ROBBED TO RICHES 4

Robbed to Riches 4

Billy handed me a small envelope with the key I left a his house. He had never come this close to my house before and I was very shocked to see him but I just went with it. He told me that he was going to go and he will pick me up and bring me into Kingston. My aunt, mother and grandmother did see me talking to him so when I went back into the house. My mother asked me who it was and I told her that he was my friend. My grandmother did not ask me anything neither did my aunt. The house was very quiet and it was time for me to go and when I was leaving my mother said,” Yu betta careful.” She sounded concerned but her face was marked with jealousy. On my way to school I did not speak about Billy’s ex-wife and I did not bring it up, that was not my concern I would have to take his word for it but there was tension. He did tell me that he put a bed in the apartment and other things and his brother was going to bring someone to the apartment tomorrow to fix a lock on the door and do other work that needed to be done. When I got to the apartment it did not look like it needed any fixing it had a nice layout: two bathrooms and two bedrooms and it was furnished. It had a washer and dryer, I really did not know how to use anything like that but I was hoping that the manual would be there. I told him thank you. The manual was not there and I asked him if he knew how to use the machine and he said he had no idea.

Billy stayed for a long time and then he left because he said that he had to get up early in the morning. It felt strange but I could get used to it. I did not go to bed when he left I was still looking around because I wanted to get familiar with the place. When I finally went to bed it was about 3:00 am but I got a good sleep and got up about 7:00 am. Shortly after I came out of the bathroom I got a phone call from Billy asking me how I liked the place. He then told me that his brother was not able to come so his brothers wife would come instead. Around 10:30 am I heard a knock at the door but I guess I was not quick enough because the person open the door and walked right in. This had to be his brothers wife she came with two men. She had on a white shirt and a black pants, her jewellery was not tacky looking she had on her wedding ring a tennis bracelet, a Tag heuer watch and a pair of Ray Ban sun glasses. Her complexion was light and she had dark brown curly hair she was not skinny her body was a decent size but she was not fat. I thought to myself she was a typical “red naiga”. Once she was inside she introduced herself as Julie Keane with a fake smile on her face. I told her my name and she said she was going to have the men look at what needed to be done. She told one of the men to put two dead bolts on the door and then she said that she was going to remove the stove. Then she asked me, “Who are you ?” I said, “Susanna!” She just looked at me and then she asked me if I ran and I told her no. “You have nice legs.”she said, I responded with a surprise “Thank you!” and she left. Her tone was very authoritative and she sounded like she was trying her best to be humble. At this point I did not care what anyone thought of me as long as Billy loved me everybody else was insignificant. I decided to take a little walk around the place and well it was very interesting the first step I took outside I saw a popular entertainer with a girl who had a very white face. Anyway it looked like it was an upscale complex regardless. As soon as I got inside Billy called me it was like the wife situation never happened. He said that he was not able to see me today but he laughed and said my boyfriend Carl was going to arrive at the apartment about 1:00 pm. Carl brought me to the grocery store and I asked him if he wanted anything for himself and he told me no. But I asked again because I remember him telling me that he had a four year old. I bought biscuits and things that little children would eat and gave it to him anyway. I knew he was doing his job but he was very patient and kind. After leaving the grocery store he said to me that his baby mother was pregnant but she was not doing so well with the pregnancy. We continued to the apartment and he asked me if I could drive. I told him I could not drive he said that it was good to learn because I would move around easier. Carl did not say it in a bad way , I understood exactly what he was saying. He also said to me that Billy and his brother “likkle Paul” were “big car racers” and they would race at a farm they had in St. Mary twice a year. When I got home I had an envelope that Carl had given me it did not feel like it was cheque because it was hard and about the length of a business card. When I opened it, it was a bank card and it had four numbers written on a piece of paper.

I felt obligated to my room mate although I told her that I might not be coming back I paid the rent for the next two months. Hopefully, she would find someone else to take over in the third month. I did not want anyone living with me because I liked my privacy so I did not offer. Learning to drive was a priority so I decided to find the perfect instructor, I contacted a man who told me the cost and what was involved. I was ready an told him that I was available the next day. Looking back now the teacher was very good and thorough and he made me know the basics of driving. I took three sets of classes with him and in my sixth week I had it. Although Billy would visit me often I did not tell him what I was doing. When I went to do my test the first time I failed and I was disappointed but I knew I had to do it again. I did it again and I failed and I tried again and passed. I was so excited and I knew Carl would pick me up the day after and I could not wait to tell him. As usual Carl waited patiently when I went outside he told me that he came to the door because he got a new van and I would not recognized it. When we got on the road leading to ferry he stopped and bought coconut water. I told him that I got my license and he said “Wah ! Miss a you haffi go drive di res a di way enuh.“ I said to him “’Mi fraid!“ and he laughed and said,“ Everyting good man.“ I drove all the way home with the Carl`s help just as I was going to stop the vehicle my mother was walking in she walked as if she did not see me. My mother was a complicated individual and well I just let her be. When I went inside my mother was the only one home I told her good evening and she mumbled and said yes mam. She was not very welcoming so I decided to leave and return when my aunt was back. I decided to visit Patrice. Patrice just had her baby and I went to see her. The baby was a healthy girl and she asked me if I could be the Godmother and I was excited. I knew it must have been difficult for her not having emotional support from the father. As usual I update Patrice on Billy and told her that I had got an apartment and she could come an visit. Although I gave Patrice money I wanted her to do something for herself I knew that she would do good at cosmetology. I did not go right out and say that I would pay but I did say to her “What you want to do now, Patrice?” she responded “I have to go and find a work now because mi haffi move, a bear dutty di oman a gi mi in yah.” I said “But Patrice the baby still young and to how you stay yu haffi go work fi yu self, and it a go hard fi yu go work fi nutten who a go stay wid di baby?” Patrice looked puzzled and like a heavy brick came down on her. I said to her “Look mi a go help yu but yu haffi help yu self, wen di baby old enough maybe yu can go back go do cosmetology and mi and yu go in a business.” She smiled and said,”Yu know seh a dat mi wah do, but mi nuh know how mi woulda do it, but mi a go do dat. Thank yu fi do money Sue mi wah yu talk to mommy fi mi please.” Before I left I told her that I would speak with her mother and not to worry.

Billy called me and invited me out in the evening and I was excited because I did not know where he would be taking me. That evening Billy was the one who picked me up. It was the first time we would really drive alone after what happened without tension. I had forgotten about the wife or should I say ex-wife We were both so happy that we smiled all the way he asked me where I wanted to go and I told him that I would prefer to go to his house and that we did. When we got in the house the energy was no different I have never danced with anyone the way I danced with Billy. He told me that we would dance and that it was good exercise I even danced to music that was not of my time. Billy had a large music collection and that night the last song I danced to was “I am going to make you love me” by the Temptations and Diana Ross. With that he took me by my hand and took me upstairs. I am sure that a lot of woman wanted him but they were never approached. It was too late now because he was taken. I knew from then women held a certain power. I started to own my confidence and mystery as a woman. As a woman I would be able to get anything I needed from any man I was interested in. This was something my mother never told me. Every time I would go out with Billy I would not have the complexion of majority of the woman there but I was the happiest, all the other girls seem sad and puppet like. The truth is that even though his riches and power made me attracted to him. Love would make me stay with him.