Total pages in book: 152
Estimated words: 154368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 772(@200wpm)___ 617(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 772(@200wpm)___ 617(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
"No way." I shook my head. "I say Deja heads back to New York with nothing else occurring between them."
Zo laughed. "You clearly don't know what it looks like when a man is about to snatch up a woman."
"And you do?"
"Better than you. Trust me. He wants her bad. It’s all over his face."
“Is it?” I studied Rin. The bored expression was fully intact. Arms still crossed. Eyes half-lidded like he might fall asleep standing up.
But his gaze hadn't moved.
He was still watching Deja.
Hmmm.
Deja clapped her hands. "Alright y'all, party's over. Let's get this girl's hair together."
Nika stepped forward and looked at my head. "Girl, what is going on with these braids?”
“I did them.”
“I know you haven't been walking around this island with those plaits looking like you just walked off a movie filming a slave plantation or something like that."
“Something is wrong with you.” I touched my braids self-consciously. "My man likes these little braids."
Deja put her hands on her hips. "He must love you because that looks a hot mess. I can't believe you. And you know this is my hair—as much as I've been working on this hair for years, making sure it looked good and together, and you ain't even representing us right."
Deja stood behind me and ran her fingers through my hair. "What you want to do? You want to have red hair, blonde hair? You want to stick with black or brown? Are we doing goddess braids? Are we doing knotless? Like what you want, girl? We got to do something really nice. We're going to have you together. And while I'm doing it, you have to tell me all about your man."
I sighed. "I don't even know. I just want to make sure my hair looks good. I don't really care."
"What do you mean you don't care?" Deja started. "You have to tell me something—"
“You pick, Deja,” Zo interrupted. "She’s got a lot on her mind."
I looked at him. He was watching me carefully. Like he could see the stress written all over my face.
Zo took a puff of his joint and blew out smoke. "You know better than she knows what to do with her hair."
“Alright then.” Deja nodded. “We’ll have some fun.”
Zo handed me the joint.
This time I decided to take it. Perhaps, the weed would calm my nerves.
I took it and inhaled. The smoke filled my lungs, warm and earthy, and I felt some of the tension in my shoulders ease.
Zo let out a long breath. "We're going to enjoy the movie and have fun."
“I’m surprised you’re so calm. You’re usually a mess.”
“Hiroko gave me opium. I’m surprised I’m even up right now.”
“Opium?”
“Yeah. She didn’t want me being frantic around you. She wanted me to keep the both of us calm.”
I smiled.
Thank you, Hiroko.
He leaned closer and whispered, "Kenji and everyone else is going to be okay."
I looked at him. "I hope so."
Deja started taking out my braids and humming.
I took another hit of the joint and relaxed in the chair.
The movie screen was visible from where we sat. I could see the theater below filling up with more people. Kids were running down the aisles. Women were settling into seats with their children. Older couples were finding spots together.
But there weren't many men.
My stomach twisted.
They must be guarding the island.
I handed Zo the joint and looked down at my phone.
No messages. No updates.
This heavy anxiety crept back in, damn near suffocating me.
I forced myself to breathe.
Zo grabbed my attention. “Have you eaten yet?”
“No, but I’m not hungry.”
“You’ve got to eat, Nyomi.” Then, he whispered, “You’re pregnant. You’re eating for two to five people now.”
“What the fuck?”
He rose and headed off.
“I am not, Zo! And two to five people? Stop smoking, Zo.”
“Could be triplets or something.”
Nika gasped, “Girl, are you pregnant?”
“Oh.” Deja undid a braid. “That’s why you didn’t have time to do your hair right. You had a lot going on—”
“First of all, these braids are nice. Second of all, I am not pregnant.”
Zo huffed. “Well, I’m making a plate for the babies.”
“Oh my God.” I rolled my eyes.
While Deja worked on my hair, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye.
Somewhere in between that conversation, Nika had quickly wandered over to the food table. She wasn't even making a plate. She was holding one of the forks up to the light, turning it slowly, and inspecting it like a jeweler examining a diamond.
What is she doing?
Nika ran her thumb along the handle, nodded to herself, and then glanced left. Glanced right.
Girl, I'm watching you.
Nika opened her purse and slid the fork inside. Then she picked up another one. Inspected it. Slid that one in too.
A third.
A fourth.
Deja took out another braid. "Nika, put those forks back. What is wrong with you?"
"They said I can have whatever I want at the table—"