bev said.
“I won’t let anybody into your secret, Darren,” Morgana put in.
“If he has a new girlfriend, I want to know about it and I want to know what happened between him and Bianca. You’ll have to take your breakfast on the back patio,” Monique said to Darren who was still busy trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes.
Morgana put her finger over her mouth as a sign to Darren and he laughed as he went out to the back patio for his breakfast. Bev seeing the sign from her, threw a cushion at her as both girls got up to help their mother clear away the breakfast table and do the washing up.
The Simmonds had a helper in Ellen Mc Daniels. Her hours were Mondays to Fridays and she only worked forty hours for the week and didn’t work on public holidays.
***
“Sally, you look ravishing,” Monique shouted as she hugged her sister and Vernon as they came into her home following Val’s picking them up at the airport.
“It was wonderful; we took a flight from Montego Bay. Negril was splendid and that hotel looked after us very well.”
“We’ve put on a welcoming party for you. Oh, it’s so good to see you and Vernon, you look absolutely smashing,” Monique said.
Sally hugged both Morgana and Bev.
“So how are my nieces doing?”
“We’re doing fine and you look absolutely gorgeous,” Bev told her.
Later as they sat around the dinner table to which Glen was invited and Darren was also there at the insistence of his mother.
“Everything’s okay with the business. But we have this
little problem on our hands. You should have remembered that case late last year when this man died in that prison riot? We have been information that his brother is blaming Morgana for his death and is threatening her.”
“Have you reported it to the police?” Sally asked.
“Sure we did, we also reported it to our security people,” Monique replied.
“We can’t be too careful. Nowadays you have to take these threats seriously. Does anybody have any idea where this guy, who is making these threats is?” Val asked.
“A man came by last Tuesday evening, he was asking for Morgana. When she phoned him, he told her about the threats,” Bev replied.
“You shouldn’t have phoned him. Now he has your number,” Val said.
“Did he want money, anything from you?” Vernon asked.
“He only warned me, but I’m not scared,” Morgana replied.
“This family can do without any more tragedies. I know that your security company is very alert, but maybe you could ask Burke Mason to have one of his operatives give an eye, Vernon,” Sally said.
“Burke runs a pretty effective unit and he has some top operatives. I’ll ask him,” Vernon said.
Burke Mason was a former senior superintendent of police who had gotten an honorable discharge from the police force before setting up his own security company.
“We’ll be glad for the help,” Monique said as they continued with the dinner.
Later, as Sally sat with Monique she asked.
“So what’s the latest between Morgana and Stewart?”
“Stewart’s turning out to be the perfect let down artist. He and April must be living together full-time now. At least that’s who, he’s been going around with of late.”
“I hope Morgana throws back his ring at him. She must show him that she can find better men than he. How lucky can he be? I can never understand what so many women see in him. Imagine while he was engaged to Morgana, he was going around with Bobbette and now April has run into his arms. Anyway, I’m glad that Morgana has walked away.”
“I don’t think she has returned his ring to him, but I’m almost certain that she will.”
“If she doesn’t want to do it she can give it to me and I’ll do it for her.”
“I’m surprised you haven’t asked about the business. I hope you haven’t forgotten that you have a business to run,” Monique reminded her.
“You’ll have to come tomorrow and maybe some days this week until I can get my feet on the ground again. So how was everything?” Sally asked.
“Everything else was fine. We got a lot of cooperation from the other staff members; we really got on very well. Girl, I have to tell you that you have some super people working with,” Monique said.
“I know, how do you think I’ve managed with Sid’s untimely death and all? That’s why I wasn’t worried about going away but I must thank you, sis,” Sally said as she saw Vernon coming over.
“Vernon, are you ready? Sis, I think I must say goodbye. We really have a lot of catching up to do, but I’ll see you tomorrow,” Sally said hugging Monique.
Vernon came and hugged Monique.
“Thanks for everything, Monique. I know you’re going to be great sister-in-law.”
A tear came to Monique’s eyes as she watched them go. It brought her back to how distraught Sally had been those weeks after that gunman pumped those bullets into Sid.
***
After leaving work Monday evening, Jenna asked Brad to pick up Kailen and Jaimie from school and to also come for her. They didn’t reach Brad’s home until after six o’clock. Jenna cooked dinner for all four of them.
After they had eaten, the kids went to watch television while Brad and Jenna retired to the back patio. They had gone to Corners on Saturday night and she had gone to sleep with Brad. Brad had dropped her home at five that morning so she was able to get in before the kids woke up.
“Did you enjoy Saturday night?” Brad asked as he
sipped some champagne.
