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“I’m over it.”
Pulling my arms through a button-up short-sleeved shirt, I asked, “Over what?”
“All of this,” she almost whispered, and I knew why. Josie’s baby’s father was in town. He’d come down from Connecticut with his Korean wife to visit their four-year-old daughter. She was in a different room, talking to me, giving them their time. “I know my prayers for over two years was for him to, at least, see about her, but…”
“But what?”
“It feels so awkward with his wife.” She laughed louder than she spoke. “And he still gives me that flirty eye, like I’m supposed to be affected by it. Like…bro, your whole wife’s eight feet away from you.”
“But you good otherwise? Is he making you feel uncomfortable?”
“No. I’m over him.”
“A’ight. If you want, I can get Man over there.”
“That’s not necessary,” her vibration low again. “I just wish we were in a place where Mindy could spend time with him on her own. Like…maybe invite her up there with him in Connecticut so I could live my life with my boyfriend on a boat in… Where are you now?”
Boyfriend?
I liked Josie and all, but we hadn’t gone there.
I chuckled, thinking about where we were at this point. It was day five on the boat and today, we left the Isle of Capri, where we explored theBlue Grotto. A dope ass row boat ride into a cave made from a big ass rock. We had to get to the bottom of the boat to fit inside as the rider expertly guided us into a dangerously narrowed canal and a fucking amazingly blue “cathedral,” is how they call it. The water was a shade of blue I’d never seen. Ashira mentioned the color reminded her of the water inSaint Justin. Something about the difference was the water there sparkling at night.
We took another boat ride, this one motored to visit theFaraglioni di Mezzo. All this shit was new to me but heavily encouraged by Francesco, my native muscle on this European vacation. And apparently, Ashira was down, saying she’d heard of some of the tourist hot spots. The stone archway of one of the Faraglioni rocks was crazy. We were told of its romantic legend. If a couple kissed under the arch, they’d stay together forever. So, Ashira managed Chivon between us, and instructed me to kiss one side of her cheek while she took the other. Then she requested Chivon, and I take one alone as she snapped away. Weird, rich, cultured people shit, but I rolled with it.
“Just left Capri,” I finally answered. “Headed up to Rome.” I continued to check myself out in the mirror, noticing a deep ass tan.
The gym here on the boat was dope, but I’d missed mine at home. All this yachting shit was new to me. You don’t know what you don’t know. They asked me lots of questions to make sure to meet all of our needs, but I didn’t think about the different weights and machines I preferred. Ashira and Amy’s friend used the gym, too, so it had definitely been getting its fair share of play.
“Rome!” Josie breathed into the phone. “I wonder what their pasta is like.”
“Me, too.”
“So, Italian is your favorite food?”
I thought for a minute as I left my cabin. “Nah. I don’t think so.” After being locked up for so many years, your palette’s pretty shitty. But God was good to me. I had good friends who ate at the best restaurants, and I’d been able to try out the shit they ate and learned from there. “I’m pretty much open to anything good.”
“Yeah. I’ve noticed.” I could hear the smile I’d been used to in her voice. “You always let me pick when we go out.”
“Yup. I’m a simple man.”
Things got quiet as I plopped down the stairs.
“You good?”
“Yeah.” Another pause. “How’s Shi-Shi?”
“Chivon’s good. Having the time of her three-year-old life that she won’t remember. They’ve been shooting lots of videos of her and taking flicks. Some way, somehow, her little ass will know her childhood was from Daddy’s heart.”
“So, sweet, babe,” she encouraged as I took another set of stairs down to the main level. “I was actually asking about her mom.” My stride slowed mid-step. “Is she the one taking the pictures and videos? She having a good time?”
“What makes you ask that?”
“Which question?”
“About Chivon’s moms?”
Josie’s answer came in slowly. “Because it is your family’s vacation. Your dynamic is…” She let out a breath. “Way different from mine, as you can see.” The sadness returned.