“Of course I did, it was a wonderful evening both at Corners and later on in bed. You’re a wonderful man and so virile,” Jenna said, snuggling up closer to him.
“Look who’s talking. Far as I see it you’re the sexiest woman on the planet.”
“Remember that the kids are around. We could hardly jump into bed now.”
Brad laughed.
“You wore me out Saturday, I slept all day.”
“What about me? Sunday morning I could hardly get out of bed to make breakfast for Kailen and Jaimie.”
Brad chuckled at this and took some more sips of his champagne. Jenna looked at her watch and saw that it was just after eight o’clock.
“I think I’m developing a lot of feelings for you, but what about you?”
“You know how I feel about you. I’ve told you so many times before, baby.”
“I know, but it’s just that I sometimes feel that when I’m in a relationship with a man I want to know the direction it’s heading.”
Brad took another drink of his wine and thought for a moment.
“I don’t want to make any excuses and say that I’ve just returned to the island, but you know it’s you alone I’m seeing
and I’ve already told you how I feel about you. As I feel now we only have to give it a few more months and if we still feel the same way then we can make a decision at that time.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not rushing you into anything. I’m glad to hear what you’ve said.”
“We have to give this relationship time to work out. The way I feel about you I know that everything will be all right.”
Jenna took her time before replying.
“I wouldn’t like to be engaged the length of time Morgana is. If you put me off that long I would give you back your ring.”
For a moment Brad thought that she was taking a bash at Morgana. With the girl now almost single he wondered if Jenna was concerned that he might start pursuing her.
“I don’t think you’d have that amount of patience. When I’m ready it will be short and sweet.”
Jenna laughed and finished drinking her champagne. Brad took up the bottle to pour her some more, but she refused.
“I don’t want to sleep on the job tomorrow and I don’t want you drinking any large amount of alcohol.”
“I drink mostly fruit juices, this champagne is non-alcoholic. I don’t want a beer belly and you know that I do lots of exercises too.”
“You certainly are fit.”
Just then Kailen came out on the porch.
“Auntie Jenna, Jaimie is sleeping.”
Jenna had moved away from Brad when she heard the footsteps. She stood up now.
“We have to go now, Brad. Kailen, did you get any homework and did Jaimie get any?” she asked her.
“I did them before I started watching television. Jaimie did his too,” the girl replied.
“I’ll check them when we get home,” she said as Brad stood up too and they went inside to get Jaimie.
***
Monday evening Morgana, Jessica, Connie Welsh and Raquel Holmes, two new employees, went to Corners to have a drink. Both Connie’s and Raquel’s boyfriends would join them later. Morgana was feeling a bit more relaxed after she had virtually poured out her heart to Bev about her relationship with Stewart.
“Is Stewart coming here, Morgana?” Connie asked.
“No, my sister told me that she saw him up here with April,” Morgana replied.
The three girls knew what she was going through. Before they could say anything they saw both Connie and Raquel’s boyfriends, Delgado Durrant and Chris Petgrave, coming over. Morgana felt a stab of jealousy. Both men greeted them and took their seats. They ordered more drinks and before the drinks arrived Morgana saw Alex enter the nightclub. Then a man and a woman entered the club after Alex. Morgana couldn’t take her eyes off the man. It was Linton! The woman he was with could be around her age Morgana thought as she saw them going to a table on the opposite side to where she was. Connie and Raquel were now dancing with their boyfriends. Morgana went to dance with Alex and was now back at her table alone when Linton came over.
“Linton, is it really you? I never believed you were in Jamaica though I heard the rumors that you were.”
Morgana couldn’t hold back her surprise.
“I’ve been out here for about four months now.”
“And you never even gave me a call, why, Linton?”
“You know how it is. I thought you were married and enjoying life and maybe you didn’t want to hear from me.”
“Yes, I’m enjoying life, but I’m not married. I’m engaged but it’s going nowhere. But is that your girlfriend? Won’t she quarrel with you for leaving her alone and coming over here to talk to me?”
“I told her that you were one of my longtime friends so she won’t say anything.”
“I’m sorry for what happened between us, but you know how it is.”
“I understand. It’s since I came out here, I realized how right you were. Most of the girls out here are so materialistic.”
“What’s your girl’s name? I hope she and you can make it.”
“Her name’s Melanie. Yeah, she’s okay, a bit like you.”
“Thanks for greeting me and you know you can always call on me,” Morgana told him as they parted.
***
Linton and Melanie spent some more time on the dance floor. Several members of the crew were there and they were all counting their lucky stars that they had come through another week unscathed. There was still uneasiness in the crew over what Waldo has done. The incident had been reported in the local press, but his association with the crew wasn’t mentioned. Although he was now going around with another woman in Kellie Gibson, he had been barred from the crew. Friday night several crew members including Linton and Melanie had been over at Boon Hall and Saturday night they had been down at Temple Hall Estates.
***
When Morgana reached home she saw that Bev was still up.
“I thought you would be asleep by now, what’s up?”
“Glen just left and I decided to wait up for you. So how did it go?” Bev asked and Morgana laughed.
“I should be the one, who is asking; after all you had a date. Anyway, I met Linton and he told me that he has been out here, working for about four months now.”
“And he never gave you a call. Even if you had broken up with him he
owed it to you as a matter of courtesy.”
“I supposed so, but I’m not worried. He has a new girlfriend about my age. They seem happy together, but sis tell me about your date because by the look of things you and Glen are going places.”
“We’ve just more or less started talking. You know all the rumors that have been circulating about us down the years. Although we did go out a few times even though I knew he and Leona were still together. I’m scared about these rich guys. There are so many girls pursuing them and some of them are just too willing to use their bodies to attract them.”
Morgana knew that Bev was waiting for her results and would probably go on to do medicine. Glen on the other hand had majored in business as he had aspirations of one day heading his father’s many businesses.
“So have you decided what you’re going to do about Stewart?” Bev asked and Morgana laughed.
“I’ve already told you that we’re no longer engaged. I only have to return his ring to finish everything between us.”
“What are you waiting for?”
Morgan hesitated before replying. She put a sweet in her mouth.
“Sometimes I feel guilty because all I’ve been going off are suspicions, but I’ve never had hard evidence that he was cheating. I’ve made up my mind that I’ll be making certain by visiting him one of these nights when he least expects it.”
“But aren’t you setting up yourself for some emotional trauma. Suppose you catch him and April for example. What are you going to do?”
Morgana laughed, her sister could ask some very simple questions.
“Why, I’ll just return his ring to him right there and then.”
“But don’t you think that you might be permanently scarred?” Bev persisted in asking.
“I’ve gotten over Stewart a long time ago. I suppose I would be devastated if we were still going around together.”
“Won’t you be afraid to go alone?”
“I’ll probably go early one morning or maybe late one night.”
“You know his times very well,” Bev remarked with a wry smile.
“Don’t forget that he used to be my fiancé.”
“I just hope that you aren’t taking on anything you can’t handle.”
“I think I’ll be okay. Anyway thanks for the concern,” Morgana said as Bev prepared to go upstairs.
“If you change your mind and want any company you can always count on me,” Bev said as she ascended the stairs.
“I hardly think so, but I’ll keep you posted.”
Although she had a television set in her room Morgana preferred to watch the one in the family’s living room.
“I’ll go to bed too as soon as this show is over,” Morgana said, but she doubted if Bev heard her as she had already gone into her room.
***
Linton and Melanie were at his apartment having drinks before she went home. He was no longer afraid of being held up by Stan. He had no doubt that the man had made other attempts and had been scared off by his bodyguards.
“Who was that girl I saw you talking to?”
“She was my former girlfriend. Believe it or not she was the reason I returned to Jamaica.”
“What! Were you hoping to win her back?”
“No, I couldn’t understand why she left me. I had a flashy car, a plush apartment and was showing her a good time. All of a sudden she didn’t like my friends anymore.”
“Maybe that’s why you’ve been losing so many girlfriends,” she replied. “But you haven’t answered my question as to the reason why you returned to Jamaica.”
“I wanted to show her that I could get better looking women than her.”
Melanie got up off the couch.
“You were looking for an attrative face to show off on her, just another face. So that’s why you were going through all those women, to make her jealous. You know, Linton if you had told me that you had pursued her out here in an effort to win her back I would have felt better. What you’ve just told me seems so childish.”
When he didn’t answer, she continued.
“You must have come to Jamaica hoping to win her back. I don’t understand why a man would follow his former girlfriend home unless it was
to win back her love.”
“Our break-up was beyond repair and still is. So if I was so anxious to win her back why would I wait the four months I’ve been out here before I contacted her and our meeting was only by accident.”
“I’m sure this isn’t the first time I’m seeing that girl. I used to see her with that tall guy I saw at Bobbette’s wedding. She usually wore an engagement ring. It’s about the second time I’m seeing her out without her fiance’ or the ring. So there’s your chance to win back the great love of your life.”
“I won’t stand in your way since she was before me, so make up your mind. I suppose you must be comparing us. You must feel disappointed that she had to see you with somebody as ugly as me,” Melanie continued.
Linton got up off the couch and held her, but she pushed him away.
“You were using me and all those girls while you got over your hurt ego of losing the love of your life. None of us meant anything to you. I’m really sorry I got into an intimate relationship with you. I was hoping that it could have led to something more serious but what you just told me has spoiled everything.”
“I just saw the girl and talk to her and tell you that she was my ex-girlfriend and you begin to kick up a storm.”
“Listen, I’m not stupid and I don’t want to be a part of your ego trip.”
“What can I do to convince you that you’ve got it all wrong?”
“I think I got it right this time. I’m going home now and please don’t call me as we’ve got nothing to talk about.”
“Suit yourself, but as I said you’ve got everything wrong,” Linton said as he made his way to the bathroom.
***
As Jenna got ready for bed after checking on Kailen and Jaimie’s homework and getting them ready for bed a tear came to her eyes. Soon she would be forced to make some very hard decisions.
Growing up in Keswick, Jenna had gone to the nearby Mc Cauley High School. Her family, the Marsdens and their neighbors, the Wynters, were deadly enemies. The source of the enmity was a land dispute. The dispute stretched back to her great grandfather days. The Marsdens claimed that the Wynters had stolen more than ten acres of their land. They had taken the matter to court, but had lost. Thereafter the two families drifted from being the closest of neighbors to the deadliest of enemies. No courting was done between family members of the opposite sex. It was not until Jenna turned sixteen that she began to notice nineteen year old Selwyn. It was as if they were drawn to each other by a magnet. There were secret meetings and messages delivered by friends.
Robert was also around, although she didn’t think that he and Selwyn knew each other. They had gone to different high schools and he lived in the village of Oakley, five miles away. If anything they may have seen each other
before, but she doubted if they knew each other’s name. He always had a lot of money to spend on women. She had always refused his money and his advances. Selwyn was her man. Their secret lovemaking was made in heaven and Jenna could hardly wait for their meetings and their love feast to begin.
Then Selwyn announced that he was migrating. He had finished attending college, but was going abroad to further his education and Jenna was finishing up her senior high school with a view to going on to college. They agreed to a secret marriage. Both of them knew it would be war between the two families if it got out that they were married. A few days after their secret marriage Selwyn was gone and Jenna felt herself getting lonely. She knew that it would be a long time before they would be together unless of course he came out. Then Robert came calling and she fell under his spell and soon they ended up in bed. Then she started to miss her period and knew that she was pregnant. She knew that it was Selwyn’s child but he was away and she couldn’t very well tell her parents that she was married to him and expecting his baby. She didn’t want to do an abortion and so at the appropriate time she announced to Robert that she was pregnant for him and he accepted that it was his. In the meantime she phoned Selwyn to tell him the good news. He was shocked but knew that he was at fault for not having used any form of protection and then Jenna hadn’t sought to get any of those morning after pills until it was too late.
She told Selwyn that she had done as he wanted and registered the baby in his name. She told him that she was working and going to school part-time. Selwyn had gone up to go to school and Jenna knew that his family was supporting him with his studies so he couldn’t very well support her with Jaimie. She was glad to have Robert believing that Jaimie was his son and supporting him.
With his marriage to Bobbette, Robert was now out of her life. She was sure that she would stop him from maintaining Jaimie. Bobbette was evil enough to entertain such thoughts.
In a way she was glad that Jaimie was so young. He wouldn’t understand why his name had been changed from Parsons to Wynter. She had to think about Brad. Could she make him understand what she had done? Did she really love Brad or was it the type of life he offered her?
Then again there was Morgana, the girl was so beautiful. She would always be a threat and she had noticed how easily Brad sprang to her defense whenever she said anything unpleasant about her. Yet she was no fool and if Selwyn didn’t meet her expectations she had to hang on to Brad. But with Morgana and Stewart now disengaged she wondered how long it would be before she and Brad started something.
Jenna went to bed knowing that she didn’t have a lot of time. One thing was certain and that was Jaimie’s happiness and whichever route that took she vowed to take it even if it meant her own unhappiness.
***
Stewart and April went club hopping Tuesday night
finally ending up at Corners. There they danced and saw Jose Maragh and a new girlfriend, Ilana Newland. Stewart got to dance with Ilana, while Jose danced with April. Stewart got in a few words with her and she told him that she and Jose were meeting for the first time and she wasn’t sure about any relationship with him. She gave Stewart her cell phone number before their dance was over. April had to wake him up the next morning for him to drop her home and then go to work. They had made love several times in the early morning after returning from the nightclub.
***
It was one month since Celia had been at her new job in Ocho Rios and she was getting used to staff reporting to her. Two of her primary school friends were working there. For the first week or so they had lunch together and she was briefed about